Nastiest election ever?

Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, September 17th, 2014 - 79 comments
Categories: brand key, election 2014, twitter - Tags: , ,

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79 comments on “Nastiest election ever? ”

  1. mickysavage 1

    I keep thinking about the turmoil the right created over anti smacking, lightbulbs and sausage rolls in school and compare it to dirty politics, mass surveillance and the abuse our PM hands out without thinking and I wonder what National supporters are thinking of …

  2. Ad 2

    Most annoying election since 1981.

    1981, all the activist stars were aligned, Sprinbok Tour that year, Muldoon appeared on the ropes. Righteous fervour demanded he go.
    Nope. Opposition unsteady and poorly led in the vital week for Undecideds.

    2014, massive activist froth, Key tilting from astonishing popularity, but opposition largely sucked dry of oxygen. Righteous fervour demanded he go.
    Opposition generally nowhere in the vital week for Undecideds.

    Harrumph!

    • Tom Jackson 2.1

      The 1981 election merely delayed the inevitable, since Muldoon couldn’t even limp to a full term. If National/Act don’t get an outright majority, I think we’ll be back at the polls before too long, especially if Key resigns (I give him about a year).

      1996 was much the same. A cobbled together, desperate government on its last legs.

      This government is too beset by scandals to continue for much longer, even if it wins. Perhaps the worst thing that could happen for them is for Collins to be found innocent, because the public will see the vindication as yet another act of cronyism whatever its merits.

      • Ad 2.1.1

        Hope you’re right.
        Because a win’s a win.

        • JRT 2.1.1.1

          This election so reminds me of 1996. It will remind Winston too. He got 13% of the vote in the 1996 election, and after getting into bed with a third term National government he got less than 5% in the next election. I see we even have Paula Bennett with a deja vu Shipley makeover, cue for her to roll Key just like Shipley’s faction rolled Bolger during that third term. National got tossed out in 1999, but they were able to do a lot of damage in those last three years.

          • alwyn 2.1.1.1.1

            Winston will also be reminded of course that he had 5.72% of the vote in 2005, went into bed with a third term Labour Government and dropped 30% of the party vote in the next election and got kicked out of Parliament. Labour got tossed out in 2008, but they were able to do a lot of damage in those last three years.
            I suspect that if it meant being number 3 in a centre-left Government or number 2 in a centre-right he would waffle about stability, get a firm promise of an easy portfolio AND a knighthood and go with National

    • Ergo Robertina 2.2

      One big difference between now and 1981: Labour received more votes than National. And that was despite the vote splitting factor of Social Credit.

  3. sockpuppet 3

    Certainly the weirdest election in my memory (60years).

    The sooner the portly chap for Coatesville slings his hook the better as his profile and egocentric behaviour has been an unwanted distraction.

    Also a double thumbs down for the MSM and the blogs who seem to have made the election all about them to the detriment of the poetical parties and informing the voters. IMO NZ political journalists are at the lowest ebb and are a disgrace to what was once a respected profession.

    • ropata 3.1

      KDC has been a lightning rod exposing some important truth about the Key government.

      John Key’s bully-boys don’t like it when their boss is under scrutiny. Steve Crow and a few other shady characters were the *actual* henchmen that had 4 big black Mercedes-Benz SUVs plastered with anti Dotcom slander and parked illegally in front of the Town Hall before the “Moment of Truth” meeting. They looked pretty intimidating.

      • sockpuppet 3.1.1

        KDC is a fraud and an egomaniac that some on the left cling to him in the delusion that my enemy’s enemy must be my friend is both childish and worrying.

        • ropata 3.1.1.1

          So that justifies illegally wiretapping his calls, seizing all his assets, destroying his business (and millions of people’s stored data), and using the armed offenders squad to arrest him and terrorise his family?

          Looks like the FBI, NSA and Warner Bros are running the National Party these days. They already have the GCSB and police doing their bidding.

        • Tracey 3.1.1.2

          Makes you wish te Nats hadnt overturned/ignored the concerns drawn to their attention about his past…

        • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.3

          Nope. KDC comes across as a guy who’s suddenly realised that politics matters and who’s now thinking about how things should be. His ego’s still a bit large though.

