NRT: Who’s scaremongering now?

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, December 17th, 2013 - 193 comments
Categories: john key, Mining, Minister for Photo-ops - Tags:

no-right-turn-256On their usual friday bad news dump (such a large amount of it these days), the National government dropped this clanger. Greenpeace was right and John Key is a moron when it comes to geology and evidently about risk assessment. No Right Turn wrote about it. We held it over to get past the National’s Monday morning bad news clutter.

When Greenpeace released oil spill modelling showing that a blowout in the well that Texan oil cowboys Anadarko were drilling off the Raglan coast would spew 10,000 barrels a day into the oceans and have a 50% chance of smothering our beaches in oil, John Key called it “scaremongering”. Today, his government used the cover of the Len Brown report to dump Anadarko’s 1700 page discharge management plan. And its spill modellign is even more catastrophic than Greenpeace’s:

According to information just released, Anadarko’s modelling assumed a spill rate of 12,000 barrels of oil every day for one well location and 18,000 barrels at another. Greenpeace’s own spill modelling report, released in October, which was called “scare-mongering” by prime minister John Key, assumed a more conservative 10,000 barrels per day.

Anadarko’s oil spill data estimates a spill would reach New Zealand shores in 66.05% of cases in autumn and 51.82% in summer.

And remember, Anadarko expects to deal with this with 4 pairs of nitrile gloves and a shovel.

This is insanity. Crossing your fingers and hoping that nothing goes wrong is not a policy. Oil companies should not be allowed to drill unless they have a means of capping a blowout immediately on hand, and have lodged a bond to cover all cleanup expenses and collateral economic damage. And if that means they don’t drill here, tough. Our environment is not for sale.

As for Key, accusing people of “scaremongering” when you know very well they not is dishonest bullying. Sadly, that’s pretty much all we can expect from our Prime Minister nowdays.

lprent: At this point, the prophetic image from last year comes to mind….   
with-stupid

 

193 comments on “NRT: Who’s scaremongering now? ”

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  1. BM 1
    17 December 2013 at 9:08 am

    I’m happy with the risk to reward ratio.

    You may not be, but that’s what elections are for, make it a major part of the lefts election campaign.

    if there’s more of the anti drilling people than there is pro drilling, than there will be a change of government, we don’t drill and the oil stays in the ground.

    Democracy.

    • Tracey 1.1
      17 December 2013 at 9:19 am

      Can you outline the figures for the risk to reward ratio. Am genuinely interested in how much money NZ is expecting to have “pumped” into its economy.

      “Despite Key saying that “out of 50,000 wells drilled in the Gulf of Mexico, there had been a problem with only one of them”, Radio NZ reported otherwise…

      But official US figures show that between 1964 and 2012 there were 259 spills of 50 barrels or more from various Gulf wells. They also show the deeper the wells went, the higher the chance of a spill. –

      ““Yes, it is true that Anadarko Petroleum Corporation had a 25 percent ownership of the company or one of the companies that had a problem in the gulf. I think it is also worth remembering that in the Gulf of Mexico since 1947, 50,000 wells have been drilled, and to the best of my knowledge that problem in the gulf was the one major one that most people can remember.” – John Key, 23 October 2012, Parliament

      an industry specialist Dugald Roberts, who has 30 years of experience in US and Middle Eastern oil exploration, described the PM’s claim as “nonsense”,

      “… one in every 20 wells will have containment issues and even that’s a conservative figure.”

      On Fox News media report stated,

      According to government statistics, from 2006-2010, there have been 40 spills in the Gulf of Mexico of 50 barrels or more. No spills that large have occurred this year, but if a spill does occur, industry officials say they’re ready.

      Do you think using “urgency” often is more or less democratic than the usual process?

      • BM 1.1.1
        17 December 2013 at 9:30 am

        There’s some fairly large numbers floating around.

        I’ve also read that natural oil seepage into the gulf of Mexico far exceeds any man-made spills.

        In the Gulf of Mexico, there are more than 600 natural oil seeps that leak between five and one million barrels of oil per year – roughly 80k to 200k tonnes.[33] When a petroleum seep forms underwater it may form a peculiar type of volcano known as an asphalt volcano.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_seep#Offshore_seeps

        Like I’ve written before, I’m happy to take the risk, if we do have a incident, it would be a bit of a bummer, but nature will clean it up, it’s what it does.

