Dotcom

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 82 comments
Categories: im/migration, law and "order", police - Tags:

There’s a few interesting threads to the Kim Dotcom saga.

At the base is the question of copyright and the internet. Should merely providing a tool that can be used for piracy be a crime? Isn’t it time copyright law evolved to the reality of the internet, rather than ‘cracking down’ (the last refuge of failing systems). No law is ever going to stop people sharing files or consuming pirated materials. Most people now do it as a norm, many not even realising it’s illegal. When a social norm is illegal, it’s the law that is wrong. There are models out there that will allow artists to continue to make a living from their art, without futilely imprisoning people for breaking archaic copyright laws.

But, given the law is what it is for now, does that in any way justify the police’s raid – 70 armed officers, helicopters and the rest swooping on a family home and then parading that private property for the TV cameras? Have they learned nothing from the Tuhoe raids, or have they learned the wrong lessons?

And, if Dotcom really is such a bad guy, why did National let him come to live in New Zealand in the first place? He has a criminal record but ‘investing’ $10m in New Zealand was enough to get National to turn a blind eye. Why does buying $10m of Government bonds count as investing in New Zealand, anyway? It’s not an actual investment in building anything in our country, it’s like cash, but with the added advantage that it wouldn’t be held in a New Zealand bank where it could be frozen. Is that all the rich have to do to gain access to our country under National, wave a bit of money about? I guess so, it’s part of a pattern of behaviour from Warner Bros, to Crafar Farms, to Dotcom – if you’re a foreigner with cash, National is at your service.

82 comments on “Dotcom ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    9 February 2012 at 2:04 pm

    “Should merely providing a tool that can be used for piracy be a crime?”

    In Dotcom’s specific case, he wasn’t “merely providing a tool”, but actively encouraging piracy in copyrighted materials and charging people money for memberships to his site to allow them to download this content more quickly.

    Note that one of the things with megaupload in particular is that unpopular files would be deleted after a certain time, while popular files would stay up. People who uploaded popular files also received benefits of some kind (free membership? faster speeds? don’t know).

    So megaupload in particular was designed to distribute copyrighted material and gave people incentives to do so.

    Edit: quick googling and I found this: “A good example of this would be their uploader reward program, which encourages users to distribute links to copyrighted material to as many people as possible in exchange for account credits, which can eventually be redeemed for cash or other rewards.”

    • shorts 1.1
      9 February 2012 at 2:22 pm

      they could argue it wasn’t designed to distribute copyrighted material – popular files don’t have to be ‘illegal’ – by all accounts some musicians were using this system to giveaway their own music free and were recieving cash back from megaupload due to the files popularity (a clever business model for the present)

      in other words a legal distribution service that worked for the musician, their fans and megauplaod… but didn’t work for the record companies and/or rights holders

      of course much of the material on the site the users had no legal right to share – just like youtube and most other sites that allow users to ‘share’

      • Lanthanide 1.1.1
        9 February 2012 at 2:51 pm

        I haven’t really followed the case much, but apparently there are emails written by Dotcom that he sent to others talking about how to encourage people to upload more copyrighted material, because that material is the type that is most in demand, which translates into more sales of memberships.

        Of course you’re right about the popularity thing not necessarily being copyrighted works, but this does make it harder to defend themselves. The pirate bay by contrast just hosts everything, it doesn’t single out more or less popular files in any way.

        • felix 1.1.1.1
          9 February 2012 at 4:04 pm

          Actually the Pirate Bay doesn’t host any files, so not a good comparison.

          On your wider point I agree it’s pretty obvious that although megaupload could be used for any files, it wouldn’t have existed if not for the enormous amount of illegal distribution it enabled.

          Which still doesn’t address the rights and wrongs of the underlying copyright issues of course, but it’s too hot for that today 🙂

          • shorts 1.1.1.1.1
            9 February 2012 at 4:31 pm

            their big mistake – having servers in the US, the emails could also if correct prove damning

            now if rights holder were to actually make their material available for sale globally in a manner the market demands (digital, on release, at an affordable price) maybe Mr Dotcom would only have a quarter acre section in Te Puke

            its a fascinating topic and one our local law enforcers would have been wise not to jump into on behalf of the US so quickly

          • Lanthanide 1.1.1.1.2
            9 February 2012 at 4:43 pm

            I know the pirate bay doesn’t host files, what I mean is that the pirate bay doesn’t spotlight certain torrents more than others and doesn’t have a policy of deleting unpopular torrents etc.