          • TheContrarian 3.1.1.3.1

            “KDC comes across as a guy who’s suddenly realised that politics matters”

            Bullshit, he comes across as some guy that didn’t give a fuck until he was personally affected and is concerned only with what matters to him

            • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.3.1.1

              Yes, the personally affected bit was the trigger. Before then he just went through playing the game by the rules as he understood them. Now, IMO, he’s learning the rules as they actually apply and he’s realising that they’re wrong. He’s got a way to go yet but he’ll get there. That intellect of his won’t allow anything else.

              • TheContrarian

                If it were Labour in power when his raid went down I have no doubt he’d throw his weight behind National in opposition. Dotcom does what is best for Dotcom. End of.

          • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.3.2

            His ego’s still a bit large though.

            And thank grod for that. No other sane person would jump up on stage and start a political party.

      • CeeEm 3.1.2

        Crow hates Dotcom because mega users are downloading tons of porn that Crow can’t sell them.

      • Mary Anne 3.1.3

        Intimidating is correct.
        Prospective beneficiaries of the State have a lot to fight for.
        I am pleased that this disgusting behaviour is in the light for us to see, considering their behaviour in the past was veiled.

  4. AsleepWhileWalking 4

    Most engaging election ever! So far we are short of a sex or drug scandal and a mysterious accident (perhaps something minor like tripping over an AV cable) which would both be explained away by some kind of conspiracy involving a pack of feral chihuahuas, five moon phases and of course a silver shaped weather balloon owned by a Labour party member residing in Twizel.

  5. Rrr 5

    If Key gets back into power he will be as lame a duck as Len Brown after all the half truths etc , etc

    • Colonial Viper 5.1

      Way lamer than Len Brown, who was a politician who had an affair. Meh. Whereas Key has sold the sovereignty of this country out to foreign powers without even mentioning it until he was made to.

  6. ropata 6

    2008 Wishart, Farrar, Whale published some ridiculous sh1t about Helen Clark’s personal life.

    On the Electoral Finance Act reforms, the Herald ran a scaremongering “Democracy Under Attack” campaign, and seemed to forget about the “hollow men” saga that prompted it.

    There was a nationwide petition against the “anti-smacking” law, propagated by the uninformed.

    Michael Cullen was vilified for being stingy with the national surplus and not handing out tax cuts! (but the media gives bill english a free pass to run deficits, raise taxes, pile up huge debt, and get a double downgrade for good measure)

  7. greywarbler 7

    The Standard has been scrutinised and criticised by Your NZ blog with the motto ‘Reason, Reasonable, Robust’. It is undated but quotes lprent from 7/9/14 with a sarcy comment, “This tries to portray The Standard as independent authors”.

    Apparently TS is flaky because it seems to have labour activists commenting but they mightn’t actually declare their political leanings so that readers from Your NZ know it’s right to despise them or not.

    And secondly, though Labour is pushing for a Positive campaign, TS persists in criticising things, which is sooo negative.

    They have put a lot of work into this nonsense passing itself of as intelligent analysis. It’s very National ie, doesn’t concentrate on studying policies that should be being presented to patch the holes in various places of our economy.
    http://yournz.org/2014/09/08/vote-positive-and-the-standard/

    • Te Reo Putake 7.1

      Yawn NZ. An attempt to put into writing the sound of gentle snoring from a grandparent who has nodded off in front of the telly. Ssssh, don’t wake him, he might accidentally swallow his dentures again.

      • greywarbler 7.1.1

        @TRP
        You’re sharp TRP Like that knife always on tv adverts! LOL

        • Te Reo Putake 7.1.1.1

          Cheers, greywarbler! As weka notes, the closet tory is still trying to inflict damage behind his Mr Reasonable facade, so the occasional witty skewering is the least I can do to prick his pomposity.

      • weka 7.1.2

        That’s all very well TRP, but PG has very good priority on google search results and some MSM outlets seem to think him a worthy person to quote from time to time. He’s an active part of the smear machine who hides behind his respectability and he fools many people (looking at you Rory factchecker dude). In other words, he’s quite capable of doing damage.

        On the other hand, he did get a ban from Public Address 😀

      • Tracey 7.1.3

        TRP

        The labour stickers dont have an authorisation on the stickers themselves.

        The orange national stickers likewise.

        They DO look at a glance like the electoral commission

    • lprent 7.2

      …labour activists commenting but they mightn’t actually declare their political leanings…

      It has all sorts of activists commenting. Including ones like Pete George who tries to say that he isn’t a old right wing conservative when his writing clearly labels him as such.