        • Tracey 1.1.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 9:33 am

          yeah I get that but you are basing your decision on an actual risk-reward ratio that you have worked out or seen somewhere. That’s what I am asking you?

        • lprent 1.1.1.2
          17 December 2013 at 9:45 am

          The gulf of mexico is a *large* area.

          Yep, wikipedia estimates it as being 1,600,000 km²

          NZ’s land area is a mere 268,680 km²

          So you’re comparing a gas driven point source leak in NZ and comparing to widespread *seepage* in a frigging massive gulf?

          Nothing like a right winger with scale issues eh? John Key has the same problem.

          • BM 1.1.1.2.1
            17 December 2013 at 9:56 am

            But the drilling is going on in the Tasman sea, which according to google is 2.3 million km².

            Unless I’ve misunderstood what you’re getting at, I’m not sure what the size of NZ has to do with anything?

            • felix 1.1.1.2.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 10:14 am

              And the risk:reward ratio you’re happy with is…

              • BM …
                17 December 2013 at 10:27 am

                Small risk of a oil spill : Norway of the south pacific.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  17 December 2013 at 11:19 am

                  So you’d back a state owned oil company like Norway’s Stat Oil, with it’s profits flowing into a NZ Sovereign Fund?

                  • BM …
                    17 December 2013 at 11:23 am

                    That would be my preference.

                    • Lanthanide …
                      17 December 2013 at 12:33 pm

                      Well that’s not what we’re getting.

                      What we’re getting is a foreign oil company that will take 95% of the profits off-shore.

                      Still worth the risk-reward?

                      I agree with you; I would actually be quite happy if we had a Norway-style government company that funnelled the profits into a superannuation fund. But we aren’t going to get that.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      17 December 2013 at 7:43 pm

                      Awesome, welcome to the state based economy my friend.

                    • Matthew Whitehead …
                      17 December 2013 at 8:03 pm

                      Presumably you’d still want them to have a real cleanup plan in place though?

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      17 December 2013 at 8:53 pm

                      A state owned oil company would accept whatever requirements it’s directors, the Government, put on it.

                      Ain’t that right, BM?

                    • felix …
                      17 December 2013 at 9:04 pm

                      “That would be my preference.”

                      And yet here you are, day in and day out, spinning for and swooning over pretty much the opposite arrangement.

                • Macro …
                  17 December 2013 at 7:28 pm

                  You have no idea what the risk is do you!!

                  This is extreme depth – the risk is 1 in 19 – that is bowel motion 1 in every 19 drilled in depths greater than 1500 m (and this is) has a spill. And these muppets have a bad track record and have defaulted in almost every case they have destroyed the environment.

            • lprent 1.1.1.2.1.2
              17 December 2013 at 12:50 pm

              But the drilling is going on in the Tasman sea,

              Nope – the drilling is going on within a few metres (within the Tasman sea) at any point in time. It is a point source.

              The comparison you gave was the seepage from multiple sources across 1.6 million square kilometres. No single seepage in any natural point source even in the gulf of mexico is likely to be more than a few hundred barrels per year over the whole year. Most seepages will only release a few barrels per year. It causes very limited damage and mostly gets mopped up by the local bacteria.

              Whereas if the oil company screws up in the Tasman we will get up to 10,000 barrels per day from a single spot. It overwhelms and destroys all local ecosystems.

              That is why your comparison was as moronic geologically as John Key’s ability to asses risk.

            • Foreign Waka 1.1.1.2.1.3
              17 December 2013 at 8:34 pm

              OMG – please read up on the issue before you sign up your support for something your grand kids might question you on some day..

