Climate change – ETS or Carbon tax?

Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, June 4th, 2014 - 71 comments
Categories: climate change, david cunliffe, Environment, ETS, global warming, greens, labour - Tags:

Climate change global warming

Rather predictably the media is starting to imply that the difference in policy between Labour and the Greens concerning which system is best to address climate change is a sign that they cannot work together.  A recent Fairfax article titled “Labour opposes Green’s Carbon Tax plan” contains the following passage:

Labour opposes the Green Party’s new carbon tax policy, saying the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was its preferred option.

Labour leader David Cunliffe said today his party would negotiate with the Greens on the policy, but did not favour it.

“That’s the Green’s position, not ours,” he said on Firstline.

“Our position is in favour of an Emissions Trading Scheme, which is well managed – not one that’s been gutted by the current government policy.

“An ETS is probably slightly more complex, but slightly more effective in terms of allocating the costs and benefits of a carbon price across the board.”

The language in the article and the heading is rather strong.  I do not read Cunliffe’s statements as opposition to a carbon tax, just that Labour’s preference for an ETS is based on it being slightly more effective even though it is slightly more complex.  And a carbon tax was the party’s previously preferred method of complying with the country’s Kyoto obligations as I noted in a previous post.

To those claiming that Labour has shown some sort of weakness by not being able to change its policy in the three days since the Green’s Carbon tax announcement they do not understand how policy is adopted in the Labour Party.  There is a full constitutional process where the party’s policy council has an ongoing role to prepare and refine the party’s policy platform and Annual Conference reigns supreme.  Currently the Policy Platform says:

4.12  Labour wants New Zealand to honour its international commitment to reduce our gross greenhouse gas emissions through good science and responsible behaviour by companies and individuals. We will encourage the development of mitigation technologies and industries, such as forestry. We will make sure our Emissions Trading Scheme has environmental credibility as an ‘all gases all sectors’ scheme, ultimately free from subsidies to greenhouse gas polluters.

Cunliffe is correct in respecting the party’s constitution.  He would be pilloried if he was to unilaterally change party policy.

The differing policies create an interesting debate.  Which is better?  A carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme?

Both systems put a price on the production of greenhouse gasses.  Basically an ETS is more complex and attempts to drive up the price of polluting depending on how much over a set cap GHGs are being produced whereas a Carbon Tax is a more straight forward tax on GHG production.  If you want a more detailed primer on the differences between the two systems this Guardian Article is helpful.

The Green’s proposal is simpler.  A straight forward $25 a tonne of GHG equivalent will be paid by major polluters.  Foresters will receive a credit of $12.50 for every tonne of CO2 sequestered.

And it is clear that Labour’s ETS has been effectively guttered by National’s changes and needs to be strengthened.  Not only is agriculture not in the scheme but major polluters have no incentive to do anything.  Things are that bad that the petrol companies have discovered that they are able to profit from the scheme by receiving locally sourced credits and then purchasing much cheaper overseas credits to cover their obligations.  The incentive to do something to address climate change is effectively nil.

Hopefully Labour and the Greens will gain power at this year’s election and can then have a robust discussion on what system is best.  But current differences of opinion should be regarded as being nothing more than the pursuit of the best possible means of addressing what both parties agree is one of humanity’s most pressing problems.

71 comments on “Climate change – ETS or Carbon tax? ”

  1. Tracey 1

    Yes. Apparently wanting to beat your children and drive homosexuals back into crminiality doesnt mean key and craig cant work together butThe left must agree on everything with each other or be declated in chaos.

  2. Lefty 2

    The current disagreement between Labour and the Greens is over which of two methods of pretending to reduce carbon emissions while allowing business as usual will fool the most people.

    It is true though that such disagreements should not be blown out of proportion and certainly it doesn’t mean they can’t work very effectively together as a government.

  3. Ad 3

    If one policy is slightly more effective and slightly more complex, is it necessary to have two different policies between the Green Party and the Labour Party? Why can’t we just all get along, so to speak?

