Megan Woods’ speech to the Petroleum Conference

Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, March 29th, 2018 - 18 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, global warming, labour, science, sustainability - Tags:

Text of Megan Woods’s speech recently delivered to the Petroleum Conference from Scoop.

As a politician, you never want to start by disappointing your audience, but in situations like this I’ve always found it’s best to be upfront. I have no intention to keep you on the edges of your seats in a “will she or won’t she” pantomime. It’s not my style.

So, I won’t be announcing Block Offer 2018 today.

As the Prime Minister has said, the Government is actively considering this issue, and we’ll have an announcement in the coming weeks.

I know this is an issue everyone here is incredibly interested in, so while I can’t give you an announcement, I do want to spend time today and tell you as plainly as I can the role this Government sees for our upstream energy sector, and I do want to give you an idea of the principles and framework we will bring to decisions about any future exploration permits.

I know that the investment decisions and the planning for projects that people in this room make have enormous lead times and involve huge amounts of money. You have told me that what you value most is certainty and predictability.

So today I want to lay out where we come from when we make decisions like this, the approach we will be taking, and the analysis we bring to bear on these issues.

Our approach in this area comes from the type of Government we want to be.

One that is responsible and manages change well, but that does not shy away from making tough calls and grappling with big issues.

One that will put the well-being and living standards of New Zealanders at the core of everything we do.

We see the mission of our time in office as rebuilding much of the social and economic infrastructure of our country that has not been invested in enough over the last nine years.

And we see it as our mission to face up to the major coming challenges that have not been well addressed.

We stand for transformational change – moving to an economy that is sustainable, inclusive and productive.

That is this Government’s overriding economic aim.

We aim to shape an economy where we work smarter, make better use of our resources, ensure everyone who wants to work can work, and ensure that the benefits of growth are spread across society

And we aim to shape an economy that is sustainable, that is not prone to major shocks, and that meets our obligations to our Paris commitments.

And that means having a plan to responsibly transition towards a low carbon economy.

Our goals in this area are ambitious and plainly stated.

A carbon neutral economy by 2050.

100% renewable electricity, in a normal hydrological year, by 2035.

These targets commit us to a long term transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.

Now, I am keenly aware that the need for this transition is not new to anyone in this room.

I know that the old stereotypes of the energy sector are simply not true today and that industry itself is well aware that the days of complete reliance on fossil fuels are over.

And I want to congratulate your sector on the steps you are taking to support this transition.

You understand the need and you are taking action.

That’s why the IEA reports that globally in 2017, investment in electricity surpassed investment in oil and gas for the first time ever.

It’s why the World Bank has announced it will no longer finance upstream oil and gas extraction after 2019.

It’s why Statoil, for example has introduced an internal price on carbon for all its projects and has adopted a climate assessment and is even changing its name to Equinor, to reflect the changing nature of its business.

It’s why by 2035 Shell aims to have achieved a 20% reduction in the carbon footprint of the energy it sells, and 50% reduction by 2050.

It’s why the industry has come together to invest in the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, which will deliver one billion dollars’ worth of research into new  projects initiatives and technological solutions to reduce carbon emissions.

So I acknowledge that the need for a transition is widely understood in this industry and I congratulate you on the steps you have taken to support it.

And likewise, the need for a transition is now gaining bipartisan political support.

I acknowledge the new leader of the opposition said in an interview on March the 3rd of this year that he acknowledges the need for a transition.

So it is widely agreed that this transition needs to happen.

The question is what kind of transition we will have, and how it will impact the well-being of our people, our businesses, our economy and our environment.

Those of you who have heard me speak before will know I am passionate believer in the idea of a just, well-managed transition.

I don’t want to see an abrupt transition that leaves industries stagnant, communities without a future and individuals without hope.

What I want to see is a clear, transparent and well managed pathway to a new economy.

And that means we must develop a clear plan, that will allow for informed investment decisions to be made and that will support communities that currently rely on fossil fuel extraction.

In our Government we know that this transition cannot happen suddenly.

But we know that to quote a famous New Zealander, it won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.

And that means we need to be preparing now.

In our view there are two choices, bury our head in the sand and assume the transition will take care of itself, or be responsible and make plans now for our future.

No one is talking about making abrupt, jarring change in our economy and by planning now, that is what we can avoid.

Here in this country, we’ve learned all too well how much damage changes like that can do.

Like our Prime Minister, I grew up in the 1980s a time of dislocating social and economic change.

I watched people in the community where I grew up lose jobs that had supported our community for decades.

I watched people lose their jobs, their hope, and their dignity.

I watched as families were displaced and communities were gutted.

I will not be part of a Government that allows something like that to happen again.

I don’t want New Zealand to be the country that rips the rug out from under businesses, communities and individuals because we didn’t have a plan to deal with the future.

If we have the courage to think long term now we can avoid that.

If we raise our eyes and get ahead of the curve with a long term plan, we can ensure a better future.

And New Zealander’s get this.

They want leaders who think beyond the 3 year election cycle and plan for the long term.

And let’s be clear, we’ve got the time to get this right.

These are ten and twenty and thirty year timelines we are talking about.

In order to avoid shocks and disruptions as we undergo these structural adjustments, it is imperative that we have robust across-government transition planning that is well connected to industry and workforce.

This planning must address the challenges posed by a changing climate and create new opportunities for our businesses and industry – and importantly, secure the jobs of the future.

We’ve already said that region by region our Government will be drawing up robust economic development plans. Minister Jones and his Provincial Growth Fund will once again deliver jobs to our regions.

Alongside this work, we need to be thinking about how to connect the transition to a low carbon future to the resurgence of our regions.

We also need to be connecting the dots to workforce planning.

We need to be thinking about the qualifications and skills this economic transformation will require.

