Local Bodies: Let’s Bring Our Banking Home!

Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, June 30th, 2014 - 76 comments
Categories: greens, russel norman - Tags: , , ,

Russel+Norman+New+Zealand+Gears+Up+General+srkwBzF8K4XlReposted from Local Bodies.

In the 1980s and early 90s the wisdom of the day dictated that our small (in a global sense) New Zealand owned banks were unsustainable. We lost the BNZ to the National Australia Bank group and our Trust Banks to Westpac. All 600 PostBank branches around the country were closed down by 1988. The consequences of those decisions saw huge profits and dividends head across the ditch, contributed to our huge Current Account deficit and allowed the Australian banks to become the most profitable in the world at a time when many were being bailed out.

These same banks have shown their gratitude by maximizing their profits through dubious means and paying local CEOs excessive salaries. Inland Revenue managed to claw back billions of avoided tax through legal action and exorbitant default fees (that have cost New Zealanders about $1 billion) are being challenged through a class action.

Russel Norman revealed an unhealthy relationship between our Reserve Bank and Westpac (the Government’s sole banker) when the Reserve Bank Governor was caught out attempting to play down Westpac’s profits to smooth through an ongoing relationship that hadn’t been tendered for.

Ongoing pressure from the Greens has finally seen both the Reserve Bank and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment agree that the Government’s master banker should be decided by a fairly tendered process.

Russel Norman was pleased with this decision because, “Ideally, our Government’s banking should be done by a New Zealand bank. This now becomes a possibility.”

Banks should be supporting our economy but over the last twenty years the Aussie ‘big four’ have been sucking it dry. It’s about time we restored some real competition and brought more of our banking home!

76 comments on “Local Bodies: Let’s Bring Our Banking Home! ”

  1. blue leopard 1

    Good idea – it beggars belief that this is not the case already. What have successive NZ politicians been thinking? Time for New Zealanders’ interests to be prioritized by NZ politicians. It is not that hard is it?

    • Chooky 1.1

      +100…just one reason why i will be voting Green!

    • Tracey 1.2

      and why people need to move their accounts, if they want money in nz banks…

      Kiwibank
      Tsb
      Coop bank, formerly psis

      Lets not forget fay richwhites involvement in the sale of bnz, only to pull out and become a buyer.

      • Once was Tim 1.2.1

        +1
        except that temporarily, PSIS still has an unfortunate relationship with BNZ which I hope will end as soon as poss.

        • Tracey 1.2.1.1

          What is the relationship cos the website states

          ” That means that we’re not owned by a big overseas company or the Government. We’re owned by our customers—

          • Once was Tim 1.2.1.1.1

            They’re currently paying them fees – they use BNZ as an interbank facility. For every PSIS account number, there is an equivalent BNZ one.
            This will eventually go as far as I know, when interbank/gateway facilities are properly set up.

            E.G. if I want to transfer money from say ANZ or Westpac to the PSIS, one specifies the BNZ account number.
            PSIS at one time also had their own ATMs. They’ve recently signed a contract with Westpac for PSIS customers to use Westpac ATMs (previously ANZ/NAT ones). Unfortunately it means that Westpac clips the ticket.

  2. Jack 2

    Mindless Government handling of our Banking Institutions, BNZ was basically raped and pillaged and went down the gurgler in no time after being privatised and somehow the Government still held onto liability.

    We did have a strong Banking & Insurance Sector at one stage with the likes of BNZ, National Bank of NZ, Auckland Savings Bank, NZI Insurance & South British Insurance, now all gone.

    Unfortunately NZ can not repair the damage done by poor Government decision making.

    • blue leopard 2.1

      “Unfortunately NZ can not repair the damage done by poor Government decision making.”

      Where there is a will there is a way.

      There is never only one option available there are always alternatives.

      The damaging consequences of poor government decisions can be rectified.

    • Gosman 2.2

      National Bank was owned by Lloyds bank from the UK. Why was that different than an Aussie owned bank?

      • mikesh 2.2.1

        NBNZ originally had a predominantly NZ shareholding. Lloyds aquired a small holding in 1919, and obtained full control in 1966 as NZ shareholders sold their shares to them in order to obtain the overseas funds necessary to purchase Holden Kingswoods.

