Go Bus Lockout; Hypocrites Ngai Tahu and Tainui Screw Workers

Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, November 19th, 2018 - 70 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, boycott, business, capitalism, class war, Economy, jobs, Unions, wages, workers' rights, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

Two iwi who you would have hoped would know better are bullying bus drivers in the Waikato.

Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff has called for donations to the welfare fund for FIRST Union members who have been locked out by Tainui and Ngai Tahu owned Go Bus in the Waikato.

“This employer has cynically tried to tank driver’s incomes right before Christmas, because they dared to ask for a living wage,” Wagstaff says.

Go Bus is owned by the two well funded iwi, neither of whom appears to give a shit about working people.

First Union divisional secretary Jared Abbott said it was time for Go Bus’ owners to get involved in the dispute.

“In any situation in an industrial dispute like this that escalates to this level, it’s time for the owners to step in and take some responsibility for what is going on.”

However, that may be a forlorn hope unless people rally behind the drivers. The CTU’s Richard Wagstaff points to the way forward:

“The next step is telling operators who tender for contracts by squeezing drivers’ wages and conditions, like Go Bus, Tranzit, Ritchies Murphy and Pavlovich, that commuters aren’t having it. Working people are firmly on the side of the drivers getting them safely around our towns and cities, and they support the living wage.”

We tend to go easy on iwi owned enterprises, however the reality is that they are capitalist businesses who will happily rip off their workers. Ironically, Ngai Tahu claim to be in favour of paying the Living Wage, though that is clearly bullshit. What they actually are in favour of is using economic violence against workers.

Council of Trade Unions Maori Vice President, Syd Keepa, says Go Bus has iwi members driving its buses and the union is calling for the two iwi to step in:

“The drivers, many of which whakapapa to the iwi that own Go Bus, are asking the iwi to step in and assist in a resolution with the company because the abysmal wages are having a depressing effect on the drivers’ wellbeing, their families and their respective communities. Ngai Tahu are a Living Wage employer, yet when their own people put their hand up for a decent rate they have been locked out.”

Please donate to the drivers. They and their families are going to need considerable help over the next few weeks. The website is: http://busfair.nz/donate/

Tainui can be contacted via fb here. Ngai Tahu’s fb is here.

Tell them they should be ashamed of themselves.

70 comments on “Go Bus Lockout; Hypocrites Ngai Tahu and Tainui Screw Workers ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Siobhan 1
    19 November 2018 at 2:07 pm

    Right on.

    “Living Wage Employer’ is being used as a white wash like unaudited ‘free range’ and ‘Forest Friendly’ etc.

    Apparently Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has a living wage policy, but its subsidiaries are able to say ‘No’ we can’t/won’t do that.

    Which is a problem with all these things. its all about nice headlines not real life.

    Its like the great wages and health perks for google employees..the thing people don’t realise being that half the workforce at google are ‘Contractors’ who get diddly squat.

  2. adam 2
    19 November 2018 at 2:34 pm

    For the love of God, how are average members of an Iwi responsible for the actions of leadership and boards – any different from other structures in society? That’s like saying all white people from Christchurch are responsible for Gerry Brownlee. Or other logical fallacies.

    Iwi, are made up of a lot of different hapū. To lump them all in one, is wooly settler
    thinking at best.

    You could have said the board of Ngāi Tahu holdings, which is a better description, or did you not want to mention that Chris Joblin as CEO of Taniue Holdings is a pākehā. Or is it simpler to indulge in a bit of hard right race baiting?

    You know I’m hard core pro workers rights, but that means fingering the right people, not some faceless corporation or equally valueless, some faceless iwi. Doing things like this don’t help the workers on the ground, especially when the real people making the decisions get a free pass. You know like Mike Sang, Allan Hickford and the rest of the management team.

