Guest post: How the left should respond to financial crises

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 27th, 2015 - 136 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, Politics - Tags:

Keep calm vote left

Apparently we’re in another crisis.

Both the left and the right often use capitalism’s regular crises to legitimize political changes. (That’s politics).  With enough crisis-borne anxiety within a population, politicians can gain as much power as they want. And they do.

Many political movements will escalate the crisis so an imagined New Order replaces the Old Order. Citizens can smell such misanthropy. They can smell when they are being played. The Crisis Button gets pressed too often.

If it wants to get back into government, the left must show they are ready to govern. In a crisis that does not mean patronizing charm, soporific calm, or conservative quietism. But in a democracy nor does it mean promising the overthrow of the order of things. Overthrow within crisis only perpetuates crisis.

A difference is this. The left understands the need for the state to regulate markets and to improve society. The right does not see the need for such plans.

Within a crisis, the left needs to show that it has a plan that can stabilize the crisis (within the powers of the remaining state). That you can allay our anxiety better than the others. Show us we can face it and we can change it. The left needs to show us it can handle crisis better than the right.

If the left wants to gain power other than through public fear – and it should –  it will need to gain confidence. The left must re-convince themselves that they are superior governors. To each other, they must look like they can govern. First regain themselves, then they’ll regain the people.

The left will look like it can govern when it it looks like it has a plan: you look like you know what you’re doing.

The plan tells citizens that they have a vital role in a greater effort.

The plan invites the greater good. The plan will defy fear, and generate public confidence. That greater good gives meaning to our lives, and obliterates the anxiety from crisis.

It’s cliche to say that the best way to predict the future is to make it happen.

It’s a cliche of leftie governments because it’s true. Especially in a crisis.

If the left want to get back into government, they have to show that they are ready to govern.

With a plan – and not with amplifying apocalypse – the left will defy the fear within crisis, gain the people, and show they are ready to govern again.

Ad

136 comments on “Guest post: How the left should respond to financial crises ”

  1. There is no left or right.

    There is the 0.01% against the 99.99%.

    The 0.01% control the currency supply and hence just about everything. The banking cartel is privately owned and responsible for 97% of all “money” available in the world. They are counterfeiting it in truly apocalyptic numbers and causing the collapse of the global economy while buying everything in the “real” world with their worthless digital numbers.

    The left/right discussion just divides us into two groups fighting each other while we should be educating ourselves and each other about the perils of a privately owned printing press in the hands of a minute amount of people.

    If you want the “left” to be ready to govern, this is the issue they must address!

    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 1.1

      I think the left already has the nutty conspiracy vote.

      • thatguynz 1.1.1

        That surprises me TGF – I thought you’d indicated quite clearly that your voting patterns were more to the right.

      • weka 1.1.2

        “I think the left already has the nutty conspiracy vote.”

        Moonlandings.

    • Nessalt 1.2

      Heard about this thing called the internet? it’s kind of destroying the privately owned printing presses owned by the minority.

      Troglodyte

      • thatguynz 1.2.1

        Huh? Ev is talking about the metaphorical money printing press – not the media printing press.

        • Nessalt 1.2.1.1

          the one the greens were going to use to lift us out of the burden of foreign debt with? the one that commentators like CV and DTB on the standard think should be used in this manner? in that case I agree that it should be taken out of control of the hands of a small minority of people as that’s an argument about power.

          But i think the preceding sentence to the statement of control of the printing press shows us that Rev means the actual printing press / newsroom style. I may be wrong though.

          I’ve always thought that the left should create a market place where all progressive news and opinion could be disseminated with little editorial control or larger-than-life personalities creating a left slanted multi-author site to big their own profile up. Bomber. netflix the news and opinion if you will. make it so that you can access whatever you like for small monthly fee so that contributors get paid and marketing can expand the reach. a site where the popularity of your contribution gets you the most reward.

          sounds suspiciously like capitalism though. but it would remedy the crises of the lefts ability to get mainstream traction. which would mirror what a government has to do to fix macro level financial crises. oh shit, it is capitalism. hahaha cursed to being on the outside because the medicine is more painful to ideology than the reality of the cure.

      • AmaKiwi 1.2.2

        The news is now fragmented into hundreds of audiences.

        Once upon a time we had one television station, a handful of radio stations and newspapers. We had one or two big news stories per day. In those times the headline TV news story could be a one car crash on a rural road. Everyone talked about the same thing.

        The problem is, “How do we get to such varied news audiences?”

        I wish I had an answer. It’s a completely new communications era.

        • Ad 1.2.2.1

          And yet here you are on this Interweb Thing.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.2.2

          In those times the headline TV news story could be a one car crash on a rural road. Everyone talked about the same thing.

          Nope. In those days we actually had local news and a car crash on a rural road would only be reported in the local rag and only talked about by the local people. Now local news goes national and international and the important stories are getting buried in the overflow of information.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.3

      +111

  2. Atiawa 2

    So the plan is to tell the people that the “Left” is capable of running the capitalist system better than the “Right”, and how they intend to do it?

    • aerobubble 2.2

      Thirty years ago cheap middle eastern oil started the longest run of cheaper vehicle fuels than ever, the economy was set to grow without any help. So the right, like any politcal animal, got out in front and started to claim they did it, that their ideology was behind it.
      A few listened more keenly and become aware that what the new ideology was all about was geting govt out of the way and sitting on their hands the rest of the time.

