It’s safe to get off the fence now, Len

Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, March 31st, 2012 - 50 comments
Categories: business, Unions, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

The PoAL management looks as incompetent and divided as the Nats after their ‘bullet-proof’ contracting out plans were shot down by the Employment Court and a director resigned publicly admonishment management’s strategy.

Time to use that bully pulpit, Len. The workers have won this fight themselves – but you can make the end of the battle come quicker. Say you have no confidence in Pearson and Gibson, demand they drop their plans which have cost the council a fortune much already, and get the port back to work.

You can even go along to the workers’ victory party and pretend that you were on their side all along, rather than being a fair weather friend who only discovered which side you were on once the workers had won the battle themselves. You and Shearer can share a taxi.

50 comments on “It’s safe to get off the fence now, Len ”

  1. well said JH.

    Brown’s only hope of redemption is to sack Pearson and Gibson.

    last chance to show us whose side you’re on Len 

    • Colonial Viper 1.1

      I’m pretty sure that Len has already shown us which side he is on.

    • Slap shot 1.2

      That would be bad. Give them a chance to negotiate. The union is in a very strong position, and will likely now get a better deal. Then everyone can move on and get on with their jobs.

      Never humiliate a defeated opponent. Nothing good comes of it in the end. Winning is an occasion for a pint and a cheer, not gloating. The union has kept the moral high ground so far. Why throw that away? If Pearson and Gibson are to be sacked, then let it be quietly and after a decent interval. Right now it is time for the union to be the bigger man, as they say. There are a great many people who have come to a better opinion of trades unionism because of this dispute. Let’s keep them on side.

      • muzza 1.2.1

        Well said ….

        PS – Brown has shown which side he is on…he will not be making a vocal statement other than, when this is all sorted out, that he was please both sides came to an agreement!

        LB has either wilted under duress, or this is what he always was…brothers in arms the lot of them, IMO!

      • mickysavage 1.2.2

        What could help is the appointment of a progressive pro worker director to the board.  Someone like Mike Williams.  There are very few of these around though …

        • Colonial Viper 1.2.2.1

          Rewrite POAL constitution as per Ben Clark’s suggestion and have a couple of worker-directors on the Board.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 1.2.2.2

          They did have one, Nigel Haworth . Professor of Human Resource Development at UA.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.2.3

        Keeping incompetent directors/CEOs on just because you don’t want to embarrass them isn’t a good idea. It just gives them more time to make more mistakes that will cost even more to fix.

        • Akldnut 1.2.3.1

          It would be noble to keep them on until all the hoo-haa dies and then let them slip quietly into oblivion if it weren’t for the fact that they are such manipulating, callous lying pricks. (gosh I just described tha majority of Torys).

          Public stockade, whipped and lashed, tarred and feathered, drawn and quartered I say!

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.3

      What part of the holding company structure and the legislation Hide put in to protect the Council replacing the PoAL directors dont you understand ? I think Hide modelled it on the Green party election processes.

  2. tc 2

    The fence has left scars Brown will struggle to recover from, like Key and co he’s traded off a working class upbringing and then betrayed it but unlike the hollwmen backed Key he lacks the CT machine to spin away from it.
    Fletcher, Brewer and co would be pleased at this turn of events, making Brown look ineffective when he would’ve backed a winner as it may hand the right back the mayoralty.

  3. prism 3

    I noticed Rob Campbell has stepped down from PoL. On radio reports his union connection was mentioned. I looked at a report on 1984 and Lange’s short day followed by Douglas et al. These are quotes about the changes.

    Economist Peter Harris, who led the charge for the unions against what became known as Rogernomics….Rob Campbell, who at the time worked for the unions alongside Harris as an opponent of Rogernomics but later became a cheer leader, said the labour movement had expected a traditional Labour programme.
    (But the programme was revolutionary.)
    It transformed an economy from what Lange described as operating like a Polish shipyard into one of the most deregulated free market economies the industrialised world has known.