  3. Chooky 3

    @ Jack..”.BNZ was basically raped and pillaged and went down the gurgler in no time after being privatised and somehow the Government still held onto liability”

    ….we dont want this to happen to Kiwi Bank!…Key’s Govt has already had Goldman Sachs do an evaluation of Kiwi Bank!

    • infused 3.1

      Kiwibank is hopeless.

      Couldn’t get a mortgage with them. Pain in the ass to see a banking manager, who is generally just a teller at the post shop.

      Even more useless for business.

      TSB went out of their way for me. However, TSB are useless for business as well.

      Currently with ANZ for business, but I will be looking around soon.

      • blue leopard 3.1.1

        The bank didn’t give you a mortgage so it is useless?

        Give us a break

        ‘TSB are useless for business as well’

        No reasons supplied

        • infused 3.1.1.1

          Their rates were higher, higher deposit. You can’t just walk in there and talk to someone.

          Then you get TSB who basically bent over backwards for us.

          Reasons? The fact that no system can integrate to their bank feeds is a killer right there, and that the web banking interface is like something from the 1980s.

          Just read, can now integrate with their bank feeds for Xero.

          • blue leopard 3.1.1.1.1

            Your criticisms seem to be about superficial issues.

            My understanding of local banks is that having such is more likely to keep the money – and profits – in the country, is more likely to have expertise of local conditions and more likely to support and encourage local businesses.

            I have, however, been looking around for information on the advantages of local banks (banks in a country rather than foreign ones) to support my case and have been completely unsuccessful in finding relevant sites (!) – they are all about why local banks are good for the individual (or not) rather than the advantages to the country. 🙁

            This article: ‘The Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Community Bank or Credit Union” whilst not about national vs foreign banks lists the types of advantages I see accruing to New Zealand from having people invest in a NZ Bank as opposed to an overseas one.

            • infused 3.1.1.1.1.1

              Not really superficial issues. They were key issues to me. I guess they are different to everyone.

              My main issue was that TSB was more interested than Kiwibank. Which blew my mind at the time. I went to TSB next as it’s a NZ based bank and was quite amazed with their service.

              I’ve already banked with most of the rest, so I know what they are like.

              I’d happily use Kiwibank if it was any good… thus far that hasn’t been the case.

              • blue leopard

                Yes, sorry, service is important! Only superficial in relation to arguing the point as to whether having New Zealanders using a New Zealand bank is advantageous over them using a foreign bank.

                I somewhat agree re your criticisms re service – I think the fact that Kiwibanks are positioned in shops tends to distract from the service aspect of banking. The bank staff are often swapping roles between shop assistant and bank teller – although to put a good word in: Kiwibanks are open way later than other banks – they are very much more assessable than other banks (where I live, you are hard pressed to catch other banks open …ever!)

              • Chooky

                …for big loans/transactions you have to deal directly with bank managers in the city ….but once this is negotiated the interest rates are very good( way better than Oz banks) ….and the service is very good in the provinces… in the little Kiwbank /PO shops….also for travelling overseas Kiwibank provides the best most easy secure cards and travel banking rates and safety/guarantees….way better than the Oz banks which are a rip off imo

              • Tracey

                what do you mean you were amazed by their service?

        • infused 3.1.1.2

          Good discussion though. Just emailed TSB to ask for a meeting to look at the pros/cons of moving my business to them.

          • blue leopard 3.1.1.2.1

            Hope you choose to go local – my link above may provide you some food for thought. (Not sure whether TSB is a ‘community bank’ but it is certainly a locally (NZ) owned one.)

          • Macro 3.1.1.2.2

            I’ve banked with TSB for years. I lived in the country, and had little access to any banking facilities. If you need to deposit cash which occasionally is the case then you can do that thru any Post Office. Other than that I don’t go near any bank. All on line and any ATM works. They are just a phone call away if you need assistance and there is never any waiting and always resolve the issue there and then. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

      • Chooky 3.1.2

        We had no difficulty with Kiwibank….and a much better deal than with the Oz banks!