    • bwaghorn 2.1
      20 November 2018 at 11:24 am

      Didn’t you get the memo . In the true left’s eyes all Maori, woman and LGBT are perfect people who are beyond reproach and if you are maori lesbian you are actually a God. (I made that last bit up for a laugh)

      • Michelle 2.1.1
        21 November 2018 at 12:30 pm

        yes we are so perfect b waghorn we are filling our prisons but it if your a rich arab you can get away with murder and people will shake you hand and bow as they are fucken gutless and only care about money

  3. SaveNZ 3
    19 November 2018 at 3:14 pm

    Sad. It also makes a mockery of wanting jobs and opportunities for Iwi, if the wages offered by iwi are too low.

    I’m also disgusted when iwi don’t fish their quota themselves but lease the quota to foreign slave traders to harvest the fish, and then wonder why Maori don’t have job opportunities.

    Same for horticulture, same for farming, aka not creating jobs for Maori but instead getting cheaper migrant workers in.

    Maori own 15% of the NZ economy.

    They could be leading the way for their people instead of just trying to follow the neoliberal way which has a few capitalist winners and a lot of losers.

    Obviously I think that ALL NZ business should be on living wages.

    I’m also not sure that the $20 p/h of living wage is enough if you live in Auckland, how do you live on that amount with a family, a dog kennel?

    Apparently the affordable housing in Wellington is now up to $700 p/w. The figures for living wage need updating.

  4. Tiger Mountain 4
    19 November 2018 at 3:29 pm

    an echo of the 90s–“Brown Table”, Dr Elizabeth Rata’s “Neo Tribalists”, and John Tamihere’s West Auckland Trust’s then reactionary attitude to unions, but the fact is the small layer of class collaborative, Māori capitalist elites must be called and dealt with like any other exploitative employer

    I take Adam’s point though, TRP’s opener does resemble collective punishment rather than focusing on the specific villains

    the time line alone of this scenario shows the employer to be seriously taking the piss, support the drivers!! financially and on their pickets!!

  5. Bewildered 5
    19 November 2018 at 4:14 pm

    Great to see iwi standing up to mafia like financial stand over tactics from a union whose members are a minority at the bus company

    • In Vino 5.1
      19 November 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Bewildered – would you like to work for the miserable, demeaning rates those drivers are getting? I don’t think you have even thought about such matters. No doubt you worked super-hard and made meritorious decisions so that you could deservedly live comfortably. Nauseating.

      • Bewildered 5.1.1
        19 November 2018 at 6:56 pm

        Yep been there done that, learnt quickly low end wage jobs was not great so did something about it, thanks for asking Vino albeit cliche question from some one with a victim mentality

        • Bewildered 5.1.1.1
          19 November 2018 at 7:32 pm

          Put this to you Vino, If Union next strategy was to collect fares and keep it, you ok with that, no different not collecting, both are stealing from company and iwi shareholders

          • In Vino 5.1.1.1.1
            19 November 2018 at 11:26 pm

            Victim mentality? Silly wishful thinking. You think you are special because you ‘did something about it’? A self-made man who worships his creator?
            As it happens, I have a Master’s degree, and am still working part-time in the profession which has afforded me a good life. In no way am I a victim. I am damned fortunate – much more so than the poor bastards being exploited for less than $20 an hour: demeaning and destructive of human dignity.
            Your foolish misunderstanding of the Union’s tactic is utterly risible. One of the few ways they can affect their mingy employers is to refuse to collect fares, which is actually a help to the public they are supposed to be serving. Your idea that they would steal that money for themselves is as dumb as the proposition that they are stealing money that they are not collecting.
            Stealing it would be if they did collect the money and kept it for themselves. Refusing to collect it is industrial action, not theft.
            Stop kidding yourself.

