Inconvenient indeed

Written By: - Date published: 7:17 am, June 15th, 2013 - 62 comments
Categories: class war, jobs - Tags:

Your favourite smug, self-aggrandising Tory and mine, David Farrar, wrote a post yesterday about something called the “Performance of Manufacturing Index”, which is a wee survey that the BNZ does. Apparently, it shows manufacturing on the grow. ‘How inconvenient’ for people worried about the crisis in manufacturing, Farrar chortled. Then, Blenheim’s largest manufacturer laid off 84 workers.

Yeah, laugh all you want, Farrar. And point to all the dumb arse employer surveys you want.

Here’s the truth – 40,000 jobs gone in manufacturing in five years, including 6,000 in the last year (in case you think there’s a recovery happening). Now, another 84 highly-skilled workers out of well paying jobs, which will send an economic and social shockwave throughout their community.

But what the fuck do Farrar and the Right care? As long as they get rich off government dodgy contracts and property speculation, and the dollar stays high so their luxury imports and overseas holidays are cheap, what do they care? Well, they’ll care when even the St Johnny’s tarnished halo can’t keep National in the mid-40s any more.

62 comments on “Inconvenient indeed ”

  1. Lanthanide 1

    Yeah, my thoughts around that was whether this survey is always on the same businesses from survey to survey, or whether they completely change out the group selected each time, etc. Because the “best results in 9 years” can easily be sheeted home to the sampling. I’m sure DPF probably knows that, being it’s his job and all.

  2. Descendant Of Sssmith 2

    You can’t survey a business that has closed.

    I guess it’s entirely possible that for some they have short-term gains from the closure of others.

    Medium and long term it’s shite for the industry.

    A raw product, low wage, income disparate, low skilled, broke government future moves ever closer.

    Nothing is truer than those mocked up posters saying “national a blighted future”. We’re seeing it in action day after day after day.

    • Eddie 2.1

      and that’s the biggest point against the PMI – you can’t survey a business that’s closed. In fact, a closure might boost the average result of the survey because, if that business was participating before, it was probably reporting intentions to fire staff , low orders etc

      • Rob 2.1.1

        Yeah , I mean what do employers have to do with manufacturing anyway. Especially when you have true ground up manufacturing expertise and leadership from the likes of winston , Russell and shearer .

  3. karol 3

    Then there was this article a couple of days ago.

    A run of weaker manufacturing data, which snapped a 15-month streak of gains yesterday, is likely to cast a pall over the country’s economic growth as the effects of the drought come home to roost.

    Sales volumes of manufactured goods fell 0.6 per cent in the March quarter, according to data released by Statistics NZ, with the volatile metals category dragging the headline number lower with a decline of 6.2 per cent.

    The drop in metals was due to poor aluminium sales volumes, which fell 13 per cent compared to the December quarter, as the Tiwai aluminium smelter battled with low international demand and the high New Zealand dollar.

    That was offset by a solid performance from the meat and dairy sector in the quarter, with sales volumes up 0.5 per cent. Overall, the picture was a very mixed affair, with seven of the 13 manufacturing industries gaining in the March 2013 quarter, while six fell.

    ANZ senior economist Mark Smith attributed the primary industry gain to farmers bringing their animals to slaughter sooner than usual because of the drought, with meat sales volumes making up for reduced dairy production in the period.

    Stripping the boost from the primary manufacturing sector from yesterday’s figures, and the total sales volumes declined 0.8 per cent.

    Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon was slightly more bearish, saying the weaker manufacturing figures threatened the bank’s March GDP forecast of 0.8 per cent.

    “We expect that the greatest impact will instead fall in the June quarter, with milk production still down and meat production having been pulled forward,” he said.

    Economists expect the soft run to be limited to some extent by ongoing construction activity in Christchurch and Auckland.

    “Lifting construction sector activity will become an increasingly important source of support, but the fickle global scene, the high New Zealand dollar remain headwinds for the manufacturing sector,” Smith said.

