Key’s Waterloo

Written By: - Date published: 7:50 am, April 20th, 2012 - 62 comments
Categories: business, corruption, john key - Tags: , ,

Key has repeatedly claimed that there was no alternative to SkyCity for funding his coveted convention centre:

“It went through the normal tendering process, Sky City was the only bidder prepared to look at a deal that didn’t involve any Government resources,” Mr Key told reporters in Singapore on Thursday.

“There’s no one else out there that could come up with a deal like that.”

It only looks like a good deal if you don’t count the true cost of course (which the Nats never do). Also:

But John Key said it was the only credible plan in what were tight financial times.

It’s pure hypocrisy for him to claim it’s the only credible deal – when he deliberately kneecapped the opposition:

Government officials were told to stop working on a business case for a new convention centre in Auckland after Prime Minister John Key cut a secret deal with Sky City, Labour says.

Party leader David Shearer says he’s got cabinet documents that prove Mr Key directly intervened in the tender process. “This looks like a secret deal was done behind taxpayers’ backs,” he said on Thursday.

“It’s no surprise that Sky City emerged victorious from the tender process because it was a one-horse race from the start.”

See further coverage here and here:

At the same time John Key was also made aware of Sky City’s plans to expand its own convention facilities. He then called an immediate halt to further work on a business case.

There were other contenders too. As The Greens point out:

Four other contenders are known to have put forward expressions of interest to build the convention centre.

“This reveals that the other bidders were unknowingly competing on a completely uneven playing field,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“With John Key intervening in the process and offering exclusive deals for the casino, the other bidders had no way of ever being able to compete with SkyCity’s offer.

“Their bids could have taken on a completely different shape had John Key offered law changes for them too.

Hey why not, if we’re changing the law for SkyCity (and Hollywood), why not change it for everyone? In fact, why bother with having laws at all? Key has lost it:

The papers have emerged as Key today said he “advised himself” to chase Sky City for a deal to build a new national convention centre in exchange for changes to gambling laws.

No need to bother with the facts or the law when Key can just “advise himself” to do whatever he likes.

But the back-room sweetheart deal with SkyCity has blown up in his face. Here’s a journalist from the Nat friendly National Business Review on National Radio, as transcribed by Morrissey in comments:

There’s a serious smell about this. There’s going to be a serious backlash against Mr Key. His approach to this is arrogant and offhand. We cannot have this kind of deal in this country. The perception of John Key and his government is very bad. It is a moral issue and the community needs to stand up against this. Why should community groups need to go cap in hand to alcohol barons and gambling operators to get funds that the government refuses to hand out?

In a similar vein – this from Stuff in Auckland:

Our government is brazenly deceitful

Credit where credit’s due. This might not be the most deceitful New Zealand Government of the past 50 years but it’s certainly the most brazenly deceitful. If there were to be awards for sneering-in-your-face dishonesty; for being deliberately misleading and for sweeping inconvenient truths under the carpet, the Class of 2012 would already be assured of the silverware. Seldom, in the field of shameless chicanery, has one Government achieved so much.

The only remaining question is how many imaginery “Shiftys” our National-led coalition deserve. They can certainly look forward to multiple nominations for their performance over the Sky City scandal, in which they’re blatantly exchanging Government policy for the equivalent of a brown paper bag full of money. The PM’s declaration that he wasn’t, before conceding in his next breath that he’d actually initiated proceedings, also puts him in line for Best Accidental Comic.

Key has advised himself into his worst public relations fiasco yet. Like a tinpot general, above the law and convinced of his own invincibility, he’s the architect of his own Waterloo.

62 comments on “Key’s Waterloo ”

  1. tc 1

    Could this be why we see the sharks circling (Collins etc) knowing mien fhurer has sown the seeds of his fall.

    Imagine what else shonkeys been up to that could be aired in a clean out, that old trick of laying all the blame at the last blokes door btw all quiet on the defamation front.

    • If you’re going to Godwin the discussion right off the bat, please at least learn how to spell “mein Führer”. (Fuehrer is also an acceptable variant spelling)

  2. Dear Labour

    Please understand this social media thing.  Put these documents up on the web so that we can all see them and analyze them.  Crowd sourcing the analysis makes it happen much quicker. 

    • Lanthanide 2.1

      Also gives the opposition, both in the house and the blogosphere, a good handle on what to expect.

