Lone nutters and suicide by cop

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, December 16th, 2014 - 89 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, australian politics, International, making shit up, police, Politics - Tags: , ,

The cafe siege in Sydney is over. The lone nutter there was apparently killed by police after he’d killed a hostage.

The details of the nutter are revealing. See “Profile of Haron Monis, the man behind Sydney cafe siege“. A writer of obnoxious letters. Currently facing charges related to the killing of his ex-wife. With multiple current charges against him for decade old sexual offenses whilst operating as a “spiritual healer” involved in black magic.

It is a picture of a person wrapping their own anger, mental and sexual issues with some rationalisation. The kind of person that MPs and their staffs across the country know only too well in their role as the final resource in the social systems. Some of them go on to commit suicide by cop.

Meanwhile over here, we have our own lone nutters. Some are more dangerous that others. For instance an idiot National MP, Mark Mitchell, talking to Audrey Young. “Country is not immune from extremist actions, says former security specialist

The MP who chaired the anti-terrorist legislation rushed through Parliament last week, Mark Mitchell, says the bill was “100 per cent” justified.

And he said he had had messages yesterday thanking him for the bill in light of the Sydney hostage crisis.

“It becomes a lot more real for people when it’s three hours across the ditch.”

Huh? This jerkoff MP doesn’t appear to have considered the most likely explanation was always the lone nutter. Instead he joins the hysterical fools in the kiwiblog sewer with urine dribbling down their legs quaking at the prospect of iman invasion and sharia law. In their usual dumbarse response, some of the tools that live there start muttering about mob violence.

How exactly does recent legislation in any way help against lone nutters grabbing a cafe full of people and committing suicide by cop? That was always the most likely explanation.

He doesn’t explain that. However what Mark Mitchell did was make himself look like a unrestrained idiot. Mind you that isn’t hard. Generally anyone so admired by Cameron Slater (as shown in Dirty Politics and the rawshark dumps) is likely to be complete jerk off. It was confirmed that Mark Mitchell is an publicity seeking fool back in August when he claimed that a theft was related to Dirty Politics.

What is a bit irritating is that Andrew Little covered his bets with this pathetic fantasy, albeit in a more restrained way.

Mr Little said last night that it was not yet known whether the Sydney crisis involved somebody connected to a network, or was a lone person or whether it was someone with mental health issues. “But the reality is that the sort of risks that the legislation is designed to deal with are real.

I remain quite unconvinced. To me this legislation looks more like the kind of thing that our rather paranoid security people like to have in hand, not for the ostensible targets, but for their more general surveillance of people inside NZ who push for change.

It has very few safeguards simply because the security forces only have to lay a claim of terrorism without any substantive evidence to use it. As the operation 8 fiasco of 2007 showed, the time and effort involved in the state funded  5 year legal retreat do not provide any effective recourse against such fantasies by security forces.

Somehow I doubt that they will use the powers given to them to track individual lone nutters like Haron Monis or the Aramoana killer David Gray or any of the other similar situations over the years. They have killed and continue to kill more people here than the fantasy terrorist groups. Sadly they appear to not be sexy enough for fear mongering politicians like Mark Mitchell who instead push through legislation that appears pretty useless against the ostensible threats.

That all being said. It looks like the Sydney police did a very good job in containing and minimizing the damage from their lone nutter

89 comments on “Lone nutters and suicide by cop ”

  1. One Anonymous Bloke 1

    Haron Monis’ biography is more reminiscent of Titford than bin Laden.

    • lprent 1.1

      Indeed.

      Titford is actually quite a good comparison.

      This is the guy who according to his ex-wife and kids, burnt down his house so he could blame it on local iwi.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.1

        Extreme misogyny, extreme paranoia and bigotry, hatred and fear of government…just another rwnj 😈

  2. dv 2

    AND Key saying that it would be naive to think such a siege couldn’t happen here.

    To Late already has

    Aramoana
    Raumati

    • Wonderpup 2.1

      David Grey was my first thought as well. Its shameful that politicians are using this as a way to defend their anti-democratic impulses. I saw Tau Henare testing the line for National on twitter – I assume it worked well for them, so Key was able to wheel it out.

      On a side note I was really impressed by the Guardian’s live feed of events. I felt updated and in touch without being soiled by sensationalism. Their Australian edition is coming along nicely, it would seem.

    • Tracey 2.2

      He probably doesnt remember them…

      “…Mr Key admitted there was always the risk that a lone wolf could stage a similar attack in New Zealand.

