Class war

Written By: - Date published: 12:58 pm, June 12th, 2009 - 71 comments
Categories: education, scoundrels - Tags:

One of the particularly unpleasant parts of the last budget was the cutting of funding for night school classes in conjunction with the increase in private school funding.

Apart from the grossly blatant transfer of taxpayers’ money from low and middle-income Kiwis to the rich the move represents the fact that this government has no interest at all in upskilling workers.

While silver-spoon Tory wankers like Anne Tolley might scoff at night classes as “hobby courses” the truth is they offer many workers the chance to acquire skills like dressmaking, languages or welding which may lead to further education and increased job opportunities.

And they can do them without having to take time off from the day jobs, jobs that they need to pay their rent and feed their kids.

Of course that kind of thing isn’t Tolley’s concern. She’d much rather the money went to a $35m subsidy for private schools such as Kings College (guess whose kids go there) than to ordinary working people getting on the first rung of the education ladder.

There’s a campaign to try to stop this at www.stopnightclasscuts.org.nz – I’d encourage you to fill in their petition and to get everyone you know to do so as well.

71 comments on “Class war ”

  1. The other really unfortunate repercussion is that it tears a hole in the budgets of many schools who rely on the further funding to make ends meet.

    It is very, very shortsighted. At a time when workers are meant to be upskilling themselves the ability to do so disappears.

    What does this Government have against eduction?

  2. burt 2

    IrishBill

    On state funding of private schools:

    Did you know that under the ‘rules’ associated with school zones that if you live “in zone’ you are entitled to attend the local school and the local school must accept you as a student. The school has no option but to make room for you. It cannot deny you a place on that school roll.

    Imagine if al the kids in private schools turned up at their local ‘in zone’ school and demanded a place on that school roll. Do you think the amount of money allocated to private schools would be enough to increase teacher/classroom resources to accommodate all the kids currently in private schools?

    Now consider that the majority of (certainly not all) kids in private schools have parents who are big tax payers. These people are paying taxes to fund state schools, paying taxes to provide capacity that they are not using. Therefore these people are paying for capacity for other people AND paying for their own education in the private system. They are paying twice is this a fair and equitable system?

    I need to be clear here, state funding of education is a fine thing, but I don’t see why state funding should only be for state schools when everybody is required to fund education from general taxation.

    This opens up the door to wider discussion on the ideology of how state as funder and state as provider is implemented. IMHO it is right to allocate state funds to private schools. I think the same amount per child should be allocated to whichever provider the parents choose for their child. If that state funding is all that is required for a state school then that would be good, this crap ‘compulsory donations’ BS would be a thing of the past and people would have real choice. Additionally there would be a much broader spread of people able to access private education if they were not required to pay the full price of private education while still paying for state education they are not using.

    I think looking at this as a class war is superficial and pointless. IMHO The real issue with regard to ‘class war’ is why the state schools are not able to match the private schools in terms of academic outcomes and why we perpetuate segregation of the classes via zoning. Most notable in regard to class war is the percentage of pacific island people at Auckland Grammar before zoning and after years of zoning. It makes a mockery of the intent of the zoning policy and this reality is being ignored because people only look at the ideological intent and not the real world outcomes.

    • indiana 2.1

      …equally you pay twice if you have health insurance and pay taxes to fund NZ health system. To make it fair, could those that wish to pay for private education and health care get a tax credit?

    • Daveski 2.2

      Unless I’m mistaken, the rich pricks actually pay in a third way through GST on school fees.

      In terms of the post title, I was likewise prepared to take up the battle before the penny dropped – it’s actually a very very clever post title as it has multiple meanings within the context of this debate. Kudos IB!

      While there are undoubtedly a small number of worthy causes, my experience with night school is that it is largely middle class types learning to speak foreign languages in preparation for overseas trips. That’s as bad a generalisation as saying that night school leads to jobs.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.3

      Therefore these people are paying for capacity for other people AND paying for their own education in the private system. They are paying twice is this a fair and equitable system?

      That’s their choice – they certainly don’t have to.

      • Jared 2.3.1

        And the public education system would collapse if they were to, its a lose lose situation

        • burt 2.3.1.1

          Jared

          If the state ran fewer schools of better quality and more people were taking their ‘social wage’ and topping it up in private/integrated schools resulting in an overall improvement in educational outcomes – win win.

