Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi: how is gay babby formed?

Written By: - Date published: 7:20 pm, November 23rd, 2012 - 83 comments
Categories: gay rights, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

The Government Administration Committee is hearing submissions on the Marriage Equality Bill.  Ostensibly the purpose is to gather the views of the nation in order to make judgements on how the Bill might move forward to become New Zealand law.

On the other hand, it may just be about Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP delivering a fantastic performance art piece on the ludicrously blinkered worldviews of [some of] the Bill’s opponents.

First there’s his asking a same-sex couple “who would be the husband and who would be the wife” if they got married.  Props to the couple for being able to field a witty answer, as I know overcoming one’s natural reaction of standing there flabberghasted must have been difficult.

Earth to Mr Bakshi:  They’d both be husbands.  Or they could both be wives.  Or they might call each other “partner” or “spouse” (if the Bill passes; currently I understand civilly-unioned folk can’t use the term legally).

If, as I do somewhat suspect, Mr Bakshi was asking who would take the working / driving / lightbulb changing / penis-insertion role, and who would take the cooking / cleaning / screaming at tiny spiders / penis-envelopment role … well, I think that’s just a little personal for a Select Committee hearing, don’t you?

Then he saw fit to ask Jordan Carter – who in a spirit of encouraging empathy had asked the Committee to consider a role-reversal situation – where babies would come from if everyone turned gay.

Let’s add into the mix the fact that previously, he’d informed an anti-equality protest that the majority of National MPs voted against the Bill – which they didn’t.

The options are this:  Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi is a complete embarrassment of a human being, someone who really thinks same-sex couples are aliens from another planet whose ways Are Not Our Ways, and also a liar;

or Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi is a brilliant satirical performance artist.

My faith in humanity begs me to go with the latter; my brain says nope.

83 comments on “Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi: how is gay babby formed? ”

  1. Zorr 1

    There is one facet that he left out that maybe he should pursue because then he could potentially get all those Step-Daddy National MPs on his side.

    I mean, what if a couple of men decided to get married and raise a child – since men form most of the domestic violence/child abuse statistics, wouldn’t that mean that incidences of abuse would double? Won’t anyone think of the children!

    *clutches pearls*

    • KJT 1.1

      Well no.
      They did some research in the USA which found that children of gay parents ended up as well adjusted on average as any other kids.
      And just for the rednecks. Their kids were no more likely to grow up gay than anyone else’s.

      It is not catching! 🙂

  2. Rogue Trooper 2

    nope

  3. karol 3

    Damn, life must be really hard for those heterosexual couples.  What do they do if the wife is absent when wifely things need doing & ditto for those husbandly things?

    Do the husbands go hungry, and the wives sit around in the dark cos no-ones there to change the lightbulbs?

    As for the rest of the husbandly and wifely duties…. must be damn hard being left alone for too long!

    • QoT 3.1

      Well, wifeless husbands are obviously Strong Manly Men who can go hunt wild mammoth for their dinner if need be. And it’s not a problem for husbandless wives to sit in the dark, because without a man around to serve they don’t have anything to do anyway. #theworldaccordingtoBakshi

  4. karol 4

    We call also apply that excellent logic to everything else:

    If everyone in the world was…..  wh** would….?

    If everyone in the world was rich, who would drive the rubbish trucks?

    If everyone in the world had 2 babies, where would they all live?

    If everyone in the world was an MP, who would there be to lie to?

    If everyone in the world was a journalist, who would write the stories about Duncan Garner?

     

    • Dr Terry 4.1

      This idiot poses the question, “Where would babies come from if everyone turned gay?” What a nonsensical hypothesis! There is no “if” about it, as this cannot and will not happen. Should there be “fewer” babies it hardly matters in a world already over-populated.

      • bbfloyd 4.1.1

        Actually, it would be a blessing if there was a whole generation of gays born…

        The technology to create pregnancy has been around for decades, and the high likelyhood of the vast majority choosing only one, or two children to have would have a releiving effect on planetary recourses…

        As well as freeing up exponentially greater “thinking” time, which would inevitably lead to greater progress toward truly mature solutions to long standing social/technical problems….

        Possibly even allow for a greater appreciation for the benifits of true egalitarian democracy, once the room for thought has been entrenched……

        So I’m presented with two possibilities…..One.. Johnny sparkles was(for whatever reason) thinking of mr Bakshi when he had his “batshit” moment…….

        Or two…. mr Bakshi’s name will go down in the annuls of history as the genius who introduced the concepts that saved humanity from imploding…..

        Decisions, decisions……

        • Populuxe1 4.1.1.1

          In most developed countries a maximum of two children is pretty much the norm anyway – so I’m not entirely sure what your point is.