        • Will@Welly 1.1.1.3
          17 December 2013 at 11:30 am

          So you, B.M. are “happy” to take the risk. Good on you. It must be real handy having an arsehole at both ends, that way, if one’s blocked you can always spout forth from the other.
          If there’s a decent spill, and given the depths these companies are wanting to drill at, there’s a damn good chance. First, we can kiss good-bye to the bulk of our fishing industry, then the tourist industry. No one will touch our seafood, no one will want to cone here regardless where the oil spill is – New Zealand will become a no-go zone for most tourists.
          As for dairying and Fonterra, consumers won’t touch them with any hint of a scandel, regardless where the spill is. Most consumers are oblivious to “dirty dairying”, but they won’t be oblivious to a major oil spill.
          All three would have major repercussions on the jobs and lives of those living in New Zealand. Our economy would be buggered.
          Going by the model presented, it would take 30 – 40 weeks to cap the well. Of course, there is a quicker solution, we take you out there B.M., and shove you down the well. That would seal any blow out.

          • David H 1.1.1.3.1
            18 December 2013 at 3:04 pm

            @will And then the thieving bankers come in and steal everything thats of value aka Greece. Maybe thats their master plan..

    • framu 1.2
      17 December 2013 at 9:26 am

      “I’m happy with the risk to reward ratio.

      You may not be, but that’s what elections are for”

      erm – isnt that what adequate precautions, robust response plans, full insurance and transparent, honest corporate behaviour are for?

      and did you spot that anadarko and key have been bullshitting us – again

      • felix 1.2.1
        17 December 2013 at 10:17 am

        Nah, risk is all dealt with by election. If National win then there’s no risk.

        Ditto bullshitting, if National win then they weren’t lying.

        Welcome to right-wing reasoning.

    • geoff 1.3
      17 December 2013 at 9:29 am

      @BM
      I’m happy with the risk to reward ratio.

      Normal transmission really has resumed because if you actually think that then you’re either really fucking stupid or you’re a selfish coward who doesn’t give a fuck about the implications of a big spill. Which is it?

      Democracy?? You’re fucked in the head.

      • Tracey 1.3.1
        17 December 2013 at 9:34 am

        Do you have any figures to show his happiness/contentment with the risk-reward ratio is misplaced?

        • weka 1.3.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 9:43 am

          geoff, BM is happy with a Mad Max scenario future, so I’m guessing he is a selfish coward who doesn’t give a fuck about the world other than how it affects him.

          • BM 1.3.1.1.1
            17 December 2013 at 9:49 am

            Differing opinions does not make one a coward.

            • weka 1.3.1.1.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 10:06 am

              True, and it’s not that you have a different opinion that makes you a coward.

              • Polish Pride …
                17 December 2013 at 2:44 pm

                “True, and it’s not that you have a different opinion that makes you a coward.”

                So what is it exactly then that makes you think BM is a coward…….?

                • McFlock …
                  17 December 2013 at 2:58 pm

                  because cowardice is the craven brother of egotism and greed, is my guess.

                • felix …
                  17 December 2013 at 8:49 pm

                  “So what is it exactly then that makes you think BM is a coward…….?”

                  He claims to base his confidence on a risk:reward ratio but when asked for detail he refuses to offer up his data or his analysis.

                  My interpretation, based on BM’s track record to date, is that he never had any data and he never did any analysis and he never calculated any such ratio. He is running on pure hype and spin and slogans and he is too cowardly to admit it when caught.

      • Wayne 1.3.2
        17 December 2013 at 12:02 pm

        Geoff,

        You seem to ignore, for instance, that Norway is apparently able to take the risk to their fiords, which are as every bit as pure as the NZ coastline. Or do you think all Norwegians are “selflish cowards”.

        It seem to me that this debate has got a bit extreme. We apparently are unable to see that there are other developed and sophistocated nations with pristine environments and high value fisheries who seem to be able to manage the risk of oil exploration.

        Not all oil exploration supporters are rabid anti environmentalists. There is such as thing as a reasonable assessment of risk. The North Sea (which is pretty rough) has never had an oil spill of significance in 40 years,. Yes they have had accidents, but they have been dealt with.

        • framu 1.3.2.1
          17 December 2013 at 12:22 pm

          the bit your missing out wayne is that anardako and the nats rubbished greenpeace’s figures, said “oh its fine – weve got a plastic shovel” then lordy lordy – their own figures are even worse!

          Ok – the risk of a spill might be low – but considering the info thats come to light would you consider anardako’s response plan adequate in the event of a major situation?

