Bombs Away?

Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, September 12th, 2014 - 73 comments
Categories: democracy under attack, election 2014, greens, making shit up, Media, Politics - Tags: , , ,

So after however many days, months and years spent tripping Labour at every turn, it now appears that the National Party’s dedicated ‘dirty network’ is switching attention to the Greens.

Last month (as reported by NRT and Chris Trotter) , an outfit calling itself ‘The Opinion Partnership’ appeared to be launching a negative advertising campaign targeting the Green Party.

Today we have the Greens (and Labour) seeking to contain Corin Dann’s spin on TVNZ that suggested they will align with the National Party. That line seems to have launched off the back of a column written by John Armstrong on Wednesday.

Now, of course it screams of the dirty politics tactics that Nicky Hager outlined in his book. But short of some leaked email communication, can the genesis of this particular play be traced back beyond Armstrong’s column?

That as it may be, can I suggest you re-read Trotter’s updated piece on ‘The Opinion Partnership’ if you haven’t already?

And if you are of the left, quit the negative fucking arm flailing over claims the Green Party are going to jump into bed with the National Party and get digging instead. Thanks.

73 comments on “Bombs Away? ”

  1. toad 1

    Bizarre thing about this sort of bullshit is that the chances of the Labour Party forming a confidence and supply agreement with the Nats are higher than the Greens doing it.

    For the Greens, any Coalition or C&S agreement is not in the hands of the Leadership or even the Caucus – it has to be ratified by the membership at a Party Special General Meeting. And that is just not going to happen for the Nats, whose policies are toxic to the vast majority of Greens.

      • Bunji 1.1.1

        It regularly amazes me how little the political punditry understand political parties.

        They had it that the Labour Caucus would kick Cunliffe out against the party’s wishes – both when the party would immediately vote him back, and in that 3 month pre-election period that would have been electoral suicide (both with voters and with the party troops not doing the leg work with disenchantment). Where do they come up with this stuff? It’s certainly not thought through.

        And the Greens membership backing a C&S deal with National?

        Do they actually engage their brains?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1.1

          Of course they engage their brains.

          Their brains tell them that if they’re no longer prepared to put up with this shit, there’ll be another idealistic dupe along in a minute to take their job.

          Super injunctions are so super, simply splendid, sucks eh.

        • mickysavage 1.1.1.2

          Agreed.

          Some of my best friends are greens. They would rather drive spikes through their eyes than go with National.

          Methinks Bill is right and there has been some dirty politics on the part of the media happening.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.3

          It regularly amazes me how little the political punditry understand political parties.

          It’s either that or they’re spinning for all they’re worth. Personally, I think it’s the spin.

          • AmaKiwi 1.1.1.3.1

            If a media story says the Budapest soccer league is falling apart, I accept it because I don’t follow Hungarian soccer.

            By destroying local governments we have been made powerless in even the most minor, local, political decisions. We live under a rotating parliamentary dictatorship.

            It is wise not to waste your time thinking critically about things over which you have no control, like Hungarian soccer and NZ governance. Simpler to accept the spin.

    • Weepus beard 1.2

      Why is anyone even talking confidence and supply with National?

      It’s not time to wave the white flag just yet, is it?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1

        Anyone who’s talking confidence and supply with the National Party must be investigated by the Royal Commission. Their complicity is seditious.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1.1

          To expand a little: this National Party filth machine is a constitutional crisis, akin to a government of foreign spies. The ballot box is one of the tools to prosecute the scum, and it will be inadequate unless enforced by the other pillars of government.

          If the police (and/or other judicial arms) do not have powers of arrest in respect of the Prime Minister’s crimes, the next Parliament needs to address that problem.

          • Weepus beard 1.2.1.1.1

            The ballot box is one of the tools we have to hold them to account but I wonder if there are enough of us to make it work.

            My biggest concern is the Kiwi male, only 18% of whom identify with Labour right now.

            I was speaking to a fellow parent from my kids’ school (dec 5) the other day at a BBQ I put on for the kids and I felt sure he would be a Labour or Green voter but as the conversation went on it was clear he was worried that National would not get in.

            Another parent who I knew would be a National voter because he and his brothers inherited and worked the family business wondered about the relevance of “Dirty Politics” and specifically whether anybody read blog sites at all so why was it such a big deal? I said to him: Journalists read blog sites and the public read journalists.

