Nick Smith and the Ruataniwha dam

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, September 19th, 2013 - 37 comments
Categories: Conservation, Environment, water - Tags:

 

NickSmith forked tongueNick Smith is in trouble.  He has a lot of explaining to do to show how he has not misread misled Parliament.

The background is that the Hawkes Bay Regional Council has a grandiose plan to construct a dam to provide water for irrigation.  There are concerns that the dam could have a major adverse effect on the Tukituki River and its water quality may be devastated by increased nutrient run off.

Water quality is a major responsibility of the Department of Conservation.  Under section 6 of the Conservation Act 1987 one of its functions is “to preserve so far as is practicable all indigenous freshwater fisheries, and protect recreational freshwater fisheries and freshwater fish habitats”.  You would think that the potential devastation of a significant river would fall within this.  There is also DOC land that would be directly affected by construction of the dam.

The original 32 page draft submission said that the proposal is a risky and untested approach to water management which could kill the rivers involved.  It also said the risks of the dam project had not been fully assessed, and there was an inadequate management plan for potentially high impact effects on rivers.  It was replaced with a 2 paragraph submission that did not refer to these concerns and was neutral on the proposal.

The intensification of agriculture which will occur as a result of the dam means that much greater stock numbers will be possible.  This will mean much more effluent, and a significant rise in the amount of nitrates leeching into aquifers and streams through their urine and fertiliser use.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is suggesting that phosphates only and not nitrates have to be controlled.  It has proposed in Plan Change 6 an increase in nitrates, get this, of up to 500% on current levels in the Tukituki and Waipawa rivers and tributaries to what are described as toxic levels.

The problem with DOC’s position is that it is abdicating its responsibility to protect the environment and there are a distinct lack of Public Authorities advocating for protection.  The Hawkes Bay Regional Council has stated optimistically that the proposed dam “would take pressure off the Tukituki River in the summer months and potentially return it to naturalised flows. This would improve the water quantity and quality of the Tukituki River, which would be great news for the environment and recreational users.”  But there is no mention on the damage caused by increased nitrate levels.

The timing of the change to DOC’s submission and Nick Smith’s role in this will no doubt be investigated as will his recent statement to Parliament.  On September 17, 2013 in a point of order he said “[t]he member has claimed in the question that I had access to a report that I did not do so until I heard it on Radio New Zealand National this morning.”  He then said outside Parliament “I did not know that this draft document even existed until this morning. And to have accusations that somehow I have covered up its existence – it is somewhat difficult to cover something up when you didn’t even know it existed.”

This morning on Morning Report details of an email amongst senior managers leaked to Peter Fowler were disclosed.  The email, sent on July 29, 2013, said that Smith wanted to see DoC’s submission before it was lodged with the Board of Inquiry.

Smith fronted on Morning Report and in typical style answered questions with extreme confidence but there is a distinct smell about this.

He confirmed that on July 29 he was told that DOC had to finalise its submission on the Dam and that he asked to see the submission before it went in.  He then received a full briefing (20 pages) with details on why the Department had decided not to submit on the nutrient issue.

An environmentally hazardous proposal supported by the farming lobby is initially opposed by DOC, Smith asks to see the submission, it is then changed dramatically and he denies any knowledge of it.  This smells.

No doubt more questions will be asked.  But how a Minister could ask to see a report, receive a 20 page briefing on it, deny all knowledge about its existence and then claim he has not misled is beyond me.

UPDATE:  Question time this afternoon should be interesting.  Questions include:

Hon RUTH DYSON to the Minister of Conservation: Has he ever seen or received a submission or draft submission from the Department of Conservation regarding the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Plan Change 6, which paves the way for the Ruataniwha Dam proposal, which is critical of it?

Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister of Conservation: Does he stand by his statement “No, I did not” when asked in this House whether he gave any indication to the Department of Conservation on the direction or content of its submission on the Tukituki Catchment Proposal?

37 comments on “Nick Smith and the Ruataniwha dam ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. alwyn 1
    19 September 2013 at 8:55 am

    Good try Micky but this is, I fear another b.s. beat-up by Radio Pravda.
    All you can say is that the Minister was told on the Monday that the Department was to put in a submission on the Friday of the week concerned and that there was some debate in the Department about what the submission should consider.
    He asked that he recieve a full briefing before the submission was made. The Department would then appear to have briefed him and shown him the two paragraph submission that they were going to submit. That is all he saw and he was never shown the draft that had been floating around the lower reachs of DOC. Ministers do not, after all, see every bit of paper produced by a department of about 1800 people.
    Incidentally you may be guilty of the thing you are blaming Nick Smith for.
    In the first paragraph you say “he must show how he has not MISREAD Parliament” .
    I think you have been misreading the evidence and that Nick has not MISLEAD Parliament.