      But I guess that trying to judge where other people are coming from by looking at what they actually say is something that his fossilised brain finds too hard to do. If he doesn’t have a wee label handed to him saying “commie” or “woman”, the jerk is too damn lazy to exert himself to figure it out.

      (cue another outraged diatribe) 😈

    • ropata 7.3

      Pete George is an irrelevant blowhard with a grudge, banned from TS for pompous offtopic verbiage, concern trolling, and derailing threads. Thankfully started his own blog where he can be safely ignored.

  8. BM 8

    Labour vote will be in the very low 20’s, most of their new talent will be gone.

    Has this election being successful for the left, I don’t think so.

    Big winners out of this, the old drunk Peters and conspiracy boy Craig.

    Thanks lefties.

    • ropata 8.1

      The left is attempting to give NZers an informed choice. If you prefer a low information environment f*ck off to whaleoil.

      • Hayden 8.1.1

        f*ck off to whaleoil

        That’s not necessary.

        BM spends most of his time* on Whaleoil already.

        * disclaimer: I don’t actually know that

        • greywarbler 8.1.1.1

          @ Hayden
          I don’t know about that. though it’s a possibility. He seems like one of those quiet blowflies that I hate even more than the noisy ones. But he isn’t always here and I think he uses the blog like a junkie getting a fix.

          So where does he go when he is not here. Perhaps his doctor recommends a little light gardening, a short drive in the country to settle his nerves, or even to train up for a half marathon for the oldies bracket. Where does the idle man spend his time when he is old? Sitting round annoying the wife possibly.

    • emergency mike 8.2

      Yeah that’s right BM, the dirty truth described in Hager’s book and the hollow lies of Key shown by Greenwald and co is ‘the left’s fault.

      If only they had STFU about it, then National voters who would chew their own foot off before voting for Labour or the Greens wouldn’t be forced to vote for Winston First or Christian First in the desperate hope that they will keep the current bunch of sociopaths honest.

  9. Tom Gould 9

    And now, only days after Ashburton, Bennett declares a fresh war on beneficiaries. Obscene. Nasty.

    • weka 9.1

      Link? Or even just an explanation?

      • Lanthanide 9.1.1

        They’re going to reduce benefit numbers by 25% in their next term through a range of initiatives.

        • weka 9.1.1.1

          Ta.

          http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/policies/10508263/Nats-promise-cut-to-benefit-numbers

          Had a quick skim, but can’t be bothered really. It looks like a clean presentation which means they’re saving the nasty shit until after the election.

          • Lanthanide 9.1.1.1.1

            My exact response, too. It’s the usual dog-whistling to the uninformed.

            I’m not against a 25% drop in beneficiaries. I just want to see it through creating jobs and uplifting people, rather than punishing them.

            • weka 9.1.1.1.1.1

              in which case we should talk about a 25% drop in unemployed beneficiaries. Many beneficiaries aren’t unemployed and some of those are being wrongly categorised as work ready. This isn’t just semantics, it’s because National have real world policies and practices that are damaging people’s lives by forcing them into punitive schemes when they need support in other ways. Even Labour doesn’t get this, and constantly uses the term ‘beneficiary’ when it really means unemployed.

    • greywarbler 9.2

      @ TomGould
      That’s a very Oliver remark. Want more!

  10. Enough is Enough 10

    I don’t actually think it has been that nasty.

    Essentially it has been Key defending himself for 5 weeks against clear evidence that he is a crook and a liar.

    The dirtiest thing is the fake email from Dotcom. The sooner he leaves New Zealand the better.

    • weka 10.1

      Do you have proof that it is fake, or even some evidence that this is likely? If not, then using that to further your antipathy towards KDC is just part of the bullshit.

      • Enough is Enough 10.1.1

        Ok for arguments sake lets assume it is genuine.

        Dotcom has known about it for two years. Don’t you think it a wee bit underhand to hold onto it for that long and then reveal it the week of an election.

        We would have won this election on policy. In my view the bullshit which he is pulling will only harden the determination of the righties to get and vote.

        • weka 10.1.1.1

          That’s all very fair enough, although I personally have no idea about KDC’s motives re the email. or the legalities. We can talk about all that, and the impact on the election, but that wasn’t my point. My point was that we don’t know what the deal is with the email, so if we call it fake as part of furthering our antipathy for someone we deem an enemy, when we don’t have evidence yet that it is a fake, then it’s just the same old bullshit that the right are doing.