        ….Kiwibank needs to be govt guaranteed so that it can support NZers with more risky business ventures

        • infused 3.1.2.1

          I find that hard to believe since Kiwibank always had a higher interest rate a few years ago.

        • Nakiman 3.1.2.2

          “….Kiwibank needs to be govt guaranteed so that it can support NZers with more risky business ventures”

          Government guaranteed banks is not clever. The risk to the bank is the only thing that keeps them honest and realistic. Take the risk away and they will lend money to any idiot because they cant loose. We don’t want to waste more tax payers money bailing out banks that make poor lending decisions.

          • Chooky 3.1.2.2.1

            Nakiman…you show no faith in a people’s bank run by bankers committed to serving the people of the country they represent to make wise decisions on who to lend to and who not to lend to

            …for you banks are ‘dog eat dog’…hence you say “The risk to the bank is the only thing that keeps them honest and realistic”

            ….however predator banks as we have seen in the USA which are controlled by private interest groups to maximise their profit …. use this risk to lure people and institutions into unwise loans and then turn it around on the people and gut them…the people carry the risk and the losses not the banks ….and when the whole house of cards falls over the banks expect governments and taxpayers to bale them out.

            • Gosman 3.1.2.2.1.1

              The people who work at Kiwibank are pretty much the same people who work at any other bank in New Zealand.

              • framu

                so what – the staff at many businesses are pretty much the same thing at any other business – the staff

                • Gosman

                  I’m responding to Chooky’s rather naive assumption that the people who work for Kiwibank are more committed to giving a decent banking experiences than perhaps other banks employees.

                  • Chooky

                    @ Gosman

                    …..banks should be a public service and bankers public servants…it shows how far the capitalist West has become corrupted to think otherwise

                    ….now ordinary people and whole countries have to protect themselves from predatory banks and bankers!

                    • Gosman

                      Why is it that not many left leaning political parties in NZ, not even IMP and The Greens are taking the same line as you?

                    • Chooky

                      @ Gosman re: Commitment to “Decent Banking Experiences”:

                      LEARNING FROM ISLAMIC FINANCE
                      October 22, 2013 Finance 0 Comments
                      By Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School

                      By the manner in which they managed to weather the global financial crisis and outperform conventional banks, the stability of Islamic banks has triggered a lively debate on the nature of the conventional system overall and the risks it entails.

                      Islamic finance represents one of the fastest growth fields in global finance – since 2006, the asset base has grown by 150% and is forecast to reach $1.8 trillion this year. Given the stability that Islamic banks offer, and the strict constraints under which they function, this is a tremendous achievement. Going forward, the growth rate is likely to remain steady while opportunities will multiply. Above all, the sector is likely to avoid the crises that have become the norm in conventional finance. So what is it that makes the sector so socially desirable and stable? It comes down to three key features:……

                      http://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/learning-from-islamic-finance/

                    • Chooky

                      More on banks as a public service and bankers as public servants…and it seems that such banks weather the global financial meltdowns better..reports from the IMF and World Bank:

                      GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS
                      Islamic Banks: More Resilient to Crisis?
                      IMF Survey online

                      October 4, 2010
                      Islamic banks fared differently from conventional banks during global crisis
                      Weaknesses in risk management hurt Islamic bank profitability in 2009
                      Crisis revealed important regulatory and supervisory challenges
                      A new IMF study compares the performance of Islamic banks and conventional banks during the recent financial crisis, and finds that Islamic banks, on average, showed stronger resilience during the global financial crisis……

                      https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/RES100410A.htm

                      http://blogs.worldbank.org/growth/what-can-we-learn-islamic-finance

        • Wreckingball 3.1.2.3

          That is a terrible idea. I don’t want the Government to guarantee dodgy investments of others. Every bank should only lend money if the risk is right. Such a policy just creates moral hazard.

          I completely agree with Nakiman.

          If a bank wants to lend someone money, it will offer them an interest rate. If another bank is willing to lend to them at a lower rate, it will do so. They are using risk vs reward analysis to work out whether to lend.

  4. infused 4

    The tender is 10 years. So why hasn’t TSB or another bank gone for it?

