Greens attack stupid spending, rattle Key

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, June 16th, 2013 - 54 comments
Categories: greens, john key, local government, transport - Tags:

Julie-Anne Genter of the Greens has been doing some stellar work on public transport, including this exposure last night of the utter fiasco that is “Drive Social”:

The website is called Drive Social. It’s described as a “unique online experience that lets people see who they share the road with”. There’s a flash TV campaign to go with it.

But the Greens say it’s all an enormous waste of money.

The campaign has so far cost $1.6 million and 9500 people have signed up. That’s a rough cost of $174 per person.

As a bus user in Wellington, I was always suspicious of the Drive Social campaign because they kept putting ads in bus shelters.  Guess what?  Probably not going to find your target audience there, peeps.

Anyway.  What really struck me was that Key immediately lashed out with an over-the-top “well the Greens just think everyone should cycle everywhere” – which just makes you look silly when the next minute (and all over Twitter) Genter is being the calm, sensible voice of reason.

And even more so when, you know, you’ve spent $174 per person on a website with no tangible or even measurable results (and $40 per YouTube view of your very expensive video.)

Is this another example of the right drinking their own Kool-Aid?  Does Key really think he can just brush off obviously-ridiculous expenditure like Drive Social by saying “but they’re hippies, they don’t know anything”?

Is he shooting from the hip, unprepared, caught off-guard (he’s obviously answering TV3’s questions next to an elevator) and letting the happy she’ll-be-right facade slip for a moment?

Or is he just looking a bit tired?

54 comments on “Greens attack stupid spending, rattle Key ”

  1. Rogue Trooper 1

    Earlier this morning I began a google search for this “Drive Social” initiative (to critique it for further discussion) yet the entire concept and branding was so ‘memorable’ I could not remember what it was called. The Nats need to reference The Dog and “Lemon Guide”, ’cause man, have some marketing parasites sold them and the NZTA a Dunneger.

    • QoT 1.1

      Ironically, I’ve only ever rememered what it’s called because (a) of the amount of advertising at bus stops and (b) because it just sounded so vague, I spent a bit of time (while waiting for my bus!) trying to figure out what it could mean. And wondering why they’d gone with a smiley-face’d version of the Monday Night Football logo.

      • Rogue Trooper 1.1.1

        along with all this Twittering and Facebooking, many of the entrenched political and bureaucratic classes appear to be seduced by, and entralled with communications technology, like children in a sweet-shop; pathetic to watch really, like all those Lorries getting stuck due to GPS directions in the UK for example. Bring on the Sunspots Baby. 😀

      • Rogue Trooper 1.1.2

        as an aside, I would despair, before moving to The Standard for fellowship, at the members of congregations going through all the steps to ‘touch-screen’ a scriptural reference / passage on their e-pads and notebooks, while some 😉 flicked to the concordance and back to the passage in a Hares-breath; very strange to witness. sigh. Children of Men and all that.

        • Colonial Viper 1.1.2.1

          More technology is better, the old ways are prejudicially quaint and backward; this is the new faith, brother, a subset of the civil religion of ongoing progress. When you look for it, you can see its acolytes everywhere (even here…)

          Written on my Android 4.2 device

          • Rogue Trooper 1.1.2.1.1

            Well, Stone Me!
            “Half a mile from the county fair
            And the rain kept pourin’ down
            Me and Billy standin’ there
            With a silver half a crown
            Hands are full of a fishin’ rod
            And the tackle on our backs”.

            (conceptualized as a typewriter / library / common room in one attache case).
            Had to begin word-processing out of necessity, All Those Years Ago, as some of you know, Bullies (including my own transgressions) get me riled, a little too much at times. Amazingly still have all me fingers. 😀 Glad those days are over. What about these fools shooting out the Bus shelter glass; The Public Transport system in Christchurch was Excellent; one could comfortably commute anywhere at an affordable cost and know that a team of diligent technicians would service your (and the Bus Drivers needs) promptly and professionally.
            Did I ever tell you about the time I changed a compressor in a low-floor at 2AM in the morning by torch and headlight…or installed a 50kg plus rear-suspension yoke on me tod…they like to test your mettle these old hands with a little authority. 😉
            Much prefer the Eastern Orthodox approach.

            • Colonial Viper 1.1.2.1.1.1

              Multi talented; a man to keep around for the nearing future

            • Colonial Viper 1.1.2.1.1.2

              Re Eastern Orthodox, just did a quick read up, many good things there I can appreciate, the Hesychasm for instance, very powerful stuff.

              • Rogue Trooper

                I get by (with a little help from my friends, and this)- “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me (sometimes Ad in ‘and the world’), guide my path, and be a lamp unto my feet”; A variation on the Franciscan practice of the Jesus prayer.
                Working so far, and so far is all that matters. KISS.

  2. Lanthanide 2

    I had a look at Drive Social a while ago and couldn’t see the point in it. I don’t particularly want strangers to know who I am or my whereabouts.

    Let alone that obviously you need a smartphone to do anything with this, and mobile data, which drastically cuts down the potential audience for it.