      Now something happened in 2008, oil got expensive, energy and carbon costs futures look bleaker, and a return to more moderate hands on govt began.

      You’ll note that, the ideology was not all that knowledge based, or requring much ability, but that both sides endeavor to more right. Roger Douglas.

      After thirty years of all leaning off to the right, like a group of Mediterranean refugees, the finacial boat is so out of balance, its keeps wanting to tip over.
      Now a rush to the left wont help, what we need is a keen leader who can talk down the herd the right created to sit down and stop leaning to the right.

  3. les 3

    such a plan would mean nothing as it could not be enacted in opposition and theoretical outcomes are irrelevant.

    • Ad 3.1

      The point of being in opposition is not merely to oppose: it is to prepare for government.

      • les 3.1.1

        you can ‘prepare’ all you like …factors today may not apply in the future.Highlighting the govts incompetency ‘in the now’ is the oppositions priority.

        • Ad 3.1.1.1

          So here you go.
          The point of politics is to change stuff.
          You do that by organizing your thoughts into policies.
          Those policies get mandated.

          With me so far?

          Then they get tested in public.

          In case you haven’t seen it, highlighting whatever they are doing wrong hasn’t been enough for the last – oh – seven years.

          Still with me?

          The new crisis on the horizon is the right moment to start showing that there really is an alternative government. That means showing that they really can govern.

          One of the key reasons we lost the last election is that we were not able to show that we were an alternative government.

          Time to show we are.

          • les 3.1.1.1.1

            ‘the point of politics is to change stuff’….you can only do that by getting elected!…Labours policies had wide support even CGT …but voters as Lynton Crosby will tell you need a simple,clear message…that simple clear message should be …this govt is hopeless,we can do better…too much detail is not required.

          • BM 3.1.1.1.2

            I know what you’re saying.

            Sitting there throwing shit and pointing out faults without giving a workable alternative just puts peoples backs up.

            If your’re going to criticize, you have to give an alternative otherwise you just come across looking like a wanker.

            Even if National does take your policies, so what, they’re still getting implemented.

            • les 3.1.1.1.2.1

              yet when Bill English is asked what his plans are for this term…he hums and has and says theres no ‘magic bullet solutions’…and just on we go with the ‘safe pair of hands b/s swallowed by the public.

              • BM

                Then labour should be putting up an alternative
                It will soon become obvious who should be running the show.

                Or if there really isn’t anything that can be done or what the government is doing is the best option then say so.

                You’ll get so much more respect from the public.

                • Ad

                  Exactly.

                  There is no longer anything to lose.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  Then labour should be putting up an alternative

                  1. Labour did put an alternative
                  2. So did every other left-wing party
                  3. The only parties that didn’t put up an alternative were the right-wing ones

                  • BM

                    They did a shit job on selling it then.

                    Which is labours problem, heaps of policy, theory wonks, but no practical make it happen types.

                    You can have the greatest ideas in the world but if no one knows about them or you can’t grab peoples attention you’re wasting your time.

            • Tracey 3.1.1.1.2.2

              “Sitting there throwing shit and pointing out faults without giving a workable alternative just puts peoples backs up.”

              Except in 2007/2008 when it worked like a charm.

          • Tracey 3.1.1.1.3

            Based on he last eelction we know that having policies is not the winning formula. Cos both Labour and Greens had many of them. Formulated fromt heir thoughts (as you suggested above)

            So, organizing their thoughts into policies didn’t work. Or were they the wrong policies? Or the wrong thoughts?

            Given they cannot implement any policies (and can’t prove they can govern) it is too easy for policies to be yelled down and countered by a government that people trust to run the country but don’t believe.

            maybe they should just start lying about stuff that hits voters hot buttons. Fight liars with liars?

          • AmaKiwi 3.1.1.1.4

            I think personalities are far more important than policies.

            I thought Little had Key dead to rights in Parliament on the government taking a $90 million dividend from public housing instead of doing $16 million in critical repairs. It should have been a slam dunk: “Greedy (Nats) landlord screws poor tenants.”

            But Key played the bully and media impression was that Little was a pathetic fool.

            It was 1,000% bully boy personality “news.” But it worked.

            The Jacinda story is similar. She rockets ahead of many Labour MPs with huge experience and impressive CVs of legislative accomplishments.

            • Ad 3.1.1.1.4.1

              So, in the absence of personality in the Opposition, we’re going to have to do something different.

              Like have a plan.

        • Kriss X 3.1.1.2

          Oh really, how is that working for you ? Look forward to more epic failure if the left persists in that sort of dirty politics and lack of vision.

          • les 3.1.1.2.1

            the Nats own dirty politics ….thats their only clear policy besides selling assets.

    • Ad 4.1

      And the point of the Opposition is not only to show that the government has no plan to prepare for it.

      The point of the Opposition is to show the public that their answers are better than the alternative, more credible, and more effective.

      In the current parliament, this means that they have to work together. Because that is the only way the public will believe that there really is an alternative government.

      • Tracey 4.1.1

        The point of an MP is to work for their constituency, first and foremost. Just saying.