            • Bewildered 5.1.1.1.1.1
              20 November 2018 at 8:35 am

              Only one masters degree , you got a bit of catching up re getting off your backside re my background, sacrifices and risks I took ( if it’s a competition) Not collecting fares is tantamount to theft as they are incurring cost on the company while refusing to recover what is due to the cover those costs The company is a business not a charity re your point to serve the public Dont know if bus company are pricks or not but suggest if you don’t like the company or pay, leave and do something else don’t rely on a morally bankrupt union

              • In Vino …
                20 November 2018 at 5:16 pm

                Piffle. However great your self-esteem, you are not empowered to change the English language. Collins Concise Dictionary: ‘Theft – the taking of another person’s property for oneself…’ Refusing to collect the fares is not taking the fares for themselves: it is a form of striking (industrial action as I said) and the company is entitled to dock pay when such limited strike-actions are taken. Get your definitions right, and stop using your own wishful thinking to vilify unions. Such behaviour is both academically and morally bankrupt on your part.

  6. marty mars 6
    19 November 2018 at 4:16 pm

    Yes well I’m not a fan of this bullshit.

    First Union divisional secretary Jared Abbott said it was time for Go Bus’ owners, Tainui and Ngāi Tahu to get involved in the dispute.

    “In an industrial dispute like this that escalates to this level, it’s time for the owners to step in and take some responsibility for what is going on.”

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/108692358/tensions-escalate-in-bus-driver-wage-wrestle-affecting-buses-across-hamilton

    Pity the union is going this way. Good to see you’re trotting out the lines – solidarity

    • Tiger Mountain 6.1
      19 November 2018 at 5:37 pm

      a bad boss, is a bad boss, the timeline of this low pay and disrespect issue is appalling enough in itself, not sure what offence you have taken here marty mars

      • marty mars 6.1.1
        19 November 2018 at 5:59 pm

        Iwi are shareholders – they aren’t management. Sure go after shareholders but please, dressing it up as bad Māori is not needed. That is my issue.

        E.g. “We tend to go easy on iwi owned enterprises, however the reality is that they are capitalist businesses who will happily rip off their workers. Ironically, Ngai Tahu claim to be in favour of paying the Living Wage, though that is clearly bullshit. What they actually are in favour of is using economic violence against workers.”

        • WeTheBleeple 6.1.1.1
          19 November 2018 at 6:19 pm

          Hi Marty

          I am here to learn. Forgive my ignorance where I’m ill informed feel free to inform. I have a question:

          I learned of the bottom up decision making at the Marae, often a lengthy and laborious process in which all voices get to be heard. And then each Marae is heard, and so on up – This is impressive. This, alongside of Kaitiakitanga (was deeply touched learning about this) seems to me to be a way to govern both sustainably and inclusively.

          Do iwi work with these overarching principles now?

          • marty mars 6.1.1.1.1
            19 November 2018 at 6:47 pm

            Iwi organisations often have a combo. Western and Māori approach but I think they stive to follow their tikanga in alignment with traditional values albeit manifested in modern ways sometimes. People get elected to roles, they then elect other roles – pretty much like any organisation imo.

            It’s hard to generalise but where I’ve interacted the kaupapa of trying to represent the people is strong and that led directly to adjustments to get more alignment with what we were trying to do. It is complicated but mostly the hearts as in the right place within iwi organisations which doesn’t preclude maliciousness, corruption, greed and stupidness.

            • WeTheBleeple 6.1.1.1.1.1
              20 November 2018 at 6:59 am

              Thanks Marty I appreciate it. With that said I’m tending to think some Iwi have some right wing style leadership in place, but in check. If that is correct, yay, if not, watch closely for snakes.

              They do very well in NZ conditions.

              • marty mars …
                20 November 2018 at 9:04 am

                Well the snakes aren’t in the iwi. They lurk around outside with attacks and bullshit. Their agenda has nothing to do with Māori or rights it’s just bigotry and pale reflections of mana.

                • WeTheBleeple …
                  20 November 2018 at 9:50 am

                  OK, that sounds like good news for Maori autonomy.

                  Sorry about the bigots. Being raised with racism in rural NZ, it’s also hard not to overstep in the other direction and sound like a patronizing twat.