          It’s fine that you don’t like KDC or his impact on the election, I’m just suggesting that there is plenty of real stuff to talk about with that without perpetuating an idea that we have no idea is true or false.

          • Enough is Enough 10.1.1.1.1

            Yes and no.

            Remove the word “fake” from my post and lets start again.

            Lobbing a grenade into an election campaign when you have had the pin pulled for 2 years, is in my view underhand.

            It is politics alright but it is dirty.

            Flip it around. Imagine if Slater had been threatening something for two years and then pulled out the questionable evidence today, even though he had held it for the whole time.

            Its dirty and we should call dirty on whoever does it.

            • Lanthanide 10.1.1.1.1.1

              Slater’s modus operandi seems to be to unleash the dirt after the important election has a occurred, vis-a-vis Len Brown…

              KDC has always been planning to release the ‘proof’ at his extradition trial as evidence that the government was colluding, therefore his extradition is illegal etc. The extradition trial date kept being pushed back, as far as I can tell through no fault of KDC’s own.

              So, he had planned to have it out in public before now, it just didn’t pan out that way. Even as it is, his lawyers have told him not to comment on it publicly, which is why he’s been very evasive and why we had the vacuum on Monday night.

              But, given how flimsy it looks – a single 3rd hand email without anything to verify it, he would have been better off not publishing it at all.

              Edit: snap @ yeshe.

              • Enough is Enough

                My problem with all this is people do not like it.

                I work in an office which is overrepresented by John Key fans. A large proportion of them were a bit indifferent and were turning against him as a result of Hager’s revelations and I was confident those people would vote left or stay at home.

                What I have seen in the past week is it has turned the other way again. People are getting animated about Dotcom in a negative way. He has hijacked the headlines and stolen our voice in this most critical week.

                The left wins this election on policy. Unfortunately the public is not getting the opportunity to hear that though.

            • weka 10.1.1.1.1.2

              “Remove the word “fake” from my post and lets start again.”

              thanks for getting the point.

              • Enough is Enough

                I think you missed the point of why I think it is dirty.

                Hint: It has nothing to do with the authenticity of the email.

                • weka

                  No, I get it. Like I said, let’s talk about that, but we don’t have to call things fake when we don’t actually know.

        • yeshe 10.1.1.2

          Enough is enough — a small point, but likely worth making.

          KDC has promised always he would reveal in his extradition trial in the High Court the evidence he had that Key knew earlier of his existence; it would be part of his evidence.

          This trial has taken many twists and turns but was expected to be heard in full including this evidence, prior to the election. However, it has not, and is now re-scheduled to early next year.

          KDC and his eminent legal team must have made a strategic decision about entering it into evidence it or releasing it. ( In fact, Paul Davison QC referred to the email outside court on Monday.)

          But I do not think we can say KDC has lied or been duplicitous about it.

          He has always said he had the evidence. The only fact that has changed is the promised release — in this time, not delaying until his High Court extradition hearings.

          • Enough is Enough 10.1.1.2.1

            Yes

            Why did he pull it out this week then?

            • Lanthanide 10.1.1.2.1.1

              Presumably because he thought the public should know that John Key is a liar?

              His problem is that it was very weak.

              • Enough is Enough

                Obviously because he thought that. The issue (or the reason I think it is “dirty”) is the timing.

            • Tracey 10.1.1.2.1.2

              His case was back in court on monday and tuesday. It may have been tabled as evidence.

              It does seem that key was scared enough to release documents which he had been told the release of which was a danger to national security.

              One question key, joyce etc… Are not asked often enough, is why not release those documents when the gcsb bill was under debate

              August 2013 gcsb bill passes and the GCSB is still working on the business case for option 2…

              IOW Key was still intending to go with it, so he kept quiet…

              December 2013 rescinding of decision to get a business plan for option 2.

              Key says between april 2012 and December 2013 key says he never saw the business case….

              No draft? No, hows it coming along?

              I do not believe that NOTHING was done in that time on the business plan, do you?

        • Tracey 10.1.1.3

          Because it is part of his legal strategy. People dont have an obligation to reveal things when others want it.

          Slater releases shit all the time which the msm runs with, without checking authenticity.

          Farrar and others recently released BS about a song getting public funding. The msm regurgitated and then NZ on Air tweeted it had not funded it.