      “There’s the risk that there’s a person that is somehow attracted to the teachings and the kind of message and propaganda that these people [Islamic State] are peddling,” he told TV3’s Firstline.

      “We know that that risk is here in New Zealand, but of course we do everything we can to try and combat that.”

      Mr Key was confident the police could respond appropriately to an attack in New Zealand.

      Australia has contributed military help to the fight against IS, but Mr Key didn’t think the attack was necessarily a result of Australia’s involvement.

      And he said the siege wouldn’t make any difference to New Zealand’s approach to IS, otherwise known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

      “In the end we have to confront a terrorist group like ISIS.” …”

      • felix 2.2.1

        I remember Aramoana and Raumati, but I can’t recall having any opinions about them one way way or the other.

        It was so long ago, and it just wasn’t something I was focused on at the time.

        I didn’t go to any of the shootings myself, but I probably would have if I could have afforded to.

        • Tracey 2.2.1.1

          STOP IT!!!!

          Although I wanted to be PM since I was a boy and first started having “dreams” it never occurred to me to take note of things like Aramoana or the Springbok Tour of 1981 because I thought becoming PM was about how much money you could bring with you, and THATs when I decided to be a currency trader.

    • Roflcopter 2.3

      Raumati? Do you mean Raurimu?

  3. In the current climate, the actions of any mentally unstable person who happens to be Muslim will be used to justify the repressive and anti-democratic laws that have been passed under the guise of controlling terrorism.

    • RedLogix 4.1

      A quick interview on ABC News this morning with Monis’ lawyer described the man as a ‘political refugee’ who had suffered very badly in detention. But that his ideology had led him to abandon ‘common sense’ and that he was a ‘damaged individual’.

      Paul Buchanan makes some very good points. While my point elsewhere that the bail process will never be perfect still stands – I’m beginning to wonder exactly how the hell this guy was ever allowed to be released.

      • minnie 4.1.1

        I think “ideology” is the keyword above!!!

        • Crashcart 4.1.1.1

          Just as it applies when a pro gun nut case in America goes mad and shoots the place up. Unstable person using an extreemist ideology to try and legitamise their actions.

    • Chooky 4.2

      +100…thanks karol…very good analysis by Paul Buchanan…ie it was a deranged individual and NOT ISIS…..and one wonders why this obviously unstable guy ( Shi’ite not Sunni )with a criminal record and who had killed his wife was let out of prison!….and even then did not have a close police watch put on him to prevent what happened!

      ….the whole thing plays into the hands of those who are trying to frighten the population into increased surveillance ….and which obviously did NOT work in this case…even when there was a guy who obviously should have been watched

      ….also great Post thanks Lprent

      • travellerev 4.2.1

        He was a deranged person and very likely set up to be a patsy

        • tinfoilhat 4.2.1.1

          🙄

          Eve believe or not, almost all of the time acts such of these are not the work of some nefarious hidden government or religious group.

          • The Murphey 4.2.1.1.1

            Q. Are the departments responsible for letting individuals with records of serious violent offending and mental issues out on bail or parole the work of hidden groups?

            Q. Is letting individuals with records of violent offending and mental issues out into the public a tactic which could used to ensure a ‘climate of fear’ to suit political agendas?

            • Tracey 4.2.1.1.1.1

              Q. Has Australia just been a victim of a society that simply refuses to take alleged sexual crimes seriously enough?

              If yes, THAT is the real warning for NZ which alse has an ambivalent attitude to sexual offending, not some terrorist threat.

            • RedLogix 4.2.1.1.1.2

              Answer. Given this mans well-known criminal record and obvious derangement (how often does a man’s own lawyer describe someone in such terms?) – AND the fact that he had already suffered badly in detention before, AND the fact that he was on bail – I think we can categorically throw out the window the idea that he was any kind of ‘lone wold’ unknown to the authorities.

        • Tracey 4.2.1.2

          For whom was he allegedly the patsy?

          Sometimes people do stuff cos they are mentally ill and or criminally narcassistic and despite the hand wringing of politicians and the vacuous ejacultation of media all milking it for their own means, it remains a single act of violence unrelated to any evil cause.

          • felix 4.2.1.2.1

            Yep.

            On the other hand, what did I do when I let my dog off the leash in a paddock full of rabbits on the weekend?

            Dogs will be dogs, you know?

            And we live in a world where Cameron Slater can get prisoners moved around the country at will.

            • Tracey 4.2.1.2.1.1

              Agree and see my other comments about he “only” allegedly killed his wife and sexually abused some folks, nothing really serious

    • “is this effectively using something inaccurately for political gain”

      This ‘outreach’ line is outrageous – good that this spin is unspun by Paul and the interviewer.