                  I liked that someone called me on some shit in a marae setting. I call people on theirs. To me it’s a way to grow through strengthening our weaknesses. To (most) euro people I’ve delivered feedback, despite their asking for it, I’m ‘difficult’.

                  I am a bit. I’ve taken that on too 😉

                  I often wonder how much of our viciousness online is the lack of ability to properly address real life issues in our community/family settings. To be heard, but also to hear others so understanding is reached. But the internet is the wild west, not home. It would be nice to have a steam whistle on our heads, to release each morning. Meditation is so boring… 😀

                  The Standard stands apart in some of the debate it generates. The haters can disrupt it, I, and others can be dicks about it, but there’s plenty of hope for this model of discourse where actual debate is encouraged.

                  I digress, again.

                  • marty mars …
                    20 November 2018 at 1:49 pm

                    The Standard can be a great place full of cool people. I’m just me as I think you are you – if we aren’t pissing someone off it’s probably cos we’re asleep.

                    Kia kaha.

        • Tiger Mountain 6.1.1.2
          20 November 2018 at 5:50 pm

          as per my post #4, I address that issue, the fact remains that Māori have a class relationship with capitalist society too, in conjunction with their distinct cultural existence

          while TRP has effectively “collectively punished” all members of those overall tribal groupings named, which is not a good thing, there is also a collective responsibility for owners and the individuals on Boards to front up

          • marty mars 6.1.1.2.1
            20 November 2018 at 8:48 pm

            I agree that the drivers should be paid decently and that the company are scum for what they have done. I even agree that shareholders are accountable. However generalised derogatory statements against a group of people are not on – even at the behest of some union rep. But par for the course and as one of the denigrated ones i’ll just get over it as usual. But just reread the headline and imagine that you are being described that way. It’s fucken bullshit.

            • te reo putake 6.1.1.2.1.1
              20 November 2018 at 10:13 pm

              If you don’t like being described that way, then do something about it, Marty. If you’re a shareholder, you’re either part of the problem or part of the solution. Who have you contacted to voice your concerns?

  7. Morrissey 7
    19 November 2018 at 5:12 pm

    Hardly surprising that the leadership of iwi are hostile to workers’ rights. They’re National Party activists, and not representative of the people they purport to represent. Ngati Tuwharetoa is also dominated by a National Party clique.

    Back in January 2014 we had a real argument on this forum about the National Party-dominated Ngai Tahu leadership….

    https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06012014/#comment-754069

    • DJ Ward 7.1
      19 November 2018 at 7:00 pm

      Don’t iwi make there own decisions about leadership. Maybe they understand going with policy of profitable business must take precedent over socialism. Without profitability assets are eroded and socialism is impossible. The assets get squandered with trying to please everybody.

      Hence Buisiness minded iwi leadership.

      • mauī 7.1.1
        20 November 2018 at 8:19 am

        Profiteers are experts in asset squandering. No wonder the socialists have to step in and build things like state housing and rail back into a viable business.

  8. Ed 8
    19 November 2018 at 5:15 pm

    Class war is about economics.

    • DJ Ward 8.1
      19 November 2018 at 6:51 pm

      Is it?
      It was about rights. Landowners could vote while the serfs couldn’t. The upper class could get loans, the serfs couldn’t. The upper class controlled law enforcement, the serfs were subject to it.

      Anyway NZ doesn’t have a class system. Anybody can start a Buisiness, get educated, by property, and the poor can go to the same schools as millionaires children.

      • Kevin 8.1.1
        19 November 2018 at 8:13 pm

        Can’t all have degrees bro. Someone still has to do the shit jobs but I think it’s a fair expectation the they won’t be treated like shit in the process.

  9. DJ Ward 9
    19 November 2018 at 6:42 pm

    What’s not being provided is the figures for the profitability of the buses. Is it already a subsidised service.