            • Crashcart 1.1.1.1.2.1
              12 February 2012 at 8:14 pm

              Yes Pirate Bay do. Just go to the top of the page and click Top 100. It will then give the option of Movies, Music and other catagories. It also allows users to become authenticated and rated as to how good a source they are.

    • Chris 1.2
      9 February 2012 at 2:23 pm

      Encouraging people to upload popular material does not necessarily equate to encouraging people to upload copyrighted material. Many sites offer cash incentives to users uploading popular material, youtube is an example of this. There are many legitimate reasons why a website, file locker or other online service would want to do so.

      • felix 1.2.1
        9 February 2012 at 4:10 pm

        Yeah it doesn’t necessarily equate, but in practice that’s exactly what it’s for.

      • Lanthanide 1.2.2
        9 February 2012 at 4:44 pm

        In the case of youtube, when you become a youtube partner you are specifically required to only upload original content.

        • Chris 1.2.2.1
          9 February 2012 at 9:23 pm

          I can’t find a copy of Megaupload’s terms of service, but I would imagine that would also include a clause about not sharing material which you do not have the legal right to.
          Statement from Megaupload: Activity that violates our terms of service or our acceptable use policy is not tolerated, and we go to great lengths to swiftly process legitimate DMCA takedown notices.
          A key concern here is that legitimate business practice are being used as proof of illegal activity. Another example of this is that the fact that Megaupload censoring it’s top 10 files list is being used as proof of illegal activity, when a case against Isohunt is using a non-censored list is also being used a proof of illegal activity.

        • shittake 1.2.2.2
          22 February 2012 at 7:13 pm

          you’re making it more obvious comment by comment that in fact you know nothing about how these systems work

    • infused 1.3
      10 February 2012 at 4:46 pm

      That’s not correct. It is for any media.

  2. brybry 2
    9 February 2012 at 2:12 pm

    I dont understand why this guys business has been shutdown, his assets frozen and his house siezed before he has been found guilty of anything. Should this not happen after a trial that finds he has broken a law? Can the cops do this to me on the suspicion that I have commited a crime?

    • sthnjeff 2.1
      9 February 2012 at 2:31 pm

      Ever heard of Mark Hotchin? He has not even been charged with anything!

    • tsmithfield 2.2
      9 February 2012 at 3:00 pm

      “I dont understand why this guys business has been shutdown, his assets frozen and his house siezed before he has been found guilty of anything.”

      That seems pretty weird to me as well. If this guy is found not guilty, then he has lost truckloads of income from a business that hasn’t been proven to have broken the law. This seems like guilty until proven innocent to me.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.3
      9 February 2012 at 3:52 pm

      Ever heard of criminals with healthy nest eggs because the assets weren’t seized before they were found guilty? That’s the reason why we now have a law to appropriate assets associated with criminal activities.

      I really don’t have a problem with assets being seized in conjunction with a charge just so long as they’re returned in an equitable state if the one charged is found not guilty.

      • Rusty Shackleford 2.3.1
        9 February 2012 at 4:20 pm

        What about lost income? Shouldn’t he be reimbursed for that if found not guilty?

        • tsmithfield 2.3.1.1
          9 February 2012 at 4:46 pm

          Also, shouldn’t he be allowed to retain enough income at least to defend himself?

          • Draco T Bastard 2.3.1.1.1
            9 February 2012 at 5:51 pm

            That’s not even an issue. If found not guilty the estate will be returned and he can pay his lawyers.

            Personally, I think the lawyers should be paid for by the state anyway. If found not guilty then the defendant isn’t out of pocket and if found guilty, well, the state gets to keep all that was appropriated.