          • karol 4.1.1.1.1

            I was just challenging the (implicit) logic that that the purpose of humans is to reproduce, therefore everyone should have children.

            I was talking about 2 children per person – that would double the world population each generation & over-load the planet pretty quickly, threatening the survival a large proportion of the species, if not all humans.

  5. KJT 5

    Seriously though. When are some people going to realise that we have had the “age of enlightenment”.

    A few centuries ago now.

    Long past time to get rid of medieval religious attitudes.

    • karol 5.1

      Actually, the kind of logic he’s using is as much the legacy of enlightenment thinking as being medieval European: dividing and classifying the world into categories and binary oppositions such as man/woman; gay/straight etc.

      • KJT 5.1.1

        You may be right. I was thinking of the rise of science over superstition.

      • kiwi_prometheus 5.1.2

        “binary oppositions”

        Spouting the usual failed deconstructionist nonsense again, Karol.

        “using is as much the legacy of enlightenment thinking”

        Here we go, the antiscience Irrationalist mumbo jumbo from Team Feminists.

        After all Karol’s Feminism is centered in the Uni English Literature Department where they spend their time and tax payer money “deconstructing” Jane Austen’s Northhanger Abby and engage in other forms of self fingering pedantry. This has spilled over into the Social “Sciences”, which produces dodgy “research” that surprise, surprise, is in strict keeping with Feminist “theory”.

        My personal favourite at the moment is the crazy Feminist claim that Newtons Laws actually form a “rape manual!”

        Feminist LOVE crying “rape!”.

        LOL, what a wonderful contribution Feminists are making to our civilisation’s knowledge.

        Little wonder they spend their time and energy trying to take down science and academic standards.
        Much like their sworn enemy Team Jesus really.

        • QoT 5.1.2.1

          My personal favourite at the moment is the crazy Feminist claim that Newtons Laws actually form a “rape manual!”

          Still stuck on this key message from Men’s Rights manual, k_p? It’s from 1986. The author retracted it. And it’s clear you don’t understand the actual point she was making anyway.

          • kiwi_prometheus 5.1.2.1.1

            “And it’s clear you don’t understand the actual point she was making anyway.”

            The whole point of Deconstructionism is that nobody is suppose to be able to understand anyone else anyway, remember?

            Its complete gibberish of course and allows Feminist cranks like Ms Harding to talk shit about men and get paid tax payer money for it.

            “The author retracted it. ”

            You mean Harding did? If so, good.

            ” It’s from 1986.”

            So?

            • QoT 5.1.2.1.1.1

              The whole point of Deconstructionism

              [citation needed]

              get paid tax payer money for it.

              [citation needed]

              You mean Harding did?

              How is Google formed?

        • One Tāne Huna 5.1.2.2

          Dear Lord,

          To hear the cries of the privileged is a heavy burden.

          Please help Kiwi Prometheus overcome his fear and quit his feeble whining.

          Yours faithfully,

          Amen.

          OAB.

        • Rogue Trooper 5.1.2.3

          there is some “truth” in that

        • karol 5.1.2.4

          I see what you did there, k_p. 🙂

          You’re doing well in perfecting the construction of Irrationalist mumbo jumbo. 

          The alumni must also be pleased that you managed to raise the issue of rape, as it was clearly overlooked in the original post, and I have been quite remiss: in my 30+ posts on TS, I have failed to mention it.

          PS: you clearly have not seen my CV.

  6. Saarbo 6

    I know a few Singhs/Sikhs and I understand his views are not the views of his culture or religion, he is on his own. He is an arsehole all on his own doing.

    Adding to that, apparently Sikhs tend to be Left of centre…so he’s a real freak.

    • QoT 6.1

      For me the baffling thing is not just that he’s a narrow-minded bigot, it’s the complete lack of basic critical thought applied to his beliefs. No, Mr Bakshi, the entire population of New Zealand is not going to magically turn gay overnight if we allow same-sex marriage. Why would this even need to be explained???

      • karol 6.1.1

        Doesn’t that kind of logic derived from the idea that males and females were created differently so they could reproduce? … and then they argue that the purpose of living is to reproduce the species etc – but then there’s a bit of a leap to the idea that the human race would die out if everyone was gay.

        • Saarbo 6.1.1.1

          I would suggest that trying to understand his logic will do your head in, I watched him on TV…a very weird man. Even weirder than your average Nat….