    If the service the bus company provides in its own right is profitable then movement in improving pay to a living wage is appropriate.
    If it’s a subsidised service then more subsidy would be required to provide the living wage.
    Or you force the closing of the bus service due to inevitable backruptcy from losses. Then nobody has a job.
    Socialism is not exempt from the reality of capitalism as it requires other people’s money to work.

    Who pays for the pay rise.

    • In Vino 9.1
      19 November 2018 at 11:31 pm

      ‘Other people’s money’… What rubbish. Capitalism exploits other people’s labour, and regards underpayment for that labour as a virtue for the benefit of greedy shareholders.

    • gsays 9.2
      20 November 2018 at 7:51 am

      Maybe, just maybe, that thinking- “If the service the bus company provides in its own right is profitable then movement in improving pay to a living wage is appropriate” is around the wrong way.
      For a century or more, the way to profit was cut and suppress wages and conditions.
      Turn it around, pay a living wage and perhaps productivity increases, less sick days, less ‘churn’, happy employees in the community.
      You know, stuff that doesn’t show up immediately on a balance sheet.

      • DJ Ward 9.2.1
        20 November 2018 at 10:18 am

        That’s inherent to successful capitalism.
        Bad bosses get bad outcomes more often.
        Good bosses get good outcomes more often.

        In this case it appears the bus company is not profitable.
        Therefore there is nothing to offer the owners or workers.

        If you went back a century I would suggest behavour towards workers has vastly improved over time.
        Most poverty is being caused by the rental market.

  10. SHG 10
    19 November 2018 at 6:56 pm

    Shareholders in a business don’t get to make management decisions. However I, as a member of the iwi, will request an explanation from my Runaka rep.

    • Jum 10.1
      19 November 2018 at 7:08 pm

      That depends on how powerful the shareholder is, SHG.

    • te reo putake 10.2
      19 November 2018 at 8:06 pm

      Thanks, SHG. This attack on workers is being done in your name, even if it is done without your knowledge or consent. I hope others will also question whether a lockout truly reflects the values of your iwi.

  11. Jum 11
    19 November 2018 at 7:07 pm

    If a business can’t pay a living wage, it shouldn’t be in business.
    If a business wants to start up and has a limited budget, but can help workers get a job, then that business needs to offer them something like shares in the company and bonuses from any result, for taking a chance on that business.

  12. Ad 12
    19 November 2018 at 8:03 pm

    TRP in your view what’s the chances the union will win this one?

    • te reo putake 12.1
      19 November 2018 at 8:19 pm

      Well, they all get settled in the end. The last big lockout was Talleys AFFCO and the company lost that (in court, and after some time). Prior to that, I recall Woolworths locked out their distribution workers across the country. That ended with a total humiliation for the Aussie owned company after six weeks on the picket line. The CEO had to quit.

      I suspect the GoBus drivers will get solid financial support from unions and the public, so the plan to starve them into submission isn’t likely to work. So I guess it’ll go on until the management get told by their shareholders to pull their heads in.

      • Ad 12.1.1
        20 November 2018 at 9:18 am

        I would just love to see you do a post on some of these war stories, particularly about how the workers won and the bosses lost.

        I’m sure I don’t get enough of them through the mainstream media.

        It would sure be encouraging to hear of recent wins.

        Maybe:

        The Worker: A Year In Review.

        • te reo putake 12.1.1.1
          20 November 2018 at 9:39 am

          Excellent idea, Ad! I’ll see what can be done. I also think we should look at some TS reader awards (book tokens or the like) for best contributions over the year, funniest comment etc. It’s good to celebrate!

          I was mulling over a couple of the comments on this post this morning and it occurred to me that solidarity was a defining characteristic of being left, in a similar way to looking after No 1 is for the right. It’s solidarity internally (in a workplace) and externally (among the wider population) that wins. The external pressure is vital, as economic pressure is what forces bosses to compromise. And nothing sends alarm bells ringing in a board room faster than losing market share, which was the key to winning the Progressive (Woolworth’s) blue a decade ago.