            • Colonial Viper 2.3.1.1.1.1
              9 February 2012 at 6:00 pm

              Estate returned?

              Nah, Dotcoms biggest asset is his business: his client base, operations and associated data. The Feds have allowed that to be all destroyed as a going concern – BEFORE he is found guilty by a jury. Interesting eh.

              So his business has been taken away from him regardless of whether he is guilty or not, and best case he’s left with a big house, a swimming pool, a few toys and some flash cars. But no income and no business. And all his legitimate employees and clients? Just collateral damage from this ‘law enforcement’ action.

              What a joke. The kleptocracy gets what the kleptocracy wants.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.3.1.2
          9 February 2012 at 5:47 pm

          I did say equitable.

  3. Richard Christie 3
    9 February 2012 at 2:48 pm

    I seemed to have missed seeing dozens of police armed with semi automatics, sledgehammers and helicopters attend the arrest of the principals and the securing of evidence in the wake of all the other corporate and financial collapses we’ve had recently.

  4. tc 4
    9 February 2012 at 4:07 pm

    Welcome to the 51st state of the USA….what NZ law has he broken whilst being in NZ ?

    • felix 4.1
      9 February 2012 at 4:11 pm

      Just the laws of taste and style.

    • Te Reo Putake 4.2
      9 February 2012 at 4:18 pm

      NZ artists have been ripped off by Dotcom.

    • vto 4.3
      9 February 2012 at 4:22 pm

      Well this track is as applicable today in NZ as it was in 1986 in the UK. Listen and turn it way up …

      • shorts 4.3.1
        9 February 2012 at 4:39 pm

        why are there so very very few artists produing similar commentaries in todays world – songs like this and amny others from a wide range of acts were my political education as a young dumb middle class lad

        I blame the guvment

        • Draco T Bastard 4.3.1.1
          9 February 2012 at 5:23 pm

          There probably are, you just never get to hear them as the MSM doesn’t want stuff like that on as it causes people to question the ruling clique.

          • Rusty Shackleford 4.3.1.1.1
            9 February 2012 at 5:26 pm

            One of the articles that came out right after he was arrested said that he couldn’t be extradited because the charges weren’t serious enough, but in the very next paragraph said he will likely be handed over to the Americans anyway with nary an explanation. Can’t remember who wrote it. It was in the herald, at least.

  5. Rusty Shackleford 5
    9 February 2012 at 4:17 pm

    The govt actively destroying the work of millions of people (all of the legal files on Megaupload) in order to protect the interests of a favored group. Just par for the course as far as the leviathan state goes.

    • McFlock 5.1
      9 February 2012 at 4:35 pm

      But isn’t the state merely protecting the property rights of the entertainment industry, Rusty?

      • Rusty Shackleford 5.1.1
        9 February 2012 at 4:41 pm

        Ideas aren’t property. If I take your land or possessions then you don’t have them anymore. If I copy your idea, you still have your idea to do with as you please.

        • Te Reo Putake 5.1.1.1
          9 February 2012 at 4:47 pm

          The boys in the Patent Office are going to miffed to hear that, Rusty.

          • Colonial Viper 5.1.1.1.1
            9 February 2012 at 4:50 pm

            Rusty appears to be IP ignorant.

            Rusty, a little drawn squiggle can be considered IP and will be defended to the hilt in the courts, don’t you know.

            If I copy your idea, you still have your idea to do with as you please.

            Not sure how you can do that if someone else has stolen the commercial potential of your idea. Come now man you’re better than this, THINK for a second!

            • Rusty Shackleford 5.1.1.1.1.1
              9 February 2012 at 4:56 pm

              “a little drawn squiggle can be considered IP and will be defended to the hilt in the courts, don’t you know.”
              I’m fully aware of this. The state shouldn’t be using the resources of the people in a waseful manner like this.

              “Not sure how you can do that if someone else has stolen the commercial potential of your idea. Come now man you’re better than this, THINK for a second!”

              How could they steal the commercial potential? Absent IP laws, you are still free to develop it if you wish.

              • Colonial Viper …
                9 February 2012 at 4:58 pm

                How could they steal the commercial potential? Absent IP laws, you are still free to develop it if you wish.

