Government Control at Air New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, April 14th, 2021 - 67 comments
Categories: capitalism, Economy, treasury, uncategorized - Tags:

The New Zealand government has just increased its loan to Air New Zealand to a $1.5 billion total, and there’s a catch.

Air New Zealand are of course our face-to-face lifeline to the world in so many ways; they carry families, refugees, friends, vaccines, tourists, freight, and pet dogs. They connect the New Zealand realm of Pacific islands together. You can walk through all the now-dying towns in Otago and Bay of Plenty and see this simple fact: other than tax itself, Air New Zealand is our single largest economic instrument.

Air New Zealand is one of our strongest single CO2 producers, and also one of the longest and clearest in expressing the extra you should pay in carbon credits to offset every flight.

Air New Zealand is also a further $185 million in the hole, so with that loan comes the payback.

The new Ministerial Letter of Expectation is very clear that the government has had your back, so they now expect Air New Zealand:

  • To be a ‘national airline’ continuing in operation to support economic development, including access to international markets for our exporters and international tourism linkages, once international borders re-open;
  • To maintain a comprehensive domestic route network that allows people and goods to move across New Zealand in a timely fashion at a reasonable cost;
  • To demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability, including engaging with the development of new aviation fuels for New Zealand;
  • To enhance its role as a leader for best practice workplace relations given that it is one of New Zealand’s largest employers;
  • To continue acting as a responsible corporate citizen; and
  • To achieve these objectives while operating as a commercially sustainable and capital efficient business.

National, and Fran O’Sullivan in the NZ Herald of course, hate this degree of specificity in a Letter of Expectation.

The degree of specificity in the LoE will relate to both the vulnerability of a massive part of our economy to our airline, but also to union expectation to ‘build back better” after making multiple hundreds of people redundant, and also that Air New Zealand is about to be a standout feature in the Government’s carbon reporting.

Air New Zealand is certainly a glaring omission in Minister Shaw’s list of little projects designed for carbon neutrality.

I am sure there is more to come once the Government finally makes its whole-of-government response to the Climate Commission’s recommendations on May 31st, but right now this is one of the very few times they have really stepped beyond the strict New Public Management divisions of Management, up to Board, and only annually up to the Shareholder.

It would have been great, midway through its second term, for this government to take other public entities to take to task the corporate nasties such as Ports of Auckland – who is run by a genuine anti-union shit.

Or the electricity generators over which it has majority control. Or … well there’s a long list isn’t there.

In fact the degree of control Minister Robertson is exercising is in stark contrast to the dangerously ineffective governance exercised by Auckland’s Phil Goff in transport, water, stormwater, or indeed much else.

We could also complain reasonably that there just isn’t the experience within this Cabinet to take on the oligopolies that actually control this country. Love him or loathe him but Shane Jones made major corporates quake as he roasted them (Air NZ et al), or purr as he fed them (Kiwirail, construction companies, provincial corporate iwi). This 2020 government are content with slightly stronger cartel legislation – and a few meaningless reports into petrol and electricity that will go utterly nowhere. And this same degree of Ministerial control is particularly lacking in both Ministry of Transport and NZTA.

But we’ve got what we’ve got, there’s few votes to gain in governance, so there’s no point getting all carried away with what other companies the government could exercise strong influence over.

But Air New Zealand and Auckland Airport are a binary star system that pulls in and controls our largest economic sector: tourism.

So that is reason enough to really hold as tight a rein as possible over the Air New Zealand board.

Minister, keep going.

67 comments on “Government Control at Air New Zealand ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Sabine 1
    14 April 2021 at 7:39 am

    Well we can nationalise it under Labour and sell it off again under National.

    rinse repeat, cause that is the only business in NZ that needs a bail out every Labour government to make some cash for the rich and connected under National.

    We might as well allow a foreign carrier in and simply have an excellent airport.

    • Ad 1.1
      14 April 2021 at 7:55 am

      Clearly debt is the more politically sustainable control mechanism.

      • Pat 1.1.1
        14 April 2021 at 7:56 am

        historically (recent)

      • Sabine 1.1.2
        14 April 2021 at 8:05 am

        honestly i don't care at this point.

        this air company has been living of the tit of government since pretty much for ever, almost no one can actually afford to fly it, and we have needs in this country.

        So biff it in the dust bin of companies that did not prepare adequitly for a pandemic and let it die and allow other companies to fly in. And hey, surely the market will regulate the rise of the next Air NZ. Maybe a company that actually serves NZ'lers.

        • Ad 1.1.2.1
          14 April 2021 at 8:37 am

          We are all – all – living off that massive mammary. Some citizens and companies more than others.