    Link – http://www.sharechat.co.nz/article/07c29b10/opinion-the-rogernomics-revolution-20-years-on.html

    So the present PoL dispute has connections way back. The ports were known to be tightly controlled and it was thought they got better wages and conditions than was reasonable. There didn’t seem to be a way to work with union to modernise, control costs and improve handling rates. It seems that business has now achieved that, has a well functioning port, so why contract out and lose steady jobs that people can build a life around?

  4. ianmac 4

    It would be interesting to see exactly where the Mayor stands legally in such disputes. Wasn’t the idea to prevent the Mayor from interfering in any way with the Industrial matters – keep at arms length?

    • Colonial Viper 4.1

      No doubt you are right. Because the neolibs love it when business interests have sole rule over the corporate domain, without the inconvenience of democratic or community interests having a say.

    • Eddie 4.2

      he has little institutional power – he has one vote on the council, which would have to direct the council’s investment company ACIL to act against the POAL board or face the sack. But he is mayor of all auckland too – that’s a lot of political power when he speaks, which is what teddy roosevelt was talking about when he talked about the bully (ie good) pulpit.

  5. Craig Glen Eden 5

    Browns a disgrace I had high hopes for him but this whole situation has shown him up for what he is, one word, gutless.I cant wait to see him out at some event, I will tell him face to face what I think and no political bullshit will be accepted for the contempt he has shown for working people.

  6. Tiger Mountain 6

    It is past the last chance saloon for Len. The next ‘Lenslide’ will be his slide out of office. So the supercity will be looking a split mayoral contest as per usual.

    Does Len realise that his compliance with POAL/ACIL union busting will earn him no favours from Wellington? Joycie’s roading lobby is still going to freeze out him and the inner city loop.

  7. lefty 7

    Its now time to start working on a genuine left ticket for Mayor for the next elections.
    Cathy Casey or Mike Lee are the most obvious candidates for the position – they both have the advantage of not being associated with Labour and its serial sell outs of the working class as well as being intelligent, competent and principled.

  8. captain hook 8

    on the surface this is a classic left/right debate but scratch the surface and it is about corporate interests taking away any freedoms they can.
    if there are winners there must be losers and these people are psychopaths using the industrial apparautus to to work out their camouflaged propensities on an unsuspecting populace by creating losers.
    creepy stuff.

  9. Jenny 9

    Mayor Brown has backed a bunch of right wing losers, to do as they saw fit. This ignominy will always be his.

    Can he redeem himself?

    I don’t know.

    But I agree that Mayor Brown at the very least, should now take some responsible remedial action.

  10. Kevin Welsh 10

    Independent Left ticket for Auckland and Cunliffe/Little for Labour. Ticks all the boxes for me.

  11. Jeremy 11

    why didn’t the union just accept a 2.5% increase at current terms?

    • Eddie 11.1

      because that’s not what they were offered, that’s what they were offering and the port management rejected it.

      They were offered reduced hours without guaranteed shifts in exchange for a 10% hourly increase – which equated to a 20% annual pay cut.

      • Jeremy 11.1.1

        From NBR:
        “After unsuccessful negotiations, during which the union rejected a 2.5% wage increase with a rollover of the existing CEA and no changes to the terms and conditions, PoAL made 292 jobs redundant – including 235 union members – and introduced competitive stevedoring at its Bledisloe and Fergusson container terminals.”

        • KJT 11.1.1.1

          Where their work would be contracted out. Which meant permanent employees on decent wages could be replaced with temporary contract labour undercutting their terms and conditions.

          Resulting over time for large pay drops for all wharfies.

          Havn’t you figured out what it is about yet. POAL was working to bypass the collective agreement and employment law protection by contracting out.
          Something that has now happened to far to many of New Zealand’s workers.

          • Jeremy 11.1.1.1.1

            So you are telling me that the port company needs permission from the union to contract out work? or that the union is holding the port company to ransom?