    • mickysavage 1.1
      19 September 2013 at 9:01 am

      Thanks Alwyn. Have corrected. Obviously the coffee had not kicked in properly.

      But please reconcile this for me.

      You said

      That is all he saw and he was never shown the draft that had been floating around the lower reachs of DOC

      But he did not deny ever reading the draft. He denied even knowing that the document existed.

      Don’t you agree that the two statements are not reconcilable?

      • alwyn 1.1.1
        19 September 2013 at 9:18 am

        I don’t see why they should be irreconcilable. If you ask for a briefing by the department, and say you want to see the department’s submission then that is what you are going to be shown. It’s entirely reasonable for you to ask for it of course under the “no surprises” doctrine.
        If Smith was given a briefing on the project, and shown the final version of the submission, why should he even suspect that there was an abandoned draft that had been prepared. I can easily believe that he didn’t know that some other opinion had been floating around.
        Have you ever, in your work, been asked to prepare an opinion, done a draft, modified it and come to a quite different view to the one in the first draft. Would you have shown all the versions, or only the final one, to the ultimate recipient?
        As far as the word goes I thought it was funny. I do it all the time, even when I have had enough cups of coffee to almost give me the shakes.

        • mickysavage 1.1.1.1
          19 September 2013 at 9:31 am

          He was given a 20 page report on the matter which included the 2 paragraph final submission and must have included some background into the earlier submission about water quality. He then denied any knowledge of the earlier submission.

          Seems pretty clear to me.

        • framu 1.1.1.2
          19 September 2013 at 10:35 am

          “But he did not deny ever reading the draft. He denied even knowing that the document existed.”

          smiths own words and actions condem him here, and all we can go own is his words and actions – no one but smith can read his mind

          if he had said “i asked for, and saw the draft but the extra detail is new to me” then hes got an argument – but hes not saying anything like that is he, and the emails dont even support that rather generous re-framing of his own words

          now, he might have slipped up in his initial statement – but he still standing by it – so he is telling porkies, or cant figure out why his first statement isnt very accurate.

          neither of which is really acceptable from someone in his position

          Considering the guy has a record of telling outright lies, deliberate mis-information, manufacturing false crises and didnt see any problem with using his official standing to influence ACC – im picking hes telling porkies

    • bad12 1.2
      19 September 2013 at 9:16 am

      So when DOC’s Dorris Johnson sent out the email to various senior managers requesting that a copy of the draft submission be sent to Nick Smith you are suggesting that that draft was either not sent or not received,

      Wonder what Dorris is going to say when asked who asked for or why She wanted the draft of the submission sent to Smith..

      • bad12 1.2.1
        19 September 2013 at 9:26 am

        My apologies to Doris for the mis-spell, Doris Johnston is DOC’s Deputy Director- General, not quite ‘the lower reaches of DOC’ as suggested above…

      • Pascal's bookie 1.2.2
        19 September 2013 at 10:34 am

        Exactly, here’s what the email said:

        Hello,

        The minister wants to see the submission we are proposing to make on the Ruataniwha before it is lodged.

        I suggest you send it over tomorrow for him to consider the draft and also attach the briefing note you provided me.

        I am in Hamilton tomorrow but back on Wednesday. He is concerned and is likely to query whether we leave it all to the EPA to consider.

        The Minister isn’t wanting a briefing on the subnission, he wants to see the submission.

        • Ad 1.2.2.1
          19 September 2013 at 10:49 am

          …and there it is. That’s the next best thing to the Minister’s signature.

          It’s well overdue time for Smith to go.

          Let’s see if the new labour lineup can attack and win.

          Time to merge DoC with Ministry for the Environment and get some policy teeth back into conserving New Zealand.

  2. Chrissy 2
    19 September 2013 at 9:03 am

    Nick Smith is the most useless Minister of Conservation, ever.

    • Janice 2.1
      19 September 2013 at 10:33 am

      Nick Smith has been the most useless member of parliament since he entered as a young boy. He now appears to have spent those many useless years in Bellamy’s.