                *Facepalm*.

                • Rusty Shackleford …
                  9 February 2012 at 4:59 pm

                  So monopolies are good now?

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    9 February 2012 at 5:02 pm

                    Give the inventor or creator a 4 or 5 year head start. Then let others come in and innovate and improvise on that base.

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:05 pm

                      A leftist with an internally inconsistent ideology. Well, you could knock me down with a feather.

                      Let’s protect one guy simply because he had an idea first at the expense of innovation and efficiency. Good job. You know that most of the people who are issued patents are giant firms who already have a “head start”, right?

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:09 pm

                      somewhat intrigued by your position here Rusty. What’s the incentive to innovate if others can simply copy you but without the research effort?

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:17 pm

                      People didn’t need an incentive to innovate before the invention of patents. They’ve been around since forever but were usually just a way of rulers to confer benefits to favored subjects. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Monopolies

                      It has only been in the last 100 or so years that they became the norm for all new inventions. http://mises.org/daily/4848

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:26 pm

                      The problem with that is that several people may have the idea at the same time. The protection goes to the one who gets to the patent office first which effectively steals the idea from the others.

                      Of course, patent isn’t copyright but copyright shouldn’t be confused as ownership either.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:27 pm

                      Indeed?
                      The middle ages were known for their massive R&D investment. /sarc

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:29 pm

                      Yes, that is a huge problem with the idea of patents and there are probably thousands of examples of this happening. We all know the case with the telephone. Edison was notorious for it too, I think.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:38 pm

                      @McFlock
                      The motivation to create has always come from purpose and not from monetary gain. The problem isn’t that people won’t be motivated but that people will become demotivated by seeing others benefit from their work while they don’t. I happen to believe that there’s a better way to prevent this than the present patent/copyright system – it tends to be called commun1sm.
                      The purpose remains, the free-flow of ideas would no longer be restricted and a few people wouldn’t be in the position to steal from others as we have in capitalism.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 5:49 pm

                      To a certain degree I agree with you DTB. I’m just curious as to why a free-market champion would not believe in intellectual property at all – it would seem to me that under a market model the development costs end up being  paid by the person who most needs to innovate, but then everyone who can afford to wait simply copies the innovation. The innovator gets no market reward.
                         

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:06 pm

                      People didn’t need an incentive to innovate before the invention of patents.

                      Hey two dimensional thinker, you’re quite right of course, and most of those innovations before patents were treated as trade secrets inaccessible to most and which acted to stifled innovation even further.

                      You really don’t understand the fundamentals behind patents.

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:22 pm

                      “I’m just curious as to why a free-market champion would not believe in intellectual property at all”

                      Because if it has to be legislated for then it probably isn’t part of the market.

                      “and most of those innovations before patents were treated as trade secrets inaccessible to most and which acted to stifled innovation even further.”
                      Yes, guilds used centralized power to keep out competitors. Same as some businesses today.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:28 pm

                      “Because if it has to be legislated for then it probably isn’t part of the market.”
                        
                      Like physical property ownership?

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:30 pm

                      Because if it has to be legislated for then it probably isn’t part of the market.

                      Sure, because the markets function so much better since the US exempted modern derivatives from regulations and exempted large amounts of financial trading from having to occur in transparent exchanges.

                      Hahahahahahahaha as if the big market players want real transparency and efficiency in the markets they manipulate, which Austrian lala land is this?

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:34 pm

                      ‘Like physical property ownership?’
                      After all this time, surely that should be taken as a given.

                      CV, of course the players in the derivatives markets don’t want transparency. I don’t know what that has to do with Austrian economics.

                      The banking/financial sector isn’t a free market either.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:39 pm

                      But property rights do need to be legislated. Otherwise the govt would not be able to protect them. And surely a “sale” in a market is simply an exchange of property rights?

                       
                       

                       

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:42 pm

                      Well maybe some legislation and regulation would help force the big market players to adhere to free market rules, eh? 😛

                      Bottom line is the Austrian system of free market economics you advocate for has never successfully helped any country achieve prosperity; it was not useful to Japan, Germany, US, Singapore, etc. they did it all their own ways.