    • lprent 2.1

      I still have absolutely no idea what it is for. I just read the website and I still have no idea *what* purpose it is intended for. Their website doesn’t help http://drivesocial.co.nz/find-out-more

      drivesocial.co.nz lets you put a face to the people you share the road with. It does this by collecting and comparing weekday morning commutes.

      Huh? Thats it? Why in the hell would I want to do it? And why would I be looking at facebook while I was driving – aren’t there laws against it?

      The only thing I can think of is finding out who certain idiots are and giving them some basic driving lessons. Like the fuckwit who drove halfway across the lanes on Great North Road off the bullock today and then stopped to wait for traffic on the other side of the road to pass. He blocked the traffic in his lane.

      That is a moron who needs to be told what the white centre portion of the road is for. You pull into that when you can’t merge..

      • QoT 2.1.1

        That is a moron who needs to be told what the white centre portion of the road is for. You pull into that when you can’t merge..

        Well see, lprent, apparently if you could “put a face” to this guy and understand that he lives just around the corner from you with his partner and three cats called Athos, Porthos and Aramis, you wouldn’t be pissed off! And then the world would be a happier place!

        For the $1.6 million spent on this amazing programme so far I’m wondering how many of the Natural Party’s yogic flyers we could have hired …

      • weka 2.1.2

        “I still have absolutely no idea what it is for.”

        Me neither. I just used the website non-FB version, and all it did was pop up some avatars saying these were the people that do the same commute as me. In order to get more information I would have to supply an email address, which I declined to do (NZTA have some strange data collection and management practices). So that was it. To start with I thought maybe they were going to match people up to ride share (now that would be a good use of technology, but afaik most places have their community run systems already). But yeah, in the end I had to read QoT’s TV3 link to find out that it’s apparently about reducing fatalities. All a bit subtle for me I’m afraid.

        • weka 2.1.2.1

          Irony alert – it does seem designed for people with smart phones. Is NZTA encouraging people to combine driving with smart phone use?

  3. Wayne 3

    Is John Key really rattled by Julie-Anne Genter? I would have thought his reaction indicates the opposite.

    • QoT 3.1

      Key normally has a snappy-yet-relaxed comeback for everything. In the 3News clip linked above he waffles on to the point that they cut him off midsentence.

      He may be rattled, he may be tired, he may not give a fuck. But it is not his typical behaviour.

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.1

        Key has plenty on his mind right now; wondering why they didn’t just farm it off to some junior minister actually. That’s what they would’ve done in 2010.

        • QoT 3.1.1.1

          That’s why I wonder if he was (for lack of a better word) ambushed by it, given he’s not commenting in the forum of a scheduled press conference or anything.

    • Bearded Git 3.2

      “Key immediately lashed out with an over-the-top “well the Greens just think everyone should cycle everywhere” ”

      Can’t you see Wayne that this lifts the lid, yet again, on what Key is really like when he forgets to follow his spin lessons?

      • AmaKiwi 3.2.1

        We (Standard bloggers) should shame the MSM for reporting Key’s frequent petty attacks on his accusers.

        If a valid issue is raised, the MSM should ONLY report a reply that speaks to the issue. Otherwise they are trivializing political issues and reducing our political discourse to cheap personality attacks.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.3

      He’s rattled. He doesn’t like being called on his obviously incompetent spending.

    • Populuxe1 3.4

      What is with Genter’s accent anyway? Sort of mock valley girl over forced kiwi

      • karol 3.4.1

        Just reflects the places where Genter has lived: from California via Paris to NZ.

        Pretty usual for someone who has lived in more than one place.

      • QoT 3.4.2

        Couldn’t be bothered taking two seconds to find her Wikipedia page, Pop?

        • Rogue Trooper 3.4.2.1

          yes, I wondered about that logo (and a few other scripts). Yep, Drive Social advertized at a Bus Stop, like advertizing for cycling at VTNZ.

        • Rogue Trooper 3.4.2.2

          yes, I wondered about that logo (and a few other scripts, like the Contact Energy envelope). Yep, Drive Social advertized at a Bus Stop, like advertizing for cycling at VTNZ.

      • Rogue Trooper 3.4.3

        Be kind Populuxe 1. Julie-Anne is honey on the lips, amber before the eyes, and sonorous round the ears. 😎

      • Draco T Bastard 3.4.4

        What’s with you being concerned about her accent? What she’s got to say is far more important.

  4. The Greens should broaden their campaign – basically, every government-funded ad campaign is a useless waste of taxpayers’ money. It may be a bit harder to quantify exactly how much of a waste of money it is creating ad campaigns telling people they shouldn’t smoke and drink so much, shouldn’t drive drunk, and (my personal favourite) that it’s wrong to beat their wife and kids, but I suspect it may be a simple matter of totaling up how much was spent and declaring it as the amount wasted.

    • Colonial Viper 4.1

      Well let’s start with this one Drive Social bullshit campaign first. Whoever the advertising company is, they’ve taken taxpayers for an expensive ride.

    • QoT 4.2

      Yes, PM, that’s exactly what they should do, gosh you’re so clever.