            I can understand the second one being conservative but it’s the first one which is a worry. This is the sort of working Kiwi bloke (ok, so he’s management, but still a one income family) who for some reason has bought into the government spiel even though I’m sure he and his kids would be better off with a Labour led government.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1.1.1.1

              Anecdata, although a general rule is that the National Party’s relentless perfidy relies on ignorance, the Dunning Kruger effect, and confirmation bias; there is an increasing body of evidence that a good strategy to educate right wing dupes is an emotional rather than fact-based approach, since they lack the cognitive ability to absorb the latter.

              • KJT

                And the previous perfidy of Labour, especially in the 80’s.

              • AmaKiwi

                “there is an increasing body of evidence that a good strategy to educate right wing dupes is an emotional rather than fact-based approach”

                The emotion is FEAR.

                I worry about saying this so close to the election, but National could enhance their chances by announcing a terrorist attack is imminent.

                If you see NZ troops guarding the Beehive and Harbour Bridge, remember you read it first on The Standard.

    • word 1.3

      @Toad. Well I think its utter bullshit that you think labour would go into a C&S with a most insidiously corrupt and toxic national party, thats just a load of rubbish.

  2. karol 2

    Well said, Bill.

    Too much in-fighting as the result of a couple of MSM journalists running with wedge politics lines.

    Time to get back tot he real struggles – against those NAct two trackers.

    Got my easy vote card today – let’s get back to getting everyone out to vote and…

    Keep calm and vote left – whatever that means to each person.

    And the real story is, The NActs and Key see their support slipping. Why else is Key going for only half an hour – minus the ad breaks – for the final leaders debate?

  3. Deb Kean 3

    “Today we have the Greens seeking to contain Corin Dann’s spin on TVNZ that suggested they will align with the National Party.”
    And yet they probably will align with National, which is one of the many reasons why the Greens will not ever again be getting my vote.

    • Weepus beard 3.1

      Hang on Deb, while I understand the frustration, Bill has asked us not to fight and I agree with him on that point.

    • weka 3.2

      “And yet they probably will align with National,”

      🙄

      • outofbed 3.2.1

        “And yet they probably will align with National,”
        I am one of “they”
        And we won’t

        • Corokia 3.2.1.1

          damn right outofbed, we won’t!
          I’d put my money on Deb Kean being a troll and not someone who has been a Green voter in the past.

          • Deb Kean 3.2.1.1.1

            “I’d put my money on Deb Kean being a troll and not someone who has been a Green voter in the past.”
            I’d put my money on your being an arrogant male. Who gave you the right to call me a troll just because I don’t trust the (blue) Greens?
            I did vote Green, but no more, and one reason was Russel Norman and Metiria Turei proudly annoucing in 2011 that they’d support National on confidence and supply.

            • Corokia 3.2.1.1.1.1

              The troll label was speculation on my part, I am highly suspicious of those who claim to be/have been Green supporters BUT totally misrepresent the Greens position
              You did it again. -“Russel Norman and Metiria Turei proudly annoucing in 2011 that they’d support National on confidence and supply”.
              CRAP! That never happened. The Greens have always opposed giving confidence and supply to National, except in the 2011 election, when they it said it was unlikely but didn’t rule it out.
              (and you lost your bet)

            • Corokia 3.2.1.1.1.2

              “And yet they probably will align with National” -NO, the Greens did not say that.
              Here is Metiria making it quite clear on Firstline
              “Unfortunately in a campaign you can’t always control how the story is told, so for those asking, let’s be clear: nothing has changed.
              Our 100% focus this election is to change the government in order to achieve a cleaner, fairer, smarter New Zealand.
              Three more years of National would be disastrous for our environment, our children and economy and we need to change the government”

              If you Deb Kean, expect to be believed you could try not making stuff up.

              • karol

                Thanks for the quote from the interview, Corokia – will add it to my post on the Nats two track strategy.

              • Deb Kean

                “f you Deb Kean, expect to be believed you could try not making stuff up.”
                I made nothing up, so try again. Conveniently for you, you don’t give a link, just a quote from Metitiria, who is rumoured to be a good person, unlike Norman, so possibly she’s telling the truth. I would not count on it but. You’re going to get to screech troll at me even louder when I tell you that the main reason why I will never vote Green is their abortion policy, which sucks and blows.