It is this kind of joined up thinking from a progressive and future-focused government that will ensure that we minimise the shocks and ensure a “just transition” to a low-carbon economy.

As a Labour Minister of Energy and Resources, this really matters to me.

For over a century a stable job with decent pay and conditions has been the guiding principle of the labour mission.

Our job in the twenty-first century is to ensure that our industries and workforce currently employed in high-emission industries are not consigned to the scrap heap as we respond to the shocks of unplanned and urgent economic upheaval.

Instead, it means starting immediately to put in place across-government transition planning to build a stronger, fairer and more sustainable economy.

That’s why I have asked MBIE to begin this important transition planning role.

We will be having conversations across Government.

We’ll be talking about how Energy and Resources decisions link up with Regional Economic Development and the Provincial Growth Fund.

How these in turn link with education decisions and the need for workforce planning.

And then how all of this fits with investment in innovation.

I am aware that you want to be part of this conversation and I want you to be a part of this planning.

The work that we undertake will be tripartite.

We will bring industry, the workforce and government together to develop a plan.

Over the coming months we will be asking you to join us and it is my sincere hope that as an industry you take up this offer.

It will be against this backdrop of transitions planning, that we make our decisions around future block offers.

There are several points I want to make crystal clear today.

One, no one is suggesting changing any existing permit or project.

Two, we are not talking about losing jobs or revenue that already exist or investments which have already been planned or committed to.

Three, no one is talking about shutting off our supply of fuels we need to keep our country and economy running strongly.

This Government is well aware of the huge importance of peaking to ensure security of electricity supply.

That’s why our commitment around the pathway to 100% renewable energy by 2035 contains the phrase in a normal hydrological year.

And we know we have ten years or so of natural gas consented for drilling, and potentially many more years that could be discovered under existing exploration permits. Some of these permits run as late as 2046.

They are not under threat.

Fourth, I want to make clear that we will be providing a step by step plan to take us right through until 2050.

This work will be led by an Independent Climate Commission, who will develop carbon budgets planning us right through to 2050.

This will deliver the certainty and stability of policy that are vital for the industry.

I note that the UK has made real strides in this area through strong bi-partisan co-operation.

Here in New Zealand, we should be aiming for a multi-party approach.

Because the people on the ICC won’t be politicians or work to a political timetable.

They’ll be experts tasked with developing a long term economic plan that moves us away from carbon emissions while also protecting the security of our energy supply and ensuring we have access to the energy we need as a country.

And as I have said our Government will take action to support communities that currently rely on fuels that are being phased out.

Our Government’s Provincial Growth Fund and Green Investment Fund will invest billions of dollars in local infrastructure and clean energy projects in areas like this.

We’ll work alongside local mayors, businesses, unions, economic development agencies and councils to identify the projects with the best business cases and consult the local community every step of the way.

And we’ll do more to support innovation to create new jobs in new industries.

That’s why our Government will be introducing a research and development tax incentive, so that companies can claim money back on every dollar they spend on R and D.

It’s why we will lift New Zealand’s spending on R and D to 2% of GDP, to bring us in line with the OECD.

This will mean New Zealand can transition to a cleaner economy, protect our planet while still providing high paying jobs that support families.

That’s what we can achieve if we have a plan.

And I want to emphasise today that once we have our carbon budgets and our clear path forward, our Government will consult and work with industry on every step we take along this path to transition.

We are a Government that listens, then acts. That consults widely, thinks through issues deeply and seeks to forge consensus on how we can take New Zealand forward together.

We want to work with you to make this a transition that works for everyone.

Government cannot do it alone.

There is no doubt in my mind that climate change will drive the most significant economic transformation in modern history.

The transition to a low-carbon or a net-zero carbon economy will be as transformational as the industrial revolution was to the societies and economies in the nineteenth century.

We need to work with industry, with businesses, with community groups and with individuals around the country to ensure this transition protects jobs, supports communities, and leads us to a better, fairer future.

That’s what we can deliver together and I look forward to working with all of you to make it happen.

18 comments on “Megan Woods’ speech to the Petroleum Conference ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Draco T Bastard 1
    29 March 2018 at 1:30 pm

    One that will put the well-being and living standards of New Zealanders at the core of everything we do.

    We see the mission of our time in office as rebuilding much of the social and economic infrastructure of our country that has not been invested in enough over the last nine years.

    And we see it as our mission to face up to the major coming challenges that have not been well addressed.

    We stand for transformational change – moving to an economy that is sustainable, inclusive and productive.

    That is this Government’s overriding economic aim.

    Then they failed at it the moment the agreed to sign the TPPA.

    We’ll work alongside local mayors, businesses, unions, economic development agencies and councils to identify the projects with the best business cases and consult the local community every step of the way.

    And this is how you destroy a community.

    We don’t want what’s best for business. We need what is best for the community. The two do not always align. In fact, the Great Depression and the GFC indicate that they never align.

    That’s why our Government will be introducing a research and development tax incentive, so that companies can claim money back on every dollar they spend on R and D.

    Considering that the R&D a company does is fully tax deductible as a business expense does this mean that the NZ government will be giving subsidies for what the business would be doing anyway?

    It’s why we will lift New Zealand’s spending on R and D to 2% of GDP, to bring us in line with the OECD.

    We’re a small country which means that we actually need to spend more on R&D just to keep up. Better to start the transition to 25% of the workforce in R&D now.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1
      29 March 2018 at 1:46 pm

      Decent investment in R&D is a great idea. Unfortunately, many of NZ’s best STEM graduates head overseas for further training and/or work, and they don’t all come back.

      Still, a great idea to try to grow opportunities for Research (including basic research) and Development in NZ, accompanied by increased investment in STEM education.