    • Tracey 4.4

      heard it. Colour me impressed in recent weeks by buchanans calm and fact based analysis.

    • MrSmith 4.5

      Agreed Karol

      To put things in context you need to listen to Key first.

      “However what Mark Mitchell did was make himself look like a unrestrained idiot.”

      Not to be outdone though key makes an even Bigger idiot of himself.

      Key here.
      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20161221/prime-minister-john-key-on-sydney-siege

      Then listen Karol’s link with Dr Paul Buchanan basically call Key a hysterical liar here.
      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20161223/could-australia's-involvement-in-fight-against-is-be-to-blame-for-seige

  4. les 5

    ‘Authorities outside Philadelphia say six people are dead and one is wounded in multiple homes and the suspect remains on the loose.

    Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman identified the suspect in the Monday morning shootings as 35-year-old Bradley William Stone. She says all of the victims have a “familial relationship” to Stone.

    Police officers have converged on a home in Pennsburg, about 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia. They are using a megaphone to compel an end to their daylong pursuit of Stone.’

  5. Iprent you’re getting there. Little by little!

    Thing is Australia’s anti terror squad did an anti terror drill one year before this happened on Martin place and another on how to go about solving a hostage situation in a downtown cafe. And the “lone nutter” has been on the radar for a long time. In fact Muslim leaders had called for the police to investigate him as early as 2008!!!!

  6. millsy 7

    Tasmania. 1996. Martin Bryant.

    No Islam there. Just a loner with a low IQ and mental illness who was able to access firearms. He walked into a cafe and killed 36 people. No amount of antI-terror law would have stopped him (though making it harder to purchase a gun would have.)

  7. Skinny 8

    What a sorry saga and very sad outcome. A handful of hostage’s left, and 2 of them are dead. With this oppotunist nutcase carrying a criminal sheet a mile long, it was always going to turn out badly the longer the siege went on. So much for the boasting of the Worlds finest armed offenders squad. They should have took this ‘nothing to lose’ attention seeker down early on when he was prancing around by the front window. You would have to say this lunatic should have been in custody pending trial for 47 indecent assault charges.

    Watching Key on First Line this morning spinning events around to justify sending troops to combat ISIS was simply peddling war propaganda. Trying to say categorically “this had nothing to do with Australian troops in the middle east” is total crap! This halfwit is captured on the news protesting their involvement.

    • Paul 8.1

      Why is Key so keen to get troops to Iraq?

      • Skinny 8.1.1

        Key is under instructions to close this deal out, like a good trader does. He will be flying home to America this weekend to give an update. While there he will be debriefed and handed a script (to take to Hawaii to learn) tutoring up on the latest snake oil speak since he has suffered credibility issues i.e. caught out talking crap.

    • vto 8.2

      John Key is the most dishonest Prime Minister we have ever had to suffer.

    • Colonial Rawshark 8.3

      As I said beneath the other post, things went down hill the moment Australian authorities started treating this like a militarised “anti-terrorism” operation instead of a standard armed hostage negotiation.

      • Skinny 8.3.1

        Yes CR I agree totally. To me it appears a failing Abbott’s regime couldn’t help but use the seige as a PR stunt to lift themselves out of the mire. Nothing like a bit of nationalism for a Government polling poorly.

    • Manuka AOR 8.4

      “should have been in custody pending trial for 47 indecent assault charges. “

      Multiple sexual assault charges, accessory to murder, increasingly deranged comments on facebook, prior requests from within his own community for police to investigate – Why was he out running free? (And why are the msm not asking that question?)

  8. Shona 9

    Thanks Lprent, a voice of reason and sanity amongst a sea of rabid right wing loonies. These situations always seem like yet another version of Dog Day Afternoon.

  9. batweka 10

    “David Grey was my first thought as well.”

    Mine was John Tully. I see stargazer has a post up today about beneficiaries not being able to access emergency food grants because in the wake of Ashburton some offices won’t let clients in without ID, or even with ID (plus a bunch of other bureaucratic idiocies). So here we have another situation where the solution to a single, context specific act of violence is to see danger everywhere and to try and control everything but in the process of doing so, the people most at risk of going over the edge are being put under even more pressure than usual.

    It’s not fucking rocket science WINZ (and here I’m talking about senior managers and the decision makers in Wellington). Start treating your clients as human beings, put systems in place that reduce stress and enable dignity, and see an improvement in your relationship with the wider world.