    That’s the question you should ask.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1

      They’ve lost the Waitemata Trust’s phone number?

      They won’t touch ex-National Party MPs with a barge-pole and if you don’t offer them a directorship or two you don’t get the contract?

      It’s a red herring offered in bad faith?

    • alwyn 4.2

      I can’t find an unambiguous statement on-line at the moment, probably because I am not putting the right question into Google but I don’t think either Kiwibank or TSB could handle the contract. It really is a huge amount of processing and splitting it up would probably just end up costing more.

      I do remember a couple of years ago the CEO of Kiwibank saying that they could not handle the work and that they wouldn’t be tendering if it was opened up. I doubt if that has changed in the interim. Kiwibank is much larger than TSB so there is no way that TSB could do the work either.
      It is an enormous contract and only the major banks could take it on.

      • infused 4.2.1

        Is Kiwibank bigger than TSB? Where can I find the info?

        • alwyn 4.2.1.1

          You can find the accounts on line if you want to.
          Just google something like “New Zealand TSB balance sheet” or something similar for Kiwibank.

          In 2013 end of year Kiwibank had about $12.5 Billion in deposits while TSB had about $5.1 Billion reported in their 2014 Annual Report.
          I realise that that is only one number but it is indicative of their relative size.

          Westpac New Zealand were about $50 Billion.

  5. mikesh 5

    Overseas banks are “sucking us dry” because they have the right to create money, a right which strictly speaking should belong to the state. The benefits from money creation come from the fact that though the process is costless the money can be lent at interest. That interest, or at least a portion of it, should go to the state.

  6. DH 6

    Has Labour said anything about Kiwibank….?

    For Kiwibank to expand it needs more capital, from what I’ve read it’s growth is constrained by the RBNZ rules on capital adequacy for trading banks. It could easily be double its present size if National hadn’t turned off the tap, they knowingly curtailed Kiwibank’s growth.

    • Chooky 6.1

      Safeguarding from overseas predators and supporting Kiwibank growth in NZ needs to be Labour Party issue….

      • Chooky 6.1.1

        …it would be interesting to hear what Jim Anderton has to say about Kiwibank as it is now ….and as he envisioned it when he set it up….it was a very popular move on his part to set it up

        • DH 6.1.1.1

          I’d think he’d feel both vindicated and disappointed.

          Kiwibank bruised a lot of overblown egos so it was probably inevitable that National would sabotage it. I can still recall when it was set up. The avalanche of jeering, sneering & snide remarks about “Jim’s Bank” was quite vomit inducing. Those muppets all got egg on their faces when Kiwibank made a profit so it’s a safe bet they’d be keen on seeing Kiwibank’s demise. The Nats can’t sell it, even they’re not that stupid, so they just hobbled it.

  7. vto 7

    “Banks should be supporting our economy but over the last twenty years the Aussie ‘big four’ have been sucking it dry”

    Exactly.

    • Draco T Bastard 8.1

      ^^ that is a must read

      This strategy on the part of the TBTF banks is what they try to pass off as the normal “business cycle,” which is nothing more than a means of acquiring the fruits of labor at fire sale prices. There have been 19 recessions since the creation of the Federal Reserve System, all designed with this result in mind, just as the financier Andrew Mellon notoriously proclaimed, “During depressions, assets return to their rightful owners.”

  8. Chooky 9

    Seems like there are changes afoot for Australian Banks..big Oz banks under Tony Abbott’s govt could be allowed to merge……how will this affect New Zealand?

    ‘Big banks could be allowed to merge’ June , 20,2014

    …. the Finance Minister has unveiled his changes to Labor’s reforms to the financial planning industry.

    And on another front, the four pillars policy that has restricted our big banks from merging or taking each other over could be set to crumble.

    WikiLeaks has revealed the Federal Government is involved in secret trade negotiations with the United States, Europe and a host of smaller nations that could swing open the doors on deregulation of the sector.

    http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2014/s4030010.htm

    • Colonial Viper 9.1

      Seems like there are changes afoot for Australian Banks..big Oz banks under Tony Abbott’s govt could be allowed to merge……how will this affect New Zealand?