    In fact is is time for Labour and the Greens to agree in specific areas which have the stronger policies, and adopt them? Wholesale pre-election coalitions have already been ruled out. But pick just a few areas such as this one, and simply saying to the other: take the running on this one will you?

    • Colonial Viper 3.1

      Good idea – it would give the Left across the country confidence that LAB and GP are definitely talking and co-ordinating productively ahead of the election.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 3.2

      Thats what coalition agreements are about . When you are in government.

      The Greens just spend their time in opposition drawing up purge lists of list Mps to be dumped.

      • Colonial Viper 3.2.1

        The Greens just spend their time in opposition drawing up purge lists of list Mps to be dumped.

        Yeah but there’s a corollary of this for Labour to do with keeping everyone on even if they have proven bloody useless and a liability over and over again. So which do you prefer?

  4. Macro 4

    Emission Trading Schemes have been show around the world to not work because they are far too open to scams from unscrupulous players in the market. Furthermore they are far too easy to trash by succeeding and unthinking governments – as we have seen to our cost here.
    One might say that Carbon Taxes suffer the same weakness – e.g. Aussies Carbon Tax and the Abbott idiocy. But just the other day Australia’s Emissions reduction target increased from 5% to 18% – courtesy of their Carbon Tax! Hidden in the detail which Abbott and co failed to notice 🙂
    http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/australias-emissions-cut-target-triples-overnight-thanks-to-failure-to-repeal-carbon-tax-20140602-39esv.html
    The good thing about a Carbon Tax is that a Fixed Price can be set. This gives Business and consumers knowledge of just what the burning of fossil fuels by them will cost – varying prices means people may not actively attempt to reduce their emissions but rather chase the cheapest price.
    Furthermore this proposal by the greens includes the establishment of a independent commission to advise govt on setting the continued carbon price.If the price is too low then the tax can be adjusted so that people return to seeking alternatives to burning carbon.
    The dividend part of the Proposal is also a must and more difficult to implement with an ETS. The dividend needs to be directed at those who can least afford change – The $2000 tax threshold is a good start. and the drop in company tax rates also a sweetener to smaller companies who do not have the facility to offshore their profits.

  5. Lanthanide 5

    China is considering to put a cap on greenhouse emissions starting in 2016.

    http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1524872/china-considering-cap-greenhouse-gas-pollution

    National are looking like dinosaurs more and more, and their feeble fig-leaf of “others have to do it first” is fast slipping away.

  6. Bill 6

    And there you have an excellent example of how not to write fucking policy. Here’s the basics.

    If there is a direction you wish to go in, then you choose language that leaves the door open for possibilities that might develop in the chosen direction. You don’t fucking well hem yourself in as Labour have done here.

    On the other side of the coin, if you identify a direction you do not want to go in, then you slam the door shut by being very specific and tight in the language used…as Labour have done here.

    Rocket science, it ain’t.

    edit We will for example make sure our Emissions Trading Scheme has environmental credibility as an ‘all gases all sectors’ scheme, ultimately free from subsidies to greenhouse gas polluters.…should have been obvious as an ‘open door’ progressive policy clause.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1

      What a load of nonsense.

      The ETS framework is the current LAW. So what part of a majority does the Green party have expect to have in parliament that can throw out the existing law in total AND introduce a whole new version.
      Even if Labour were to reverse its existing policy ( which takes some doing as Mickey pointed out) do the Greens have ALL the other minor parties lined up in support ?

      I dont think so. Green around the ears is definitely showing in some peoples minds in their rush to have a seat at the cabinet table. Its MMP stupid !

      • It’s perfectly reasonable to negotiate that the Government support a carbon tax as part of a coalition agreement. That would mean that all parties entering the coalition need to support it as well. Then you form a government that has a majority of seats in parliament, et voila, you have your carbon tax.

        I think you should brush up on your MMP. 😉

        • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1.1.1

          Doesnt happen that way. National currently have NO coalition arrangements with its parties. Only a confidence and supply.

          Same as when Labour was in power only a few parties were full coalition, Greens were only C&S partners, so there was arrangements on any legislation as it occurred.