    • BM 3.3

      Personally, I find the new direction they’re taking quite appealing.

      I’m still voting National, but if the greens are willing to spend the next 3 years working under National, I’d be willing to flick a vote their way in 2017.

    • Vaughan 3.4

      The day the Greens align with a traitor like ShonKey, or sell their political soul to a Party as corrupt and toxic to People and the Planet as National, is the day I and many fellow Green Party Members + Supporters, eat their hemp shoes. . . It just won’t happen Deb.

      NZH = Right Wing Spin / Propaganda Machine – don’t believe their hype, or their polls. The only poll that matters is on September 20!

  4. Rich 4

    And just now we have Len Brown’s documents released by the council to the Herald about the time of his affair, yes AFFAIR.

    Now at least we know what this is all about. SEX, don’t let the plebs have sex!

    But guess what Herald readers, the Herald did not get what they wanted. Ms Chuang did not travel with Len to China! Yes China, that’s where Ms Chuang is from, they must be shocked. Damn it write the story anyway.

    • karol 4.1

      Yeah. Amazing – headlined as Breaking News.

    • sockpuppet 4.2

      WTF ?

      • Rich 4.2.1

        You want a translation? The herald put an OIA in expecting to get confirmation of a suspicion that Ms Chuang travelled with Len Brown on council money to China. But instead they got confirmation that this did not happen. But instead of slinking off without telling anyone they wrote the story anyway, trying to give it traction by mentioning that it was at the same time as the AFFAIR.

        Now there is also an equivalence here between Brown having an affair and what is happening on Key’s watch, which most of us would view as much, much worse.

        And that is a peek into the thought processes of these morons, unintended as always but there nevertheless.

  5. Macro 5

    What bill and what toad says!
    There are some dim witted commentators about making all kinds of unrealistic assertions.
    Nat + Green is just not going to happen.
    That is not to say that the Greens not will seek to advance their Policies – no matter what.

  6. weka 6

    Wayne Mapp posted this comment on Weds,

    There will be shortly a post of mine on Pundit where I discuss the convergence of the Greens, Labour and National on dairy farming practices in respect of clean water.

    If you actually take the time to read the polices of each of the parties you will be surprised at the degree of convergence. I did not expect this level of convergence, but I was twigged to this by the Greens announcements in the weekend which seemed surprisingly similar to that of the Nats earlier last week. The Greens have an 18 page paper on the issue.

    http://thestandard.org.nz/nrt-fundamental-incomprehension/#comment-884516

    That comment was on a repost of NRT’s response to Armstrong’s Herald article promo-ing the GP and National. Worth a reread for those people that want to understand the GP position better.

  7. Tautoko Viper 7

    Just a thought.
    Wayne Eagleson refused an OIA request for briefings to bloggers saying that the OIA didn’t cover them.
    https://fyi.org.nz/request/1911/response/6746/attach/3/12092014110457%200001.pdf

    But, but, but if Cam Slater is now and was considered to be a journalist…….

    • karol 7.1

      interesting.

    • mike s 7.2

      Yeah interesting. In my opinion the wording in the request needs to be more specific also.

      For example maybe change the wording to something along the lines of:

      “Any communications in the form of emails, faxes, sms text messages, documents, files or any other form of digital or paper based communications, sent, transferred, or in any other way forwarded from the Prime Minister’s office to journalist Cameron Slater, or to the following mobile phone numbers… (list numbers), or to any of the following email addresses..(list slaters known emails such as whaleoil, etc) during the period starting 1 April, 2014 and finishing 30 April, 2014”

      They like things specific

  8. just saying 8

    Labour is way more likely to go into coalition with National.
    In a sense they made that particular faustian pact a long time ago.

    I think there will be a Labour, Green and (god forbid) NZF government with more than a knife-edge of a majority because of four or more Internet Mana MPs as their voiciferous outsiders, come Sunday week. What I’m hearing all over the place is at odds with what the media are depicting as the mood of the nation.

    Unfortunately, we’ll probably have Colin Craig take over from the Hairdo.

    Panic is counter to any NACT script. The bullshit is dependent on a cool delivery.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1

      Labour is way more likely to go into coalition with National.
      In a sense they made that particular faustian pact a long time ago.