    • Rob 3.1

      So Karol , after 15 months of gains , you focus upon on 1 lower result, and you think it is a crises . Has anyone here actually ever been involved in a manufacturing organisation , because it does not read like it. In fact it reads like a whole raft of arm chair supposed experts and teachers talking it down , well I suppose that is the glorious left .

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.1

        15 months of gains! LOL

        Yeah if you count gains in cow shit pumped to create milk exports, you are correct, Rob. I guess that makes you a cow shit expert.

        • Rob 3.1.1.1

          I would like to claim it , but I would feel like a fraud with the real cow shit experts.

  4. tc 4

    This is also what Luxon was given the CEO role for. Norriss and Fyfe did the obvious reorganisation and fleet clean up whilst price gouging domestic and otherpractices kept margins healthy.

    Now Luxon will slash his way through the areas nice guy Fyfe has left, staff and work practices is the ‘low hanging fruit’ that nationals screwed over econimic recovery now place next in the queue.

  5. TheContrarian 5

    “Your favourite smug, self-aggrandising Tory…”

    Replace Tory with ‘moderator’ and I would have thought you meant LPrent.

    [RL: The man works incredibly hard to make this site work for everyone. Including you. While you are always free to express an argument or engage in discussion … flat out disrespect like this just pisses me off.]

  6. sanctimonious 6

    Disrespect-what a tosser.

  7. deemac 7

    ah, Farrar, the guy who thought it appropriate to turn up to a British High Commission do celebrating the “best of British” as Jimmy Savile… classy!

    • felix 7.1

      Allow me to answer on Farrar’s behalf:

      * don’t be so precious
      * offense is taken not given
      * can’t you handle a joke
      * it’s just a costume I didn’t actually molest anyone
      * i’m not responsible for your feelings

      * just don’t call me a greedy closeted slurring fascist dwarf lest your lack of politeness signal the end of fucking civilisation itself.

  8. tsmithfield 8

    As I said in the previous discussion here on this subject, unemployment is not a valid indicator for the prosperity of the manufacturing sector for a number of reasons. For instance, companies may find more effective ways of doing things with less people. In this instance, improved performance in manufacturing will be directly correlated with increasing unemployment. In fact, as the GFC unfolded in the US, it was well publicised that firms were improving their bottom line through reduction in staff costs.

    So, I don’t respect the arguments put forward here that cite increases in unemployment as evidence of a crisis in manufacturing when in fact it might show the exact opposite.

    • felix 8.1

      As long as the machines are happy.

      • tsmithfield 8.1.1

        Whatever. The proposition put forward on this site is that there is a crisis in manufacturing.

        However there is no crisis. “Crisis” can be defined as An unstable condition, as in political, social, or economic affairs, involving an impending abrupt or decisive change.

        By this definition there is no crisis in manufacturing. The changes we are seeing in the manufacture of non-edible products are part of a long term trend of outsourcing to cheaper economies. However, that slack has been more than taken up by food products such as dairy, wine etc. Expect the long term decline in locally manufactured non-edible goods to continue. It isn’t surprising and is a trend that wise businesses would factor into their planning model.

        • felix 8.1.1.1

          Exactly.

          Leave people out of your calculations and there’s no problem.

        • lprent 8.1.1.2

          When you can point to an increased value in 20xx dollars of manufacturing sales or production value over time, then that may be a valid argument. However all of the figures I have seen have shown a long term fall. So your argument has nothing to do with the post. Did you fail to read the post AGAIN?

          Productivity and profit gains can come from many reasons, many of which indicate an unhealthy business. For instance; running down r&d, not trying to grow sales, deferring or cancelling expansion plans, running down inventory levels, and stopping capital improvements are just as common as laying off less productive staff – and frequently are the cause.

          All of these typically improve productivity and profits in the short term as they reduce the costs of growing a business. All of them also presage a manufacturing business that will grow less in the future. Bearing in mind the lack of signs of r&d, market expansions, or capital improvements I think that we are seeing manufacturing necrosis.