      • bad12 2.1.1
        19 September 2013 at 10:56 am

        i was particularly impressed with the ‘performance’ Nick gave after being made Deputy to the then Leader Doctor Dullard Don Brash,

        Unconfirmed and possibly malicious gossip at the time said that Nick got such a rush of power to His head that He immediately went into hyper-drive barking orders at all and sundry in the halls of the Parliament including Labour MP’s,

        Far from suggesting that Nick should be removed by the Doctors in charge, He does have ‘humor value’ after-all, i would tho think for community safety reasons Nick should possibly be shadowed where-ever He may roam by the men in white coats…

      • Greywarbler 2.1.2
        19 September 2013 at 11:55 am

        He has the red faced bloated look that I associate with people who have had a too extended and continual alcohol intake.

  4. Greywarbler 4
    19 September 2013 at 11:44 am

    Nick Smith seemed to be doing something right a while ago, though now I can’t remember what it was. Because I’m numb from the implications of this business over the dam. And that’s added to the extension of mining and drilling options and the chortling about income and prosperity.

    I think that the names of the people most involved in this decision should be noted for future consideration if anything happens that destroys even parts of our natural resources. The grinning assassins of the government need their bare bottoms tanned and their foreheads tattooed for thinking about this, and when something goes wrong reparation from them personally should be demanded.

  5. Kevin Welsh 5
    19 September 2013 at 12:23 pm

    I live in Hawkes Bay and I object to this for two simple reasons, although there are many more, more valid ones.

    1. Public money being spent to add value to only a handful of privately owned businesses; and

    2. “There is a reason they don’t have dairy farms in the south of Italy”. And so it goes with the area this dam is supposed to irrigate. All it will do is continue to encourage farmers to grow crops (that would otherwise be unsustainable if there was no dam) or convert to dairy, in an area that gets burnt to a crisp almost every summer. I see this as I travel regularly to Palmerston North and SH50 is the road I travel on.

  6. grumpy 6
    19 September 2013 at 12:25 pm

    …and…as if to prove the agreement between CV and myself yesterday that “cronyism” is a disease not confined to political spectra, here the mighty Whale rips Nick a new one, far more brutally than the left thus far.

    http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2013/09/docs-submission-dodgy-socialist-dam/

  7. Sable 7
    19 September 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Oh dear, trouble in paradise with Whale blubber renouncing its Tory Gods.

    Love the comment about a “Socialist Dam”, whatever that actually means? Do we all sites around the dam singing the Internationale whilst waving red flags. Pure nonsense.

    • grumpy 7.1
      19 September 2013 at 1:55 pm

      I think you will find it fits in with his crusade against “socialism for farmers”…..

      • Pascal's bookie 7.1.1
        19 September 2013 at 7:21 pm

        Also, Smith doesn’t exactly square with the Lusk vision for the National Party. Hawke’s Bay sources indeed.

  8. Rogue Trooper 8
    19 September 2013 at 1:58 pm

    Stab the puff-adder. Even an unrepentant reptile like Nick Smith must be aware of the importance of the Heretaunga aqifers and rivers to the broader Horticultural economy and, more importantly, the people who choose to live in the beautiful Hawkes Bay. The superphosphate that the sheep and cow cockies have been dumping on for 100 years has accumulated to be released continuously for the next 100 already. Talked with friend of Lou Crasborn this morning; Horticulturalists are ropable.

  9. Murray Olsen 9
    19 September 2013 at 3:53 pm

    Great work by the Greens to uncover this. I can’t imagine the number of government scandals that will come to light once we have a fully functioning opposition.

    As for WhaleSpew and his aversion to a socialist dam – isn’t that where he shoots defenceless creatures with his Machiavellian mate Lusk? Maybe some farmer wouldn’t let him on his land after he left gates open or some other townie rubbish. Who knows?

  10. tc 10
    19 September 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Yup it’s all about keeping the backers happy and smith is an accomplished performer (ACC beatup etc) that’s why Shonky had to get him back as Aya Tolley, Wilko just not in the same league with much needing to be done.

    Never mind the world class wines and other fine produce the HB provides you may be putting at risk as long as a few fed farmers members are happy.

  11. outofbed 11
    19 September 2013 at 6:41 pm

    I know Mr Smith quite well

    Never ever believe anything he says

  12. Athena 12
    19 September 2013 at 7:08 pm

    I reckon the problem is at the senior management level of DOC. National have stacked DOC with pro development types, like Al Morrison and they are the people who let the general DOC staff do the work on submissions, but then stop those submissions ever getting out (unless leaked). It is senior management against the rest of the staff, so Nick Smith can keep his hands clean. I would like to know if any of the senior management have relevant scientific qualifications. Good work by Mary Wilson on Checkpoint interviewing Doris Johnston.