        • Naturesong 1.3.2.2
          17 December 2013 at 12:26 pm

          You seem to ignore, for instance, that Norway is apparently able to take the risk to their fiords, which are as every bit as pure as the NZ coastline

          I nominate you for the most ill-informed comment (so far) today

          That very argument has been happening all year in Norway in the lead up to the election.

          The conservatives won the election, so it starts: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/norway-opens-arctic-border-area-oil-drilling

          “This is a clear break in Norwegian policy,” said Nils Harley Boisen, of the World Wildlife Fund. “And moving completely against all expert advice on what is safe operations.”

          You also neglect to mention that the oil extraction offshore of Norway is around 200m to 400m.
          As opposed to the +1500m that Anadarko are attempting in New Zealand. The increased depth, vastly increases the chance of losing control of a wellhead.

          Also notable is that historically Statoils saftey and environmental standards are the highest in the world (for an oil company) – Cause that’s what happens when an entity is democrtically accountable.

        • lprent 1.3.2.3
          17 December 2013 at 1:01 pm

          .. that Norway is apparently able to take the risk to their fiords,..

          That is a completely stupid comparison. Show me a fiord that has a depth of 1.5 kilometres depth. FFS the North sea has an average depth of 95 metres and most of the oil is extracted in the shallow parts. It’s maximum depth is 700m.

          There is a slight difference in depth. The norwegians can get human divers down to most of their wells. They can even use explosives at the depths their wells are at to cause a collapse of the well walls.

          Here we have to wait 35 days to get a capping device to NZ and probably something like a month to actually plug the thing. That is because it is a bloody long way down

          Are you deliberately pretending to be an idiot?

          The reason why this debate is wound up is because of morons giving arguments like that which are basically display more of a greedy opportunism rather than any consideration of the the technical factors.

          • Wayne 1.3.2.3.1
            17 December 2013 at 2:24 pm

            Iprent,

            Unusual level of personal abuse from you.

            Obviously I am aware of the depths of the drilling.

            One of the main problems of Deepwater Horizon was the failure of the blowout preventer, actually always the most likely failure point. A huge amount of redesign work has gone into these devices. Actually Anadarko should relaese the info on the design of its preventer. These days often operated by remote vehicles rather than divers since just about everything on a preventer is machine driven, no old fashioned hand wheels.

            I suspect a lot of NZers would prefer the Norwegian model. Contractors would still be used since they have the expertise, but I can see the appeal of the Norwegian approach.

            • KJT 1.3.2.3.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 2:32 pm

              The blowout preventer is designed as an absolute last resort. When all else fails.

              No matter how good the preventer is, there is always a high chance of it failing to contain the blowout.

              Good well management is always preferred. More difficult the deeper you go and the rougher the water, and, of course, during exploration, when you don’t really know 100% what is down there..

            • McFlock 1.3.2.3.1.2
              17 December 2013 at 2:33 pm

              Of course it’s operated by rovs, it’s too deep for anyone to go down there and fix it if something goes wrong. And, as you say, the most likely failure point.

              When we couldn’t deal with a ship’s propulsion fuel load.

              But then the problem is the age-old problem of capitalism: the people taking the profits are not the people who are facing the risks.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                17 December 2013 at 10:39 pm

                But then the problem is the age-old problem of capitalism: the people taking the profits are not the people who are facing the risks.

                QFT

                and this government is all about rewarding the capitalists with our wealth while we get to clean up after them.

            • KJT 1.3.2.3.1.3
              17 December 2013 at 2:39 pm

              I would prefer that we put the money into sustainable energy and substitutes for fossil fuels.

              I can accept properly managed drilling risks, but the ultimate downside risk, AGW, is way to high,

              • Tracey …
                17 December 2013 at 4:20 pm

                or even into software engineering and stuff like that which we are

                a. very good at; and
                b. currently have shortage

                4 out of 5 of the top paid jobs on trademe are apparently in this area.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  17 December 2013 at 4:25 pm

                  In the future that I am expecting to unfold over the next couple of decades, I think that KJT’s priorities should be of national priority. At the level of a war footing, in fact.

                  • Tracey …
                    17 December 2013 at 4:31 pm

                    I guess I was meaning there just dont seem to be any oil rigging jobs going on trademe…

                    • KJT …
                      17 December 2013 at 7:17 pm

                      There are oil industry jobs around right now.