          It is unsurprising that Farrar doesn’t understand this. I don’t think he has ever been around manufacturing or any *productive* enterprise in his life.

        • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.3

          However, that slack has been more than taken up by food products such as dairy, wine etc.

          Except that the food sector isn’t employing those people either.

        • Descendant Of Sssmith 8.1.1.4

          Firstly:

          By that definition tis need a crisis.

          Stability would by definition require that manufacturing jobs remain about the same.

          You then posit that the change to outsourcing, etc is likely to continue and should be factored in i.e. it is a decisive directional move.

          Secondly: no doubt you can support your contention tha job losses are due to increased investment in machinery and efficiency gains. I can’t recall a single announcement about job losses that refer to such gains.

          I can recall plenty that refer to lost contracts, moving production offshore, lack of sales due to the high dollar, government buying Chinese trains, ec

          The meat industry is an example of where there have actually been announcements of efficiency gains due to improved plant = loss of jobs but don’t hear much of this in relation to manufacturing.

          One benefit of the high dollar is that some companies may have purchased and upgraded plant from overseas but they would only be doing tha if they were certain of being able to sell their products.

    • Arfamo 8.2

      The crisis is not in manufacturing per se – I’m sure there are manufacturing businesses doing very well, having reduced their staff. The crisis is in the manufacturing sector’s inability to provide the same level of decently paid jobs that it used to, and this government’s inability to develop & implement policies that replace those lost “good” jobs with others. Jobs are what are needed by the majority of the working age population. Jobs that produce something.

      • Populuxe1 8.2.1

        Yep. Though it is far from clear which sectors can provide those jobs. If we knew that, doubtless we would know what training to invest in.

    • Eddie 8.3

      how do explain the fall in manufactured exports, fall in manufacturing as a share of the economy (and god knows its not because the rest of the economy is booming!)

  9. Yes 9

    I was listening to radio live yesterday when they were interviewing I think the union leader. Correct losing 84 jobs not good and he said the dollar and the lack of NZ air force work lead to the demise.

    Garner rightly pointed out that the dollar had dropped and asked how much the NZ dollar should be at. This guy said 60 cents. Omg you could hear a pin drop in the studio. Do unions not know what the impact would be if the NZ dollar was 60 cents on the economy would be. 60 cents to save 84 jobs is crazy. Exports would be good but imports would sky rocket leading to massive costs increases. 60 cents would actually make the rich richer. 75 cents is where the dollar should sit.

    And the loss of air force work…hmmm who killed the air force in NZ. Yours truly Labour … How much maintenance can you do on a dozen sky hawks sitting on trade me.

    Also if Russell understood economics and know the dollar goes up and down ..his 3.5 billion dollar printing press has just cost the economy and taxpayers billions.

    • felix 9.1

      “60 cents to save 84 jobs is crazy. “

      40 THOUSAND jobs, dickhead.

      • infused 9.1.1

        And probably make hundreds of thousands suffer.

        • lprent 9.1.1.1

          You mean like our younger generations who will have to pay back the excess National generated debt? Like I had to do for the last 30 years since that fuckwit National government of Muldoon?

          John Key seems to like following his irresponsible footsteps

          • Green machine UpandComer 9.1.1.1.1

            It always makes me ‘chortle’ as it is said above, whenever a Labour supporter, or a Green supporter, has something to say about debt. How you don’t keel over from cognitive dissonance is beyond me.

            • Lanthanide 9.1.1.1.1.1

              “How you don’t keel over from cognitive dissonance is beyond me.”

              I guess it’s because you don’t really know the definition of cognitive disnonance.

              Fact: Labour between 1999 and 2008 got us to a net 0 government debt position by paying back debt and refusing tax cuts that the right kept jumping up and down about every chance they got.

              Fact: National cutting taxes as they did in 2009-2010 as drastically increased government debt, pretty much undoing all of Labour’s good work.

              National is the party of debt and reckless spending (in this case, mainly tax cuts), not Labour.