      • alwyn 2.1.1

        Your comments rather beg the question.
        If Shearer REALLY has cabinet documents that justify his claims then the Government know exactly what is in them. They are, after all, the members of the cabinet who would have received them.
        If on the other hand he is telling little porkies, or even just guilding the lily a bit he can’t release the documents as that would show that he is b.s.ing.
        He will have surely have been advised by his more rat-bag colleagues to never produce any evidence of something you are making claims about. Just make up a story, announce it in parliament, and then claim “it’s time to move on”.
        We never saw for example ANY evidence that Julian Robertson was a CIA bagman or that Brash had ever made the “gone by christmas” remark but that didn’t stop Labour making the claims. The fact that no-one in the US Government appeared to know anything about them, as evidenced by Wikileaks material on the subject appears to show they never happened.
        I suspect Shearer never will release the documents as he is making claims he cannot justify.

        • Taking someone’s comments at face value is by no means the same thing as begging the question, unless it ought to be obvious that they are not telling the truth. I don’t see why we would assume that in Shearer’s case.

  3. ghostwhowalksnz 3

    What has me curious , is that if ‘more pokies’ are required to get a free convention centre, why werent the other bidders given the same option.

    Im sure they would love the chance to put 500 poker machines and 75 table games in a new convention centre, and the public would have a choice.

  4. vto 4

    The claim that there is no money for building a convention centre is complete hogwash.

    The money is there in our economy obviously, because that is where skycity is getting it from, but it seems the only way John Key can think of for flushing it out is to let the casino win it for him.

    Bloody pathetic.

    • Kevin Welsh 4.1

      Exactly VTO. There is OBVIOUSLY a demand for this in Auckland so why hasn’t the private sector jumped and built a convention centre?

      We are constantly reminded on here by the Gosman, and his ilk, that the private sector are great at this sort of thing.

      But, only if they get law changes and sweet-heart deals.

      • higherstandard 4.1.1

        Isn’t Sky City the private sector ?

        • Kevin Welsh 4.1.1.1

          Yeah, what’s your point?

        • vto 4.1.1.2

          Well no not in the normal sense where it is open to anyone to set up business making undies. Sure, it is privately owned but it is extremely state controlled and regulated. Joe blow can’t blow in and just open up another casino in the dairy next door. So it is only private sector in terms of ownership, nothing else about its operation is in the usual sense private sector. It is government controlled gambling.

          So, why can’t Key think of another way of flushing the money out of the economy? I guess all he knows is gambling with money …

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.3

          Not any more, it’s now obviously an arm of the John Key led government.

    • Fortran 4.2

      vto

      Please tell us where ids the other money to come from to build the Convention Centre.
      Auckland Ratepayers or Taxpayer or ???? China perhaps.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.2.1

        Much better question: Why are we having one built considering that the business case doesn’t stack up for one?

        We shouldn’t need to be concerned with where the money comes from because it shouldn’t be built.

  5. debatewatcher 5

    Did John Key advise himself that it was a dinnimic environment?

    • ghostwhowalksnz 5.1

      Thats so last year , this years lazy phrase is ‘there was no other alternative’

  6. Roy 6

    This SHOULD be his Waterloo, but I have the gloomy feeling that it won’t be.

    • cin77 6.1

      he’ll get away with this one too because too many kiwis are complacent (not sure if thats the word i mean… its early lol)

      • Roy 6.1.1

        Some are complacent, some are just stupid, a few have their snouts in the trough, and many, I think, are deep in ‘learned helplessness’.

        • Akldnut 6.1.1.1

          While many too are oblivious or have very little knowledge of the goings on, the majority I speak switch off at the thought of political commentary.

  7. ianmac 7

    I wonder who are the Shareholders of Sky City ? Mums and dads? NZers? Offshore?
    The huge profits from Sky City would be profits to enhance NZ economy. Right?

    • Herodotus 7.1

      Sure let us all subsidies Sky City how about then modify the coy tax rate and allow profits from this organuisation be taxed at say 50% or 66% then we can claw back this subsidy. Everyone wins the coy and its shareholders as they have expanded their operation, we have a cheap convention centre and we can reclaim additional tax to cover doing deals.
      And r0b thanks for the link to national radio.

    • lprent 7.3

      The shares are widespread both locally and overseas. hs’s link shows that (it turns out that I own some indirectly through my kiwisaver – I’m going to have to think about that).

      The issue is more the level of harm to society that their activities cause..