          But hey – status quo is comfortable.

    • Anita 2.4

      That the public system would struggle if a huge number of people made a sudden and unanticipated move is neither here nor there. If everyone over 60 moved to Rotorua the DHB would struggle, but that’s not an indictment on the DHB or the current health system.

      • burt 2.4.1

        Anita

        That’s a pretty shabby looking straw man.

        Kids today are walking (well probably being driven) past the local school their parents are paying for to go to prvate schools.

        I had major doubts that anyone would pick up on the noticable fall in pacific island student numbers at AKL Grammar under the zoning policy and rather they would focus on the “rich can afford it” angle.

        But I expected a more reasoned response from you !

        • IrishBill 2.4.1.1

          That’s a pretty shabby looking straw man.

          I’m pleased to see you admit it, Burt.

        • Anita 2.4.1.2

          My argument isn’t about your double paying argument (the maths I need are at home and I’m not 🙂 ). It’s about your point that if everyone going privately suddenly changed to public the public system would struggle and a different funding model would be needed – that’s not a particularly useful argument: if a big thing changed suddenly other things would struggle to compensate and would need to adjust is only a useful argument against anyone proposing a sudden change without planning. Which is not what the post suggested.

          I’m waffling 🙂 You created an irrelevant straw man, I countered it, you complained my counter was irrelevant – well who’d’ve thought? 🙂

          • burt 2.4.1.2.1

            Fair enough. I can afford to live in exclusive state school zones so I’m not fighting for my benefit. I’ll give up – it’s not effecting me or my family so why should I care. You lot will make a good lefty out of me yet.
            Bye.

        • Quoth the Raven 2.4.1.3

          It’s not a straw man burt – she’s not misrepresenting your position she’s merely saying your assertion is irrelevant to the argument.

        • burt 2.4.1.4

          Anita

          The Rotorua DHB example is nowhere near comparable because you are comparing people choosing between their local state provider or the Roto state provider. In this example the number of ‘clients’ requesting services of the state provider has not changed, just moved. In my example the number of people requesting services from the state provider changed.

          • felix 2.4.1.4.1

            You’re quite right burt. Anita’s totally unrealistic and irrelevant hypothetical was not a perfect parallel of your totally unrealistic and irrelevant hypothetical.

          • Anita 2.4.1.4.2

            Thanks felix, I was in danger of being sucked in to defending my unrealistic and irrelevant hypothetical, probably by making it even more unrealistic and irrelevant until it became unambiguously ridiculous. I’m sure our loyal readers are grateful for having avoided that 🙂

    • Quoth the Raven 2.5

      Since they’re subsidised by the government they’re not really “private” schools at all.

    • Ag 2.6

      There’s an easy argument against this. The education system has many functions, one of which is to classify students by their relative aptitude. When a child leaves school, their grade sheet is supposed to tell potential employers what they are good at and what they aren’t good at.

      An efficient society takes advantage of each student’s natural aptitude and develops each students capacities as best as possible. Ideally, what we want is for the academically bright kids (wherever they come from) to get the sort of education that will maximize their contribution to society (which has just forked out for a first world education for them), and the technically inclined kids to get the same and so on.

      Private schooling is simply a way for rich people to disrupt this system by buying their kids an advantage. It’s something that everyone else has an interest in stopping, because we don’t want places in law school or medical school going to stuffed shirts.

      I have no problem with having elite schools. I do have a problem with rich people buying their way into them.

  3. principessa 3

    There’s the old Private Health Insurance argument again:

    “If I pay private health insurance I should get a tax credit”

    If you collapse in the street from a stroke, or some other reason, the ambulance rocks up, and the ambo officer gets out, and does he/she go through your wallet to find out if you have Private Health Insurance? No, the ambulance takes you to the nearest Public Hospital emergency department, uses publicly funded lifesaving eqiupment, and you get the picture.

    Bring on the day when the ambo driver rocks up, scans the barcode on your body, which reads “Private” and then calls the Private Ambulance Service to come and collect your sorry behinds.

    Lol. I’m being faceacous. But yeah…

    • Daveski 3.1

      No you’re not, you’re being facetious and I’m being an pedantic tosspot 🙂

    • indiana 3.2

      …I don’t think anyone is asking for a total tax credit…perhaps a portion is recognition that you are reducing the burden on the state. You do make some valid points. Equally if initially the state gets me to a hospital so that I can breathe for the next few hours, but then I get transferred to a private hospital where my insurance kicks in, would that be ok?