        • Chris Miller 6.1.1.2

          And then there’s studies done that show that younger children have a higher incidence of being gay and suggestions that perhaps this is a deliberate quirk of nature so that the same sex couples can help the rest of the community in raising kids and etc without actually adding to the population – after all, the most stable society in the long term is a small scale one where an extremely vital part of that stability is due to control of the birth rate. Too much population growth was a BAD thing for most of human history.

        • rosy 6.1.1.3

          Doesn’t that kind of logic derived from the idea that males and females were created differently so they could reproduce?

          Oops – maybe Mr Bakshi should think about that. After all, it’s not gay couples that produce gay children.

      • felix 6.1.2

        “No, Mr Bakshi, the entire population of New Zealand is not going to magically turn gay overnight if we allow same-sex marriage. Why would this even need to be explained???””

        I love that argument. I love seeing bigots admit that the only thing stopping them from ditching their current lifestyle and becoming a massive gay is that they’re not allowed to.

        • KJT 6.1.2.1

          I wonder if a lot of homophobia is because the homophobic is secretly worried if it was allowed they themselves would be gay. Or that they think it may be catching.

        • kiwi_prometheus 6.1.2.2

          Felix is a hypocrite.

          Manginas on this site come up with little jems like “women are generally more civilised than men” and its not a problem at all with Felixs ilk.

          Feminists and their fawning mangina sycophants are gender bigots.

          • QoT 6.1.2.2.1

            Yes, and people who call other men “manginas” are just Fighting The Power … 🙄

            • kiwi_prometheus 6.1.2.2.1.1

              “women are generally more civilised than men”

              Your obviously ok with the above ^ too, QoT.

              Yet if the opposite was stated, you would shit your pants.

              Man hating hypocrite.

              • QoT

                I chose not to engage with that comment. I have more than enough fun just dealing with your far-less-thoughtful whinging.

                Still waiting for that proof I hate all men. Any day now, snookums.

                • kiwi_prometheus

                  “I chose not to engage with that comment.”

                  Because you are a man hating hypocrite.

                  [lprent: You’re just lucky that QoT has been moderating this post and didn’t take action on this comment. I’d have given you at least twice your last ban and probably a permanent ban. Read the policy on personally attacking authors. ]

          • felix 6.1.2.2.2

            “Felix is a hypocrite.

            Manginas on this site come up with little jems like “women are generally more civilised than men” and its not a problem at all with Felixs ilk.”

            lolwut?

            Who told you that?

            • felix 6.1.2.2.2.1

              Hey kiwi_prometheus,

              Seeing as you’re probably going to get banned really soon for your horrible bigotry, would you mind awfully answering my question first?

              And yes, I do expect it will be “awfully”.

  7. AsleepWhileWalking 7

    I watched an episode of Oprah which covered being gay around the world. From Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi’s weird comments I assumed it was a cultural thing(??)

    Oprah had a LOVELY prince from India on the show who had married and tried to play the role society had cut out for him, but eventually he had to come out. Disowned by his family he exuded such peace around him and total self acceptance I found it was a spiritual experience just to watch him through the TV.

    Quote:
    “Prince Manvendra knew if he told the world he was gay, it could cost him the throne and his freedom. In India, sexual acts between people of the same sex are illegal and punishable by 10 years to life in prison.”

    Read more: http://www.oprah.com/world/Gay-Rights-is-a-Global-Civil-Rights-Revolution/3#ixzz2D2S9wsnh

    Hope Bakshi will eventually drop his judgements around SSM and come to a place of peace or at least come to the realisation that the world won’t fall apart when the Bill passes.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 7.1

      Quote:

      The queen took out an ad in a newspaper to announce she was disowning her son and threatened to hold anyone who referred to the prince as her son in contempt. “I wasn’t shocked. Actually I don’t blame her. I blame her ignorance,” Prince Manvendra says. “As most of the Indians do about homosexuality. They are very, very, insensitive and unavailable on the whole issue.”

      Read more: http://www.oprah.com/world/Gay-Rights-is-a-Global-Civil-Rights-Revolution/3#ixzz2D2SsaFCc

    • Saarbo 7.2

      AWW, I think indian culture is pretty diverse, over 1.2b. Sikhs make up 2% around 20m. Soooo, no doubt some will be bigots, etc , etc. But from what I have been told Sikhism split from the Hindu religion in the 1500’s to reject the caste system. Its a religion that is supposed to be open minded and accepting of all. But like other cultures it will have its share of idiots like Bakshi, I just dont want the next time someone sees a Sikh they automatically think he/she is a bigot. The principals of the Sikh religion could be worse. 

  8. xtasy 8

    What do I know about Kanwajit Singh Bakshis?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10591650

    http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Kanwaljit_Singh_Bakshi

    That is what war reported on the man before. Maybe he got cleared, but I somehow do not trust that man.