          Not the moment to stride across the economy bayonetting the wounded.

          • Sabine 1.1.2.1.1
            14 April 2021 at 11:15 am

            Tell that to all those that have been told that repeatedly by peers and politians alike.

            Not to beat a dead horse, but that company needs to be properly restructered, and should be nationalised.

            But we shall discuss this again, either when they need another injection to stay afloat or when National is happy to sell it of to the highest bidder. 🙂

    • Patricia Bremner 1.2
      14 April 2021 at 12:50 pm

      Sabine, then the foreign airline drop the flights, so what do you expect would happen then? Orchids, strawberries left high and dry, not to mention medicines vaccines and needles not coming in. The Government is supporting supply lines.

  2. Muttonbird 2
    14 April 2021 at 7:57 am

    Perhaps Air New Zealand could consider Kiwiair instead of marrying itself to high end inflight service.

    Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd, operating as Jetstar, is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by airline Virgin Australia.

    The bit that concerns me most about government inaction on utilities is the inability for power generators to build capacity, and the complete failure of the spot market model which has contributed to that.

    The energy sector in NZ shows how free market capitalism and a hands off government approach is a complete fail all round.

    • Ad 2.1
      14 April 2021 at 8:03 am

      The only major generation in the last 7 years is Mercury Energy's windfarm above Palmerston North which is under construction.

      Minister Parker has killed off the idea of dams for good.

      • Pat 2.1.1
        14 April 2021 at 8:06 am

        Has he?….and would that include pumped hydro storage a la Onslow?

        • Ad 2.1.1.1
          14 April 2021 at 8:33 am

          The only 2 people in the industry who think Onslow will happen are Minister Woods and Dr Turner. It has 0% chance of happening.

          • Pat 2.1.1.1.1
            14 April 2021 at 8:38 am

            Someone should tell the NZ Battery Project…and ask for the 30 million back then.

            https://www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/energy-and-natural-resources/low-emissions-economy/nz-battery/

            • Ad 2.1.1.1.1.1
              14 April 2021 at 9:39 am

              Its just another report.

              This government currently constructs motorway subgrade out of reports

            • ghostwhowalksnz 2.1.1.1.1.2
              14 April 2021 at 12:28 pm

              We already have the perfect hydro powered back up generation system

              Its called Manpouri. Even better you dont have use more electricity than it generates to provide the potential energy 'just when you need it'

              850MW and its on demand too. Currently produces 5000GWh or so per year

              It will happily run for weeks, maybe even months without pumping a thing. When not used the water flows down the river like it always did.

              The government should buy it off the generator when Tiwai closes and dedicate it for times of high power costs. That may be once a week over winter , or like now when prices are high because of both the planned natural gas production station upgrade/maintenance and the dry weather in central north island

              • Pat …
                14 April 2021 at 12:35 pm

                That power will be needed in addition.

                • ghostwhowalksnz …
                  14 April 2021 at 3:53 pm

                  "That power will be needed in addition."

                  When Tiwai closes in 2-3 years its surplus. Its a once in 50 years chance to get back up generation that saves the cost of a $5 bill 'stored energy' plant in the near future.

                  The extra power for demand growth can come from the existing power companies – if we retain that method of operation.

                  Think of it as 'The Reserve Bank of Generation' – publically owned and dedicated to stability of prices and supply, and one that can 'inject supply' into the system when needed

                  • Pat …
                    14 April 2021 at 6:45 pm

                    And we are replacing industrial heat with electricity, are powering our transport with electricity and we have population growth (anticipated)….we will need Manapouri and then some….plus we need the flexibility of battery storage…Onslow provides that and will take years to come online.

              • greywarshark …
                14 April 2021 at 2:03 pm

                That's a thought – Manapouri :

                The government should buy it off the generator when Tiwai closes and dedicate it for times of high power costs.

      • joe90 2.1.2
        14 April 2021 at 9:57 am

        The only major generation in the last 7 years

        133MW up and running this year.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waipipi_Wind_Farm

  3. Incognito 3
    14 April 2021 at 8:23 am

    With the corporate welfare announcements done the run way is cleared for the feel-good pre-Budget PR campaign to take off.

    • Tiger Mountain 3.1
      14 April 2021 at 3:08 pm

      Like other neo liberals before her–this PM “is not for turning”. So really the 2021 Budget will likely signal the start of the 2023 General Election campaign. A, gasp, MMP majority Labour Govt. both too timid tactically, and too hooked up strategically to the monetarist machine to deliver substantially for the 50% that own 2% of the wealth, (down from around 6% in 2015).

