John Key Selling (out) New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, November 11th, 2012 - 56 comments
Categories: business, culture, democracy under attack, Environment, Minister for Overseas Holidays, tourism, workers' rights - Tags:

In the latest installment of saga of John Key selling out NZ to Hollywood, we can see just how low our PM is prepared to go. He’s undermined New Zealand workers’ rights in order to sell NZ’s identity and tourist industry to Warners, the TPP and beyond.  John Key has no shame: he is strongly aligning his role as NZ minister of tourism, with this ill-fated Hobbit saga. This seems to be promoting John Key’s reputation with the US corporates and government over the best interests of NZ.

Today, a Stuff article shows exactly how much John Key has sold NZ to Warners.

Tourism NZ sought approval from Warner Bros for every aspect of its $10 million “Middle-earth” marketing campaign – even checking with the film studio over issues that did not directly concern it, official papers show.

The documents, released under the Official Information Act, reveal the extent of the company’s sway over the government agency’s “100% Pure Middle-earth” marketing strategy, as well as the influence of Peter Jackson’s Wingnut Films.

In an earlier post I showed how the Hobbit actors union dispute resulted in NZ workers’ rights being undermined.  As I quoted in that post, Nigel Haworth (2011) made this excellent summing up the outcomes of the dispute.

Thus, analytically, the New Zealand state simultaneously conceded, financially and legislatively, to the global film sector whilst taking the opportunity to further its ER liberalisation and attack the domestic trade union movement.

In a later post, I argued that the massive promotion of the Hobbit involved piggy-backing the branding of New Zealand as 100% Middle-earth on the earlier branding as 100% Pure, all to please Hollywood.  Statistical evidence shows this is not the best way to promote NZ as a tourist destination.  The focus on attracting US tourists is misplaced, and only shows how much John Key is in awe of, and a lackey for US corporates, especially the razzle-dazzle of the Hollywood industry.

Others agree that this extensive selling out of NZ, is not likely to provide the benefits promised.  In an op ed piece in Stuff today, Tony Wall asks, Isn’t it time we kicked the Hobbit?

Tourism NZ is relying on hobbits to boost a flagging industry, promising that the coming Peter Jackson films will be bigger than the Rugby World Cup. But some experts warn it’s a risky strategy and not a true reflection of who we are.

It’s not enough that Key’s government has turned NZ’s 100% Pure image into a farce with the withdrawal from Kyoto2, but this intensive selling of NZ to Hollywood is becoming cringe-worthy, as Wall reports:

Simon Milne, director of the New Zealand Tourism Research institute, says the approach could be counter-productive with the “high-yield, experienced, knowledgeable traveller”, who could see the Middle-earth comparison as “naff”. …

Milne believes the 100% Pure campaign has reached its use-by date, with international media already pointing out the hypocrisy.

“We have to be careful about branding ourselves Middle-earth. It’s not who we are, it’s a film set. We need to do more than that, we have to go deeper than that. If we look at global trends in tourism, there’s a real focus on authenticity.”

Milne says the films might provide a short-term benefit, but does not believe they will lead to a sustained increase in visitors.

In The Guardian in October, Toby Manhire was also not entirely convinced by the shift to 100% Middle-earth branding.  And he makes a wry comment about how far this is from Tolkien’s vision of Middle-earth from 1930s Oxfordshire. He reports how the 100% Middle-earth branding has engulfed TVNZ, Air NZ, commemorative stamps and coins, and Wellington Council.  This relies on NZ’s highly skilled crews and digital animators, but is now being undermined by the high NZ dollar.

It’s not enough that this government is destroying our economy and culture, increasing unemployment, and demonising those struggling most to survive on low incomes, but it is selling out our government and democracy to US corporates.

56 comments on “John Key Selling (out) New Zealand ”

  1. marsman 1

    John Key is an insult to NZ. He is beyond a joke, a nasty joke at that.
    I feel ashamed that Wellington, a cultural city, is being cheapened by the whole Middle Earth farce.
    Compliments on your post KAROL.

  2. infused 2

    ‘Middle Earth’ isn’t that Warners IP? If you actually read the entire thing, not just the shitty story Stuff put up, you’d realise that was the reason for sign off.

    Your blog post is just as bad as the Stuff article.

    Kyoto is shit. No one wants it. Lets pay millions of dollars to someone else for no reason. Sounds good to me.

    • Colonial Viper 2.1

      1) ‘Middle Earth’ in direct relation to trademarks and images of the films is owned by Warners. NZ however, is NOT owned by Warners. You would think.

      2) “Kyoto is shit”. Kyoto was a highly detailed, very well balanced, widely accepted international agreement. But who cares; universal laws remain and the human race will reap what it sows.