      • AmaKiwi 4.1.2

        @Ad

        The point of the Opposition is to “give the impression” they have better alternatives. It’s about image, not reality.

        Sorry to be cynical but no one ever got elected by revealing their true intentions.

        That’s why the capital gains tax was a fiasco. Labour could have said, “We are open to suggestions that adjustments to the tax code might make it fairer.”

        • Ad 4.1.2.1

          Disagree.
          There have been good concrete initiatives that the parties have worked on in the previous term.

          They need to re-find that common ground.

          Unless they do that Labour in particular will be as harshly punished as it was the last three times.

  4. dv 5

    Lets see
    1987 crash
    2000 crash
    2008 crash
    2015 crash

    Missing is 1995 – or was there one

    That is sort of every 8 years!!

    [lprent: 1997 “asian flu”. There was no crash in 2000 that I am aware of. ]

  5. save NZ 6

    If the left want to get back into government, they have to show that they are ready to govern.

    +100

    But Labour and the Greens are clearly are not ready as the they still do not seem to realise why they have lost 3 elections and what people want.

    The 20% of left voters they need, are not happy with their conduct or policies of Labour which so far presenting as Nat Lite with more taxes.

    What is Labour’s plan? To me it looks like, pretend to change, do nothing apart from good speeches and petitions, and wait for the population to get tired of National.

    What they don’t realise is that people who are sick of National are not going to vote for a party which has the same look and feel as National but has higher taxes and has not used the last 7 years to prepare to govern and have a clear and strategic plan.

    My concern as well, is that Labour MP’s are so complacent they are going to start losing their electorate seats. In fact their doesn’t even seem to be much interest in the electorate seat (just the stupid public) but more the list, where they impress the other MP’s and get promoted rather than doing hard graft in their electorate. This is called Careerism and will be punished in the election by the public who never saw them.

    • Ad 6.1

      I think we can help pressure them to work together.
      They are clearly going to need all the encouragement and support around to do this.

      They’ve done it before, they can do it again.

      • Tracey 6.1.1

        “we can help pressure them to work together”

        How

        • Ad 6.1.1.1

          Always joyous when people propose that we don’t just have to tell them to change direction, we actually have to pour the petrol in the tank, pay for the car, chart the course, set the satnav, steer, change gears, change the wheels, and otherwise do what professional politicians who are paid handsomely out of our taxes are employed to do.

          The Opposition are not making so much as a dent out of this government, and have not for some time.

          There is a crisis with China losing. Time to plan, show that something is possible, and change the discourse.

          • Tracey 6.1.1.1.1

            you said “we” can pressure them and when asked “how” reply with

            It’s for them to respond to pressure form “we” that we aren’t applying cos you haven’t outlined how you think that pressure can be applied? Or do you mean by not “voting” for them in elections or in polls?

            I gett that you think the expensive politicians need to find all the answers to the how, but you also seem to be suggesting that the answers they currently have are wrong, so to assume they will find the right answers seems a little contradictory?

            So again, HOW do you propose that the “we” you referred to above apply this pressure to make them work together?

            • Ad 6.1.1.1.1.1

              That is a whole other post: the tactics of how you get to a coherent plan.

              Members and activists do have a role to play. Just a role.
              Most of the work of forming common policy platforms and initiatives is rightly done within and across parties.

              But from the influence that we do have, here’s a few things that can be done.

              In no particular order. And not all of these will work by themselves.

              – Have dinner with your local opposition MP. Bring friends. Explain that simply opposing is not enough. That there is a crisis to face, that the Opposition can uniquely respond to. Give them a paper to take away.
              Then book another dinner with another MP. Then do three at a time. It can be done, with sufficient inclination.

              – Fundraise, and/or be a donor. Parties really do listen when there is a cheque attached. Sad but true. Let them know what you want for your money.

              – Write popular posts that set it out. This site is well monitored by Opposition staff. They hear it. Send those same posts directly to the relevant party leaders. Get others to do the same, in their own way.

              – Form fresh activist groups. Don’t have to be within the party. There are some fantastic new ones occurring in Auckland, who are really getting momentum, results and influence.

              – Get activist NGOs to say the same thing as you are saying. A well trodden path. Seminars and conferences in particular are useful.

              – Get lucky with the MSM on stories. A particular case in point is the person whose electricity was cut off in south Auckland two years ago. From that growing story came the common platform between the Greens, Labour, and New Zealand First on power pricing.

              – Shift to Wellington. Ideally, work inside Parliament itself as a staffer.

              – Have a couple of years at least in a few Government Departments to actually get to know the machinery of government. So you know what you are talking about.

              – In some cases, change the rules. Just as Labour activists did over two years ago when they changed the Labour leadership parts of the constitution. Painful, doesn’t always work. But who knows, maybe Corbyn will get there.

              – Learn how it was done before. They all have their own historical contexts, but the things they have in common about how to form policy platforms is not dumb.

              – If you are feeling particularly inclined, stand for selection towards election.

              Not sure if any of this is new to you.

              • Hanswurst

                IMO, this would have been the basis of a good guest post. I appreciate that you were aiming for a straightforward message, but the actual guest post reads like a lot of words to say, “In order to govern, it helps to be electable and able to govern.”

              • Tracey

                Clarity is good in a discussion, and so when you wrote we need to pressure them, now people know what you were talking about.