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:43 pm

                      No, I agree. It seems to be best for the govt to legislate for property rights.

                      Having said that I could imagination a situation where it would be unnecessary. Just don’t legislate for defending your property forcefully. In the same way that we don’t legislate for a million other things.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:46 pm

                      A leftist with an internally inconsistent ideology. Well, you could knock me down with a feather.

                      You do realise there is no real world survival value to a consistent ideology, right? I hope that hasn’t escaped your attention.

                      You love 50% off sales, but does that mean you have to buy something from every 50% off sale in town? You love Porsches, but the updated Boxster just doesn’t have it, do you have to buy one any way? You love chocolate ice cream but tonight you decide to order the pav instead – are you now a bad inconsistent lefty?

                      Mature up a bit bro neither the bible nor the world work to a “consistent ideology”.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:49 pm

                      Rusty, you’re good with the slogans from Rand’s Little Green Book, but they don’t stand up to analysis.

                      e.g. “Having said that I could imagination a situation where it would be unnecessary. Just don’t legislate for defending your property forcefully. In the same way that we don’t legislate for a million other things.”
                         
                      What the hell does “Just don’t legislate for defending your property forcefully” even mean? That the government role is to protect property rights, but not to the point of if the threat to your rights uses force? Or to not legislate against someone defending their own property rights by using lethal force?

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:53 pm

                      At what time did those countries follow Austrian ideas? I would say the US after the Civil war moved in that direction* and that time in history proved to be one of largest growth periods in history.

                      *
                      -Abolished central bank.
                      -Cut federal spending.

                    • Rusty Shackleford …
                      9 February 2012 at 6:58 pm

                      You obviously don’t know much about the epithets you spit. I’ve said I’m against protecting IP. Rand was very much in favor of defending IP. She wrote a novel about it. The Fountainhead, I think (I’m not sure, I haven’t read it).

                      “to not legislate against someone defending their own property rights by using lethal force?”
                      This.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 February 2012 at 8:25 pm

                      You obviously don’t know much about the epithets you spit. I’ve said I’m against protecting IP. Rand was very much in favor of defending IP. She wrote a novel about it. The Fountainhead, I think (I’m not sure, I haven’t read it).
                         
                      Meh.
                       
                      “to not legislate against someone defending their own property rights by using lethal force?”
                      This.
                         
                      Interesting worldview – possessions are worth more than the lives of others.
                       
                       
                       

          • Rusty Shackleford 5.1.1.1.2
            9 February 2012 at 4:53 pm

            Yea, people tend to hate being put out of a job.

            And, it’s as massive industry.
            http://mises.org/daily/4848
            “In 2008, about 485,000 patents were filed in the United States; about 185,000 were issued or granted or approved. As of the end of 2008, there were about 1.2 million patent applications pending for examination at the Patent Office.[2] There are about 2.5 million live US patents right now — patents that are enforced, that can be infringed. IBM, for example, one of the largest patent procurers, was awarded over 4,000 US patents in 2008. They hold about 40,000-50,000 live patents at present.”

          • Rusty Shackleford 5.1.1.1.3
            9 February 2012 at 5:06 pm

            Yea, people tend to hate being put out of a job.

            And, it’s as massive industry.
            http://mises.org/daily/4848
            “In 2008, about 485,000 patents were filed in the United States; about 185,000 were issued or granted or approved. As of the end of 2008, there were about 1.2 million patent applications pending for examination at the Patent Office.[2] There are about 2.5 million live US patents right now — patents that are enforced, that can be infringed. IBM, for example, one of the largest patent procurers, was awarded over 4,000 US patents in 2008. They hold about 40,000-50,000 live patents at present.”

            [lprent: Pays not to copy paste your replies. It triggers my moderator instincts about trolls. ]

            • Rusty Shackleford 5.1.1.1.3.1
              9 February 2012 at 5:20 pm

              Sorry, I put it in the wrong place twice. It should be under Te Reo Putake’s post.