    • We’ll be paying for climate change either way. Better to pay now and prevent as much of the problem as we can, rather than pay to adapt to the change later.

  3. BM 3

    As the article that you linked to says:

    Tourism NZ’s spokesman Chris Roberts said Warner held the rights for The Hobbit so any direct or indirect references had to be cleared with the company, but he admitted some of the matters raised did not require Warner’s approval.

    “Considering how much value is in this ‘brand’, they have been very generous. So, in terms of maintaining good relationships, we have tended to share with them aspects of our campaign that might not strictly require their sign-off.”

    Roberts said Warner did not veto any aspect of the campaign. “They loved it.” He said Tourism NZ had worked with Warner to identify the best media outlets to “meet their needs to promote the movie and our need to promote NZ”.

    I don’t see what the issue is.

    Also once again all this shows is David Shearer being negative about NZ and any efforts to get the economy going, this will be a big lose for him and the Labour party in the eyes of the NZ voter.
    Really dumb politics.

    • Colonial Viper 3.1

      This is absolute double talk. Who cares about the “VALUE” in Warner’s branding and IP, the true IP value is NEW ZEALAND.

      THEY should be checking with US as to whether or not they are representing our country correctly.

      • BM 3.1.1

        Warners own the IP rights to the film, we’re going to use the hobbit to promote NZ.

        Of course Warners should get to yay or nay any proposal put forward that may effect the Hobbit brand, bizarre to even think that they shouldn’t.

        For me the main point I took away from that story was the negativity of David Shearer and the Labour party.

        • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.1

          Bullshit. You’re still back to front. NZ should get a yay or nay to any proposal Warners puts forward that may affect the NZ brand. Bizarre to even think that they shouldn’t.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.2

      Also once again all this shows is David Shearer being negative about NZ and any efforts to get the economy going,

      This isn’t about getting NZ’s economy going because, quite frankly, it won’t. What this does is get Warner Bros’ economy going at our expense.

      • Wayne 3.2.1

        This is a typical Left delusion, still can’t get over that the Hobbit is made here. You would sooner have a wholly NZ cottage film industry, rather than a much larger industry that is globally connected through the one place that really counts in this industry – Hollywood.

        Of course Warner Bros benefits, but so does NZ and especially Wellington.

        I bet Grant Robertson goes to the opening, assuming he has an invite, or is Labour going to boycott it, with a demo outside.

        • karol 3.2.1.1

          This is as much about NZ’s tourist industry, as it is about The Hobbit. I’m happy for anyone to make movies here if it benefits NZ.

          But Wayne, there’s not a lot in this promotion for NZ. Even many in the NZ tourist industry see this.

        • Draco T Bastard 3.2.1.2

          This is a typical Left delusion, still can’t get over that the Hobbit is made here.

          Could have made The Hobbit here without Warner Bros or Hollywood.

          You would sooner have a wholly NZ cottage film industry

          You mean that world class industry that produced LoTR, Avatar and numerous other movies?

          …through the one place that really counts in this industry – Hollywood.

          1.) There’s this nice little idea called competition, perhaps you’ve heard of it.
          2.) There’s also an entire world outside of the USA.

          We really don’t have to compete with Hollywood for the US market. Watch A Lonely Place to Die to get an idea as to what I’m talking about.

          WTF should I, or anybody, be concerned if Grant Robertson is going to watch a movie?

        • lprent 3.2.1.3

          I bet Grant Robertson goes to the opening, assuming he has an invite, or is Labour going to boycott it, with a demo outside.

          Why are you asking Draco? He doesn’t support the NZLP and from memory he probably never has.

          Read the about. The labour movement is somewhat wider than the NZLP and this blogsite frequently has people from well outside even that broad group.

          However in my view labour should boycott it. I’m afraid that the sight of National cravenly changing labour laws at a whim from Warner’s went well beyond anything that Labour or any other party in NZ should support.

          • Fisiani 3.2.1.3.1

            We will thus soon see whether Grant ( ) Robertson is truly an acolyte of the Laft and boycotts the movie premiere and protests or whether he sits in the comfy seats with the capitalists. Problem is that he has been denying being a Hobbit hater. Images of him protesting would sully his image. Robertson must thus face trial by Hobbit.

        • Colonial Viper 3.2.1.4

          Shame that Jackson, belonging to at least 3 unions himself, and happy to get the benefits associated with belonging to those unions, worked against NZ actors getting union protections and benefits.

          The Hollywood kowtowing hypocrite.

          • Frank Macskasy 3.2.1.4.1

            On top of which, CV – not many folk know this – but Jackson needed funding from the QE2 Arts Council to finish his first project, “Bad Taste” (the final scenes involving the Alien House taking off like a rocket).