        • save NZ 6.1.1.2

          We pressure them by telling them to do it and then we vote for them. Pretty simple.

          It worked for Northland. To send the Nats out of Northland other parties told their members to vote strategically. Not split it.

          That is issue 1.

          Issue 2 is that Labour has all the bad policies of the Nats but all the negative policies of the Greens. Ie right wing neoliberalism with higher taxes. That is not a winner.

          They need to have better policy OR a visionary leader who people trust.

          Corbyn in the UK can be classed as the latter, Little will have to go with plan A, better policies.

          Nothing bad about Little who has restored some order as a leader, but he’s no visionary, more a Clark style leader but not as good. He needs to restructure Labour policy which is as screwed up and Nat lite as ever.

          The other thing about Labour MP’s is my guess is that they are great and hardworking individually, but together they are developing group think in/out dumb decisions that are meaningless like the stance on TPP. Just say NO for F’s sake.

  6. infused 7

    Like weve been saying. Problem is labour has no one believable or trusting on the matter. Little? No

    Little should have flushed the front bench.

    The.public just see same old people assume same old policy.

    Simple really

    • les 7.1

      what ‘matter’ are you referring to?

    • Tracey 7.2

      Less than 25% of polled NZers believed things Key said by 2013. being believed is clearly not an important factor in getting elected to government.

    • Ad 7.3

      To every really complex political problem, there is a really simple answer.

      And it is the wrong one.

      • infused 7.3.1

        You make them complex, but they really aren’t. Fact is, the left in general don’t understand the voter.

        • Colonial Rawshark 7.3.1.1

          For ages I have been framing it this way: modern Labour has a cultural disconnect with ordinary Kiwis.

          • BM 7.3.1.1.1

            Never been to a labour meeting, how would you describe the membership, is it a good cross section of society?

            Or is it quite narrowly focused?

            • Colonial Rawshark 7.3.1.1.1.1

              The vast majority of Labour Party members hardly ever go to Labour Party meeting.

              • BM

                How is policy developed within Labour, how much input do the members get?
                I could be wrong but from what I understand most policy is membership driven?

                • Colonial Rawshark

                  Its a highly convoluted system; the key is not that members drive policy formation, the key is that a very small number of members drive policy formation, and the general membership gets a very limited number of filtered choices to finally vote on.

                  • BM

                    That may explain the disconnect.

                    Nationals system of members donating money and then leaving it to party to formulate policy seems to be quite a good idea.

                    Obviously this wouldn’t work with the labour “grass roots” approach, which is a bit of problem for labour.

                    How do you get around that.?

                  • Ad

                    and then about four months out from the election there’s a great carve-up of what Policy Council has generated. It gets minced into political saleability.

  7. Tracey 8

    Cool. A Plan is the answer.

    is that like policy or a flow chart or something different again?

    • Ad 8.1

      It’s a functioning coalition that is sufficiently stable well before election year.

      • Tracey 8.1.1

        That is the “what” not the how. You are describing a solution not proposing a way to get there.

        • Ad 8.1.1.1

          Not my job.
          Covered this above.

          • Tracey 8.1.1.1.1

            yeah I get that you don’t have a how just a description of the end result. It is your “job” if you want something different to what you have now. That is how democracy works. Sitting back and waiting for the representatives to magic what you want seems very self defeating.

        • Colonial Rawshark 8.1.1.2

          Let’s start with evidence that the leaders of the various Opposition parties even want to “get there.”

          • Ad 8.1.1.2.1

            Indeed. Possibly too early in the electoral cycle for the proposal.

            But I don’t think the Chinese impact is going to wait for the election.

  8. adam 9

    Neoliberalism, and it’s many faces. A right winger trying desperately to deal with his liberal concious I suspect.

    I thought you were a person who was after power for powers sake. Now it has been confirmed, to me at least. What a sad position, almost as amoral as the current lot in power.

    How about moral leadership? How about realising that capitalism thrives on crisis, or how about some history? Freedom, liberty or the people? Nope, better to be the better technocrat and tinker.

    Play the neoliberal game, embrace right wing orthodoxy, go for power. Pretend working people are a pawn that should be moved around the board. You sound little different from the punters on Whale oil, oh and look the right wing trolls who inhabit here, love it.

    No going and asking people what the want, what they see for their children and grandchildren. No listening to their hopes and fear.

    Judgemental, paternalist crap I’ve come to expect from those who worship at the alter of power. Shame on you, for not offering a better future – even if it is only a utopian vision to pin hopes and best wishes on.

    Oh and for “greater good” – you might want to watch Hot Fuzz.

  9. greywarshark 10

    Sounds good Ad. But is there a way to produce policy statements to the public without having the government run them before focus groups and adopt the ones that seem to have traction?

    Would it be a good idea of having a number of really well-informed policy groups within the Party and not leaking everything to mates in the other Party who like the same wine.
    Then refer to concerns to the public about what needs tackling and what the mission statement should be by government. Without revealing all the details. But having enough costings and rational plans to produce stats to rebut the government, without revealing close details. Neither sounding too optimistic, nor lacking in ambition and spirit.

    • Ad 10.1

      That’s definitely the usual way. Tried, tested and failed for three elections.