          Your assumptions about “coalitions” hasnt been based on facts

      • Bill 6.1.2

        You’ve missed my point so fucking completely, haven’t you ‘ghost’? So I’ll make it real simple. The way the policy is worded means that Labour can’t say jack-shit that would overtly favour a carbon tax. Had they worded their fucking policy with an eye to possible developments and half a fucking brain, they could have publicly said they favoured a carbon tax while remaining within their own policy’s written parameters.

        • Colonial Viper 6.1.2.1

          This is more evidence that Labour intrinsically do not have the hang of this MMP business and are missing (avoiding) a lot of strategic subtleties/opportunities with which to take the nation Left.

          Also they have a self perception problem – they seem to honestly view themselves as the major and natural party of the NZ left – when in fact they long ago gave up any such role. Firstly in favour of major right wing neoliberalism, and more recently as a proponent of pragmatic, pro-capitalist centrism. Instead of fulfilling its historical mission, which the country needs more badly than ever, the Labour Party has become the Centrist-Moderates Party. And people are waking up to that.

          • Macro 6.1.2.1.1

            Well said.
            One had hoped that there was a movement back to the true roots of the Labour movement a few months ago – but not to be. Labour is afraid to really stand up for the people it supposedly represents, and that is why we have a proliferation of Parties on the Left because the powerless are no longer being represented by Labour.

            • Colonial Viper 6.1.2.1.1.1

              And are now more willing than ever to do something about it. Which appears to be pissing some Labour MPs off no end.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1.2.2

          Their policy was written in 2008 when the legislation was passed ( with Greens support)

          Just because the Greens have changed their minds about which tree to hug this month doesnt mean Labour should throw the baby out with the bathwater.

          This is how parties that have been in government work Not that you would know anything about that

          • Macro 6.1.2.2.1

            I’m not sure there is any baby left it has pretty much been dissolved. But Brian Fallow says it much better than I.
            http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11267674

            Here he is commenting on the World Bank’s opinion of our ETS ranked 26th out of 26 world wide.

            “In the measured language of such organisations, the World Bank is scathing about New Zealand’s scheme. It notes that last year in the international negotiations we adopted an unconditional target of a 5 per cent reduction from 1990 levels by 2020.

            But it says – as the Government’s own forecasts admit – that current measures and policies are not sufficient to meet this target domestically.

            “The unlimited use of international credits in the New Zealand ETS, combined with the record low price for these international credits, has resulted in insufficient domestic reductions.”

            That is putting it mildly.”

            Frankly not one Cap and Trade scheme around the world is doing what it is supposed to do – reduce the use of Carbon. All countries that have such a scheme and have brought down their emissions are doing so by regulation rather than incentivisng throughout Carbon Pricing. There is really only one way to put a price of the burning of Carbon – and that is to TAX it.

  7. Johnm 7

    ETS or Carbon Tax, either are just smoke screens to cover our dire predicament:

    “Keeping in mind that humans of industrial civilization have thus far warmed the planet by 0.85˚C in the last couple hundred years, the extreme weather events that have occurred just in the last decade, let alone in the last year, are clear evidence of an increasingly destabilized climate system. Catastrophic changes in the glacial zones of the Arctic and Antarctic have been set into motion, altering global jet streams and weather patterns as well as locking in a sea level rise that will make most coastal cities uninhabitable within a couple of generations. Thus we can see that the target of 2˚C is a totally fraudulent upper limit for anything safe; industrial civilization has already passed the point of no return into climate chaos.”

    http://collapseofindustrialcivilization.com/2014/06/03/no-dice-too-little-too-late/#comments

    • Lanthanide 7.1

      Is this one of the websites that claims 95% of life on earth is going to go extinct because of anthropogenic climate change?

      • Johnm 7.1.1

        Hi Lanthanide
        We are currently living through the 6th great extinction over 200 species are going extinct every day. This is reality not feel good political posturing irony and hypocrisy. This is actually happening, it’s not a status game! And catastrophic climate change is really, really happening and will impact you and your descendents. The ETS and Carbon Tax are BS distractions from reality!