            • Eddie 11.1.1.1.1.1

              The port must act within the law. That means it must bargain in good faith, it must reach a collective agreement if at all possible, it mustn’t lock out without two weeks’ notice – all things it failed to do.

              • Jeremy

                I’m aware of this good faith bargaining. It doesn’t change the questions however. I’m satisfied Len Brown has met both parties I trust his judgement.

        • Eddie 11.1.1.2

          That’s a typo by NBR. The previous sentence is the employer’s offer which the workers rejected, the sentence you quote is actually the union offer, which the employer rejected.

          All the other material shows that the union offered 2.5% with no changes to conditions, the port offered 10% with contracting out.

  12. Fortran 12

    MUNZ won the battle – great.

    But the War – um – I doubt it.

    • felix 12.1

      Yeah, you’re probably right. I mean you’ve been right about everything else so far.

  13. Darien Fenton 13

    “You and Shearer can share a taxi”

    14 Labour MPs plus David Shearer who spoke at the rally? Only political leader to speak at the rally? Only political leader I’ve seen at the picket apart from Hone?

    • IrishBill 13.1

      I agree with Darien. I think Labour has shown support and I don’t think that politicising this dispute would have been strategically useful – all it would have done would have made it more likely that government would get involved (as they had planned to until PoAL made it too toxic to touch) and they wouldn’t have done the workers any favours by doing so.

      I said a few weeks ago that PoAL was on the ropes and they’ve certainly taken a beating since, but right now the union still has to get a deal before this is a win.

      • Ad 13.1.1

        Who doesn’t know that Darien Fenton had to beg, plead, and drag that Shearer kicking and screaming to the protest to show any solidarity at all.

        “I don’t think politicizing this dispute would have been strategically useful…”
        I would put it to you that this has been political for some time.

        Simply imagine what would have happened if Shearer had actually shown leadership on this with the Union from the start. National would be defending on yet another front.

        Right now National are fighting on the ACC front, none of which Labour can take credit for.

        At some point the Labour leadership has to grow a set of principles and defend them. If protecting organized Labour isn’t one of them, then the Labour Party should fold up its tent and go home.

    • JH 13.2

      Fair enough. I admit you guys got on board with the workers, if belatedly. And that delayed support probably wasn’t a bad thing in terms of winning the battle for the workers because early Labour involvement would have triggered government action.

      The concern is just whether Labour’s delayed reaction was due to that kind of strategic thought or just that Shearer really didn’t know which side he wanted to be on.

      • Anne 13.2.1

        The concern is just whether Labour’s delayed reaction was due to that kind of strategic thought or just that Shearer really didn’t know which side he wanted to be on.

        I recall a photo (think it was originally on Slater’s blogsite – he had been following them?) of Parsloe and Shearer walking together on a street deep in conversation. This was in the early days of the dispute. Not long afterwards Parsloe was interviewed and he commented to the effect that it was the view of the union that it would be better if Labour stayed on the side-lines.

        That suggests to me it was a strategic position both parties had agreed to..

  14. Vicks 14

    + 1
    Damn right Darien and Shearer made it clear that he was opposed to casualisation at the brginning of this dispute. Misleading people into accepting that it was otherwise JH is no better than what the RWNJ get up to and screams of a whole other agenda. Move on.

  15. Craig Glen Eden 15

    While Im not a Shearer supporter I have to defend him because as DF has said above he did front at the Rally and while the greens had people there, there was no greens co leaders so its a bit rich to attack Shearer for being unsupportive.

  16. Jenny 16

    Will Mayor Len Brown do anything at all?

    Is the current mayor trying to turn the Auckland super city mayoralty into a purely ceremonial role?

    Something akin to the British monarchy, or the Irish President, perhaps?

    Someone to attend official ceremonies and cut ribbons etc?

    Is this what we want?

    And if it is, should he get paid so much?

    • David H 16.1

      “Will Mayor Len Brown do anything at all?”

      Such as??? Fall on his Sword. And beg the peoples forgiveness, would do for starters.