            Had it not been for taxpayer funding (which I don’t begrudge), “Bad Taste” would never have been finished; his career in movie-making might never have taken off; anbd we’d be living in an alternative timeline where he never produced movies, and LoTR nver happened…

            • Draco T Bastard 3.2.1.4.1.1

              anbd we’d be living in an alternative timeline where he never produced movies, and LoTR nver happened…

              We can always dream…

              😈

        • Tracey 3.2.1.5

          Are you still buying that already proven false line, that the Hobbitt was going to be made somewhere else???

    • BM, the issue here is twofold;

      1. Subsidies to big business. I thought subsidies were a no-no in our Neo-liberal Nirvana?

      And if Warner Bro’s can get subsidies, why not our own local industries? Key doesn’t seem to like subsidising our own enterprises, according to his statements.

      2. In bowing to Warner Bro’s pressure, Key used government power to unilaterally change the status of workers from employees to contractors. This wasn’t “nanny statism” – this was all out Big Brother at work, interferuing in the lives of employees. (More here, in a blogpost on National’s track record on raising wages in NZ: http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/john-keys-track-record-on-raising-wages-preface/ )

      If Labour had pulled a stunt like that, you and your fellow National supporters would be livid with rage.

      “Also once again all this shows is David Shearer being negative about NZ and any efforts to get the economy going…”

      Rubbish.

      In case you hadn’t noticed, National has been in power for the last 4 years. Why is it that you right wingers demand responsibility from the unemployed, solo-mums, etc, but you’ree willing to turmn a blind eye to your own Party?! The right wing are big on others taking responsibility – but you don’t apply the same expectation to yourselves.

      Why is that?

  4. LynW 4

    Totally agree Karol, excellent summary of the situation! I read that article and felt so angry and dismayed! We are a country not a corporation and we have our own identity! I lost respect for Peter Jackson after his involvement with Key in undermining workers’ rights and made a personal decision to shun the Hobbit. I note the Hobbit has also crept into Air New Zealand’s marketing! I guess you can’t expect much less from a leader whose background involved selling to the highest bidder and wheeling and dealing! My heart aches for New Zealand.

  5. Bill 5

    Imagined conversation.

    “We’re willing to incorporate your movie into our branding. Now, let’s sit down and negotiate how much you will pay us for what would otherwise be quite long term free publicity for your commercial venture.”

  6. Draco T Bastard 6

    It’s not enough that this government is destroying our economy and culture, increasing unemployment, and demonising those struggling most to survive on low incomes, but it is selling out our government and democracy to US corporates.

    That, from what I can make out, is this governments sole purpose for being.

  7. felix 7

    The film industry isn’t promoting tourism. It’s the other way around.

    We are spending our tourism budget to promote a movie.

    • Draco T Bastard 7.1

      +1

      Thing is, everything this government does is to promote/prop-up the private sector at the taxpayers expense up to and including dropping those same taxpayers into poverty.

    • LynW 7.2

      +1, and the film industry acting like they’re doing NZ a favour!

      • Tigger 7.2.1

        +1. It’s smart to leverage off a major movie to sell some tourism. It’s dumb to tie your entire tourism brand to that movie.

  8. bbfloyd 8

    THe conclusion is rather stark…Johnny sparkles (nee Key) is a DISGRACE!!

    It will take New Zealand, and it’s people years, possibly decades to live down the embarrasment that he is to each, and every one of us…..

    Not to speak of the possibly permanent damage to our reputation, and ability to make our own way in economic terms alone…..

    How long before we do an “aussie”, as in tell people we are australians while overseas, simply to avoid the stigma?

  9. Richard Christie 9

    I’m with Milne. 100% naff.
    As an aside, I’m hoping Jackson does better with the screenplay and character development this time around, last effort 10/10 for visuals, sets etc, 1/10 for it’s really pathetically poor screenplay which reduced the books to a comic-strip equivalent, but his using the same scriptwriters is not cause for confidence.

  10. Barry 10

    The “news” report seems to be a lot of noise about very little.

    The interesting point is that it is published at all. This is similar to the sort of rubbish that was published about Labour 5 or so years ago. It seems that the News media have fallen “somewhat” out of love with National and are prepared to criticize them randomly to fill their columns.

    • karol 10.1

      are prepared to criticize them randomly to fill their columns.


      You mean as opposed to the way the MSM usually fills its columns, with news of stuff crucial to large numbers of Kiwis – like the latest car crash (I’m sure it’s crucial to those affected), or news of Lindsay Lohan’s latest run-in with the law, John Key’s latest mincing photo op, something the (non)sensible sentencing trust said, queues to buy the latest over-priced Apple product…. etc, etc?
       
      Yet the selling of NZ in ways that will further undermine NZ’s economy, workers’ rights and our democratic independence, are just “noise about very little”….