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.2

        Is this one of the websites that claims 95% of life on earth is going to go extinct because of anthropogenic climate change?

        Well, I’m picking the number at around 75%, but the odds will distinctly improve for most of the planet once human civilisation (and population) degrades a century or so.

        After all, several global mass extinction events have occurred over the geological history of the Earth

        http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/extinction_events

  8. George 8

    Certainty of price (and thus the ability to make investment decisions) has not been delivered. Because of NZ’s small size, an international market will always be necessary, and that brings with it its own sets of challenges and risks. Those problems will remain, and are not easily bridged.

    I have always been in favour of a tax and dividend approach, as advocated by James Hansen, and this is pretty close. Once you give the population something, especially something that is both universal and financial, it is difficult to take it back. WFF and interest-free student loans are prime examples. Had Labour gone with their original plans, and not been beaten back by braying from business, such a thing would have been firmly established by the late 2000s.

  9. Tracey 9

    The govt is paying corporate polluters with taxpayer money but wont tell us who has been getting our money.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1405/S00531/taxpayers-subsidising-millions-in-pollution-under-ets.htm

  10. blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 10

    Yeah look, from my perspective it is sheer lunacy to introduce any more systems of speculation into our world– after what we have just witnesses with the GFC.

    Do I really need to explain my reasoning further?

    I shall assume it is as blatantly obvious to the reader of this comment as it is to me on this occasion.

    Therefore Labour has now fallen into the ‘sheer lunatics’ category in my mind and the Greens get approx. 1000**1000 more brownie points.

    Get your act together Labour.

    • Colonial Viper 10.1

      The strategy of the power elite – ‘pretend and extend’

      Time for people to become familiar with the Kübler-Ross hierarchy of grief vis a vis a depleted and difficult future which is not going to be far less shiny than promised, at least for the bottom 95%

      1) Denial
      2) Anger
      3) Bargaining
      4) Depression
      5) Acceptance

    • ghostwhowalksnz 10.2

      Youre dreaming !

      You dont have a majority in parliament to introduce a wish list ( well thought out maybe) that is the policy of a 10-12% tops minor party

      • Macro 10.2.1

        No ghost your the one who’s dreaming. Labour will not be able to form a government without the support of the Greens end of story. They will need to find accommodation or there is no deal. The ETS trial has shown itself to be a complete waste of time and the planet cannot afford this useless experiment any longer. The Greens will loose huge support if they continue to support ETS. That’s 10+% of the voting public pissed off there and then.
        Frankly with the current “broad church” that Labour run at the moment there is no way they will improve much beyond 30% – People have had enough of their wish wash flannel.
        So either Labour get their act together and begin to run with some Policy that inspires and work with others, or the country can look towards the reality of another 3 years of misery.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 10.2.1.1

          Labour and Greens still doesnt get you over 50% of the MPs !

          Its the smaller parties that will decide.

          Im all for the Greens becoming Climate Change Minister and doing all the writing of legislation- no bumper sticker platitudes- and getting the required numbers through the house.

          Do you have Winston all lined up ?. Good luck on that.

          Of course the Greens were all in favour in 2008.

          “On 10 September 2008, the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008 had its third reading in Parliament and was adopted 63 votes to 57 with support from the Green Party and New Zealand First.”

          Conversely the existing ETS scheme can have the stuffing put back in that National has taken out much more easily

          • Macro 10.2.1.1.1

            The support the Greens gave the ETS (as it was then) was solely because there was no other option – Peters had sunk the possibility of a carbon tax and anything is better than nothing. You can rewrite history as much as you like – but Labour and the Greens both initially wanted a Carbon Tax – The ETS was the only alternative – and as it proved not a very good one . Time it was gotten rid of. I would be surprised if Mana and Internet did not support a Carbon Tax – Minto campaigned for the Auckland Mayoralty on a ticket of Public Transport and is well aware of the issues and the dividend part of the Policy will appeal to their supporters.