  17. Uturn 17

    I expected Shearer to flex some political muscle, if he has any, and use his position to give a clear voice to the working people against that group that are just like POAL board – our incumbent government. His job is not to imitate normal MPs with words of personal support, or hide away like a mayor who prefers his job to doing his job.

    Leaders have far more power and if they get involved in an issue and try to say they have no power, then say their power wouldn’t help, then they may as well have stayed home. No one was convinced Shearer couldn’t help, it was a manufactured political line to buy him time in his career. Back then, the price that was going to be paid for Shearer’s career was not only the livelihoods of the wharfies, but if their defence failed, the livelihoods of the workers of any other company that followed a similar casualisation suit. The union could have been broken, with people now beginning the spiral down into losing homes and family life balances. Passing round the bottle just before the final battle – a battle yet to win – and kidding ourselves he’s really on the side of the workers is just plain dumb.

    Talk of not embarrassing an opponent that was about to starve and destroy families is equally silly. Would you release diseased wild dogs back into the community, once you’d caught them, too? The least you’d do is contain them, warn people about them, show them for what they are so they could be identified. If that hurt their feelings of needing the freedom to freely destroy, then what a shame. No amount of hugs and moral high ground will protect against the nature of greed. Greed never gives up.

    Hiding behind unproven claims that “it wouldn’t help”, to reluctantly do as little as possible to give people a voice at the highest level, choosing instead to consider showing up at a picket as a true measure of a leader’s resources, is a betrayal. I agree with James Henderson: Shearer and Len should get in a taxi together, head out south, to the airport. To bad if it means a few Labour MPs need to consider the uncomfortable truth about where their allegiance lies.

    • the sprout 17.1

      well said uturn

    • Vicks 17.2

      Shearers response was perfectly appropriate and his message was clear. The only rabid dogs I can see are the ones contributing ranting posts like yours Uturn!!! So if you are going to bite someone – bite someone deserving like the nact snots who set up the supershitty otherwise put your damn muzzle back on.

  18. coolas 18

    As this dispute was always about POAL busting the union, all politicians who expect the support of workers should have come out clearly on the side of MUNZ. For fuck’s sake. There’s a battle going on here. Casualisation of labour reduces workers to a resource given less respect than money. Only through organised labour can worker’s rights be preserved and enhanced. Maybe we have to go through this shit to see the pendulum swing. Workers on the Board would be an ‘elegant’ conclusion to this. And Len’s the man who can do it, or, at least support the idea.

  19. JamesGeorge 19

    Putting the ethics of the situation to one side for a minute, Len Brown has shown us exactly what an incompetent politician he is.
    When Brown first confronted this issue he had a pretty clear cut choice to make. One pick would give him a win win situation, the other, a lose lose.
    Guess what? Brown chose the lose lose. By siding with the POAL tories Brown put himself in a situation that must leave him damaged no matter what the outcome. If the neo-liberals had won Gibson & Co would get all the credit from Wellington for fighting the good fight and Brown would be ignored by the tories. The humanists of Auckland on the other hand would hold Brown responsible for the demise of one of the last strong trade unions, leaving Brown seeming like a quisling & a scab.
    If the neo-cons lost as they certainly seem to have, Brown gets regarded with contempt by humanists and labourites alike. If only because he chose to be on the wrong side when one of the greatest victories for working NZers this century went down. Meanwhile the Tories in Wellington and their Auckland acolytes have a handy scapegoat for their loss -Brown. He won’t be getting any favours outta Wellington; in transport or anything else.

    Conversely if Brown had publicly spoken out for the wharfies from the get go he would have been in a win win situation. If the wharfies win he’d be regarded as being an integral part of the biggest victory for organised labour in NZ this century. If the wharfies lost, Brown could have blamed every decision that went against Auckland emanating outta Wellington on the Nats petty vindictiveness for him being on the wrong side.