      • burt 3.2.1

        NO – The state is the only option for provision of emergency services. It’s the way it is and the way it must stay – any other suggestion is SEDITION.

  4. Ianmac 4

    A few years ago (No I cannot reference it) a survey was carried out to see if it could be shown whether the claimed excellence of a private school was valid. It was no use comparing exam results because the intake from a Private school was already advantaged with high socio-economic pupils. So the target group was first year University students. The results showed that the most successful students came from Coed schools. Then the single sex State schools and lastly from private schools.
    No doubt the networking in private schools is an advantage but do I resent taking money from the Education Budget in order to prop up the Private schools? No!

    • JK 4.1

      You don’t resent proppoing up private schools? Are you sure that’s what you meant to say?

      • Ianmac 4.1.1

        You are right! Ah! Yes! I resent propping up Private Schools at the expense of State schools. Thanks JK

    • infused 4.2

      If that’s true, it makes a lot of sense. It wasn’t what I learn’t at private school, it was the networking I did. Hence how I have my business now and so many good contacts.

  5. Anita 5

    I think, but can’t easily check until I get home tonight, that the $35m is actually an increase in the total subsidy which is a lot higher than $35m.

    • Anita 5.1

      The existing subsidy cap was $40million, they’ve raised it by $35million  that’s right, in the midst of a recession they’re providing a 87.5% increase in funding to the schools of the wealthiest.

      To link whore for a moment, a while ago I wrote about the politics of state funding to private schools: the perfect crossover issue for the Christian right and the economic right.

      • burt 5.1.1

        Interesting. I do wonder if the 4.1% of students that ieuan quotes is just private or private and integrated schools?

        I assume the $75m you quote is for all state funding of both private and integrated?

        If the $75m includes integrated schools then I don’t think you can honestly say schools of the wealthiest. There are many christian based schools that are catering to a very different market in that school mix as well.

        • Anita 5.1.1.1

          Shit, ignore everything I said :-/ I checked the $40million but not the $35m: which is actually split over four years ($5m in 09-10, $10m in each subsequent) so the cap is actually being raised to $50m, a 25% increase. Still ridiculous under the current financial constraints and when surrounded by cuts to other education priorities, but not 87.5%.

          Anyhow, it’s $50m per year to only independent schools. In last year’s March roll returns that meant just under 31,000 students. This year’s figures aren’t up yet (and Education are moving things around their stats site to confuse me 🙂

          • The Baron 5.1.1.1.1

            Thanks for the link, Anita,

            Am I correct in reading that this $35m isn’t for “private” schooling at all, despite the hysteria in these comments?

            “Independent” schools are usually an entirely different kettle of fish – predominiantly the old religious formed schools, that still own their own assets but take a chunk of operational funds from the Government because they operate akin to public schooling.

            I was as surprised as anyone that private schools would be funded, climate or no. But this is entirely different. I think it is only appropriate for Irish to detract some of his earlier comments for being, well, frankly misleading.

            IrishBill: you are mistaking “independent” for “integrated”. Independent schools are private schools and they are in receipt of another $35m. I think it is only appropriate that you offer me an apology for claiming I lied.

          • burt 5.1.1.1.2

            IrishBill

            Can you provide a link that shows that finding going to independent schools rather than to integrated schools. See the way I see it “Independent” schools are independent and not govt funded and “integrated” schools are integrated and govt funded.

            IrishBill: the reply function doesn’t seem to be working for me so I’ll put this in your post:
            http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10575181

          • The Baron 5.1.1.1.3

            Ohhhh true true true – I respectfully withdraw and apologise

          • Anita 5.1.1.1.4

            Wow, the world clearly needs even more linkies 🙂

            This (which I linked to before) will say that the additional funding is going to independent schools, which are private schools.

            This will tell you about independent schools (i.e. private schools) and differentiate them from integrated schools.

            This should provide a list of fully registered private schools (i.e. the group we’re talking about getting additional funding). You will see the evangelicals (e.g. City Impact, Destiny, West City) as well as the traditional private schools.

            This talks about some of the politics of increasing funding to private schools.