    • Phil 1.2
      29 March 2018 at 9:38 pm

      And don’t forget the stupidity of:

      “ensure that the benefits of growth are spread across society…

      And we aim to shape an economy that is sustainable”

      Our environmental impact is already well into overshoot with ecosystem collapse and biodiversity loss becoming noticable to all. It is clear that economic growth is entirely incompatable with a sustainable economy.

  2. Ad 2
    29 March 2018 at 1:49 pm

    “…if we have a plan.”

    Had 9 years to have a plan ffs.
    Get your shit together Megan.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      29 March 2018 at 3:07 pm

      Chances are Labour do have a plan but that plan will change with consultation with other groups – as good plans do.

      Planning Is Everything. The Plan Is Nothing.

      In reality, most plans are rendered useless almost as soon as they are put in motion. There is still some value in the original plan, however. It defines the goal or the outcome we desire. And that’s the most important part of the original plan – that the destination is clear; the reason you’re on the journey in the first place.

      Really, it’s you who needs to get your shit together and stop being an arsehole through your ignorance.

      • Ad 2.1.1
        29 March 2018 at 3:41 pm

        – no reference to Carbon Zero an or impending legislation

        – no strong targets to hold themselves accountable

        – no integration of policies or programmes

        – scant regard for climate change

        – tonnes of praise and carrot, no regulatory sticks

        – spectacular abstract nouns, buzzword bingo, noise masquerading as cohesion.

        – 9 years to figure it out.

        Compare all that to Twyford and Parker: plan, budget, enforce, deliver from day one.

        Keep your insults where they belong.

        Eisenhower had the Marshall Plan and delivered wholesale transformation of Europe within a clear policy framework.

        • alwyn 2.1.1.1
          29 March 2018 at 6:19 pm

          “Eisenhower had the Marshall Plan and delivered wholesale transformation of Europe within a clear policy framework”.

          I thought that I had a reasonable knowledge of Post WW II history but this is news to me.
          The Marshall Plan ran for four years stating in April 1948.
          It is certainly true that Eisenhower was in Europe for part of that time. He was Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe from the beginning of 1951 until about April 1952, but that had nothing to do with the Marshall Plan.

          Indeed quite a lot of the NATO countries at that time had no involvement in the Marshall Plan, and about half those who received Marshall Aid were not in NATO.
          By the time he became President the Marshall Plan was over.
          What do you actually mean by the statement I have quoted?

          • Ad 2.1.1.1.1
            29 March 2018 at 6:43 pm

            You need a better grip on the relationship between Truman’s Marshall Plan and Eisenhower’s continuance of anti-communist policies from Truman.

            Both originate in Marshall’s patronage of Eisenhower through the war.

            • In Vino 2.1.1.1.1.1
              29 March 2018 at 7:54 pm

              alwyn does try to be a punctilious nit-picker. By the time he was President, Eisenhower knew which side of the bread the anti-Russian butter was on..

            • alwyn 2.1.1.1.1.2
              29 March 2018 at 9:42 pm

              In other words you meant to say Truman but gave the wrong name.
              Hey, accidents happen.

              • Incognito …
                29 March 2018 at 10:01 pm

                Alwyn, an accident is when you cannot find a public toilet in time. A mistake is when you go to the wrong sex toilet. An error is when it turns out there is no toilet paper.

    • Chris 2.2
      29 March 2018 at 8:23 pm

      “We see the mission of our time in office as rebuilding much of the social and economic infrastructure of our country that has not been invested in enough over the last nine years.”

      More like 27+ years, and that’s excluding rogernomics. What’s alarming is that Woods thinks investment in social and economic infrastructure between 1999 and 2008 was fine. Until Labour acknowledges the Clark years were a disaster expect more of the same.

  3. Incognito 3
    29 March 2018 at 9:39 pm

    I think this was a good scene-setting speech that was well-tailored for her audience. I wonder how they received it.

  4. Jenny 4
    29 March 2018 at 10:55 pm

    ‘

    Aspirational?

    Or, Actual?

    Some time in the future?

    Or, now?

    We are about to find out.

    “Stop Te Kuha Coal Mine”
    350.org Aotearoa

    The Buller District Council has just granted resource consent for Te Kuha mine, a 109 hectare opencast coal mine on the West Coast, but the government has yet to decide whether to allow the miners to take the top off the mountain – the 12 hectares that are part of the Mt Rochfort Conservation Park.

    The Department of Conservation has stated that this area is “recognised as nationally and internationally unique and for having very high ecological and conservation value.” It contains Great Spotted Kiwi and other rare and endangered species and plants.

    We have until the end of January to make it clear that Te Kuha and all new coal projects are not Aotearoa’s future, so we have teamed up with Coal Action Network to stop this project in its tracks.

    http://350.org.nz/stop-te-kuha-coal-mine/

    And as I have said our Government will take action to support communities that currently rely on fuels that are being phased out.

    Our Government’s Provincial Growth Fund and Green Investment Fund will invest billions of dollars in local infrastructure and clean energy projects in areas like this.

    Megan Woods

    So will Megan Woods cancel the proposed new coal mine project at Te Kuha, or not?

    Will Megan Woods use the Provincial Growth Fund to invest “in local infrastructure and clean energy projects in areas like this”, instead?

    Or is this a task for some future administration some decades down the track?

    We will soon know.

    “COAL IS 100% NOT OUR FUTURE!”
    “#KEEPITINTHEGROUND”

    CANA

    It’s astonishing and appalling that a Government that says all the right words about the need for action on climate change may nevertheless let a new coal mine go ahead on the West Coast, when it could stop that mine with the stroke of a pen.