    • Rogue Trooper 4.3

      you make a good point Psycho; all these years of ad campaigns, still high Domestic violence and CAN stats, binge-drinking culture, speeding, road-rage, breath-alcohol excesses from across all sectors of society, drug-use, tobacco use, elder-abuse, financial scam victims, unhelpful diet, increases in STI incidence, problem gambling…The old tip-head-and-insert-knowledge ruse; can muster the sheep to the drench trough…
      and then there are all those trees of glossy, and not so, lining shelves of government ministries, departments and NGO’s the country far and wide. Mind-boggling.
      Maybe TPTB could detour from the short-cuts and actually get along-side people and listen to them.

      “Is there anybody in there, just nod if you can hear me, is there anyone home.”

    • Lanthanide 4.4

      I think all advertising that is funded by public money needs to say somewhere how much the advertising cost.

      Eg city council puts out a big brochure about what they’re up to and things that are happening in the city, should say on the back how much money the brochure costs. Government advertising campaign on TV, should say how much it cost. Government advertising campaign on the radio, should say how much it cost.

    • Green machine UpandComer 4.5

      Psycho. I commend you for this stance. But you do realise that the Greens are ‘in favour of’ said campaigns? Basically what you propose is the antithesis of the Green’s attitude to public policy expenditure. The Greens are the ones who want to ban smoking outright, ban alcohol advertising and sale as much as they can get away with, ramp up drink driving campaigns, and absolutely ramp up anti-domestic violence campaigns. This stuff is the Greens reason for life. National has done a great job at stamping down on the most egregiously stupid and unnecessary fun-police activities and the Govt funded public policy special interest groups industry in general. Don’t let one item that slipped through the cracks suddenly turn your entire world upside down.

      Watching any member of the Greens talking about overspending or zealous govt with respect to social policy is a painful exercise in viewing hypocrisy in it’s purest and boldest form.

  5. National loves building roads to nowhere, why would it stop at roads? Now it has found websites, there is no limit to it’s tax the poor and middle class into the grave plan, to fund their madcap schemes and tax cuts for the rich. 😉

  6. irascible 6

    I’ve seen the TV advert and never understood what it was on about. Thought it was a campaign to encourage group photographs or community social groups.
    Agreed the campaign can be classified as a big fail.
    More serious, though, is the campaign that Jammy Lea Ross is launching to destroy the labour laws in NZ. If his Bill, or the Simon Bridges version, passes into law then there would be no need to drive social… as wages and work conditions would be inadequate to sustain anyone in a decent job.

  7. Arfamo 7

    Can anybody see the “Yeah Nah” campaign persuading anybody to drink less?
    I can’t even figure out who they are targeting with this ad. It seems a complete waste of money to me.

    • QoT 7.1

      Don’t even start me on the “Yeah, Nah” ads. Everyone I’ve talked to about it has no idea what it’s meant to say – unless, that is, it’s meant to show what a great time you have when you’re drunk.

      Heineken’s “dawn belongs to moderate drinkers” ad is honestly far more effective at making the same point. And all it’s trying to do is sell more Heineken.

    • I’ve never seen it with the sound on, but it looks to be saying you’ll have a great time if you get pissed with your mate but it would be better if you didn’t. Hard to imagine anyone nodding along and thinking “My God, they’re right, what was I thinking?” Still, I can’t wait for the obvious sequel, the “Yeah, nah, just ease up on the sex” ad campaign, that should be a laff riot.

      • felix 7.2.1

        No campaign is ever designed or intended to get a reaction of “My God, they’re right, what was I thinking?” and it’s either naive or disingenuous to pretend it might be.

        From what I’ve observed I wouldn’t usually describe you as “naive”.

  8. felix 8

    Drivesocial? FFS.

    Between doing the crossword, checking facebook and twitter, keeping my beer upright, answering the phone and rolling cigarettes, haven’t I already got enough to do behind the wheel??

  9. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 9

    Yet the Greens squealed when the equally immeasurable, pointless and expensive “Buy New Zealand Made” programme was canned.

  10. erentz 10

    I’m surprised more isn’t made of what the really obvious hypocrisy of this whole campaign, given who the messenger is:

    “If we stopped thinking ‘cars’ and started thinking ‘people’, would it change the way we drive?”

    Hello? NZTA!? What if YOU stopped thinking ‘cars’ and started thinking ‘people’, how could it not change the way you spend billions of dollars?

  11. tracey 11

    I assumed it was to arrange carpooling and that was after watching the tv ad ladt night

  12. Kevin Welsh 12

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0405/S00517/more-dubious-spending-from-hip-hop-fund.htm

    “More dubious spending from ‘hip-hop’ fund.

    National Party Social Services spokeswoman Katherine Rich says she has uncovered yet more dubious spending from the fund that paid for the now infamous ‘hip-hop study tour’…

    …”It’s time someone took responsibility for these poor funding decisions. The buck must stop with the Minister.

    “Taxpayers expect much better from a Government that’s spending so much of their money,” Mrs Rich says.

    I feel better now 🙂

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T22:36:34+00:00