    That would not have hurt him electorally either. By the time we all get to pick our council again jonkey and his band of 1% bumkissers will be on the nose with the vast majority of Auckland’s voters. Meaning many voters who may not usually vote for a labour mayor would also vote for Brown because Brown had identified as a opponent of soul killing inhumane capitalism. Their vote being a way of letting Wellington know how they felt about having a government that puts the interests of ordinary kiwis last.

    The RWC transportation mess where Brown let himself get manouvered into being scapegoated, the one who screwed the pooch, should have told us what a ‘scared of tories’ little naif Brown really is deep down.

    Now I’m gonna get back the the Unthanks marathon I’ve been grooving on since I heard the wharfies’ great news. Grinning to myself thinking no matter how much the herald n the other fishwraps try n play this down, more than a few smart young people will have realised that the me me me meme fails in the face of real solidarity from a committed band of comrades.

  20. Jackal 20

    Will Len Brown save face?

    Len Brown still has the chance to save face by taking control of the situation and ensuring that the dispute between POAL and MUNZ is resolved…

  21. Carol 21

    Oh, Len, you’re doing it all wrong, supporting the dubious side on contentious issues… trying to curry favour with the more conservative and centrist voters… Now you express some moral outrage, but wide of the mark. Where were you when the unaccountable POAL has been trying to act undemocratically and without consultation with ratepayers and residents?…… from insult to injury:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10795919

    Auckland Mayor Len Brown has spoken of his fury at being kept in the dark over a deal to give highly-prized coastal land to Maori.

    Brown says the government briefings on the deal to give $13.8 million of land in Devonport to Ngati Whatua did not “cut the mustard”.

    His comments came after it emerged at least two councillors were told of the deal a year ago – but a secrecy arrangement bound them to keep the mayor in the dark.
    […]
    “A confidential briefing for the Hauraki Gulf Forum – an autonomous body – does not cut the mustard.”

    The document setting out the April 2011 briefing was accepted at the forum – which has seven Auckland Council delegates – by councillors Mike Lee and Wayne Walker.

    It stated: “While we believe it is important to ensure the forum is consulted on this matter, it is imperative that this matter is treated as confidential and not discussed outside the forum’s meeting.”

    Lee said he was opposed to public land being used for settlements but that his feelings on the subject were not strong enough to break the confidentiality obligation.

    Forum members come from three government ministries, six councils and local iwi. Christine Fletcher, Sandra Coney, Mike Lee, Denise Roche, Paul Downey, Des Morrison and Wayne Walker were Auckland Council’s members. Roche and Coney had left by the time the secret briefing occurred.

    But there seems to be different interpretations as to whether the lland deal involves “prime coastal real estate”.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6673729/Angry-residents-threaten-to-take-over-naval-base

    Furious Devenport residents are threatening to occupy a naval base in a move usually used by Maori to draw attention to disputed land.

    The public stoush is over a 3.2 hectare chunk of Auckland land, valued at $30 million, promised to Ngati Whatua in a Deed of Settlement in November.
    […]
    Furious Devenport residents are threatening to occupy a naval base in a move usually used by Maori to draw attention to disputed land.

    The public stoush is over a 3.2 hectare chunk of Auckland land, valued at $30 million, promised to Ngati Whatua in a Deed of Settlement in November.
    […]
    Ngati Whatua spokesman Ngarimu Blair said there is a misconception the deal involves the coastal area, sports field and surrounding reserve.

    “We’re not buying that. We never were. We’re only talking about the navy barracks, the sheds, carpark areas and building which we are purchasing and is set well back from the coast.”

    The RNZ Navy, which leases the land, will be offered a minimum lease of 15 years under the agreement.

    Adjoining Takapuna Reserve and Narrow Neck Beach – totalling 11.9ha and covering the shoreline – remains in the public’s possession and unaffected by the deal.

    Plans are also under way to formalise a public walkway on the eastern strip of the base. Currently the navy can revoke access at three months’ notice.

    “We’re the last people to restrict public access to great pieces of land on the harbour or river. We did the same thing for our land at Bastion Point,” Blair said. “We’re very sensitive to these issues.”

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

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

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T08:19:37+00:00