            • lprent 9.1.1.1.1.2

              How you don’t keel over from cognitive dissonance is beyond me.

              Because I know what I’m talking about and you clearly do not? Perhaps you haven’t caught up with the reality of the debt situation over the last two decades. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_New_Zealand

              If you went back to the late 70’s and early 80’s you’d have seen the same reckless wastage by another National government.

              Always nice to squash another idiot with more interest in myths than reality.

              • Jimmie

                It is kinda funny lprent about you grizzling about the Nats borrowing over the last few years to soften the affect of the GFC and the Christchurch earthquake when through 2008-09 every leftie around was harping on that John Key should have been printing $$ and borrowing hand over fist to ‘stimulate’ the economy.

                Also between 2008-13 every effort of the government to minimise and reduce wastage and low quality spending has been screamed at by lefties as killing the economy and public sector.

                And don’t harp on about the tax cuts causing the rise in debt – there is no way that the government lost $30 billion in lost tax revenue over the last 5 years from the reduction in income tax rates.

                It’s simply that the political left in general are more one eyed than Cantabrians and can’t admit that the child eating (in their eyes) Key has actually muddled his way through the GFC quite effectively and this is shown by his continued high poll ratings.

                Key is the Nat’s biggest asset to win next year. The left tried to win in 2008 and 2011 by saying that Key couldn’t be trusted but the voters thought otherwise. Gotta try a different tactic come 2014 especially if the economy continues to grow over the next year.

                Otherwise the left as a whole is just not going to be relevant at all.

                (PS. Get rid of Shearer please – he is an embarrassment)

                • Colonial Viper

                  Key is the Nat’s biggest asset to win next year.

                  Haha!

                • Descendant Of Sssmith

                  There aren’t efforts to reduce wastage – just efforts to transfer expenditure to the private sector.

                  Have you not read the reports on the massively increased cost of consultants, the building of roads that were not justified on normal roading assessment parameters, the massive increase in funding for Prime Ministerial services, the increasing dishing out of millions of dollars to failing private schools, the costs associated with trying to get a national MP elected to an International position.

                  And you call the left blinkered.

                  • Descendant Of Sssmith

                    Forgot about the 1billion to bail out SCF that was unnecessary as well.

                    I think pointing out that Key was not to be trusted was simply an observation not an election strategy and that voting for key = trusting him.

                • jcuknz

                  Nicely put Jimmie … why I will continue to vote for him in preference to the current Labour Mob. He will muddle along better than the LM

            • xtasy 9.1.1.1.1.3

              Dark Machine UpandDowner:

              If you would have any clues about import and export business, you would have shut your words here up long ago:

              http://www.allbusiness.com/economy-economic-indicators/money-currencies-interest/15051093-1.html

              Heard anything about “hedging”, as much as I hate it, and as much it may still make sense, and they all do it, even the government, to protect from volatile currency fluctuations?

              You are as smart as a smart ass without the “smart” at the front, dear mate.

              Get a life, do economics 101, read up on Keynes, Friedman, Krugman and others, and get back once you have seen the light, thanks!

      • Yes 9.1.2

        There not 40000 lost!!!! Even rusell conceded that this week….Monday announcement wii read…cliche cliche cliche

        • felix 9.1.2.1

          How many is it, Yes? Just the 84?

          Because if it’s not just the 84, and you knew it, then you knew you were lying when you wrote the comment above.

        • Pasupial 9.1.2.2

          @ Yes (9.1.2)

          “Monday announcement wii read”: You get your news from a games console? That actually explains quite a lot…

          BTW (re: comment 9): “75 cents is where the dollar should sit”. Why that particular exchange rate? Just because it’s a nice round number?? Please show working.

    • lprent 9.2

      Perhaps you haven’t figured out that the 60-65 cents range was common over the last 20 years and that imports don’t exactly earn us any income…

      As it is a high dollar makes it harder to sell overseas, therefore reduces jobs, therefore reduces the number of people to buy imports. It also means that we wind up with extra debt paying for increased numbers of people not working and less overall business profits to tax.