      It is the last chance for meaningful moves on implementing the WEAG Report in full, and signalling a social housing mega build.

  4. Stuart Munro 4
    14 April 2021 at 9:47 am

    This is probably the bare minimum of rigour that ministers should exercise when they appoint quasi-corporate entities to serve the public interest – small wonder most are delinquent in their duties.

    A shame though, to be subsidizing a twilight industry like this. AirNZ should be cut back to the consistently profitable part – domestic flights (which should in turn be giving way to high speed rail) – and a carbon tenable alternative developed based around upteched shipping or lighter than air freight.

    The subsidy probably has to do the union that best survived the wanton wrecking of the Rogergnomic era – but high spec engineers can prosper supporting other things than conventional aircraft.

    • Jenny how to get there 4.1
      14 April 2021 at 8:55 pm

      Healing the sick, raising the dead*

      In the wake of the pandemic, the government are making heroic efforts to rejuvenate the ailing airline industry.

      There are now calls to resuscitate the dead cruise ship industry.

      * killing the climate.

      Miracles never cease

  5. Graeme 5
    14 April 2021 at 10:38 am

    The company that needs to be brought to heel to reform New Zealand tourism isn’t Air New Zealand but Auckland Airport. Anything ANZ does to meet the minister’s expectations will be countered by AIA as they seek to preserve their profits.

    ANZ tries to be ‘responsible’, AIA will encourage a competitor to undercut, and clip the ticket handsomely.

    The thing should never have been privatised.

    • Ad 5.1
      14 April 2021 at 5:52 pm

      That would be excellent. The airlines association last too AIAL to the Commerce Commission in 2016 re landing charges. They've never been successful.

      Beggars belief that Auckland Council are just a passive shareholder and don't use their leverage to drive growth outcomes and transport network design.

      AIAL are currently beholden to no-one. Definitely the other part of the binary gravitational system.

  6. Tricledrown 6
    14 April 2021 at 11:03 am

    Banks have been given $billions at very low interest rates to keep our economy afloat.Air New Zealand is only getting a small loan by comparison .if Air NZ went bankrupt our economy would be damaged far worse than any of the negative commentators would have you believe.

    Govt's need to bail out strategic industries during economic crisis ,otherwise it takes to long to re establish that infrastructure making recoveries longer and deeper.

    The govt being a 50% investor would loose billions in value and tourism income nzers would loose connectivity to families local businesses would be damaged etc.

    It easy to kick a company when they are down but we need Air NZ to be ready to be up and running as our borders reopen.

    Every other major National airline is being bailed out by their govt's . They know the value to their respective economies.

    Corporate welfare is a fact of life in every economy otherwise we would have a free fall 1929 style.

    • Stuart Munro 6.1
      14 April 2021 at 12:20 pm

      $1.5 billion equates to $30k per head across the team of five million. It represents a much less effective stimulus, and it will never return a fraction of the stimulus value of a direct payment.

      But hey, rugged individualism for the poor and hot and cold running money for the corporate welfare queens. Neoliberal orthodoxy outweighs the public interest – always.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 6.1.1
        14 April 2021 at 12:50 pm

        Agree with the general thrust, but best to keep AirNZ flying in some form, imho.

        $1.5 billion equates to $30k $300 per head across the team of five million?

        • greywarshark 6.1.1.1
          14 April 2021 at 1:59 pm

          DMK Agree, lose our planes and we cut options to pipelines for people and influence and interaction with the far off world. We don't want to be dependent upon Australia as our major contact with the 'developed' world.

          Does anyone keep an eye on shipping and our relation-ship! with the rest of the world, use of cruise ships for alternative purposes, options for limited passages with container ships etc. also what growth in coastal shipping here? Usin wind and motor-assisted systems – new technology?

          • Gosman 6.1.1.1.1
            14 April 2021 at 3:16 pm

            Planes are not infrastructure. There is multiple suppliers of planes that can easily service NZ at a drop of a hat.

            • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1.1.1.1.1
              14 April 2021 at 3:56 pm

              Airlines and the planes they operate and maintain are done 'at the drop of a hat'

              Sure australian airlines like Qantas can pick up the very profitable routes and even buy more planes if their liquidity allows, but dont rely on it. THey wouldnt be interested in the competitive prices part

              • McFlock …
                14 April 2021 at 4:08 pm

                And allowing routes to atrophy becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as airports lower capacity to service only the routes that operate.

                If we rely on QANTAS to keep our regional airports viable enterprises, there will be no regional air travel because the airports got subdivided due to lack of aircraft.