            • ghostwhowalksnz 10.2.1.1.1.1

              So the Greens voted for the labour governments previous ETS scheme, no they have had a group hug and now want it scrapped and start over with a carbon tax. And criticise labour for not instantly agreeing ?

              And since Minto, might be a supporter and might be an MP means its all easy peasy to pass the legislation ( which isnt even written). hello ?

              If Winston Peters scuppered the carbon tax last time he will do so again.

              Back to square one. Greens support Labour putting teeth back into ETS.

              Deja Vue its called

      • Colonial Viper 10.2.2

        You dont have a majority in parliament to introduce a wish list ( well thought out maybe) that is the policy of a 10-12% tops minor party

        Sigh.

        National are just so much better at this than Labourites are. What the NATs do is use 2% ACT as the excuse to introduce radical right wing policies. “We have to do it,” they explain, “it’s in our coalition agreement.” Therefore a NACT government swings heavily right with ACT as the camouflage.

        Labour on the other hand use their position to completely block the implementation of more Left wing policies from their 11% coalition partner. “Too radical,” is the catchcry,”NZ is not ready”…which exactly repeats the messaging of the MSM. So instead of taking the opportunity to move Left and respect their coalition partner, Labour takes the super centrist view and acts as the major barrier against the nation moving Left.

        Ridiculous.

        Labour and Greens still doesnt get you over 50% of the MPs !

        And it’s Labour which has not been pulling its weight in the polling.

      • blue leopard 10.2.3

        @ Ghostwhowalksnz,

        I don’t really understand how your comment is relevant to the opinion I expressed. Do you think that an alcoholic that gets drunk on whiskey is o.k if they drink vodka?

        I think a speculative approach toward environment matters (or anything for that matter) in the current culture of ‘if I can get away with it anything goes’ is an idiotic approach to take. Simple.

        What is all this about ‘majority’ and ‘wishlist’. You are writing as though you think I am a political party – I am simply one out of approx 2, 300,000 people, expressing my opinion on the matter.

        I sincerely do hope that a majority of the approx 2, 300,000 have noted and not forgotten the causes of the recent and myriad financial disasters and vote in a manner that ensures that the next government take the negative effects of speculation into account when considering approaches on how they address pressing issues. i.e that they don’t address pressing issues by employing devices that have caused extremely serious issues only a few years back and continue to do so.

        Are you aware that some people, got suckered into believing Fred Singer’s nonsense re climate change denial due to the dodgy, dodgy method that was suggested to fix it; it made the science look like there were ulterior motives driving it. Look who are making the most money, who are also becoming seriously disengaged with ordinary folk and causing extreme damage. Never mind oil and gas, take a look at the financial sector throughout the world.

        Speculation is causing a great deal of harm across the board in our society world-wide. No more speculative systems please, they are utter nonsense.

  11. Enough is Enough 11

    It is fantastic that the Green party continues to lead in almost every policy area. There are not really any progressive policies in mainstream politics that do not have their roots in the Green Party.

    The main differences with Labour are their idiotic policies like austerity measures against the pensioners.

    Labour will do what they always do. Have meeting after meeting for the next 6 weeks. Argue, annoy each other, leak some dirt to the media, and then release their “new” carbon emissions policy (with the name “kiwi” in there somewhere) with great fan fare.

    And guess what that new policy will look almost identical to the Greens policy.

    • Pasupial 11.1

      Gordon Campbell has a good summary of the BC experience with instituting a carbon tax – though I’m yet to read through all the links:

      http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2014/06/04/gordon-campbell-on-the-greens-carbon-tax-setbacks-in-syria-and-arcade-fires-gender-politics/

    • ghostwhowalksnz 11.2

      They allready have a carbon policy ! Its in the story.

      “Labour opposes the Green Party’s new carbon tax policy, saying the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was its preferred option”

      • Tracey 11.2.1

        do you think it is effectively reducing nz emissions?

      • Macro 11.2.2

        “They allready have a carbon policy ! Its in the story.”