      This is the optimum moment for the parties to show that there is a functioning and coherent Opposition that have common interests and common fronting to the public, precisely because there is a clear slowdown in front of New Zealand.

      They have done it before, they need to do it again.

      And in case we worry about smaller parties getting squashed along the way, check out how well Act has played Charter Schools and Rugby World Cup policies. It can be done. Pretty good coalition operation, both.

      This Opposition have to show that their their version of a coalition is functioning early, and even better than the current government’s.

  10. Colonial Viper 11

    It strikes me as funny that people can’t see that we are well on the way past “capitalism” towards cronyistic security/surveillance state feudalism.

    The “Left” can’t manage the financial markets any different to the right – except around the very margins – because the billion dollar financial institutions which are in charge, will not allow it.

    • Ad 11.1

      So the point of the parties currently in parliament is what?

      I believe the Opposition is there to change the government.

      • Tracey 11.1.1

        “I believe the Opposition is there to change the government”

        into what?

        Same thing different pants? But “my” pants so it’s all good?

        • Ad 11.1.1.1

          To change the government by getting into power.
          You are getting mighty close to trolling.

          • adam 11.1.1.1.1

            Did you miss the memo Tracey, one should never question authoritarian males.

            What were your thinking? 😉

          • Tracey 11.1.1.1.2

            I beg your pardon? I am challenging your circular thinking and that makes me a troll?

            You wrote that to change the government needed NZF, GP and LP to work together and that would only happen if “we pressure” them. I asked how we pressure them and you said that wasn’t your job , it’s theirs.

      • Colonial Rawshark 11.1.2

        So the point of the parties currently in parliament is what?

        EXACTLY

        The most extreme example of this is the USA where up to 45% of people do not bother voting in Presidential elections. And those people were not disappointed – Obama has conducted a pretty good imitation of GW Bush’s 4th term.

        I believe the Opposition is there to change the government.

        So the job of the Opposition is to take power.

        But power to do what??? Manage the details more competently than National?

        • Ad 11.1.2.1

          I know you’re hungry for content, but this post isn’t designing a manifesto, or indeed exploring political content at all.

          It’s describing a national risk, and a political response that is needed.

          This post is about the instruments, and the timing, not the policy outcomes.

    • weka 11.2

      “The “Left” can’t manage the financial markets any different to the right – except around the very margins – because the billion dollar financial institutions which are in charge, will not allow it.”

      Maybe, but the left could manage the crisis quite differently (than the right). By that I mean our responses to the things we can control and can’t control. In this sense I agree with Ad, the mainstream left needs to present itself as credible. Unfortunately we have Labour, who are quite capable of running the country but… [insert theory of choice as to why they don’t get their shit together].

      • Tracey 11.2.1

        what have they done recently to suggest they don’t get their shit together? It needs to be something “worse” than national MPs, or are we back to perception is everything?

        MORE National and ACT Mps have fucked up governance, honesty, integrity, management-wise than any Labour MP, yet labour don’t get their shit together?

        • weka 11.2.1.1

          sorry, are you agreeing with me, or suggesting that they have got their shit together?

          Two things would convince me. One is some visible sign of moving past the ABC/Rogernome control of the party. The other is a clear signal to the electorate of how Labour will work with the GP leading up to the next election and/or how they will work with the GP in govt.

          • Tracey 11.2.1.1.1

            I am trying to ascertain HOW they make themselves credible in Opposition. They may not have their shit together BUT they have fucked up far less than National’s MPs so credibility must be something different from being incompetent in public, if you see what I mean? Cos National rates 50% in a recent polls and there is oodles of evidence of fuck ups and mismanagement… BUT they, apparently, have their shit together.

            • Colonial Rawshark 11.2.1.1.1.1

              Tracey.

              You’ve raised a good point and I will answer it with this.

              With regards to Labour, it is not “credibility” that is the root issue that the public has with them. It is “authenticity.”

              Without “authenticity”, Labour will therefore never have “credibility” as the latter naturally flows from the former.

              • Tracey

                Passion and sincerity… people do care and behaving like they don’t is stupid.
                Key mastered the fake sincerity bit very early on.

  11. Barbara 12

    When the middle class crash and burn seriously and are on their knees, then we will see a change of government and Labour as usual will then spend years cleaning up a disgusting mess National has left us in. It will not happen until then – or a lighter note when we lose the Rugby World Cup and Key won’t get his regular drool in the changing rooms with the boys.

    • maui 12.1

      Maybe, but it involves the middle class admitting they’ve bought into a failed ideology. Most will just want to get back to a comfortable life as soon as possible and will probably put their trust back in National after say trialing Labour for a 2017 term who might not be able to turn things around fast enough, especially if they’re relying on the global economy to come right. I’m using a fair amount of crstal ball gazing, but I see a hard road ahead for the left to convince people away from the current way our economy runs.

      I heard a good comment the other day, that whoever is in power will get the blame for the state of the economy. If the left are given a hospital pass which is highly likely, it could be ugly.

    • Anne 12.2

      … on a lighter note when we lose the Rugby World Cup and Key won’t get his regular drool in the changing rooms with the boys.

      Fingers crossed!

      Hang on… off to batten down the windows, bolt the doors and hide in the cupboard.

  12. SPC 13

    There is no new crisis. There is still the post GFC struggle – banks needing to recapitalise and governments highly indebted resorting to cheap money.