          • Jenny how to get there 6.1.1.1.2
            15 April 2021 at 4:34 am

            I agree grey, we need to keep our 'pipelines' (a rather unfortunate turn of phrase) and interactions and influence with the outside world.
            And we do have influence. Our world leading example with the pandemic shows this.

            I also agree with you that if we are going to invest this eye watering amount of money to keep this 'pipeline' open we should look to surface travel,, electrify and expand the passenger rail network, and yes invest it in coastal and trans Tasman passenger shipping service.

            But I don't think converting 'cruise ships' or modifying 'container ships' to carry passengers will cut it.

            A Tasmanian built high speed Incat vessel is cheaper, (and less polluting), than a new Dreamliner and can carry more people and freight.

            https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2021/04/11/guest-blog-patrick-john-odea-meet-the-bullet-trains-of-the-sea/#comment-550634

          • Jenny How to get there 6.1.1.1.3
            15 April 2021 at 5:44 am

            Disaster movies like, 'The Day After Tomorrow' take an accepted disaster scenario, like climate change and ramp it up for dramatic affect.
            The disaster movie '2012' does the same with an overly dramatic sea level rise.

            The main protagonists are saved from drowning along with the rest of the world, and you probably guessed it long before the end of the movie, by massive purpose built ships.

            2012 (2009) ending scene – YouTube

        • Gosman 6.1.1.2
          14 April 2021 at 3:17 pm

          Why? Air travel is harmful to the environment as it is a leading cause of GHG emissions. Other companies can come in to the market at any time to take up the slack if Air NZ disappears tomorrow.

      • Tricledrown 6.1.2
        14 April 2021 at 3:30 pm

        This is a loan.Letting AirNZ go bust would cost more In the short term and long-term a overseas owned company say an Australian company is Jetstar would pay no taxes in NZ.

        Every country including the US where all airlines are privately owned have bailed out their airlines.It goes against free market theory which left wing commentators seem to suggest they should be allowed.

        Economic history has shown bailing out strategic companies during recessions and economic shocks keeps economies bouyant while selling off during times of economic growth helps sustain steadier economies .

        Leaving economies in a stronger position to weather future economic storms.

    • Gosman 6.2
      14 April 2021 at 3:14 pm

      Ummm… where is the infrastructure going if the businesses go broke?

      • Tricledrown 6.2.1
        14 April 2021 at 3:47 pm

        AirNZ has many different parts with huge knowledge all that knowledge and infrastructure even though some of it is mobile.would be damaging to the NZ economy if it went bust.

        Given virtually every other airline is getting bailed out by their respective govt's it would plain stupid to ruin a business which has taken decades to build up and deliver huge profits for NZ not only directly but for fresh food cut flowers etc that no other airline has the ability as was seen in the previous bailout.Since the previous bailout AirNZ has returned$100s of millions in profit and taxes to the govt and even under National's partial float it has been a big money spinner for NZ as a Whole.

        Gosman your purist ideological silo thinking prevents you seeing the facts.

        • Gosman 6.2.1.1
          14 April 2021 at 3:55 pm

          Knowledge is not infrastructure. You can easily replace knowledge especially in something like an airline.

          • Tiger Mountain 6.2.1.1.1
            14 April 2021 at 4:10 pm

            Have you discovered a “Chicago Boys” comment generator app, or something similar?

          • McFlock 6.2.1.1.2
            14 April 2021 at 4:40 pm

            …and that was a party political broadcast from the Philistines.

          • Tricledrown 6.2.1.1.3
            14 April 2021 at 11:01 pm

            Soft infrastructure Gosman in the early 2,000's when Labour bailed out AirNZ exporters of high value fish,fruit,cut flowers worth 100's of millions of dollars no other airlines had the infrastructure to deliver to markets fresh and on time.

            Thatcherite destroy everything that doesn't turn a profit in the short term is very short sighted other trading blocks made sure they kept strategic industries afloat during rough times it's virtually impossible to start from Zero again especially when every other country or trading block is protecting their industry .

            Putting your economy into an economic straight jacket is dumb as the silo thinkers who think everybody should play by their purist rules which none of your trading partners bother with.

        • Sacha 6.2.1.2
          15 April 2021 at 8:15 am

          Sovereignty also applies. Legal rights to overfly and land in other nations are held by each airline. If NZ does not have one of our own, we are subject to the vagaries of other countries' behaviour towards one another. And their priorities being aligned with ours.

  7. RP Mcmurphy 7
    14 April 2021 at 8:33 pm

    at 52 % they are the controlling shareholder.