              [lprent: 🙂 NP. ]

      • Colonial Viper 5.1.2
        9 February 2012 at 4:48 pm

        In fact the entertainment industry is using the State as its own personal enforcement tool. Also seen with SOPA, PIPA etc. The private sector has bought the machinery of US government.

        • Rusty Shackleford 5.1.2.1
          9 February 2012 at 4:57 pm

          The larger and more powerful that machinery comes, the more tempting and lucrative it becomes to exploit it.

          • Colonial Viper 5.1.2.1.1
            9 February 2012 at 5:01 pm

            Make it unexploitable.

            Public funding of election campaigns. Donation limits on individuals and organisations. Limiting who elected office holders can work for, for 5 years after leaving office.

  6. Rich 6
    9 February 2012 at 5:04 pm

    I was just wondering if by taking 10mil of his dollars as payment for residence, the government becomes complicit in money laundering.

    • Richard Christie 6.1
      9 February 2012 at 5:25 pm

      NZ Govt has effectively been selling NZ passports for decades.
      For some obscure reason they get all outraged and righteous about it when any other tiny pacific nation dares to do so too.

  7. Steve 7
    9 February 2012 at 7:26 pm

    Let’s say a dodgy guy goes to Hirepool and hires a crowbar. False name, false ID, stolen Credit Card.

    He then smashes a Jewelery Shop window and takes the goods. He smashes a Computer Shop window and takes the goods. He smashes a Music Store window and takes the goods.

    Does Hirepool get taken to Court for providing the tool? No.

    Mr Dotcom is a test case. Why did the FBI do this in NZ? Cheaper, that’s why

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      9 February 2012 at 7:49 pm

      And complicit right wing government.

    • felix 7.2
      9 February 2012 at 9:06 pm

      Your analogy would be more betterer if Hirepool set up a branch right outside a gang pad and had a big sign up saying “Special Rates on Burglary Tools”.

      Yeah yeah I know you can use sites like megaupload for legal sharing but in reality almost no-one does and everyone knows it so let’s not get too lost in the hypotheticals.

      • Rich 7.2.1
        9 February 2012 at 9:29 pm

        Or, you know, “Fast Fours and Turbos” (if they are still in business).

        How many of their customers buy a hotted up Scooby or Legacy and drive within the law? None at all?

  8. gorj 8
    9 February 2012 at 10:03 pm

    Right or wrong, the fact is every time one of these sites gets shut down, 10 more pop up. Waste of government resources much like the war on drugs imo.

  9. infused 9
    10 February 2012 at 4:50 pm

    The whole thing is bullshit and stinks to high heaven.

    I love how SOPA was shut down, few days later, bam.

    I really hope he gets off.

  10. Huginn 10
    10 February 2012 at 7:19 pm

    Enabling

    If I Google ‘Download Hell on Wheels’, Google will come up with a page of links to sites from which I can download pirated material.

    That’s enabling.

    Youtube is full of songs and pieces of film uploaded by fans. Much of this is in breach of copyright. I use Google to locate this material.

    If Google is taken down the way that Megaupload was, then for Google that means closing down Gmail and the possible destruction of any information that may have been kept on Gmail.

  11. M 11
    12 February 2012 at 11:24 pm

    The truth on SOPA AND PIPA – the entertainment and the IT industries taught people how to pirate:

    http://www.oilfreefun.com/search?updated-max=2012-02-02T21:10:00-08:00&max-results=7

    Mike says fight back:

    http://www.oilfreefun.com/

  12. bob 12
    14 February 2012 at 6:05 pm

    If Iran hates the US so much, why don’t they setup a server farm and put ALL the good movies on it free to download? That should bring the US to their knees no?

    LOL@US being run by companies

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    21 hours ago

  • Taking Tea with 42 & 38.
    National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    21 hours ago

  • Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”. As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • Winding back the hands of history’s clock
    Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
     Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    22 hours ago

  • Business confidence sliding into winter of discontent
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    24 hours ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the coalition’s awful, not good, very bad poll results
    Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • New HOP readers for future payment options
    Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • 2024 Reading Summary: April (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • A clear warning
    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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