    Cheap money can be poorly allocated and lead to continuing economic instability.

    The real issue is to confront the meme that the right are more appropriate managers for the long hard struggle post GFC.

    The left should claim, to be as least as able (taking options ideology prevents the right from taking – the CGT in Auckland, and insulation of rentals should be claimed as wins for the left already) and fairer.

  13. Gabby 14

    Sure, Labour should set out their plans nice and clearly so that Nazianal can take their time over picking out the bits to run with, and the bits to fabricate objections to. Good thinking.
    Also, they should move on from tired old scandals where Ponyboy looks bad because chipping away at weakness is no way to bring down a party.

    • Ad 14.1

      …because after GFC, Christchuch, 3 consecutive electoral losses, and the impending Chinese trade crisis, the Opposition should just go on and do exactly what it’s been doing.

      Yeah right.

      • Colonial Rawshark 14.1.1

        I wonder, what makes you think that these Opposition MPs are capable of acting differently – and being different – than they have been?

        • Ad 14.1.1.1

          Not hope, that’s for sure.

          Only necessity.

        • Deadsmurf 14.1.1.2

          I really hope they get the need to act differently. Labour had a very good policy platform at the last election, but the parliamentary branch was fractured and too many were campaigning in their own own electorate while ignoring the party’s policies.

          National have no real policy positions but they all sing from the same song sheet and have complete devotion, almost like a cult.

          Until the MPs can start working together constructively it will make it difficult to have the swinging voter take us seriously.

  14. greywarshark 15

    I spent a bit of time building a comment touching on the country’s financial situation and household debt in the hope that I would gain more understanding and others too.
    It’s in Open Mike and I’ll transfer some useful links to here which would be more permanent than Open Mike I think. Here it is while still available.
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27082015/#comment-1063376

    There is a Reserve Bank link and Treasury too.

    But also there is a good, long informative piece from Brian Gaynor, Financial Columnist for the NZ Herald written in June 2015.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11468289

    Draco TB has put in the point that it is still very involved with the present financial situation and it would be better to raise funds differently. I think his point is that they should be raised by government bonds from NZs or by creating a fund direct to build infrastructure in the country. This would keep all gains and interest and spending very largely, internally, ensure that we have the system that we need, and there would be employment but there wouldn’t be largesse, no big wages, and the effect on inflation would be slight.

  15. BLiP 16

    Nice post, Ad. Thanks.

  16. Colonial Rawshark 17

    Better management of business as usual, in ways approved of by the MSM and mainstream economists.

    This isn’t going to work.

    • Ad 17.1

      I generally have a disposition to make things work.
      Call it a fault, a lack of ideals, an old tool box, a Social Democrat rather than radical disposition. I don’t mind. Not everyone’s instrumentally inclined.

      I’m political enough to agree with Jim Anderton that a day in government is better than a whole year in Opposition. Russell Norman and Jeanette Fitzsimmons know the cost of this more than many.

      This post is more about getting there, than why you get there.

      • Colonial Rawshark 17.1.1

        This post is more about getting there, than why you get there.

        But that leaves the single most critical question hanging in the air for the undecided voter…WHY should I vote Labour (instead of National)?

        • Ad 17.1.1.1

          I think that’s a misunderstanding about the motivations of many voters.
          Part of voting is about the content of policies. Just a part.

          But a lot of it is in form:
          – Do they look, feel and act coherent?
          – Could they really run a country?
          – Are they believable?
          and under MMP:
          – Are they really going to hang together?
          – Do they have what it takes to do this?
          – Do they really agree, or is this just a facade of a relationship that won’t last?

          That’s what would be delivered by showing that the Opposition can prepare better that the existing government for an impending crisis.

          I’m not presuming to tell you who you should vote for.

          • The Chairman 17.1.1.1.1

            While policies are part of voting, policies are largely the substance (albeit lacking) behind what you prescribe, thus not only are policies imperative, but it’s also vital they resonate.

            Policies are what define an alternative government . Without them, you’re delivery is little more than a facade.

            Your plan to create a perception (if coupled with good policy) would have merit. However, the perception will be ripped apart once voters discover there is no substance (resonating policy) behind it.

            • Ad 17.1.1.1.1.1

              I think writing the actual plan is the thing you do once you agree that a plan is something that can and should be done.

              Check out the Auckland Transport Alignment Group terms of reference launched yesterday. That took a lot of work to form. It took a complete breakdown between the state and Auckland to even agree that maybe they need to start again.

              The Terms of Reference is the thing that says: yes we have no choice but to work on a plan, and here’s how we are going to get to the plan, and when we are going to delver it.

              The simple stake in the ground would look like this: the Greens, Labour and NZFirst hold a press conference in which they say: by 7 months from the 2017 election, we will have government ready to go from Day 1. We will respond to the growing crisis, and we will show you we are more ready than the current lot for it, straight out of the blocks.

              Imagine what that would do for political debate, for the media, for voter choice, and for the terms on which all political argument is focussed from that point on.

              • The Chairman

                Policy is fundamental in forming a plan and securing an alliance.

                Getting NZ First to commit before the election is going to be a challenge.

                Moreover, Labour don’t seem overly keen to form a united front and work as a left wing block.