    We’re calling on the responsible Ministers, Labour’s Megan Woods and the Greens’ Eugenie Sage, to do the right thing for our country, our climate and our planet and say “No!” to this project.

    http://coalaction.org.nz/network/350/last-chance-to-sign-petition-to-save-te-kuha-from-coal-mining-closes-this-sunday-18-march

  5. cleangreen 5
    29 March 2018 at 11:12 pm

    “We need to work with industry, with businesses, with community groups and with individuals around the country to ensure this transition protects jobs, supports communities, and leads us to a better, fairer future.”

    Finally someone inside Labour are saying what jacinda promised as a Government of “inclusion” & “‘giving every one a voice” when Meagan Woods said We need to work with “community groups” among those in business.

    Our NGO is a Community Advocacy Centre for 17 yrs now; and worked with the last Labour government and had some discussions with the National Party so we are waiting for some real “active consultation with the Government” on this issue Meagan please.

    Firstly we want to see all regional rail services re-instated and future plan for electric locomotives.beginning with East Coast rail Napier to Gisborne and Northland rail services started again and begin a plan to electrify those lines we need again to carry the export freight that now will increase 3 times between now and 2035 according to the MOT reports.
    “Lets do this” – for our planet and our children’s future.

  6. Jenny 6
    30 March 2018 at 12:18 pm

    “I know that the investment decisions and the planning for projects that people in this room make have enormous lead times and involve huge amounts of money. You have told me that what you value most is certainty and predictability.”

    Megan Woods
    Speech to the Petroleum Conference

    So does the fossil fuel lobby have the certainty they “value most”?

    Maybe, Maybe not.

    If I was them I would pull out now.

    Despite Megan Woods comments that the government will not cancel existing permits to prospect for (and exploit) new oil and gas reserves,

    It is my opinion that it is still quite possible that the wider body politic could put an end to the current search for new fossil fuel reserves in this country.

    This project will require judicial activism backed up by extra-judicial activism, and parliamentary action, strengthened and reinforced by extra-parliamentary action.

    Everyone who wants to, will be able to contribute, and take part.

    Politicians don’t act in a vacuum, politics is all about pressure.

    Despite all the attempts by the corporate sector to put legal restrictions on our parliament to curtail parliament’s independence and to undermine parliament’s democratically mandated authority, (the TPPA being just one example), parliament is still the highest deciding court in this country. Parliament still has the power to make or unmake laws as they see fit.

    Ultimately it will depend on which side can put the most pressure on our parliamentarians to take action, or not take action.

    Call: He aha te mea nui o te ao?

    Response: He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to June 3 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to June 3 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm today.Parliament’s Environment Select Committee resumes hearing submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm today.Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    49 mins ago

  • May-24 AT Board Meeting
    Tomorrow the AT board meet again and I’ve taken a look through the items on their public agenda to see what’s interesting. It’s also the first meeting for two recently appointed directors, former director at Ritchies Transport, Andrew Ritchie and former mayor of Hamilton, Julie Hardaker. The public session starts ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 hour ago

  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Monday, May 27
    The Government is looking again at changing fringe benefit tax rules to make it harder to claim a personally-used double-cab ute as a company vehicle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Having repealed the previous Government’s ‘ute tax’ last year, the new Government is looking at removing a defacto tax ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 hours ago

  • Some Dark Moments from Netflix's Dark Tourist
    Hi,I pitched a documentary to a big streamer last week and they said “no thanks” which is a bummer, because we’d worked on the concept for ages and I think it would have been a compelling watch. But I would say that because I was the one pitching it, right?As ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 hours ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #21
    A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 19, 2024 thru Sat, May 25, 2024. Story of the week This week's typiclal compendium of stories we'd rather were plot devices in science ficition novels but instead ...
    Skeptical Science
    13 hours ago

  • National’s bulldozer dictatorship bill
    This National government has been aggressively anti-environment, and is currently ramming through its corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" legislation to give three ministers dictatorial powers over what gets built and where. But that's not the only thing they're doing. On Thursday they introduced a Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    16 hours ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Negative social impact of taxpayer-funded partisan charities
    Whenever politicians dole out taxpayer funding to groups or individuals, they must do so in a wholly transparent way with due process to ensure conflicts of interest don’t occur and that the country receives value for money. Unfortunately, it’s not clear that this has occurred in the announcement this week ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago

  • My Lovely Man.
    Last night began earlier than usual. In bed by 6:30pm, asleep an hour later. Sometimes I do sleep odd hours, writing late and/or getting up very early - complemented with the occasional siesta, but I’m usually up a bit later than that on a Saturday night. Last night I was ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    24 hours ago

  • Pressing the Big Red Button
    Early in the COVID-19 days, the Boris Johnson government pressed a Big Red Button marked: act immediately, never mind about the paperwork.Their problem was: not having enough PPE gear for all the hospital and emergency staff. Their solution was to expedite things and get them the gear ASAP.This, along with ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Of Pensioners and Student Loans: An Indictment on New Zealand
    Up until 1989, you could attend a New Zealand University, and never need to pay a cent for your education. That then changed, of course. The sadists of the Fourth Labour Government introduced substantial fees for study, never having had to pay a cent for their own education. The even ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 day ago

  • Putting children first
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Minister for Children Karen Chhour is putting children first: Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I move, That the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the bill. It’s a privilege ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Te Pati Maori go personal
    David Farrar writes –  Newshub reports:    Applause and cheers erupted in the House on Wednesday afternoon as Children’s Minister Karen Chhour condemned Te Pāti Māori’s insults about her upbringing. Chhour, who grew up in state care, is repealing section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act – sparking uproar from ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Threads of Corruption
    I could corrupt youIt would be uglyThey could sedate youBut what good would drugs be?Good Morning all,Today there’s a guest newsletter from Gerard Otto (G). By which I mean I read his post this morning and he has kindly allowed me to share it with you.If you don’t already I ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • The days fly by
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Aotearoa, you’re being dismantled… so take the blinkers off and start talking honestly about it.
    Is the solution to any of the serious, long term issues we all have to face as a nation, because many governments of all stripes we can probably all admit if we’re deeply truthful with ourselves haven’t done near enough work at the very times they should have, to basically ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago

  • Has Labour Abandoned the Welfare State They Created in 1938?
    The 2018 Social Security Act suggests that Labour may have retreated to the minimalist (neo-liberal) welfare state which has developed out of the Richardson-Shipley ‘redesign’. One wonders what Michael Joseph Savage, Peter Fraser and Walter Nash would have thought of the Social Security Act passed by the Ardern Labour Government ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: MPs’ financial interests under scrutiny
    MPs are supposed to serve the public interest, not their own self-interest. And according to the New Zealand Parliament’s website, democracy and integrity are tarnished whenever politicians seek to enrich themselves or the people they are connected with. For this reason, the Parliament has a “Register of Pecuniary Interests” in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Mastering FLICC – A Cranky Uncle themed quiz
    By now, most of you will have heard about the FLICC taxonomy of science denial techniques and how you can train your skills in detecting them with the Cranky Uncle game. If you like to quickly check how good you are at this already, answer the 12 quiz questions in the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Shane Jones has the zeal, sure enough, but is too busy with his mining duties (we suspect) to be ava...
    Buzz from the Beehive The hacks of the Parliamentary Press Gallery have been able to chip into a rich vein of material on the government’s official website over the past 24 hours. Among the nuggets is the speech by Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and a press statement to announce ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Cut the parliamentary term
    When Labour was in power, they wasted time, political capital, and scarce policy resources on trying to extend the parliamentary term to four years, in an effort to make themselves less accountable to us. It was unlikely to fly, the idea having previously lost two referendums by huge margins - ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • More terrible media ethics
    David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: When Whanau Ora chief executive John Tamihere was asked what his expectations for the Budget next Thursday were, he said: “All hope is lost.” Last year Whānau Ora was allocated $163.1 million in the Budget to last for the next four years ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bringing our democracy into disrepute
    On Monday the government introduced its racist bill to eliminate Māori represntation in local government to the House. They rammed it through its first reading yesterday, and sent it to select committee. And the select committee has just opened submissions, giving us until Wednesday to comment on it. Such a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • The censors who’ll save us from ourselves… yeah right!
    Nick Hanne writes – There’s a common malady suffered by bureaucracies the world over. They wish to save us from ourselves. Sadly, NZ officials are no less prone to exhibiting symptoms of this occupational condition. Observe, for instance, the reaction from certain public figures to the news ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • The case for commissioners to govern the capital city
    Peter Dunne writes – As the city of Tauranga prepares to elect a new Mayor and Council after three and a half years being run by government-appointed Commissioners, the case for replacing the Wellington City Council with Commissioners strengthens. The Wellington City Council has been dysfunctional for years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Thoughts about contemporary troubles.
    This will be s short post. It stems from observations I made elsewhere about what might be characterised as some macro and micro aspects of contemporary collective violence events. Here goes. The conflicts between Israel and Palestine and France and … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On Blurring The Lines Around Political Corruption
    It may be a relic of a previous era of egalitarianism, but many of us like to think that, in general, most New Zealanders are as honest as the day is long. We’re good like that, and smart as. If we’re not punching above our weight on the world stage, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • MPs own 2.2 houses on average
    Bryce Edwards writes – Why aren’t politicians taking more action on the housing affordability crisis? The answer might lie in the latest “Register of Pecuniary Interests.” This register contains details of the various financial interests of parliamentarians. It shows that politicians own real estate in significant numbers. The ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • King Mike & Mike King.
    I built a time machine to see you againTo hear your phone callYour voice down the hallThe way we were back thenWe were dancing in the rainOur feet on the pavementYou said I was your second headI knew exactly what you meantIn the country of the blind, or so they ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: MPs own 2.2 houses on average
    Why aren’t politicians taking more action on the housing affordability crisis? The answer might lie in the latest “Register of Pecuniary Interests.” This register contains details of the various financial interests of parliamentarians. It shows that politicians own real estate in significant numbers. The register published on Tuesday contains a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • How much climate reality can the global financial system take without collapsing?
    Microsoft’s transparency about its failure to meet its own net-zero goals is creditable, but the response to that failure is worrying. It is offering up a set of false solutions, heavily buttressed by baseless optimism. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 24-May-2024
    Another Friday, another Rāmere Roundup! Here are a few things that caught our eye this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday, our new writer Connor Sharp roared into print with a future-focused take on the proposed Auckland Future Fund, and what it could invest in. On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago

  • Earning The Huia Feather.
    Still Waiting: Māori land remains in the hands of Non-Māori. The broken promises of the Treaty remain broken. The mana of the tangata whenua languishes under racist neglect. The right to wear the huia feather remains as elusive as ever. Perhaps these three transformations are beyond the power of a ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Friday, May 24
    Posters opposing the proposed Fast-Track Approvals legislation were pasted around Wellington last week. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: One of the architects of the RMA and a former National Cabinet Minister, Simon Upton, has criticised the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals bill as potentially disastrous for the environment, arguing just 1% ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to May 24
    There was less sharing of the joy this week than at the Chinese New Year celebrations in February. China’s ambassador to NZ (2nd from right above) has told Luxon that relations between China and New Zealand are now at a ‘critical juncture’ Photo: Getty / Xinhua News AgencyTL;DR: The podcast ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Beijing troubleshooter’s surprise visit
    The importance of New Zealand’s relationship with China was surely demonstrated yesterday with the surprise arrival in the capital of top Chinese foreign policy official Liu Jianchao. The trip was apparently organized a week ago but kept secret. Liu is the Minister of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) International Liaison ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • UK election a foregone conclusion?  That’s why it’s interesting
    With a crushing 20-plus point lead in the opinion polls, all the signs are that Labour leader Keir Starmer will be the PM after the general election on 4 July, called by Conservative incumbent Rishi Sunak yesterday. The stars are aligned for Starmer.  Rival progressives are in abeyance: the Liberal-Democrat ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    3 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #21 2021
    Open access notables How much storage do we need in a fully electrified future? A critical review of the assumptions on which this question depends, Marsden et al., Energy Research & Social Science: Our analysis advances the argument that current approaches reproduce interpretations of normality that are, ironically, rooted in ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Days in the life
    We returned last week from England to London. Two different worlds. A quarter of an hour before dropping off our car, we came to a complete stop on the M25. Just moments before, there had been six lanes of hurtling cars and lorries. Now, everything was at a standstill as ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Forget about its name and focus on its objective – this RMA reform bill aims to cut red tape (and ...
    Buzz from the Beehive A triumvirate of ministers – holding the Agriculture, Environment and RMA Reform portfolios – has announced the introduction of legislation “to slash the tangle of red and green tape throttling development in key sectors”, such as farming, mining and other primary industries. The exact name of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • More National corruption
    In their coalition agreement with NZ First, the National Party agreed to provide $24 million in funding to the charity "I Am Hope / Gumboot Friday". Why were they so eager to do so? Because their chair was a National donor, their CEO was the son of a National MP ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Submit!
    The Social Services and Community Committee has called for submissions on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. Submissions are due by Wednesday, 3 July 2024, and can be made at the link above. And if you're wondering what to say: section 7AA was enacted because Oranga Tamariki ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Reading the MPS numbers thinking about the fiscal situation
    Michael Reddell writes –  The Reserve Bank doesn’t do independent fiscal forecasts so there is no news in the fiscal numbers in today’s Monetary Policy Statement themselves. The last official Treasury forecasts don’t take account of whatever the government is planning in next week’s Budget, and as the Bank notes ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Charter Schools are a worthwhile addition to our school system – but ACT is mis-selling why they a...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – We know the old saying, “Never trust a politician”, and the Charter School debate is a good example of it. Charter Schools receive public funding, yet “are exempt from most statutory requirements of traditional public schools, including mandates around .. human capital management .. curriculum ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Paranoia On The Left.
    How Do We Silence Them? The ruling obsession of the contemporary Left is that political action undertaken by individuals or groups further to the right than the liberal wings of mainstream conservative parties should not only be condemned, but suppressed.WEB OF CHAOS, a “deep dive into the world of disinformation”, ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • Budget challenges
    Muriel Newman writes –  As the new Government puts the finishing touches to this month’s Budget, they will undoubtedly have had their hands full dealing with the economic mess that Labour created. Not only was Labour a grossly incompetent manager of the economy, but they also set out ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Rishi calls an Election.
    Today the British PM, Rishi Sunak, called a general election for the 4th of July. He spoke of the challenging times and of strong leadership and achievements. It was as if he was talking about someone else, a real leader, rather than he himself or the woeful list of Tory ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Photo of the Day: GNR
    This post marks the return of an old format: Photo of the Day. Recently I was in an apartment in one of those new buildings on Great North Road Grey Lynn at rush hour, perfect day, the view was stunning, so naturally I whipped out my phone: GNR 5pm Turns ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    4 days ago

  • Choosing landlords and the homeless over first home buyers
    The Government may struggle with the political optics of scrapping assistance for first home buyers while also cutting the tax burden on landlords, increasing concerns over the growing generational divide. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government confirmed it will dump first home buyer grants in the Budget next ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Orr’s warning; three years of austerity
    Yesterday, the Reserve Bank confirmed there will be no free card for the economy to get out of jail during the current term of the Government. Regardless of what the Budget next week says, we are in for three years of austerity. Over those three years, we will have to ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • An admirable U-turn
    It doesn’t inspire confidence when politicians change their minds.  But you must give credit when a bad idea is dropped. Last year, we reported on the determination of British PM Rishi Sunak to lead the world in regulating the dangers of Artificial Intelligence. Perhaps he changed his mind after meeting ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    4 days ago