  10. saveNZ 11

    Love the way Mark Mitchell ‘bribed’ his way into the National Party. Just takes about $10k to a slime ball for ‘blog services’ – what a bargain. Not sure how the more deserving Nat members feel about that, who were undermined in the process. No surprises there that Mark was behind that stupid bill. Obviously can’t wait to start a religious war against anyone not on the 1% hard right of center and mentally ill to boot. My God after cleaning up Security in this country how about Social Welfare. The next bill might be concentration camps for Beneficiaries – he’s such a wizard for policy and democracy for the Nats.

  11. Scott 12

    There are some interesting parallels, as well as differences, between the tragedy in Sydney and the ‘battle of White Rocks’ which saw a couple of supporters of the Ottoman Empire try to bring World War One to the Australian Outback almost exactly a century ago: http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2009/11/from-fort-hood-to-broken-hill.html

  12. Paul Campbell 13

    So the plan is to stop all our “Muslim Terrorists” from going overseas ….. John Key just hasn’t thought this through, if you stop them from going overseas (and they really exist) where does he think they are going to do their terror … in cafes in Ponsonby of course, and it will be John Key’s fault

  13. Mike 14

    It’s true that it’s very difficult to stop lone nutters, but this case differs from an Aromoana case in that it’s clearly linked to a political beef with Western involvement in the Middle East. His demands included:

    1. An ISIL flag.

    2. To speak to the Prime Minister.

    Note that in September ISIL called for lone wolf attacks in Australia, so it’s not something occuring in a vacuum. Similarly, there have been numerous arrests of people who had been planning be-headings, so the demand for surveillance powers seems a sad requirement at the moment.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 14.1

      It’s also “very clearly linked” to impending protracted loss of liberty for murder and rape. I’m picking loss of liberty weighs heavier on the mind than recently boarded political bandwagons.

      Just a wild guess.

    • BLiP 14.2

      It wasn’t an ISIS flag . . . if you are taking your information from what John Key said on RNZ this morning, be advised: its another of his lies.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 14.3

      RWNJ duped by lying Prime Minister. Ho hum.

      • Paul 14.3.1

        You should feel sorry for members of cults like Mike.
        There is hope, but they need our help.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 14.3.1.1

          Charity is overrated. I suggest we maintain strict rules of evidence and extend them into all public decisions, then provide income assistance to destitute public relations executives and wingnuts.

    • Tracey 14.4

      Do you get that wide surveillance power didnt prevent two innocent folks dying in a cafe in sydney this morning?

    • Tracey 14.5

      I guess you missed the bit about the australian police not yet convinced it is terrorism, but what would they know, compared to “i dont recall” John Key.

    • McFlock 14.6

      This sad fellow sounds more like Samuel Byck than Abu Nidal.

      Amazing how your comments on behalf of demonstrably-ineffective mass surveillance aren’t matched by your [absent] calls for better mental health care, or even a review of bail risk criteria.

    • Murray Rawshark 14.7

      There were not numerous arrests of people planning beheadings. One that was reported was because a guy had a plastic sword. There have been very few charges from an operation involving more than 800 police. One arrest was apparently based on an incorrectly translated phone call.

      There is something sad in your comment, but it’s not a requirement. It’s a Kiwi who believes anything.

  14. vto 15

    So Tony Abbot reckons this gunman committed an act of political violence.

    How does Tony Abbot square that away with Australia’s acts of political violence in the middle east for the last dozen years?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1

      “reckons”

      It’s a sliding scale I guess: from the top:

      1. Publishes in a peer-reviewed journal.
      2. Has evidence for.
      3. Believes as a result of direct personal experience.
      4. Thinks.
      5. Reckons.
      6. Spins.
      7. The shit wingnuts do.

  15. barry 16

    The one thing that the siege has shown us is that no matter what powers they give themselves the security apparatus is incapable of stopping random acts by nutters. It does not in any way make a case for increasing surveillance powers.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1

      Nope, it hasn’t even shown us that: we already knew that. In that sense it’s yet another banal illustration of just how shite “conservative” “opinion” is these days.

      The good news is that #illridewithyou

      • Paul 16.1.1

        I’ll ride with you was a wonderful show of solidarity amongst people.
        Generous empathetic and societal.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1.1.1

          Human values are independent of human rights, thankfully, Lao Tzu wrote that when the government is lazy and blunt, the people are kind and honest.

          Our government struggles to match ethics that were ascendant, if not ubiquitous, six thousand years ago.

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    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
    5 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
    6 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
    6 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
    5 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
    10 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
    12 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
    13 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
    7 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

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