  17. Within a crisis, the left needs to show that it has a plan that can stabilize the crisis (within the powers of the remaining state). That you can allay our anxiety better than the others. Show us we can face it and we can change it. The left needs to show us it can handle crisis better than the right.

    I think there’s a step that comes before this.

    It matters greatly who gets to define what the crisis is.

    That definition then constrains what counts as a solution.

    Currently, all crises are defined in terms of neoliberal and right-wing terms (e.g., share markets need to be stroked, corporations need to have ‘confidence’ to invest here, etc.).

    That means the solutions (the policies that make up ‘the plan’) have to be cast in the same terms.

    There may be some wiggle room (by perhaps being a bit vague on policy) at the margins but, to my mind, that’s the problem.

    In essence, the problem is that ‘the left’ is – by definition – seen as never being able to have solutions to the crises that we face.

    For example, there is not a crisis of child poverty, there is only a crisis of poor parenting.

    There is not a crisis of inequality, there is only a crisis of a lack of aspiration (and probably, again, poor parenting in relation to educational opportunities in the home).

    There is not a crisis of housing affordability there is only a crisis of (local government determined) land supply.

    Etc., etc..

    Unless ‘the left’ is happy to say one thing to get elected and, then, do another once elected the only way to make progress from ‘the left’ is to alter the discourse about what the problems/crises are.

    Then it is possible to show that you have better solutions – because just what the crisis is has been recast.

    So far that effort has been unsuccessful.

    • Ad 18.1

      Fair, but I was writing the post in the context of the crisis in the Chinese share market which had generated a number of other posts. Crises, as I pointed out in the post, are exceedingly overused as political rationales in society. So when you can see a fresh one coming, may as well prepare.

      • Puddleglum 18.1.1

        Thanks for responding Ad.

        I see a link between responding to (and defining) crises and the point of the post – which I take to be to advocate that ‘the left’ get a ‘plan’ and look like a government in waiting.

        That link is that for a concerted and coordinated approach from the left to occur it must be – to use one of Colonial Viper’s words – ‘authentic’ (and perceived/depicted as such).

        That is, it must be based on a clear (if still broad) sense of what such a coalition would do, or at least the basic principles it advocates and the assumptions upon which it would operate.

        Those principles and assumptions then also get enrolled into how this current crisis (or any other) gets defined by ‘the left’, overall.

        Part of the problem in the past has been that Labour’s positions, in particular, have been perceived, rightly or wrongly, as having no fixed abode and – issue by issue – varying from state intervention to market-led solutions to populism. That easily gets spun as Labour being a party without principle whose MPs simply want to get back into cushy jobs in Parliament and doing whatever they think it takes to get there.

        It might seem unfair that such policy ‘flexibility’ by Labour gets portrayed as opportunism (a sing of unreliability and possible incompetence) while similar ‘flexibility’ by National is characterised as being sensible, centrist and pragmatic (a sign of reliability and competence) but that, I’m afraid, has been the story so far.

        In terms of ‘the left’ getting a ‘plan’, it’s also quite hard to coordinate and stand in solidarity with a moving target – or one that the public, at least, perceives as moving (i.e., fundamentally unprincipled).

        The election advertising by National last time depicted the opposition in a dinghy with everyone rowing in different directions.

        There’s a sense in which that dinghy – even if the Greens and NZ First were not in it – could still be depicted as being rowed in multiple directions at once (a little bit neoliberal, a little bit social democratic, a little bit populist, a little bit ABC, a little bit ‘identity politics’).

        So, in my view, your point about the need for a ‘plan’ that involves projecting a coordinated and stable ‘government in waiting’ can’t be separated from the question of clarity and commonality of political purpose (the ‘why’ and ‘what’ of being in politics). And I don’t think the public will buy the raw, unadorned purpose of ‘being in government’ no matter how central to parliamentary party politics it may be.

        Looking ‘credible’, ‘competent’ and viable as a government in waiting pretty much depends on knowing just what you stand for or, at least, why you’re playing the game.

        Knowing what you stand for – in very simple and straightforward terms – also has the advantage of making each party of the putative coalition predictable both for the public and for the other parties in the coalition.

        It’s amazing how much confidence and competence you can project when you know what you believe and why you’re playing the game – and can predict how those on your ‘team’ will act and respond.

        It is, of course, possible to temporarily suppress differences for the sake of gaining power. But even then there has to be agreement over at least the rhetoric around which you will rally together for the sake of appearances.

        But when you have (the perception of) an ideologically loose cannon rolling around the deck (especially if it’s your biggest cannon) then even that might be a stretch too far.

        Clarity of purpose is the essential and central part of any ‘plan’.

        Here’s an example of what I’d see as a clear and simple slogan that might work: ‘Courage to take the lead’. (In the economy, in relation to social and environmental issues, in foreign policy, etc.).

        That might suggest a left that is at least not afraid of its own shadow.

        • Ad 18.1.1.1

          So just to take a step back.
          There is a fixed target, not a moving target. It’s the rapid slowdown of the Chinese economy and the reliance of the New Zealand economy upon it and all it will affect (like Australia’s).

          Chris Trotter’s column today just carries on my theme. There’s a crisis coming, we can prepare for it. In the US, they had the New Deal to respond to the Great Depression. New Zealand and Australia had similar programs, which lasted well into the 1970s.