      This may be a basic concept of the country paying our way that you are just too thick to follow. Certainly seems like it reading the crap you are famed for…

    • Paul 9.3

      I just don’t get the logic of your arguments.
      Blaming Labour for some of their neo-liberal policies which damaged NZ’s economy is not a reason to support National’s neo-liberal policies which damage the economy.
      Have you the width of vision to see outside petty party politics?
      Can you not see that the economic experiment imposed on the world in the 1980s has been a catastrophe for the vast majority of people and a disaster for the environment?
      This is much much bigger than Labour National.
      They both are supporters of the present economic system.

    • Poission 9.4

      .his 3.5 billion dollar printing press has just cost the economy and taxpayers billions.

      farm debt has increased by 15b$ since the start of the GFC(2007) ie 31,777-46,785 B$ of which around 10% is in improvements and the remainder in increased bank debt for land capture or an increase in lending bank printing presses of 13.5 b$.

    • Eddie 9.5

      um, 60 US cents to the dollar is the long-term average exchange rate.

    • xtasy 9.6

      Yes: You are an idiot! Do not bring in the exchange issue, as trade deals, being purchases or sales, are done for periods, and for fixed times. Usually currency fluctuations are accounted for, in advance. So it is a risk area, and that is what both parties accept. Now any deals usually are pre-determined for months ahead. While you point out the NZ Dollar just dropped against the US, the Euro and so recently, that does not affect most deals done some short time ago.

      You really have no clue of trade and business, stop pretending that you do, you are a lost cause here, take a break and inhale some fresh air and get some sunshine, to improve your vitamin intake and metabolism, perhaps.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 9.7

      Once it was around 50 cents US . Your point is ?

      • jcuknz 9.7.1

        I remember when it was 42c and the pound at around 26c .. really do not follow the arguments becuase this is a world wide problem with advances in technology putting people out of work and the only solution I can see is a reduction of the number of people. A long term solution which can only be accomplished by a reduction in the birthrate.

  10. RedBaronCV 10

    Why the focus on just “high value” manufacturing. Like it or not we consume boring items such as soap and toothpaste etc and many of these can now no doubt made in fairly sophisticated plants.

    A tour of the local grocery store shows a good number of basic products made in Australia with it’s higher wages, unions etc or other countries with similar labour force policies. Nor do I buy the economies of scale arguments – if it’s reasonably automated then smaller production units are likely to be just as viable. Larger scale production also has to be traded off against distribution costs which are tied to oil prices and hence increasing.

    If the manufacturing is in low wage countries are they using cheap labour and clapped out machinery which won’t go on for ever?. Besides if you are investing in expensive plant doesn’t it make sense to domicile it in an enviroment that is reasonably stable politically. What if your cheap labour country has a coup? Look at Fonterra, it lost a large plant and investment in China over San Lu, and some other company lost a huge hotel to an offshore “partner”.

    You have to pay an awful lot of low wages to offset these sorts of capital loss – perhaps Fonterra should have looked at shipping chinese milk here to turn it into milk powder?

    • Colonial Viper 10.1

      Import substitution

    • Draco T Bastard 10.2

      Why the focus on just “high value” manufacturing. Like it or not we consume boring items such as soap and toothpaste etc and many of these can now no doubt made in fairly sophisticated plants.

      http://www.healthbasics.co.nz/

      Great stuff. Far cheaper than the average bar of soap.

      Nor do I buy the economies of scale arguments – if it’s reasonably automated then smaller production units are likely to be just as viable.

      That, amazingly enough, is what tsmithfield is trying to say. The bit that he fails to get is that such automation results in increased poverty in this country unless those people go into other work which is similar (if it’s not similar then it’s going to have to be training). That other work isn’t happening due to our high dollar meaning that even the global market isn’t enough to soak up our surplus. Throw in the fact that any other country can and will do the same and we’re stuck as a declining export country and, under the present capitalist system, increasing poverty.