          • burt 5.1.1.1.5

            This funding should be increased so that it is the same per student irrespective of state/integrated or independent school choice. The parents pay taxes and should have the ability to decide where they redeem their ‘social wage’.

            The rest of the argument is emotive ideology picking sides between rich pricks who apparently should pay taxes and receive no education funding and an ideology that allows choice.

            Thankfully the policies of envy party are not making the rules and some fairness has started to return to the funding equation.

            Once we make the same sort of changes for private health care we will be back on track steering a course away from guaranteed to fail socialist govt.

          • Anita 5.1.1.1.6

            burt,

            The Netherlands has an interesting model: public and private schools receive the exact same funding, neither may charge compulsory fees, and neither may exclude students on ability to pay.

          • burt 5.1.1.1.7

            Anita

            That is interesting. Still the Netherlands have always been known for pragmatic policy rather than ideology over common sense.

  6. ieuan 6

    Let’s get a couple of things straight in this discussion.

    Firstly, what percentage of children go to ‘private’ schools?

    Answer 4.1%, that’s right 4.1%, so let’s stop the bullshit that the state system could not accept another 4.1% of pupils if there were no ‘private’ schools.

    Secondly ‘private’ schools are actually called ‘independent’ schools i.e. they are independent of the state system and can set their own curriculum. They do get some funding (more now that National is in charge) but the bulk of their income comes from fees.

    Thirdly, there are also ‘integrated’ schools that are mostly Catholic schools. These receive some state funding and must teach an agreed curriculum and let in some children outside their normal criteria. These came about because of a government bailout of the Catholic schools in the 70’s.

    • burt 6.1

      You miss the point that the majority of students in private schools come from high income neighbourhoods which have very tightly zoned state schools. These are the pseudo private schools that rich folk enjoy at the expense of the poor neighbours. But that’s OK because it is status quo and has no impact on me. Move on.

      • ieuan 6.1.1

        WTF?

        They might be desirable state schools but they are not ‘private’ or ‘independent’ schools. In fact if they are high decile schools they will receive less state funding per pupil than a similar low decile school.

        Move on? Move on to what? I’m sorry if a few facts upset the half truths and misinformation people like to throw around.

        • burt 6.1.1.1

          No, 4.1% is a national figure. Kids in private schools are not evenly spread over all state school zones. I would have though that was obvious.

  7. Helen 7

    has no interest at all in upskilling workers.

    It’s annoying when Labour activists like IrishCletus here presume to speak for “the workers.”

    They don”t.

    The workers are the victims of the Labour party; it’s us who are crippled by over-taxation to support Labour’s actual constituency; the welfare beneficiaries and the criminals.

    • Maynard J 7.1

      You are too stupid to be in paid employment.

    • Duncan 7.2

      Um… NZ’s tax wedge is the among the lowest in the OECD. Benefit numbers fell drastically under Labour. Crime has been on the decline for the last decade.

      Looks to me like you could do with some upskilling of your own Hels.

    • lprent 7.3

      Not according to the canvassing that we have been doing in Mt Albert. Sure there is beneficiary support especially amongst the elderly. But most support comes from what are clearly working families. After 9 years of Labour government, there aren’t that many other beneficiaries left outside of the superannuiants. I guess that is about to change as National starts retargeting benefits for the benefit of their favourite beneficiaries.

      Now if you want to look at where the Labour support doesn’t come from, ie the opposition in Mt Albert from the right. Try account managers, accountants, company directors, directors, general managers, marketing, personal assistant, project manager, sales rep, travel agent to pick off some of the more extreme examples.

      So what you’re saying in converse is that National represents those. I guess that is who wants funding from the bulk of the tax-payers (ie the ones that Labour represents) to fund their children through private schooling. Why should a factory worker fund any of them to pay for a luxury?

  8. Maynard J 8

    Course categories:
    Art and Design
    Business and Finance
    Computers and IT
    Dressmaking
    English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
    Fitness and Recreation
    Food and Wine
    Home and Garden
    Languages a-i
    Languages j-z
    Literacy Skills/Writing
    Music, Dance and Drama
    Parent Education
    Personal Development and Health
    Photography
    Pottery
    Transport Certificates
    Workshop Technology
    Community Development and Training

    Apparently 80% of those are a waste of time and should go. I guess you could argue some are more likely to be taken out of interest but that overlooks the fact that getting educated for the sake of it is a good thing whether or not you use that education (fights dementia, alzheimers, stay healthy, more productive, live longer). Benefits of an educated society are an order of magnitude greater than the cost.