      NB the Ruling Elite WANT “too big to fail” to continue.

      When GFC 2 hits, these huge merged banks will come crying to the taxpayer for bailouts, holding a gun to our heads saying if they don’t get the money they want, they will crash the economy.

      • Chooky 9.1.1

        “they will crash the economy”…or takeover and own the country!….poor Greece and its experience with Goldman Sachs

        …….all the more reason for a New Zealand government backed Kiwibank for New Zealanders ….which is insulated from the overseas predator banks and their thieving funny money…not so funny men!

        • srylands 9.1.1.1

          “poor Greece’s ” Government should not have developed a sense of entitlement and lulled the population into thinking their crazy policies of the last 30 years could continue without awful consequences. Simple as that.

          • Chooky 9.1.1.1.1

            @ srylands……Greek govt certainly helped by Goldman Sachs to dupe the people

            ‘Greek Debt Crisis: How Goldman Sachs Helped Greece to Mask its True Debt’

            By Beat Balzli

            Goldman Sachs helped the Greek government to mask the true extent of its deficit with the help of a derivatives deal that legally circumvented the EU Maastricht deficit rules. At some point the so-called cross currency swaps will mature, and swell the country’s already bloated deficit.

            http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/greek-debt-crisis-how-goldman-sachs-helped-greece-to-mask-its-true-debt-a-676634.html

            • Tracey 9.1.1.1.1.1

              slylands doesnt link concepts. He doesnt “get” that a country of people who had no mortgages and no credit cards until the 80’s became an overspending government by 2008 but the two are not connected by a single feature: banking system he champions. Pity him but thank god his wife is a greenie so the children have a chance at humanity

            • Gosman 9.1.1.1.1.2

              That is like blaming the person who lent a car for the crime that was committed using it. The Greeks were the ones responsible for getting in to debt. Noone else spent the money.

          • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.1.2

            http://rwer.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/why-europes-austerity-experiment-is-doomed-to-fail-7-graphs/

            Growing government debt thus appears to be more a symptom of the crisis than a cause. Its rise began after the crisis in both countries, not before; and the one that hasn’t deliberately attempted to reduce government spending by austerity is the one whose public debt ratio is no longer rising.

            Greece got fucked over by the ECB putting in place policies that you advocate for.

          • Colonial Viper 9.1.1.1.3

            “poor Greece’s ” Government should not have developed a sense of entitlement and lulled the population into thinking their crazy policies of the last 30 years could continue without awful consequences. Simple as that.

            Actually, the Greek elites were bought and paid for by international banking, and they subsequently sold out their fellow citizens. Further, Greece signed away its currency sovereignty, and allowed itself to be subject to debt in a foreign currency that it did not control.

            You really should update your pro-German pro-EU propaganda, they’re a couple of years out of date.

          • Chooky 9.1.1.1.4

            @ Sryslands …too simple to just blame the Greek people and their government

            From the Guardian and the USA:

            ‘Goldman Sachs faces Fed inquiry over Greek crisis’

            The investment bank’s work with the Greek government in the early part of the decade is now under scrutiny as Athens struggles with huge debts

            http://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/feb/25/markets-pressure-greece-cut-spending

            From Aljazeera : ‘The Bank that Rules the World’

            http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/specialseries/2014/06/goldman-sachs-bank-rules-world-2014613175932453607.html

            From alternet: ‘ “The Role of Goldman Sachs

            Greece was able to “hide” its deficits thanks to Goldman Sachs, which had sold financial derivatives called credit-default swaps to Greece between 2002 and 2006. The credit-default swaps operated a bit like subprime loans, enabling Greece to lower its debts on its balance sheets, but at very high borrowing rates. Goldman Sachs had sales teams selling these complicated financial instruments not just to Greece, but to many gullible municipalities and institutions throughout Europe (and the United States), who were told that these deals could lower their borrowing costs. For Greece, the loans blew up in 2008–2009, when interest rates rose and stock markets collapsed. Among those involved in these deals included Mario Draghi (now President of the ECB), who was working at the Greece desk at Goldman Sachs at the time. While these sales generated huge profits for Goldman Sachs, the costs are now being borne by ordinary Greek people in the form of punishing austerity programs. (For more on Goldman Sachs’s role, see part four of the PBS documentary “Money, Power, Wall Street.”)”

            http://www.alternet.org/economy/which-way-out-greek-nightmare-and-crisis-europe

          • framu 9.1.1.1.5

            no its not as simple as that – but we know you like things to be simple – its all you can cope with

            or is this more of your “listen my opinion – its self evident fact” language fuckwittery?