      Exactly.

      Unfortunately, we’ll probably have Colin Craig take over from the Hairdo.

      I still think that it is unlikely that CONS will get to 5.0%.

      • Lanthanide 8.1.1

        I agree. I think they’ll end up something like 3.8% – 4.5%

        Colin said they knew where they were getting their support from – half from National and the other half largely from NZFirst and Labour.

        As the polls generally over-sample National on the order of 4-5%, so too will this over-sampling affect the Conservatives.

        Still, National are going to be kicking themselves for not lowering the threshold to 4%.

    • word 8.2

      The labour of “long ago” is not the labour of “today”
      I disagree that labour would go into a C&S with national, just like the Greens wont.

  9. locus 9

    I would trust people and parties to behave in line with their track record. The Greens and Labour are not parties that will let their supporters down.

    Theres an inherent goodness and intelligence in the social and environmental values of the left. These values are clearly not evident in the track record and dirty politics of key and his back scratching mates.

    You only have to look at the disaster of the Lib Dems in UK to realise you sign your party’s death warrant when you align with toxic politics and neolib dogma.

    • karol 9.1

      It’s also good to see, as reported by Andrea Vance this arvo, that some Greens and Labour people were talking last night:

      Campaigning in Napier today, Labour leader David Cunliffe said he believed the Greens were targeting “economic National voters who have environmental sympathies”.

      Senior staff from both parties talked today, and he was given “reassurances” that the Greens had “every intention of working co-operatively in a Labour-led government”.

  10. nadis 10

    “…Labour are not parties that will let their supporters down”

    Comedy gold.

  11. One Anonymous Bloke 11

    How to bury a story, 101.

    Any public interest in protecting sources must be further diminished when there is evidence that a personal vendetta appears to be driving (Slater’s reports),” Justice Asher said.

    “Further, where the material provided by the sources appears to have been unlawfully obtained, that is a further factor lessening the public interest in the free flow of information.”

    The justice said the blog published by Slater “are extreme and vindictive and have the hallmarks of a private feud.”

    Justice Asher also states that the sources used by Slater came “hard-drive and other documents (that) appear to have been obtained illegitimately.”

    Slater has therefore been ordered to comply with discovery requirements in the substantive defamation hearing ahead and must pay Blomfield’s costs.

  12. BM 12

    Labour’s about as popular with the masses as weeping genital sores.

    The greens know this, hence this sounding out of National as a potential coalition partner.

    • weka 12.1

      BM, just fuck off with the troling lies. You know what you have said is wrong and yet here you are saying it again and again and again.

    • Kat 12.2

      yuk BM!

      Obviously you are either a National party/ Act/Slater troll.

      Oh how this lovely country has been smothered by the evil obnoxious politics of John key.

    • Tautoko Viper 12.3

      You are all class, BM!!!

    • One Anonymous Bloke 12.4

      Don’t be so hard on poor BM. It was only a brief moment of cognitive dissonance ago that Dear Leader was going to govern alone.

  13. Deb Kean 13

    “The greens know this, hence this sounding out of National as a potential coalition partner.”

    What a creative (but ultimately nasty) excuse.

  14. lurgee 14

    I think I’ve said before, that even if the numbers add up to some dubious grand coalition of the left, the Greens may prefer not to be part of it. Mitigating National’s nastiness through constructive opposition may be preferable to being part of a shambles of a government.

    • BM 14.1

      Exactly, Labour is a dead man walking, doesn’t make sense to breath life back into that political corpse.
      Let labour die a natural death and then claim the mantle as the main opposition party.

      It’s what I’d do, if I was calling the shots for the greens.

    • weka 14.2

      having said it before doesn’t make it any more true. It would be exceptional circumstances where the GP chose opposition against National over being in govt with Labour. So exceptional I can’t think what they circumstances would be.

  15. Local Kiwi 15

    BM the paid assasin telling lies again eh!
    Get a real job.

    Come Moday when your boss Key has the revalations of him being involved in a plot to secretly help his rich foriegn mates rape and destroy our economy to take it over without a shot fired.

    Kim.com revenge day yeah!!!!!