                      They advertise in the trade press, not local newspapers or websites.

                      But they are doing their level best to avoid employing locals.
                      There is a whole swag of applications to the immigration department right now, from the oil industry, saying they cannot get suitable New Zealanders.

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    17 December 2013 at 10:41 pm

                    I think building renewable power should be effectively at a war time setting now. Chasing fossil fuels is a fools dream.

                    • Paul …
                      17 December 2013 at 10:48 pm

                      If we don’t realise we’re all in this together soon, it’s curtains…and the climate and nature don’t differentiate between rich and poor.

            • lprent 1.3.2.3.1.4
              17 December 2013 at 4:16 pm

              It isn’t unusual. Just depends on how irritating the code I’m working on is *and* how irritating the fallacy I’m reacting against in comments. Comparing the engineering required for extracting oil in Norwegian fjords (less than 50m depth) with what is required at 1500 metres is an instance of the latter. Sort of a lawyer looking for an analogy with similar words rather than an engineer looking at an equivalence… 😈

              One of the main problems of Deepwater Horizon was the failure of the blowout preventer, actually always the most likely failure point. A huge amount of redesign work has gone into these devices.

              Blowout preventers are a last ditch failsafe. There were about 4 system failures prior to that.

              Blowout preventers have a rather appalling record when you look at them over the decades. They tend to fail when required about one time in four in non-experimental situations. But each time that they push them deeper underwater they just fail in different ways – so new depth ranges are all experimental. Problem is that it takes a decade or so to work all of the bugs at any particular depth. These drills are at about the same depth at Deepwater Horizon (1500m vs 1600m)..

              It simply doesn’t matter how much work has gone into them since 2010. There is exactly one way to test them and that is to have a decades worth of data on how the perform at the depth that they operate at. The post-mortem Deepwater Horizon in 2010 proved pretty conclusively that they had no real idea how they’d operate. It wasn’t a “failure”, it was an example of systematic design flaw. Effectively they started a whole new redesign for these components at that depth.

              Basically the new design is effectively untested except in a lab.

              Remote vehicles have all of the problems of any engineering running at a few kilometres distance under a pile of water. The cold kills both circuitry and code. The pressure does the same. The reality is that neither have a good track record and have very high failure rates.

              Simply the technology isn’t nearly up to scratch for the depths they’re trying to operating at. And we’re on the arse end of the world a long long way from the type of technical expertise and equipment required to handle problems and failures. Basically we haven’t got the gear to handle a simple minor oil spill from a cargo vessel in this country.

              Whoever authorised this experiment here needs their damn head hammered for extreme stupidity (or much the same thing – dumb greed)

            • Macro 1.3.2.3.1.5
              17 December 2013 at 9:46 pm

              Wayne the US BSEE notes that the risk factor increases with depth. The Norwegian fjords average less than 200m in depth, This is NOT, the ultra-depths that are being drilled here (> 1500m) so if you are aware of the depth difference then it is willfully false to compare their drilling with the risks being taken here. As I noted earlier the US BSEE observes that the number of spillages for ultra-deep oil drilling is 1 in 19, with at least 12 sites to be drilled that gives a greater than 60% chance of a spillage.

              The sad fact is that these muppets your friends have given the rights too, have a very poor track record of cleaning up after their “accidents”.
              http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gW0w9mhMXv88nAy_3HtLRei_c-JA?docId=430a9829-c7d9-4de7-a9ed-121e988c1b7 so NZers will be left with another mess to clean up.

              Oh well cleaning up mess is good for GDP “growth” I suppose. So you can boast about that as well – *sigh*.

            • brokenback 1.3.2.3.1.6
              18 December 2013 at 6:01 pm

              Not Correct.

              The Mocando disaster was a result of deviation from planned well engineering by the BP/Anardarko management team that resulted in a compromised cement seal in the voids between the casing and the overburden strata . The oil & gas migrated up this compromised annulus and between the larger diameter casings higher up the well .
              The well unloaded too quickly for conventional well control despite the fact that the BOP was operated .
              The blowout occured outside the cased well .
              There were plenty of warning signs from the well but cowboy attitudes & financial pressure prevailed and the wrong decisions were made.