    • Rogue Trooper 12.1
      19 September 2013 at 7:18 pm

      yes, according to Doris , (to paraphrase her evasiveness) ” DOC are prepared to accept the existing risk assessment probability that the TukiTuki will become toxic as they continue to trial the single nutrient model around other catchments in the country as it’s catchment is deemed of only ‘medium value’ while they do have sufficient resources to carry out a full assessment at an estimated cost of “a couple of hundred thousand”.
      We, and our children Thank You Very Much, Doris .

  13. tricledrown 13
    19 September 2013 at 8:56 pm

    Lizard eyes smiths tuesday ‘s answers to questions on morning report are at odds with this mornings answers.
    On Tuesday smith claimed to objection to the dam being built because of nitrgen run off.
    Was the work of one man with an agenda and no expertise in this area.
    Now it is a team of 3 highly qualified enviromental scientists.
    Lizard eyes wasn’t expecting a leak.Obviously!

  14. RedBaronCV 14
    19 September 2013 at 10:18 pm

    Wasn’t there something in one of the papers the other day about the pro dam farmers financing a slate of candidates for the HBRC. Suppose if that doesn’t work we’ll get another Ecan.

  15. Tracey 15
    20 September 2013 at 8:21 am

    i heard doris on checkpoint last night. i am not sure she really addressed the tomorrow part of her email. however i got out of the car, did she blame an employee for not following her instruction?

  16. Pascal's bookie 16
    20 September 2013 at 9:01 am

    Oh dear, all yesterday’s spin just went ‘poof’ and disappeared in a cloud of bureaucratic reporting fastiduousness :


    But a report from the meeting released to 3 News shows Mr Smith was given a short briefing about the direction of the submission including the, “potential effect of the proposed nutrient limits and targets on the freshwater values in the Tukituki catchment”.

    After the briefing, Mr Smith raised concerns and requested more information, which according to an email trail, appears to have prompted senior managers to express concern also.

    The next day the 32-page submission was scrapped and replaced by a two paragraph submission approved by the Minister.

    Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Smith-knew-about-draft-dam-submission/tabid/1607/articleID/314011/Default.aspx#ixzz2fNHzCpgL

  17. Tracey 17
    20 September 2013 at 9:15 am

    … but the queen is keys new best friend, she wldnt holiday with a liar?

  18. Rosie 18
    20 September 2013 at 9:21 am

    Maybe Smith, in true Nat ministerial style, is making a habit of sweeping the advice of concerned relevant departments under the carpet.

    I’m currently borrowing a copy of Forest and Bird, Issue 349, Aug ’13. There is article after article describing the many ways in which the Nat govt is fucking up the environment. (my terminology, not theirs)

    “Conflict of values” is one article in particular relating to Smith’s anti environment behaviour. The discussion is about the decision to grant “mining company Bathurst Resources access arrangements necessary for it’s bid to develop a mine on Denniston Plateau……….”

    “furthermore, Dr Smith’ decision lies in contrast to the ecological advice of his own department. DOC’s 246 page report on Bathurst’s application for access arrangements (dated May 6, 2013) does not make explicit recommendation to decline or accept Bathurst’s application. But it states the application is inconsistent with objectives of the Conservation Act. It goes on to note is is “particularly concerned” about losses to the plateau’s natural and historic resources” (p.41)

    “inconsistent with objectives of the Conservation Act”

    Smith really needs to be called Minister for Polluting Businesses. His commitment to protecting our environment he has proven is at the best, weak.Great to see calls for his resignation. Wouldn’t it be great if he did go, but then what other member of the mine it, drill it sell it team would take over and carry on with the business of allowing vested interests with powerful lobby groups to continue to ruin our environment?

  19. Tracey 19
    20 September 2013 at 9:43 am

    rosie, i think thats exactly what norman called him, minister of dirty water

    • Rosie 19.1
      20 September 2013 at 10:12 am

      Oh lol. Did he? I missed that. Good on Norman. Now that we have an effective opposition leader, and combined with the Greens good efforts we might see a bit more fight in the house. It’s a great thing, at last.

    • RedBaronCV 19.2
      20 September 2013 at 7:52 pm

      Well that has to be a superb double – entendre ( or something) that no doubt passed Nick Smith right by.

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    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    23 hours ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    23 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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