  16. dave 16

    these national party goons at it again every time i see those team key goons i just vomit
    russell winstone cunliffe for god sake work something out don’t let the criminals get rewarded any government but national

  17. crocodill 17

    Infiltrated by trolls and a dirty media, huh? I emailed The Greens earlier this week with concerns and they sent me a standard reply this morning (which did not answer my questions directly). I accept that a volunteer is not going to be authorised to address the public directly, but they are authorised to say what the Leadership/Membership tell them to say. So either my email was intercepted by the CIA and it is evidence of wide-scale random hacking, or there are no trolls, no bad media, just The Greens being reckless and deceitful. If that’s the case, well, I’m not going to tell the membership what they should do to their leaders. Here read it in full and then tell me that they have categorically eliminated working with a corrupt National party:

    Thank you for your email.

    There has been some confusion as a result of last night’s TV One news story.

    To be clear, our goal in this election is to change the Government in order to achieve a cleaner, fairer, smarter New Zealand. The best way to advance good green change is for the Greens to be in Government.

    Our intention is to form a new government with Labour. So a party vote for the Greens is a vote for a big Green presence in a new government with Labour.
    The Greens have momentum in this election. Last night’s TVNZ poll had us on 14%, the highest we have ever been in that poll. More New Zealanders than ever are saying they are planning to vote Green.

    We have always said it would be highly unlikely that we would give confidence and supply support to a National government. Three more years of National will be bad for our environment, our kids, and our economy.

    If, in the unfortunate event National does end up the Government, an even bigger Green Party will continue to be a strong and effective voice opposition that holds them to account and stops them from doing bad things and, wherever possible, achieving good green change, like we did by securing the $300 million home insulation scheme and national cycleway in 2008.

    Again, thanks for your email and I hope this clarifies our position.

    Party Administration Team

    Phone 04 801 5102 | Email green.party @greens.org.nz | Web http://www.greens.org.nz
    Level 2, 17 Garrett Street, Wellington

    Authorised by Jon Field, Level 2, 17 Garrett Street, Wellington
    This message contains information that is confidential and which may be subject to privilege. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or reproduction of this message is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify me immediately by telephone or by return email. Thank you

    The bold was done by me. So tell me this, am I a troll for being concerned that The Greens find it “unlikely” that they will support a corrupt government? Unlikely? No, listen, there is only one answer to that question and that answer is no, NO we will not enable or support a National government just to win an extra cycle way or to put extra insulation into the homes of the almost poor while National go about creating poverty and generally behaving like psychopaths.

    So you direct me to the bit about being in opposition? I direct you to the bit about The Greens thinking they can influence psychopaths by enabling them. They know exactly what “unlikely” means. It means if Labour eat up most of the useful Left vote and The Greens become the possible-but-not-quite-senior party of the Left, they will go with National to form a government. How would that even work? Either you work with Labour in that situation or you don’t. Unlikely? What, they’re telling us Labour have said they won’t be a junior partner? Holy Christ. They know the only way they can do anything, is by being in power – see first bold.

    The Greens are correct in saying support for them has never been higher, but to prematurely grab at power now, and abandon the people and their principles, that’s just career politicians thinking of themselves. Surely it would be better for our leaders to increase the trust they have with the electorate by not compromising with people who want them effectively eliminated. Ask yourself, why if the Greens are on roughly 15%, in unfavourable polls, would they not come out and say NO, F-Off corrupt National. Why would they chose the normalisation of Dirty Politics over drawing a line in the sand and saying, no, NOT acceptable.

    Numbers aside, the kind of thinking the Greens are using betrays the Left. Pragmatism my ass. Love NZ? By enabling abusers? That would be like the Mother who enables an abusive Father to damage the kids because the alternative is having them living on the street? Yeah tough decision, except I would rather live on the street in community than hide in suburbia enabling hate and fear.

    Vote for enabling wholesale abuse of the powerless? You must be joking. Don’t tell me to shut up and start digging. I’ll smack you with the spade.

  18. reason 18

    crocodill fears & tears.

    The greens will go into government with national if the nats change most if not all of their policy. Pass me the Tui’s when that happens.

    Anyway this false impression against the greens may pick them up soft national voters with morals who just cant bring themselves to vote for Team Sleaze 🙂

  19. Sable 19

    Yet more “quality” reporting from the MSM in NZ. Best thing anyone could do is simply refuse to read their rags in either hard or softcopy. They only have a voice if we are all willing to listen.

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    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
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  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
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  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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