              Aside from the environmental disaster , 13 working men died in excrutiating deaths in the massive explosion & fireball.

        • KJT 1.3.2.4
          17 December 2013 at 1:23 pm

          NZ Government and their agencies have proven totally inept in managing safety in standard marine operations, like ordinary shipping. Forgotten the Rena already. Not to mention the “success” that was Pike River.

          What makes you think they are any better with offshore oil exploration?

          I wasn’t too impressed with what I saw of Andarko’s safety case for the present round of exploration.

          33 days to get help if anything goes wrong, for example.

          Are you aware that a blowout was only averted off the Taranaki coast, in the 80’s, because a nearby rig was able to supply more drilling “mud”.

          Risk management takes account of the effects of an event as well as the likelihood.

          Not just drilling risks, but the almost 100% risk of AGW.

        • Tracey 1.3.2.5
          17 December 2013 at 3:04 pm

          Have you impressed on your former national colleagues the sense of replicating the norwegian model in toto? If yes, what was their reaction? If no, why not.

          • Wayne 1.3.2.5.1
            17 December 2013 at 5:09 pm

            Well, I know Simon Upton thinks that is the best approach for New Zealand given our political and historical culture. But he was more from the Bolger/Shipley era. However he now has a key environmental role in the OECD, so is very aware of contemporary European trends.

        • geoff 1.3.2.6
          17 December 2013 at 7:04 pm

          Fuck you Wayne. Here’s extreme, you’re a fucking cunt. A greedy, lawyer tongued arsewipe who slimes about this place under the pretense of ‘reasonableness’. Extreme but accurate.

          The world is heading to environmental disaster because we have burnt too many fossil fuels and you, the fucking cunt that you are, are advocating we dig some more up and burn that as well.

          • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.3.2.6.1
            17 December 2013 at 7:16 pm

            +1 Have to say I agree with you here, Geoff, that the only thing that ‘reasonableness’ and ‘Wayne’ have in common is the grand attempts at appearing reasonable that Wayne puts a great deal effort into.

            It is really quite appalling to find out the guy was an MP and to realise what extremist views exist and are condoned in the National Party and by the NZ public.

            • Tracey 1.3.2.6.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 7:22 pm

              he’s still very adept at NOT answering a straight question.

            • geoff 1.3.2.6.1.2
              17 December 2013 at 7:32 pm

              He has been probably living in his right-wing-nutter bubble for so long that he thinks his views are completely normal. You take his perspective, you bolt on that slick lawyer-speak veneer and you realise what a persuasive weapon his type is for the right.

              There’s plenty of people with shit for brains who guzzle up the crap that the likes of Wayne spews because he can phrase things in sensible language, he rarely gets in a flap and he seldom, if ever, resorts to personal attacks.
              In my view that is what makes his view that much more toxic and I am going to continue to call him on it.

              • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                17 December 2013 at 7:52 pm

                I have a horrible feeling his views are normal […in some circles anyway!] However your comment made me realise just how nutty his type of views are, whether many hold them – whether they are considered ‘normal’ or not.

                Agree about the ‘more toxic’ bit too

                • geoff …
                  17 December 2013 at 8:01 pm

                  You make a good point, I should have said Wayne thinks his views are correct rather than normal(whatever normal means).

                  • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                    18 December 2013 at 2:06 am

                    @ Geoff

                    I think you had it right the first time.

                    I think normal has something to do with ‘lots of people do/think/feel it’ and following on from that it becomes associated with being ‘o.k.’ – acceptable.

                    I believe this is what you meant by saying ‘Wayne thinks his views are completely normal’ – Wayne think’s its o.k [because it has become the norm in his circles].

                    And yes I agree – he probably does and as I added before – just because they are ‘accepted’ doesn’t stop them from being nutty ideas

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  17 December 2013 at 10:58 pm

                  We’re living in a world where reality has become a radical idea. This has happening, IMO, because the politicians and the economists have taken us down that path and now they can’t say that it’s wrong because they’d lose face and so we keep doing the wrong things that will bring massive destruction.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    17 December 2013 at 11:08 pm

                    Our academics, intellectuals and news media are failing to live up to their societal responsibility to ground our nation in facts and reality. And failing to challenge our politicians when they are not.