  9. Trevor Mallard 9

    Rather than comment here you guys might want to have a look at my posting on Red Alert. It also has a link to Maryan’s petition. I’m pretty sure we are on the same page.:- http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2009/06/08/chopper-tolley-axes-night-classes/

    On the private school question there is a slightly older blog which calls for a more careful look right across the education sector and asks why we treat overseas owned corporate early childhood providers as if they are community groups_

    http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2009/06/02/education-ownership/

    [IrishBill: Trev, if I see this kind of blatant link-whoring again you’ll be banned for a week.]

    • burt 9.1

      Trevor

      You have had your hands on education in the past, you must know a bit about this.

      Two questions;

      How did we get to a situation where education outcomes are so badly balanced between genders and why do you think school zoning is a good thing?

      • jarbury 9.1.1

        I’m not Trevor but there are three reasons why zoning is essential:

        1) Allowing kids to go to their local schools. Zoning was actually reintroduced by National under pressure from Remuera parents who wanted their kids to be able to go to Auckland Grammar.

        2) Efficiency. It’s just not efficient to have some schools half empty and others bursting at the seams. It’s a waste of resources and money to have such imbalance.

        3) Planning. When planning for new schools or needing additional funding for existing schools one needs an idea about how many kids might be going there. Without zoning there is no certainty for planning.

        Remember zoning doesn’t say “you have to go to this school”. It says “if you live within a school’s zone they can’t turn you away”. There’s an important difference there.

  10. vto 10

    I don’t see the problem – whether the kids are in private or public schools they should be entitled to state funding I would have thought. Or is it that if you decide to educate your kids in some other fashion you, for some unknown reason, should not be entitled to state funding? Sounds like chips on shoulders to me.

    What is the argument against state funding of children who go to ‘independent’ schools? Is there one? Or is it the usual “class warfare” bollox that prevents a rational examination of the issue.. you know, rich prick like.. envy … etc

  11. insider 11

    IS there any actual evidence that these night school classes do help people into jobs? Any evidence of the socio economic groups they serve? I see a lot of emotive claptrap about how it makes people feel better etc but nothing substantive.

    I feel better after sports training. Can I have a subsidy for my fees please, they are coming due shortly. How about my music lessons? I’ve had to cancel as part of family budget priorities. Will Trevor fund them? Hell, I’ll never make a professional musician but I feel much better for them.

    Point is, a line has to be drawn somewhere, and there are plenty of vocational training avenues available for people needing training that can be far more targeted at those in need. I don’t think these courses in the main fit that bill.

    • jarbury 11.1

      There is evidence that you get good returns from adult community education. Read the report: http://www.crystaladventures.co.nz/ACE/ACEPrice%20Waterhouse%20Coopers%20%20FINAL%20REPORT%20June%2008.pdf

      The estimated economic impact of the ACE sector is between $4.8 and $6.3 billion annually. This equates to a return on investment of $54 – $72 for each dollar of funding. Each dollar of government funding generates a return of $16 – $22, but this is further leveraged through private contributions to the sector, including those voluntarily added such as unpaid volunteer labour.

      • insider 11.1.1

        Thanks Jarbury. To be frank I think those numbers are highly speculative (as I would of any venture making such a claim) and even PwC has some strong caveats on the results. SOmehow I doubt we will see a shrinking of the national pie by an equivalent amount if funding is reduced. I bet better economists than me could drive a truck trhough it

        But if true, then the benefits should be obvious to the participants and they would fund them themselves.

        • IrishBill 11.1.1.1

          That’s because you believe education is more of a private good than a public good. I (and I presume Jarbury) would disagree.

          • jarbury 11.1.1.1.1

            Insider, by that argument shouldn’t we be tolling users of the future Waterview Connection $14 a pop to use the road – as it’s (supposedly) such a worthy use of funds?

      • insider 11.1.2

        Actually Bill I am a strong believer in the right to free education as the great equaliser – so perhaps don’t fit your stereotype. But I also recognise that money is not unlimited and some of the gains claimed in that report appear tenuous to say the least.