          No one, not even the msm, rang nz on air first… But dotcoms email is a fake cos the ceo of warners who secured law changes, rebates and an extradiction of someone he considers is hurting his profit said so.

        • Murray Olsen 10.1.1.4

          Ok, assuming the email is genuine….then Key schemed with Hollywood executives and the FBI to pervert our immigration procedures and basically hold someone hostage until a Rambo operation could be mounted. Don’t you think it a wee bit underhand to do all that and never mention any of it? In fact, to lie and deny it all instead?

          The fact that so many Kiwis still accept that such a crook is fit to be free, let alone our PM, is what is bullshit.

    • greywarbler 10.2

      @ Enough is Enough 10.22
      Our politics is a serious game, if we could package it properly we might get into the Olympics or perhaps the thinking Chess Olympics with it. We need experienced contenders as good as we can find. It’s not enough to turn up and pass a ckean hands and fingernails test.

      There are only two situational possibilities in NZ at present – the quick and the dead. The quick are rich or getting there. Dotcom is one of the better rich ones. Don’t be too hasty to boot him out, wanting only saints managing our country. Having some experienced financial and business exponents with knowledge of finagling comes in useful.

      Saints are for the dead, then you get canonised. NZs will get cannonised if we don’t think more quickly. Keep our political and financial stars as long as they can present a case for their inclusion and reliability in their dealings now..

  11. sable 11

    Government is a contrivance and never has it been so explicitly demonstrated than this election.

  12. James Thrace 12

    Latest roy morgan poll is out

    Again, still too close to call. National-led Government: National Party, Maori Party, ACT NZ, United Future on 49% (up from 46.5% in August 31 poll)

    Opposition Parties: Labour Party, Green Party, Internet-Mana Party alliance, NZ First; down to 46.5 (from 49% in August 31 poll)

    Nothing more than an old switcherooni.

    National is up 1.5
    Labour down 2
    Greens down 2.5
    NZ1st up 2
    Maori Party up 1

    No real change for everyone else.

    Even so, based on those numbers, assuming Dunne is gone from Ohariu, and even with Seymour in Epsom, it still leaves National short. Have assumed conservatives get 4.5% and are out of parliament. The percentage signs relate to the party vote gained on the day.

    I am worried that Labour will get less overall, particularly as the weather on the day is shaping up to be nasty.

    ACT New Zealand 1.50% 2 MPs (1 electorate + 1.5% PV)
    Green Party 16.00% 21 MPs (no electorates)
    Internet MANA 2.00% 3 MPs (1 electorate +2% PV)
    Labour Party 26.00% 34 MPs (29 Electorates+ 5 list)
    Māori Party 1.00% 2 Mps (2 electorates)
    National Party 39.00% 50 Mps (37 electorates + 13 list)
    New Zealand First Party 7.00% 9 Mps (no electorates)

    121 seats total.

    Using the numbers:

    National + Act + MP = 54 seats
    Even if Dunne gets in, that still only gives them 55 seats

    Labour + Green + NZ1st = 64 seats, if Dunne gets in, that makes it 63 seats for the left block. I have factored in the probability of Ginny winning Ohariu.

    I can’t see Winston wanting to be part of a four headed monster, or even in a Nat+NZ1+Act/MP/Dunne configuration.

    However, If National got 42% and Labour got 23% on Saturday in their respective party votes (n/c to electorates won), then the left block would likely need IMP to be part of a formal coalition, or in a confidence and supply arrangement.

    Other alternative is that Lab+Grn+NZ1 combined on a 60 seat bloc in 121 seat parliament could run a minority government.

    A national+act+uf+mp bloc is only 58 seats in a 121 seat parliament.

    I haven’t done any configurations with Conservatives as I believe people will shy away from them at the last minute and switch to Winsome Winnie instead of Crazy Colon.

    Overall conclusion? This election is coming down to the wire.

  13. philj 13

    Can’t wait for the movie to screen! Especially the walking on water scene.

    • alwyn 13.1

      That is the one where on Morning Report, if John Key does it, the story will start “Key too mean to pay the fare on the ferry” and if it is Russell Norman “The Messiah has returned”.

  14. DS 14

    The nastiest election this country has ever had was 1951. Sid Holland and John Key bear more than a passing resemblance.

    • Theodora 14.1

      I just read SId Holland’s Wikipedia page and he sounds revolting. And yes, very similar to the incumbent.

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    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    12 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 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
    24 hours 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
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