  8. Quasimodo 8

    Dear General R0BINS,

    The enemy has launched a sustained assault via the gambling dens in front of our lines, but the decisive engagement has yet to occur.

    We must withstand repeated attacks until our allies arrive in force and break through his right flank.

    We can then counterattack and drive him in disorder from the field.

    Yours,

    Wellington.

    • Campbell Larsen 8.1

      Sounds like you have been hanging out too much with EMA CEO Kim Campbell (who is a big fan of Napoleon) who gave us this lovely quote shortly after getting the job:

      “…make sure you control your supply line, make sure you concentrate your firepower at your enemy’s weakest point and then once you’ve breached the enemy’s line, consolidate,”

      The employers and manufacturers association – waging a class war since conception – now preparing for a new assault against the working poor of New Zealand.

      Edit: The National Party – waging a class war since conception – now launching a new assault against the working poor of New Zealand.

      • bbfloyd 8.1.1

        well put… says it like it is….

        • Quasimodo 8.1.1.1

          Thanks, bbfloyd. I doubt if they teach much Napoleonic history at secondary level these days .. part of the common experience of early NZ.

          • Campbell Larsen 8.1.1.1.1

            Ah Quasimodo, you should ponder for a moment the numbers that accompany comments – they are really helpful when it comes to navigating threads.

            And you rather seem to have missed the point – which was that the rhetoric and tactics of war are totally unsuited to the task of building a healthy society.

            • Quasimodo 8.1.1.1.1.1

              Campbell: Numbers ? I see no number from where I sit !

              Re. “the rhetoric and tactics of war are totally unsuited to the task of building a healthy society.”

              The theme of this thread seems to be “Key’s Waterloo” .. I thought I’d inject a note
              of realism into the discussion.

              • Campbell Larsen

                sigh

                • Quasimodo

                  Perhaps you could run that past Steven Joyce and the National Party re-electon committee.

                  • Maui

                    BTW, I did not choose this Napoleonic theme.

                    Even his opponents recognised him as a moderniser in many respects.

                    The concept of hubris comes from ancient greek ..

  9. So many people seem to be overlooking the fact that not only has John Key agreed to change the law on how many pokie machines Sky City can have but he has also agreed to change the laws on the casino advertising their products in our media.

    The 60 minute interview by Guyon Espiner with Steven Joyce made reference to the advertising deal they were making to go along with new pokies in return of a convention centre which they say will only benefit the companies who use it while the taxpayer of NZ will have to foot the bill for the maintenance of this world class convention centre.

    Sounds like a John Key deal doesn’t it all the while he is planning to give billions more to the banksters of the word to preserve the financial system he is so desperatly trying to save for the sake of the banksters.

  10. appleboy 10

    This will be the wake up call to even the ignorant masses who’ve been taken in by smile and wave until now.

    Giving concessions to a casino so we get a convention centre built …it just stinks.

    Good lord, what’s next, the British and American Tobacco Rail Loop? Pfizer schools…

    Intervening in the process…it just stinks.

    Selling state assets…it just stinks.

    Tax cuts that gave $100+ a week to the top 10% (paid for by you and me)..it just stinks.

    Privatising prisons…it just stinks.

    Public partnerships in schools…it just stinks.

    They are history and I am now quite confident they will not be reelected next election. That’s some good news in this disaster of a government.

  11. ad 11

    Let me argue against this for a moment.

    Perhaps what John Key is doing is really relaxing into the job, and coming into his own. He is good at making deals on a grand scale and making them work.

    It is the job of the Prime Minsiter to make deals stick. Only elected politicians of his rank and skill can balance the economic and the social benefits and disbenefits on such a contentous project. And only they should – because it is what politics is for.

    The convention centre deal is now in the public arena being debated, simply because it’s contentious and political, and the Prime Miniser has decided that the contention is worth weathering.

    Same as his approach to the Hobbit deal. He made the deal right in front of us, took the hit of the marches against Parliament, and secured a masive economic benefit for all to see.

    Helen Clark on the other hand was timorous and approached commercial deals like a hygene problem. Her approach for example from Singapore Airlines for a share in Air New Zealand was prissy.

    John Key it could be argued, is dealing with an economy that has no growth anywhere, and he has no money to fix it. So he makes deals. Perhaps it is time for New Zealand to lose some of its commercial and political purity in this kind of economy.

    I would put it to you all that the polls continue to say that New Zealanders on the whole agree that it is the role of Prime Minsiter to be “dealmaker-in-chief”.