    • Barry, you would’ve loved my parent’s homeland. The media was Party-controlled and published only pro-government stories.

      There’s still Nth Korea and Cuba, I guess.No “falling out of love” in those countries.

  11. Johnm 11

    Key is Corporate Man, Kiwi ordinary people and true democracy simply don’t register for him, he’s blissfully happy that way, selling of our assets is like asking a Jew or Christian “Do you believe in God”? The Free market cult has enriched him: it’s his religion, people are mere market fodder. 🙁

  12. Shorts 12

    I see where this is going…. Middle Earth to be replaced by the Hunger Games (sequels)… Winners get a trip to planet key

    Golf on warners, golf on

  13. I think this “Middle Earth” branding is even worse than this article relays.
    I believe it is about taking NZ away from 100% Pure in order to set us up for the big-boy-big-money mining and drilling interests.
    This aim has nothing to do with the interests of NZers and everything to do with big money interests.

    • We have an opportunity to be a clean, green country and pursue income generating activities that will only create increasingly desirable products, services and applications and would generate interest for tourism too, or we can go down the same old filthy road of “drill it, mine it, sell it.”

      One only needs to see the political and physically aggressive quagmire, such countries who’ve followed this “D.I.M.I.S.I.” paradigm, are embroiled in and view how morally or practically bankrupt (or both) they are, to see that, with present world conditions, inviting foreign oil interests into this country is fool-hardy and not in the best interests of New Zealanders.

  14. Rich 14

    It’s mostly nothing about helping the local or national economy and everything about getting an invite to parties with movie stars. Especially for an operation like Wellington Airport, which is basically a glorified bus station whose management, in normal circumstances, would draw a salary in the high five figures and an invite to the Fulton Hogan party with a bunch of roading contractors.

  15. xtasy 15

    “100 per cent pure middle-earth”, wow!

    NZ will in years to come be known as “Little Hobbiton”, “Middle Earth Land”, or something along those lines, if this gets out of control.

    Coins, t-shirts, brochures, figurines, items and insignia representing copies of such used in the films, tourist play-grounds, fairs and what else there may come, is this “New Zealand”, or will it not rather be some kind of “Disneyland” type country in future, where tourists come to see and experience “play stuff” out of fantasy land and movies.

    Of course there is a place for it, but it could have adverse effects.

    And what is it all based on? The films were made based on a book, by whom again? He was Russian by the way. Maybe next the Russians will get envious and come with intellectual property claims?

    “Clean and green” and “100 per cent pure” are certainly gone as credible labeling, since the government will not even bother participating in working out and agreeing to a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol.

  16. Hmmmm… interesting…

    None of National’s apologists have come up with the usual excuse for kowtowing to the Wide Boys from Warner Bro’s…

    Wait for it…

    Wait for it…

  17. Tracey 17

    I don’t think this is off thread, but accept it should be deleted if it is.

    A few days ago a trial began in Sydney of a man who had defrauded about $8.5m. He was never asked about his company, the dozen or so investors never did due diligence. These people were not dupes as such, apparently bright successful people in careers and business. How were they duped? By the lure of celebrity it seems. The ybased their investment in his music label on his photos of himself rubbing shoulders with celebrities…

    So why is this relevant tot his thread??? Because I can see our PM doing this. He seems so blinded by the bright lights of celebrity that he almost loses control of his thinking side… Is it this kind of non-thinking that leads to Warner Bros having to be consulted before we market our county? For those who say they vetoed nothing, that’s not the point, they have the option and can’t be left out of the process.

    Apparently bright and successful people doing silly things to get a chance to stand beside a celebrity???

    http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/news/local-news/224660/court-case-begins-85-million-aussie-record-label-fraud.htm

  18. Not more Middle Earth and 100% Pure. *starts being sick* What about things like Maori culture, artwork, society, food and how New Zealanders actually live? Rather than just focusing on exclusive resorts, golf courses, elves and hobbits. xD

  19. Tracey 19

    Case in point… Mr Key will have an idea what we are paying for the royals to come here to celebrate their mother’s 60 year reign…. but wont say until they are gone…

    ” The New Zealand Government is paying for the costs associated with their six-day visit, including the Duchess’ hairdresser, who is paid to travel with the royal entourage.

    “The reality is it costs quite a lot but I think that is realistic when you think about how far they’re coming and the number of people they bring, the size of the operation. The size is significant,” Key told Newstalk ZB.

    He said the staff requirements were appropriate, given the number of functions the royals would be attending.

    While Key said the cost of the tour wouldn’t be released until after the visit, “

  20. JonL 20

    ” He seems so blinded by the bright lights of celebrity that he almost loses control of his thinking side”

    What do you mean, “almost”………

  21. tracey 21

    Those who support him in polls must think so.

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    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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