    That is my feeling, right or wrong.

    Re “babbys” of “gay” parenthood, I feel his mind is running wild and he believes also gay’s minds are running wild and thus may be “dangerous” and “harmful”, creating “gay babies” out of mindsets and undue influences?!

    Is this not just the price to pay, and the adverse side of, cultural diversity?

    Get me right, I met middle eastern men who are or have been abusing women, and they were legally accepted as residents and citizens in NZ.

    So “gay” or not so “gay”, there are some bizarre characters about, and some even sit in Parliament, under the watch of Hone Key!

  9. xtasy 9

    The next suggestion by such characters will be: They simply want to “raise” “adopted” children to “make” them gay, so they can “abuse” them as minors in all their “privacy”, right?

    This is homophobia gone wild, and I saw that MP talk to one NZ First MP, who also in their collective voted against the bill.

    Officially they want more public input and a referendum, but some NZ First MPs are just as bad as this man, Prosser being one of them!

  10. millsy 10

    As a Sikh, Bakshi should know all about being discriminated against, and treated like a second class citizen, getting the funny looks, being called a terrorist, etc and so on simply because of the life you wish to live.

    Goes to show, ethnic minorites can be just as rednecked as the rednecks.

  11. PlanetOrphan 11

    I’ve heard Singh Bakshi’s crap my entire life , it’s childish perceptions applied to humour in an attempt to break peoples hearts, which causes the human body to convulse in an attempt to re-start the heart.
    i.e. Laughter.

    In Singh Bakshi’s case it should be tears, the mans’ a bigot plain and simple.

    The one question he needs to ask is “What if I was Gay ?”

    • kiwi_prometheus 11.1

      Lots of gays aren’t interested in marriage or the supposed “right” to it.

      • QoT 11.1.1

        Strangely enough, that’s not how rights work, k_p.

      • PlanetOrphan 11.1.2

        What people call their union is up too them,
        It’s not the countrys’ body, nor is it it’s place too tell you how you live in it.

        • kiwi_prometheus 11.1.2.1

          You’re the one who was going on about women being more civilised than men.

          You are totally discredited.

          • PlanetOrphan 11.1.2.1.1

            Fair Enough KP.

            You’re right , I will defend those weaker than myself.

            Lets toe the line buddy ….
            You get the first hit M8! …..

  12. kiwi_prometheus 12

    Marriage is between a man and a woman. Its not marriage otherwise.

    Team Feminists hate marriage, they hate men and they hate heterosexuals. Just look at the crazy shit their “intellectuals” publish.

    They are not the true Left.

    It’s no coincidence that the New Right have surged ahead at the same time Team Feminists rocked on up to the Left camp.

    • Daveosaurus 12.1

      Marriage is between consenting adults. It’s not marriage otherwise. The gender of the consenting adults, and what they get up to behind closed doors, is nobody’s business but their own.

      • kiwi_prometheus 12.1.1

        Fuck off!

        Marriage isn’t about “what [ consenting adults ] get up to behind closed doors”.

        It involves the acknowledgement by the society/community which is EVERYONE’S BUSINESS.

        • Colonial Viper 12.1.1.1

          Sticky Beak

        • Treetop 12.1.1.2

          Marriage is a contract between two people. Whether or not the community approve or disprove of the union is neither here nor there as a relationship thrives only when both in it want it.

        • Daveosaurus 12.1.1.3

          I’ll believe that’s the case once the Government sets up a public web-cam in your bedroom. Until such time as it does, what goes on in other people’s own bedrooms is no more anyone else’s business than what goes on in yours.

          • Tracey 12.1.1.3.1

            I suspect little goes on in there. Some Hetereosexuals, like KP spend more time thinking about homosexual’s sex lives than most homosexuals spend thinking about their own sex lives…

            • felix 12.1.1.3.1.1

              Probably for the same reason that I spend more time thinking about Christmas dinner than I do thinking about Santa Clause 😉

        • Populuxe1 12.1.1.4

          You do realise that transexuals have been able to marry as the gender they’ve transitioned to for years, don’t you? How does that fit in your narrow little worldview?

        • Tracey 12.1.1.5

          You seem very angry. Why does this topic bring out so much anger in you KP?

    • karol 12.2

      It’s no coincidence that the New Right have surged ahead at the same time Team Feminists rocked on up to the Left camp.

      It also coincides with the drop in the road toll in NZ

      Another great victory for feminism – safer roads! 

    • Roy 12.3

      Is kiwi-prometheus really such a fool and a bigot, or is he satirizing stupid bigots?