        And that is why anyone who is serious about reducing Carbon Emissions (which is perhaps the greatest challenge facing humanity at this time) will NOT be voting Labour.

        • Colonial Viper 11.2.2.1

          Fossil fuel energy depletion is the greatest challenge facing humanity at this time; the effects have been biting the global economy for about 10 years now and it will get really ugly within the next 20 years. You are seeing a madness take over the capitalists now in their chase to extract every last bit of resource available. I reckon in the 2020’s people are going to start talking seriously about oil extraction out of Antarctica.

          Climate change will be nasty too but on a 50 year timeframe.

          The clincher is this: just as the worst effects of climate change hits us, we will have the least free energy available to power technology and solutions to deal with it.

          I’m picking 2050-2060 and 2060-2070 as really really bad decades.

          If climate change is severe by that time and sea levels around NZ rise by 1m-2m, most of the suburbs around me here in Dunedin will be a wading pool.

  12. dimebag russell 12

    LETS FACE IT. The whole industrial system based on cheap energy and to hell with the consequences is going to come to grinding halt in 25 years because of its own internal contradictions that have nothing to do with karl marx or capitalist theory. when its gone its all gone and no focus group or parliamentary party is going to be able to do a damn thing about it.

    • Macro 12.1

      more than likely – but don’t you think that it might be a good idea to prepare for that day by working seriously towards implementing alternative energy strategies?

  13. The Chairman 13

    Labour are concerned about speculation and market failures (housing, the NZ dollar) yet prefer a carbon market?

  14. Jim 14

    Since labour changed its constitution to give members more say in policy and electing the leader membership has more than doubled. You can’t have it both ways, so policy on the hoof because of media dictating the agenda or to react to other parties is now a lot harder to do. Also any lurch to the left or right becomes member driven over time. All the talk of labour moving to the centre in election year and not having a unified view with the greens is just a media beat up. The parties of the left do not have to have the same policies, and we should be celebrating that. It gives people different flavours to identify with. When phoning for labour in the last few months, and number of people have said that because of the sell out of the Lange/ Douglas era that the can’t bring them selves to vote for Labour. They now have the Greens or IMP as alternatives which is wonderful.

  15. Tanz 15

    Carbon tax is just a tax for breathing the free air. No such thing as climate change, have you not read Air Con yet?

  16. fisiani 16

    Labour don’t like the fart tax. The Greens don’t like the ETS.
    On 20th September you can vote for a stable government or a collection of second, third, fourth and fifth place getters who will never be able to agree on the crucial aspects of life.

  17. Mike the Savage One 17

    Clearly on this Labour are sitting on the fence again, like on so many issues. It is time for Labour to come clean and take a clearer stand on what they want, and what they do not support. All this half hearted stuff in comments and media statements is not helping.

    And what the bloody hell are they doing in other policy areas, like also welfare, some clearer messages may be welcome, but I fear that Cunliffe and Labour (ABC dominated) will not commit to anything much, until one or two days before 20 September.

    Maybe they are hoping a big scandal will hit Key? Mallard’s rather idiotic allegations in Select Committee today are certainly not helping Labour, he does more harm than good with such side shows.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 17.1

      What you are saying isnt supported by Cunliffes comments .

      What fence sitting ?

      Labour opposes the Green Party’s new carbon tax policy, saying the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was its preferred option.

      “Our position is in favour of an Emissions Trading Scheme, which is well managed – not one that’s been gutted by the current government policy.

      They support what they DID in government. How simple is that !

  18. philj 18

    xox
    The Banks and the financial system must be reformed simultaneously with the carbon tax if the game is to fundamentally change. lol

  19. Ennui 19

    ETS or Carbon Tax? Who gives a flying proverbial? Either way the implication is that we burn the fossil fuels which drive climate change.

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  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    14 hours ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    15 hours ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    15 hours ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    18 hours ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    19 hours ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    21 hours ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    22 hours ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    24 hours ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    1 day ago
  • 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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, ...
    2 days 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, ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    3 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    4 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
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
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