    • Carol 11.1

      I would put it to you all that the polls continue to say that New Zealanders on the whole agree that it is the role of Prime Minsiter[sic] to be “dealmaker-in-chief”.

      You mean like Faust:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust

      Faust, and the adjective faustian, are often used to describe an arrangement in which an ambitious person surrenders moral integrity in order to achieve power and success: the proverbial “deal with the devil”.[1]

      Or in his most recent pop culture incarnation as Rumpelstitskin (played by the excellent Robert Carlyle) in the TV programme Once Upon a Time, in which he is all about the DEAL and the slippery CONTRACT:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumpelstiltskin#On_screen

      serving as a Faustian figure who enacts costly deals with the characters that they think are to their advantage.

      • mickysavage 11.1.1

        Very good Carol.  TheSkyCity deail is indeed a Faustian agreement.

      • ad 11.1.2

        A little bit Faust, a little bit the poor guy who has to go down into all seven circles of hell to do good. Some spanish dude I recall.

        John Key is becoming the Prime Minister As Entrepeneur. Doing dirty things too unconscionable for saintly lefty mortals.

        I always thought Jim Anterton had a bit of Mephisto in him. Definitely Bill Sutch did. We could easily see Goff’s Chinese free trade agreement in this light. A politics of the deal.

        Mind you, there’s no turning back from that as a country and as a politics when you do.

        • Quasimodo 11.1.2.1

          .. a few other terms might be appropriate.

          How about ‘undue influence’, ‘due process’, ‘kickback’, ‘corruption’, ‘competence’, ‘propriety’, and ‘setting standards’.

      • Treetop 11.1.3

        Were there an election tomorrow the current government would not be re-elected due to the damage they are causing in and to the country.

        • Jester 11.1.3.1

          You need to check the latest morgan poll before pleasuring yourself.

          • Treetop 11.1.3.1.1

            I will. Shame you did not provide a link to the latest morgan poll.

            If the morgan poll is a week old I would be doubtful about its validity as this would be prior to the Sky City fiasco and the decision on the Crafar farm sale.

            • lprent 11.1.3.1.1.1

              Also, like the last poll, there is no evident trend apart from the slow fall of National from the heights of 55% last year and the greens and NZF slowly rising. You have to look over several months before the trends are apparent.

              Link is on the graph.

  12. Treetop 12

    When it comes to having clear boundaries between influencing business/tourism Key has certainly overstepped the boundaries of his position in the government executive.

    Key’s MO is put a glossy look on a business deal to sell it to the country and then he tags the murky (dark, gloomy) detail of the deal on at a later date, then he has the nerve to say that NZers are for it when a poll result shows that the majority of NZers are against the business deal once the murky detail is known. Sadly the murky facts are not all known re assets sales, 500 pokie machines and the Crafar farm sale.

    I really do not like listening to a PM who says I was upfront from the onset of the deal when he has not been, or that he has not intervened in the tendering/planning process when he has.

    .

  13. Tombstone 13

    … and now they’ve just gone and done the deal over the Crafar farms the dirty rotten f*ckers!

    • vto 13.1

      Yahoooo !!

      A few more New Zealanders just became tenants to foreign landlords.

      Such a great way to be innit …. these nat people really are clever and wise ….

  14. DH 14

    This one here will be interesting to follow after the recent revelations about Key’s involvement …..

    “TVNZ studios in the path of SkyCity centre”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10790533

    Looks pretty obvious that Sky City were guaranteed the land in another backroom deal.

  15. And in breaking news the Crafar Farms deal has been approved by the Government.  I guess they decided to dump as much bad news as possible today to lessen the effect of a staggered series of announcements.

    EDIT: Tombstone bet me to it.

  16. Pascal's bookie 16

    “John Key has compromised the dignity of his office with his deal making with a casino operator”

    Guess who?

  17. DH 17

    Standardistas might get a chuckle over this piece….

    Deals that are good for NZ
    By David Farrar

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10800229

    That has to be the most desperate & pitiful attempt at spin I’ve seen in quite a while… people are really going to swallow that line!

  18. captain hook 18

    key has rapidly transformed himself into a clone of spiro t. agnew.
    he just a needs a nixon now to sink the ship.

  19. insider 19

    It might be Key’s Waterloo but you failed to mention he was Wellington and today’s Roy Morgan poll was marshall Bluecher…Lookslike it’s civil war In labour then

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
    10 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T14:24:24+00:00