        Much of the analysis appears based on studies of the benefits gained from courses like literacy and ESOL (i’m all for prioritising funding of these). But when you look at the profile of courses taken the two largest areas are arts and crafts, and fitness and health. I just do not believe that billions in value is being created by those courses.

        And I was amazed at the low value course participants in the PwC report seem to place on the benefits of those courses.

        • IrishBill 11.1.2.1

          Sorry insider. A gross generalisation on my part. Given the fact the dollars are finite I’d be interested to see a report justifying the increased funding of private schools. In fact I’d be interested to know if such a report existed.

          • jarbury 11.1.2.1.1

            Yeah it would be interesting to see a “return on investment” analysis for that $35 million wouldn’t it Irish?

            I agree that there are limited resources to go around, but education HAS to be a priority if we are to grow in the future and compete on the international stage effectively. You know, knowledge economy and the like.

  12. torydog 12

    I thought tories believed in letting the market decide….so if private schools arent getting the students then they should close…..simply really.

  13. Chris G 13

    I cant believe they’re increasing funding the poor-wee private schools. Well I can actually, its the nats of course they were going to. What a waste of my tax.

  14. Mark M 14

    Everyone in this country is entitled to a free education.
    Every child who goes to a private school is freeing up money for those who go to public schools because their parents are paying for an education that they have already paid through taxes

    If private schools closed there would be a major increase in the education budget.

    Unfortunately the losers in this country who have a bitter hatred of those people who work hard and are successful , dont have an understanding of simple economics.

    • Sarge 14.1

      Mark,

      I would be quite happy to see my tax dollars go towards private schools, provided they began teaching the National Circulum and began accepting every student which is in their zone. If they wont follow the same rules as everyone else, why should they get the same funding.

      • Artie S 14.1.1

        The state is responsible for providing and maintaining a network of state schools, that are open for any young student in NZ to attend.

        Private schools reserve the right to SELECT only the students they want, and to control all manner of policies and indoctrinations in their own way.

        Private education is a very viable (but small) financial investment for the rich, and the general taxpayer does not need to be subsidising the rich.

        As it stands, the private schools seek to scoop off the “cream”: of our country’s academic, sporting and cultural talent with their scholarships – plus the children of the rich with their blank cheques. Leave them to it.

  15. torydog 15

    Mark M, God we are all soooo stupid. Thank god for the rich who can afford to put their kids in private school and get a top up from the taxman, and afford private health care……you know we should organise a rally where all those on benefits get to kiss your feet!!! Doesnt matter the 35 mill could be better spent on say more hip replacements, more knee replacements, or public schools that could have long overdue maintenance done on them. Thank you Mark.

    • indiana 15.1

      You don’t have to be rich to send your kids to private school, I know may people who sacrifice their income/life style to give their kids a better chance as they perceive private education is better that state education.

  16. Quoth the Raven 16

    I think a quote related to this topic from Murray Rothbard would serve this thread well:

    Take, for example, the State universities. This is property built on funds stolen from the taxpayers. Since the State has not found or put into effect a way of returning ownership of this property to the taxpaying public, the proper owners of this university are the “homesteaders”, those who have already been using and therefore “mixing their labor” with the facilities. The prime consideration is to deprive the thief, in this case the State, as quickly as possible of the ownership and control of its ill-gotten gains, to return the property to the innocent, private sector. This means student and/or faculty ownership of the universities.
    As between the two groups, the students have a prior claim, for the students have been paying at least some amount to support the university whereas the faculty suffer from the moral taint of living off State funds and thereby becoming to some extent a part of the State apparatus.
    The same principle applies to nominally “private” property which really comes from the State as a result of zealous lobbying on behalf of the recipient. Columbia University, for example, which receives nearly two-thirds of its income from government, is only a “private” college in the most ironic sense. It deserves a similar fate of virtuous homesteading confiscation.
    But if Columbia University, what of General Dynamics? What of the myriad of corporations which are integral parts of the military-industrial complex, which not only get over half or sometimes virtually all their revenue from the government but also participate in mass murder? What are their credentials to “private” property? Surely less than zero. As eager lobbyists for these contracts and subsidies, as co-founders of the garrison state, they deserve confiscation and reversion of their property to the genuine private sector as rapidly as possible. To say that their “private” property must be respected is to say that the property stolen by the horsethief and the murdered [sic] must be “respected”.

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  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    8 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
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