          The slogan or the strap line is the last thing you worry about.

          And it doesn’t have to be a massive over-arching plan. Baby steps would be great. For example, NZF, Labour and Greens plan for a comprehensive review of Fonterra – it’s interdependence with the interests of the state, impact on the land, impact on the economy, and how to legally review its founding legislation so that it is no longer allowed to destabilize whole regions and societies in New Zealand.

          They have done it before with electricity regulation, and with the asset sales campaigns, they really have to show the country that they can govern together.

          Or the Opposition simply will not get into power.

          • Puddleglum 18.1.1.1.1

            Hi Ad,

            That clarification helps.

            What I was talking about was not a coordinated response on the left to a particular crisis.

            On that I think you’re right. It would be excellent to see some specific proposals about how to respond to the current sharemarket and economic issues in China that, say, the Greens, Labour and NZF fronted jointly.

            What I thought you had been suggesting was a ‘plan’ that went beyond a specific crisis but that, instead, showed a ‘government in waiting’ that was more or less aligned to a similar fundamental approach to governmental responses to the full range of areas and issues that a government (in office) has to deal with. That, if you like, might disagree on the degree of response but not on type of response.

            Not just that they can work together on particular crises but that they can work together full stop just because they see social and economic issues in pretty similar terms.

            Something like why it is feasible to say that National and ACT can work together – they see the world in a similar manner but might disagree over the speed of change or even the necessity of going to a certain degree of change.

            So when I mentioned a ‘moving target’ I wasn’t thinking of the current crisis but, instead, the unpredictable positions that, in particular, Labour may have been seen to be adopting.

            My point was that it is hard for potential coalition partners to coalesce around a centre-left party that moved quite radically along the political spectrum from issue to issue and policy to policy – because it was a ‘moving target’.

            Sure, one-off ‘united fronts’ on particular issues shows some ability to ‘work together’ but is that the real perception problem? After all, John Key worked together with Helen Clark but nobody thought that was a basis for a coalition.

            I thought the problem was that, across the range of policy areas, the three potential coalition partners were seen to be at loggerheads on some pretty important issues and therefore would not be stable in government.

            Perhaps I’m wrong.

            And, yes, the tagline was simply me suggesting a broad philosophical position that ‘the left’ (including NZF) could see themselves as, rhetorically at least, being able to coalesce around. It’s a reworking of the ‘hands on’ tagline Labour used in order to contrast itself with National.

            I wasn’t suggesting billboard themes quite yet 🙂

            • Ad 18.1.1.1.1.1

              You are right that coalitions are hard. I wasn’t proposing actually forming a “united front” on everything beforehand. Everyone’s entitled to keep their own market segments before an election.

              But coalitions are the total basis for MMP government.

              The ability to show that they can work together has been a major reason why voters have kept the current government. They don’t yet believe we can run a country.

              In the face of impending crisis, there is a highly significant moment arriving to show the public that they really can work together.

              Unless the Opposition can show that they can work together on practical stuff, there will not be a change of government.

              • The Chairman

                Continuing to appeal solely to their own market share merely reinforces the rowing in different directions perception.

                Therefore, showing unity on one issue (which has been done before) will do little to turn that annihilating perception around.

                United we stand, divided we fall.

                • Ad

                  Got to start somewhere. It’s all you can do.
                  Crisis is the reason to cooperate.

                  • The Chairman

                    Attempting to maintain their own market share, solidifying the division, thus annihilating perception, is clearly the first hurdle to overcome.

                    In a time of crisis, a sense of direction is imperative.

                    And with that said, the opposition is on the back-foot.

  18. gsays 19

    hi ad, great post,
    agree with most of it.

    unity on the ‘left’ is a must. (forgive past trespasses, look forward)

    a severe prune of the senior mps, especially those who can seemingly only criticize.

    do you think the left find another crosby textor and fight fire with fire, or take a higher more honourable route? (state a vision and announce policies to get there, and trust the sheeple can look past hoskings, gower, plunkett etc).

    is a circuit breaker policy an option? eg ubi.

    good post, needed conversation.

    • Ad 19.1

      Cheers Gsays.

      – On the first question, I agree that the mainstream media commentators overall have an inherent bias against the left. The mainstream media also expect the left to come up with more policy ideas than the right. My view is this: presume that there wil be more crises coming, and show that as an Opposition you have a plan that’s better than the current government. Stand for something, and stand strong.

      – On circuit-breaker policies, I confess I’m not a social policy expert. But personally a Universal Benefit would not be my first choice. If I was going to go for a Big Idea, it would be something like: “By Thirty, Everyone Gets To Buy Their First House”. As a promise.
      Do it through several means: build tens of thousands of apartments (using state owned Urban Development Authorities), make Kiwisaver “Opt Out” only (to increase the deposit), increase the proposed “Housing Investor Capital Gains” tax by a big step, deliver the finance through Kiwibank alone so the state profits from each loan at state’s rates, and being able to capitalize Working For Families towards the deposit.

      Voters want results, results that give their lives money and progress, and the state should crank it out. Random thought, since you asked.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    40 mins ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    2 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    3 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    8 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    8 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    8 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    8 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    9 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    10 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    13 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T05:26:38+00:00