          With GoBus, I would say pressure from the Waikato bus using community, combined with disquiet from iwi members about the thuggery of their business leaders will tip the balance. I certainly hope so, anyway.

  13. peterlepaysan 13
    19 November 2018 at 10:50 pm

    Most bus companies, large or small, servicing regular routes work shifts, both short and split.

    A very large cohort of these drivers have another income source, usually superannuation.

    If all the superannuitant drivers working for commercial bus companies struck the country woul be in in deep strife.

    Go Bus has the cheek to ask for a subsidy from regional or central govt. They already get a subsidy via superannuation which allows the bus companies to pay crap wages to superannuitant drivers.

    Time for a WSU, Working Superannuitants Union.

    Central govt could get involved by abolishing secondary income tax on employed superannuitants.

    I do not hear any noises from NZ 1st or age concern. They will blame immigrants for low wages. Greedy management always have clean hands. Yeah right!

  14. Bill 14
    20 November 2018 at 1:42 am

    The drivers should never have stated (read elsewhere) that they would not collect fares. You do that shit? (It’s a legitimate act.) Don’t state it as an intent. Just do it.

    • te reo putake 14.1
      20 November 2018 at 8:32 am

      They’re stuck with having to let the company know, Bill. The ERA currently requires all strike action to be advised and detailed in advance. If the union didn’t give that notice and the drivers refused to take fares, I would say sackings and prosecutions would swiftly follow.

  15. patricia bremner 15
    20 November 2018 at 7:46 am

    Lockouts should be illegal, or at least liable for the same notice terms as strikes.

    The government needs to issue warnings requiring businesses to repay any government subsidy for the period of deliberate interruption of the service. ie lockout.

    It is classic ‘do as I say not as I do.’

    Semantics about shareholders or iwi are red herrings. It is about fairness.

    Workers should be paid a living wage…. end of.

  16. David Mac 16
    20 November 2018 at 9:23 am

    To win the contract to operate a bus network the winning tender would need to be cut to the bone. Operating costs calculated with pittance wages and stretched maintenance schedules.

    In a heavily subsidised sector the situation doesn’t rest with the brand names over the door, it needs to rest with those that decided ‘Yep, lets go with this company’tribe/entity that can only realistically pay it’s drivers $15.00 per hour’.

  17. millsy 17
    20 November 2018 at 9:39 am

    Time for a return to buses being run and owned directly by the council methinks.

  18. Philj 18
    20 November 2018 at 1:15 pm

    ‘Not offering a living wage’ … Does that make it a non living wage, or a dieing wage?

  19. UncookedSelachimorpha 19
    20 November 2018 at 5:36 pm

    Good post, thanks TRP.

  20. Delia 20
    20 November 2018 at 11:54 pm

    Well they are profiting off paying wages of $17.90 an hour, it is as simple as that.

  21. Takere 21
    21 November 2018 at 11:05 am

    “I shall fashion my own house. The support posts shall be of maahoe, patatee. The ridgepole of hinau. The inhabitants shall be raised on rengarenga and nurtured on kawariki.”
    Kiingi Taawhiao

    Maybe now is the time for another interpretation of what he meant by the whakatauki? Because, at the moment. I dont see any protection, sustenance, care, comfort & nuturing from the elitist establishment.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • NZ’s trans lobby is fighting a rearguard action
    Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    5 hours ago

  • Your mandate is imaginary
    This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    10 hours ago

  • 14,000 unemployed under National
    The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    13 hours ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Discontent and gloom dominate NZ’s political mood
    Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    13 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
    14 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
    14 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
    15 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
    15 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
    16 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
    18 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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
    7 days 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

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Water is at the heart of farmers’ struggle to survive in Benin
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére Sosou Market gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • At a time of media turmoil, Melissa had nothing to proclaim as Minister – and now she has been dem...
    Buzz from the Beehive   Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week 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
    9 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
    9 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
    11 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
    17 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    19 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-01T14:41:18+00:00