  8. Jenny How to get there 8
    15 April 2021 at 5:13 am

    The world is changing.

    New Zealand can be at the forefront of change, or as John Key wanted New Zealand to be a "Fast Follower".

    Talking of John Key, his administration invested just over a quarter $billion in bailing out another failing sunset industry, Solid Energy.

    In the end, this massive public investment, loan, bailout, call it what you will, of Solid Energy had to be written off.

    The same I fear will happen with the bulk of this massive advance to Air New Zealand. Mass tourism does not look like it is going to bounce back to pre pandemic levels any time soon.

  9. Jenny How to get there 9
    15 April 2021 at 9:03 pm

    Fly to New Zealand subsidised by the NZ taxpayer.

    Burn a ton of jet fuel.

    Get to see some amazing shrinking glaciers.

  10. Jenny How to get there 10
    16 April 2021 at 4:25 am

    Simply put;
    This huge act of corporate welfare;
    Is a monstrous betrayal of future generations

  11. Jenny How to get there 11
    16 April 2021 at 4:54 am

    If there ever is a Nuremburg type trial held for crimes against the climate, this will one of those crimes recounted in the dock.

  12. Jenny How to get there 12
    16 April 2021 at 5:19 am

    Evil succeeds when good people do nothing.

  13. Jenny How to get there 13
    16 April 2021 at 6:01 am

    The cost of BAU

    “World’s corals will be wiped out”.

    Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its corals since 1995 – BBC News

    “we will be lucky for seas to rise only; 8ft by 2100”

    Sea levels are going to rise by at least 20ft. We can do something about it | Climate change | The Guardian

    (two feet by 2040, three feet by 2050),

    Some of these outcomes occur early enough, that the politicians responsible for making these decisions and the bureaucrats responsible for implementing \decisions made, like the one in this post, may find themselves in the dock facing retrospective charges of crimes against the climate.

    Such criminal charges are not on the statute books yet. But as things get much worse they could well be.

    I can well imagine a time, in the not too distant future, where the representatives of the Pacific Island nations take our nation to the international criminal court for decisions we are making now.

    https://www.voanews.com/archive/rising-sea-levels-threaten-island-nations

  14. Weasel 14
    16 April 2021 at 11:24 am

    I don't understand why the government has been so soft on Air NZ's minority shareholders. If the airline needs propping up, and all shareholders are not prepared to come to the party, then the minorities should take was is known in business as a "haircut", The $1.5b should not be a loan but quasi equity — ie convertible notes. These notes should issued at a heavy discount to the current price. The company is currently capitalised at $2b but the extra $1.5b should give the government far more than 75% of the re-capitalised airline.

    • Jenny how to get there 14.1
      18 April 2021 at 10:02 am

      Good point.

      Wealthy private investors and investment funds are getting baled out again by the taxpayers.

      There are no consequences for bad or unlucky investments by these private shareholders in Air NZ, their financial losses are covered by us, and in return we still let them keep their controlling share of Air New Zealand?

      Really?

      No haircuts or even loss of control for them.

      Total haircut and total loss of control for the public.

      The worst thing is that to get any return at all for the taxpayer, we will have to lock in this environmentally damaging sunset industry, way into a climate ravaged future.

      • Pat 14.1.1
        18 April 2021 at 10:06 am

        There is only one rule…the bubble must not be burst!

        • Jenny how to get there 14.1.1.1
          18 April 2021 at 3:42 pm

          Unfortunately for the airline industry the bubble has burst.

          The government are trying to reinflate and unburst this burst bubble, with a $1.5 billion cash advance.

          This is not a wise investment of tax payer funds.

          ….Flying for business meetings burns up time and money, as well as our climate,” said Alethea Warrington, campaigner at climate action charity Possible, when speaking to Reuters. “This polling shows that after a year of quick and easy virtual meetings, travellers aren’t planning to go back to business as usual.”

          The UK’s aviation sector has been decimated by the pandemic, with Heathrow – the UK’s largest airport – seeing its passenger numbers slide by 72.2 per cent in 2020 from the year before.

          International Air Transport Association analysts have forecasted that despite the Covid-19 vaccines and testing procedures rolling out worldwide, the recovery of demand for air travel may not reach pre-crisis levels until 2024.

          While this estimate would imply that the aviation sector just needs to hold on for a few years until it can return to growth, the attitudes presented in the latest survey suggests a full recovery could take longer.

          https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2021/04/business-flyers-could-stick-to-video-calls-even-after-covid-19-pandemic-survey-suggests/

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    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
    2 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    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
    12 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
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