            Ever thought your ideas are so powerful they dont need to be debated?

            Oh – thats right, still waiting for you to respond to my challenge over on the roading post – go on, give us an answer

        • srylands 9.1.1.2

          Well you have it, don’t you? It is a dog but you have it nevertheless.

          • Chooky 9.1.1.2.1

            …are you saying Kiwibank is a ‘dog’ ?

            • blue leopard 9.1.1.2.1.1

              …rather a nice loyal dog than a money grubbing fat cat cross two-headed snake GM hybrid thing

            • felix 9.1.1.2.1.2

              Chooky, if Kiwibank was sucking billions out of our economy srylands would be in favour.

              • Chooky

                yes agreed….and going into whose pockets?…theft from the people!….we have to watch our Kiwibank ….where is Labour on this and where is Jim Anderton?

              • Gosman

                Kiwibank has sucked 10 ‘ s if not 100’s of millions of dollars out of the NZ economy. You just aren’t aware of it.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  The Australian banks pull billions of dollars out from the NZ economy every year.

            • srylands 9.1.1.2.1.3

              Yes. It has never paid a dividend.

              Also, compared to the other banks it has a high proportion of low margin customers. So it has had two impacts:

              1. Sucked up a vast amount of taxpayer capital without returning a dividend (the taxpayers have no choice – charming)
              2. Increased the profitability of the Australian owned banks.

              ANZ shareholders have much to thank Jim Anderton for. As a test – when did you ever hear of ANY of the big Australian banks whinging about “unfair” competition from the “Government owned” bank? That’s right never. Because they all want it to remain.

              The unintended consequences of socialism writ large 🙂

              • MrSmith

                Kiwi bank have 1.39% of market share SS, so why would the ozzies banks be worried, now if Kiwi bank had 10-20% of the market share then we could start to compare them.

                Should we trust the ozzies though? Probably not and after reading the papers today I see one of their most trusted is just about to go to jail, tie your kangaroo down sport .

              • KJT

                Why are they working so hard to remove Kiwibank, then!

                Hint. All bank fees dropped, and all the extra little charges that banks apply in Australia have not been used here..

                • MrSmith

                  Actually the truth is KJT kiwi bank have over 10% market share now , not bad for a bank that was set up 12 years ago, that’s what they are worried about.

  9. greywarbler 10

    Jim Anderton is trying to save a white elephant in Christchurch ie the ancien cathedral.

    That’s a very interesting image of Russel Norman. Pieces of him stand out from the dark background, shows off his green tie well.

  10. Gosman 11

    Kiwibank was in no position to take on the work of being the banker to the government even if it wanted to at the last time the contract was renewed. Even now it is not really able to do so as the core banking application is not robust enough. They are currently looking to upgrade to SAP which is a major undertaking. This will take a couple of years and cost over 100 million dollars likely. Only then could they tender for the job.

    • dimebag russell 11.1

      @grossman
      you are the one that needs an upgrade from being a SAP.
      Kiwibank can do what ever it is directed to do.

  11. MrSmith 12

    The current banking system should be burned, then buried along with religion and then only talked about in history books, when this finally happens people will look back in wonder, as we do now, at those who once thought the world was flat.

    Another thing that bugs me is the media asking the local banking economists for their opinions. For fucks sake, apart from the fact they have know bloody idea, what’s going to happen, and if they did will just spin you a line, because these people don’t work for the general public , for christ sake it’s like asking the fox how things are going since he moved into the hen house.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    1 hour ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    4 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    5 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    10 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    12 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    15 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours 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
    8 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
    10 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
    11 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
    1 day 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T07:24:40+00:00