      If the manufacturing is in low wage countries are they using cheap labour and clapped out machinery which won’t go on for ever?

      I think you’ll find that a lot of those low wage countries are getting the latest and greatest machinery actually. That said, I did see a video on China that showed an assembly line where actual people were putting components on circuit boards. Something that a machine could have done better and cheaper still. It’s not what you’d see in the factories that make Apples latest iPod.

    • xtasy 10.3

      Heh, strange that, so much of that used to be made here – in NZ, wow, what has happened???

      Global corporate expansion, diversification, outsourcing, off-shoring, and more, so the slaves in low wage countries make tooth paste we need, and more, but NZers sell logs, milk powder, shell fish, raw fish and Chinese made tikis for tourists and importers overseas. Great achievement, a booming ecomony for some, but not for most. Fuck this shit, get a life and declare war, that is economic an social self determining war, of sorts!

      • Pasupial 10.3.1

        @ Xtasy

        I understand your anger; really, I do. The other week, over on The Daily Blog, I posted this comment (to Trotter’s; “What if we’re Wrong?” post):

        “The fate of all empires is disintegration, and as most recently demonstrated in Afghanistan: Just because you can’t win, doesn’t mean you should stop fighting.”

        But by the next day found myself having to retract this declaration of war:

        “Non-violence requires no less courage. I think of the WWI conscientious objectors; crucified and hung out to die in no man’s land, would I have that level of determination? Resistance is the key, that persistant refusal to acquiesce even when utterly outmatched. Or as the film says:

        “You can’t win, but there are alternatives to fighting.”
        – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/06/07/what-if-were-wrong/#sthash.4zE9i382.dpuf

  11. Rogue Trooper 11

    this upturn in manufacturing PMI is primarily to service Construction sector and the Christchurch rebuild.

    apparently approx. half of the items on Aussie supermarket shelves are ‘own / in-house’ brands, a trend that is apparent locally, down the aisles. Frekk, there is a lot of sh*t food in the supermarkets in general, although, you seem fair David.

  12. xtasy 12

    Come on, Eddie, I give T.S. credit, where it is deserved, but on this one you are not quite sincere:

    http://www.manufacturingnz.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/64552/April-2013-PMI.pdf

    In detail it may not be quite as great as the government tries to make out, but honestly there is increased performance. The question is in what areas, and whether it is in all areas (which is not the case), and whether it is improving value added manufacturing (it is in part).

    So party lines go against this, I know, but this is again a “success” that is likely not so much of the government’s making, but a “resilient” Mainland China and a few other trading partners, who actually, with quantitative easing and other measures, keep themselves above waters, to continue importing NZ products. And for the Chinese, they love baby formula and milk powder from here, same as logs and raw fish, so they can produce value added products from that to make more sellable products out of it for their markets.

    New Zealand continues to be a “dumb economy”, and it should be Labour and Greens attacking that, that this useless lot just sells off more raw materials and little value added stuff, and thus sinks us down the economic comparison ladder at OECD stage.

    At least NZ First got the message, but that is another story, eh?!

  13. xtasy 13

    No, never give in, never give up, Guantanamera, viva

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=P7oMT23rIOA

    The supposed “free market” is a compromised system, and that means we can compromise it any time, to be fairer, more humane and just any time!

    There have always been m,anagement controls and incentives, all over the “capitalist” world, to make a damned system work, that did not really work. So get a life, we need healthy economic management, same as the EU, NAFTA, US, Canada, Latin America, most of Asia, Africa and so on. They fool us to believe that NZ is the only “free” economy and trading on supposedly “equal terms”. You have to be a nutter to believe NZ is “equal” to Mainland China, the US, NAFTA and the EU, and think we are “free” to negotiate. NZ governments are criminals, that is the ones of the last 2 decades. They must be sacked and locked up to pay for treason, nothing less.

  14. Thank you for this article.

    e.

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    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    14 hours ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    16 hours ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    16 hours ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    17 hours ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    21 hours ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    23 hours ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    2 days ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    4 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    4 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
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