  • Climate Adam: Can we really suck up Carbon Dioxide?
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Is carbon dioxide removal - aka "negative emissions" - going to save us from climate change? Or is it just a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Public funding for private operators in mental health and housing – and a Bill to erase a bit of t...
    Headed for the legislative wastepaper basket…    Buzz from the Beehive It looks like this government is just as ready as its predecessor to dip into the public funds it is managing to dispense millions of dollars to finance – and favour – the parties it fancies. Or ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Why has Einstein Medalist Roy Kerr never been Knighted?
    Rob MacCulloch writes – National and Labour and ACT have at various times waxed on about their “vision” of NZ as a high value-added world tech center What subject is tech based upon? Mathematics. A Chicago mathematician just told me that whereas last decade ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Contestable advice
    Eric Crampton writes –  Danyl McLauchlan over at The Listener on the recent shift toward more contestability in public policy advice in education: Education Minister Erica Stanford, one of National’s highest-ranked MPs, is trying to circumvent the establishment, taking advice from a smaller pool of experts – ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • How did it get so bad?
    Ele Ludemann writes – That Kāinga Ora is a mess is no surprise, but the size of the mess is. There have been many reports of unruly tenants given licence to terrorise neighbours, properties bought and left vacant, and the state agency paying above market rates in competition ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • How serious is an MP’s failure to declare $178k in donations?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s being explained as an “inadvertent error”. However, National MP David MacLeod’s excuse for failing to disclose $178,000 in donations for his election campaign last year is not necessarily enough to prevent some serious consequences. A Police investigation is now likely, and the result ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the privatising of state housing provision, by stealth
    The scathing “independent” review of Kāinga Ora barely hit the table before the coalition government had acted on it. The entire Kāinga Ora board will be replaced, and a new chair (Simon Moutter) has been announced. Hmm. No aspersions on Bill English, but the public would have had more confidence ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Our House.
    I'll light the fireYou place the flowers in the vaseThat you bought todayA warm dry home, you’d think that would be bread and butter to politicians. Home ownership and making sure people aren’t left living on the street, that’s as Kiwi as Feijoa and Apple Crumble. Isn’t it?The coalition are ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Getting to No
    Politics is about compromise, right?  And framing it so the voters see your compromise as the better one.  John Key was a skilful exponent of this approach (as was Keith Holyoake in an earlier age), and Chris Luxon isn’t too bad either. But in politics, the process whereby an old ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – How does the Medieval Warm Period compare to current global temperatures?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: How serious is an MP’s failure to declare $178k in donations?
    It’s being explained as an “inadvertent error”. However, National MP David MacLeod’s excuse for failing to disclose $178,000 in donations for his election campaign last year is not necessarily enough to prevent some serious consequences. A Police investigation is now likely, and the result of his non-disclosure could even see ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Get your story straight, buddy
    The relentless drone coming out of the Prime Minister and his deputy for a million days now has been that the last government was just hosing  money all over the show and now at last the grownups are in charge and shutting that drunken sailor stuff down. There is a word ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A govt plane is headed for New Caledonia – here’s hoping the Kiwis stranded there get better ser...
    Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to riot-torn New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home. Today’s flight will carry around 50 passengers with the most ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Who is David MacLeod?
    Precious declaration saysYours is yours and mine you leave alone nowPrecious declaration saysI believe all hope is dead no longerTick tick tick Boom!Unexploded ordnance. A veritable minefield. A National caucus with a large number of unknowns, candidates who perhaps received little in the way of vetting as the party jumped ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • The Four Knights
    Rex Ahdar writes –  The Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, likes to trace his political lineage back to the pioneers of parliamentary Maoridom.   I will refer to these as the ‘big four’ or better still, the Four Knights. Just as ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Could Willie Jackson be the populist leader that Labour need?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Willie Jackson will participate in the prestigious Oxford Union debate on Thursday, following in David Lange’s footsteps. Coincidentally, Jackson has also followed Lange’s footsteps by living in his old home in South Auckland. And like Lange, Jackson might be the sort of loud-mouth scrapper ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Unacceptable
    That is the only way to describe an MP "forgetting" to declare $178,000 in donations. The amount of money involved - more than five times the candidate spending cap, and two and a half times the median income - is boggling. How do you just "forget" that amount of money? ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza!
    It finally happened: the International Criminal Court prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes in Gaza: The chief prosecutor of the international criminal court has said he is seeking arrest warrants for senior Hamas and Israeli officials for war crimes and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Media Link: AVFA on the implications of US elections.
    In this week’s “A View from Afar” podcast Selwyn Manning and spoke about the upcoming US elections and what the possibility of another Trump presidency means for the US role in world affairs. We also spoke about the problems Joe … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • Web of Chaos, Secret Dolphins & Monster Truck Madness
    Hi,Two years ago I briefly featured in Justin Pemberton’s Web of Chaos documentary, which touched on things like QAnon during the pandemic.I mostly prattled on about how intertwined conspiracy narratives are with Evangelical Christian thinking, something Webworm’s explored in the past.(The doc is available on TVNZ+, if you’re not in ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • How Government’s road obsession is ruining Auckland’s transport plans
    “TL;DR: The reality is that Central Government’s transport policy and direction makes zero sense for Auckland, and if the draft GPS doesn’t change from its original form, then Auckland will be on a collision course with Wellington.” Auckland’s draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024 is now out for consultation, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    6 days ago