      If he is really such a fool and a bigot, I wish he hadn’t used the name of Prometheus, the Titan who gave fire to mankind. Prometheus was always one of my favourite mythological characters. Damn.

  13. Treetop 13

    People who are being marginalised against need to fight for their rights to be treated equally and fairly.

    Bakshi has some way to go regarding educating himself when it comes to the rights of same sex couples.

    • kiwi_prometheus 13.1

      “People who are being marginalised against”

      They are being no more marginalised against than QoT and Karol are because they don’t qualify for the All Blacks.

      • QoT 13.1.1

        Booooooooooooooriiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Haven’t your handlers come up with a new missing-the-point analogy yet?

        • kiwi_prometheus 13.1.1.1

          If I’m so boring, fuck off then.

          Thought you would be playing Saturday soccer or softball now anyway.

          Actually you would probably make a good prop in rugby, they need to be heavy.

          • QoT 13.1.1.1.1

            Wow, k_p, that was almost a subtle “lol you’re a manly lesbian” dig. Almost.

            • kiwi_prometheus 13.1.1.1.1.1

              Of course you feel free to mouth off about men, its only ‘unfair’ when its dished out to you.

              Then you have to run crying to lprent to put me in lock down right?

              [QoT: No, dipshit, then I get to fucking moderate you because I’m a fucking author. One more gendered dig and you can consider yourself banned from my posts.]

              [lprent: I own the backend of the system and QoT does not. She can and does moderate pretty well and she usually see the comments on her posts long before I do a sweep. I mostly observe and if I need to, will enforce. ]

              • kiwi_prometheus

                WTF?!

                You make gendered digs all the time about straight white guys. No doubt telling yourself its ok because you think you’re fighting for equality and justice and they are the sworn Enemy!

                • QoT

                  As ever, you are welcome to provide citations. Just do try to avoid “subtly” questioning my gender performance or sexual orientation (or that of other commenters) while you do.

                  • Colonial Viper

                    [QoT: No, dipshit, then I get to fucking moderate you because I’m a fucking author. One more gendered dig and you can consider yourself banned from my posts.]

                    There’s a certain elegance to your writing, I have to say.

                • AsleepWhileWalking

                  I think you are just rude. You use unnecessary swearing to punctuate arguments, the ban can’t come soon enough. Good thing this place is well moderated.

  14. Rogue Trooper 14

    Jesus Wept. Mary and Martha.
    feet of clay after thinker

  15. Tracey 15

    I just need it explained to me exactly how giving same sex couples the legal right to get married changes the lives of heterosexual couples who choose to marry? Relying on a definition from a bible or some other book is not enough, definitions change all the time. For example the word gay used to mean happy, then it meant homosexual and then it was used as a word to denigrate anything dislike by the user of the word… so marriage will mean a union witnessed by the state (and a fee charged for it) between two consenting adults of a minimum age. This will also mean that homosexual couples can’t claim superannuation as two single supplements and so on. Those who bemoan the welfare system ought to be pleased with this side-effect.

    I for one am so sick of how the words in books written about an invisible deity have to be “respected” no matter how unproven or absurd, but basic human compassion can be ignored.

    Some facts about gender and other bias. I suspect some here continue in the belief that what they believe must be true.

    ““…The only way to do that would be by a randomized controlled experiment. This means creating a situation where all variables other than the one of interest are held equal, so that differences in outcome can indeed be attributed to the one factor that differs. If it’s gender bias we are interested in, that would mean comparing reactions toward two identical human beings – identical in intelligence, competence, lifestyle, goals, etc. – with the one difference between them that one is a man and one is a woman. Not exactly a situation that exists in the real world.

    But in a groundbreaking study published in PNAS last week by Corinne Moss-Racusin and colleagues, that is exactly what was done. On Wednesday, Sean Carroll blogged about and brought to light the research from Yale that had scientists presented with application materials from a student applying for a lab manager position and who intended to go on to graduate school. Half the scientists were given the application with a male name attached, and half were given the exact same application with a female name attached. Results found that the “female” applicants were rated significantly lower than the “males” in competence, hireability, and whether the scientist would be willing to mentor the student…

    The scientists also offered lower starting salaries to the “female” applicants: $26,507.94 compared to $30,238.10…”

    http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/unofficial-prognosis/2012/09/23/study-shows-gender-bias-in-science-is-real-heres-why-it-matters/

  16. Vicky32 16

    [QoT: Vicky, you’re not nearly as funny as you think. Please be advised that future comments on my posts in complete disregard of my moderation and lprent’s advice will result in creative editing on my part.]

    [lprent: one week ban. you have already been warned. ]

Links to post

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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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
    7 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
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T14:25:29+00:00