  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Tuesday, May 21
    The Government is leaving the entire construction sector and the community housing sector in limbo. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government released the long-awaited Bill English-led review of Kāinga Ora yesterday, but delayed key decisions on its build plan and how to help community housing providers (CHPs) build ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Climate change is affecting mental health literally everywhere
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Farmers who can’t sleep, worrying they’ll lose everything amid increasing drought. Youth struggling with depression over a future that feels hopeless. Indigenous people grief-stricken over devastated ecosystems. For all these people and more, climate change is taking a clear toll ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • The Ambassador and Luxon – eye to eye
    New Zealand’s relationship with China is becoming harder to define, and with that comes a worry that a deteriorating political relationship could spill over into the economic relationship. It is about more than whether New Zealand will join Pillar Two of Aukus, though the Chinese Ambassador, more or less, suggested ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Fast track to environmental degradation
    Been hoping we would see something like this from Sir Geoffrey Palmer. This is excellent.The present Bill goes further than the National Development Act 1979  in stripping away procedures designed to ensure that environmental issues are properly considered. The 1979 approach was not acceptable then and this present approach is ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Major investment in teacher supply through Budget 24
    Over the next four years, Budget 24 will support the training and recruitment of 1,500 teachers into the workforce, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today. “To raise achievement and develop a world leading education system we’re investing nearly $53 million over four years to attract, train and retain our valued ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Joint statement on the New Zealand – Cook Islands Joint Ministerial Forum – 2024
    1.  New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters; Minister of Health and Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Dr Shane Reti; and Minister for Climate Change Hon Simon Watts hosted Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Hon Tingika Elikana and Minister of Health Hon Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown on 24 May ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Middle East, Africa deployments extended
    The Government has approved two-year extensions for four New Zealand Defence Force deployments to the Middle East and Africa, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “These deployments are long-standing New Zealand commitments, which reflect our ongoing interest in promoting peace and stability, and making active ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change Commission Chair to retire
    The Climate Change Commission Chair, Dr Rod Carr, has confirmed his plans to retire at the end of his term later this year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Prior to the election, Dr Carr advised me he would be retiring when his term concluded. Dr Rod Carr has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inaugural Board of Integrity Sport & Recreation Commission announced
    Nine highly respected experts have been appointed to the inaugural board of the new Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Integrity Sport and Recreation Commission is a new independent Crown entity which was established under the Integrity Sport and Recreation Act last year, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • A balanced Foreign Affairs budget
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed today that Vote Foreign Affairs in Budget 2024 will balance two crucial priorities of the Coalition Government.    While Budget 2024 reflects the constrained fiscal environment, the Government also recognises the critical role MFAT plays in keeping New Zealanders safe and prosperous.    “Consistent with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New social housing places to support families into homes
    New social housing funding in Budget 2024 will ensure the Government can continue supporting more families into warm, dry homes from July 2025, Housing Ministers Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka say. “Earlier this week I was proud to announce that Budget 2024 allocates $140 million to fund 1,500 new social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand’s minerals future
    Introduction Today, we are sharing a red-letter occasion. A Blackball event on hallowed ground. Today  we underscore the importance of our mineral estate. A reminder that our natural resource sector has much to offer.  Such a contribution will not come to pass without investment.  However, more than money is needed. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government sets out vision for minerals future
    Increasing national and regional prosperity, providing the minerals needed for new technology and the clean energy transition, and doubling the value of minerals exports are the bold aims of the Government’s vision for the minerals sector. Resources Minister Shane Jones today launched a draft strategy for the minerals sector in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government progresses Māori wards legislation
    The coalition Government’s legislation to restore the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards has passed its first reading in Parliament, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says. “Divisive changes introduced by the previous government denied local communities the ability to determine whether to establish Māori wards.” The ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • First RMA amendment Bill introduced to Parliament
    The coalition Government has today introduced legislation to slash the tangle of red and green tape throttling some of New Zealand’s key sectors, including farming, mining and other primary industries. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says the Government is committed to  unlocking development and investment while ensuring the environment is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government welcomes EPA decision
    The decision by Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to approve the continued use of hydrogen cyanamide, known as Hi-Cane, has been welcomed by Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay.  “The EPA decision introduces appropriate environmental safeguards which will allow kiwifruit and other growers to use Hi-Cane responsibly,” Ms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Speech to Employers and Manufacturers Association: Relief for today, hope for tomorrow
    Kia ora, Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou kātoa Tāmaki Herenga Waka, Tāmaki Herenga tangata Ngā mihi ki ngā mana whenua o tēnei rohe Ngāti Whātua ō Ōrākei me nga iwi kātoa kua tae mai. Mauriora. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the EMA for hosting this event. Let me acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government invests in 1,500 more social homes
    The coalition Government is investing in social housing for New Zealanders who are most in need of a warm dry home, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. Budget 2024 will allocate $140 million in new funding for 1,500 new social housing places to be provided by Community Housing Providers (CHPs), not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • $24 million boost for Gumboot Friday
    Thousands more young New Zealanders will have better access to mental health services as the Government delivers on its commitment to fund the Gumboot Friday initiative, says Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey.  “Budget 2024 will provide $24 million over four years to contract the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill passes first reading
    The Coalition Government’s Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which will improve tenancy laws and help increase the supply of rental properties, has passed its first reading in Parliament says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The Bill proposes much-needed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 that will remove barriers to increasing private ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Montecassino Commemorative Address, Cassino War Cemetery
    Standing here in Cassino War Cemetery, among the graves looking up at the beautiful Abbey of Montecassino, it is hard to imagine the utter devastation left behind by the battles which ended here in May 1944. Hundreds of thousands of shells and bombs of every description left nothing but piled ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • First Reading – Repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
    I present a legislative statement on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill Mr. Speaker, I move that the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the Bill. Thank you, Mr. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • First reading of 7AA’s repeal: progress for children
    The Bill to repeal Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has had its first reading in Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the care and safety of children in care, says Minister for Children Karen Chhour.  “When I became the Minister for Children, I made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • China Business Summit 2024
    Kia ora koutou, good morning, and zao shang hao. Thank you Fran for the opportunity to speak at the 2024 China Business Summit – it’s great to be here today. I’d also like to acknowledge: Simon Bridges - CEO of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. His Excellency Ambassador - Wang ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Assisted depatures from New Caledonia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home.    “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Assisted departures from New Caledonia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed a New Zealand Government plane will head to New Caledonia in the next hour in the first in a series of proposed flights to begin bringing New Zealanders home.  “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing them ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government to rollout roadside drug testing
    The Coalition Government will introduce legislation this year that will enable roadside drug testing as part of our commitment to improve road safety and restore law and order, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Alcohol and drugs are the number one contributing factor in fatal road crashes in New Zealand. In ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Minister responds to review of Kāinga Ora
    The Government has announced a series of immediate actions in response to the independent review of Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “Kāinga Ora is a large and important Crown entity, with assets of $45 billion and over $2.5 billion of expenditure each year. It ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour is pleased that Pseudoephedrine can now be purchased by the general public to protect them from winter illness, after the coalition government worked swiftly to change the law and oversaw a fast approval process by Medsafe. “Pharmacies are now putting the medicines back on their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • New Zealand-China Business Summit
    Tēnā koutou katoa. Da jia hao.  Good morning everyone.   Prime Minister Luxon, your excellency, a great friend of New Zealand and my friend Ambassador Wang, Mayor of what he tells me is the best city in New Zealand, Wayne Brown, the highly respected Fran O’Sullivan, Champion of the Auckland business ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New measures to protect powerlines from trees
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events.  “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani win top Māori dairy farming award
    Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received
    "On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden.  “I raised my concerns after being ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Unions should put learning ahead of ideology
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools.     “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMA
    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguard
    Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-26T21:09:28+00:00