          • Tracey 1.3.2.6.2
            17 December 2013 at 7:21 pm

            wow, dude, calm down. You will do yourself an injury.

            • geoff 1.3.2.6.2.1
              17 December 2013 at 7:35 pm

              Tracey, aggressive language can serve a person very well. It does not mean I have lost my temper etc. The idea, which has sprung up from Politically Correct politik, that we should all be nice to one another all the time is very counter-productive.

              • Tracey …
                17 December 2013 at 7:40 pm

                nothing to do with politically correct anything. You can make yourself clear without using words like C###. If you can’t that is a sad indictment on you.

              • lprent …
                17 December 2013 at 8:07 pm

                Personally I find that being nice is completely at variance with my personal nature. Gave it up years ago. It used to get in the way of getting jobs finished

              • greywarbler …
                17 December 2013 at 9:04 pm

                geoff
                Aggressive language is best used like hot chillis – sparingly. And if you are going to use sexual language don’t call men out by comparing them to the sexual parts of womens bodies. That’s grosser than calling a man a dickhead. For a woman what would be PC foul language – bitch? Better still what about reviving some of the older terms of derision in your google dictionary. That would be colourful you varlet.

                ‘we should all be nice to one another all the time is very counter-productive.’ Why don’t you learn to be rude without swearing? That would be a good discipline for you if you have become chronically potty mouthed.

                • geoff …
                  17 December 2013 at 10:40 pm

                  Fuck off ya PC cunt.

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    17 December 2013 at 11:01 pm

                    You’re really not doing yourself any favours.

                    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                      18 December 2013 at 1:52 am

                      @ Greywarbler & DTB

                      So while Geoff gets given a hard time for his choice of words – the truth in his message appears to have been missed or playing a greatly distant second.

                      People like Mr Wayne carry on denigrating valuable qualities of decency, rationality and reasonableness by pushing their contemptuous agenda with a veneer of these qualities until they mean nothing to anyone anymore and people stop aspiring to develop these qualities because they become associated with double-standards, two-faced behaviour, irrationality and lies. Our society suffers in response to this process.

                      How can anyone call this travesty for what it is when the language required to describe it is commonly regarded as non-decent?

                      I am usually very unimpressed by harsh language however occasionally it can be put to good use. I believe on this occasion Geoff has achieved this in his response to Wayne.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      18 December 2013 at 2:31 am

                      Use harsh language, doesn’t bother me. I’ve called people fucken morons and delusional psychopaths so it certainly won’t bother me if other people use such language.

                      No, the problem is with the word cunt which is another word for vagina which means to say that the way that geoff is using it is sexist, misogynist and hateful. Part of the rape culture that we’re trying to address.

                    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                      18 December 2013 at 1:18 pm

                      Thanks for your response DTB good to have that clarified.

                      I find myself in a dilemma about whether I view the use of the word cunt as a term of abuse as misogynist because I tend to view it as deriving from negative attitudes toward sex rather than womankind. Probably helps also that I have heard the word penis being employed in a similar fashion. I have no such dilemma about the use of the words ‘girl’ or ‘woman’ as terms of abuse, which clearly derive directly from negative attitudes about women, and I have no time for.

                      I guess because of this indecision on my part disingenuously ignoring, withholding and/or twisting facts to suit agendas as is increasingly occurring on a National level and occurred in this debate and which is undermining the process of useful debate is a greater offense to me than the slang words used in response in this particular instance.

                      However I acknowledge your point and that it errs on the side of caution is probably best at present – thank you.

        • Murray Olsen 1.3.2.7
          17 December 2013 at 7:21 pm

          Wayne, you seem to ignore, for instance, that Norway has a state owned oil company that operates under a regulatory scheme that is designed to protect their environment. They do not have a Hawaiian cowboy puppet government intent on bringing in one of the worst of the recent offenders, and gifting them the chance to ruin our coasts and our fisheries, and all for miniscule returns. Every day I read more horror stories about Anadarko. They are the last company we should be handing our heritage over to.

          There are also other major differences, but the type of company and the government (lack of) oversight are the two most relevant ones here. FFS, I’d prefer Petrobras to Anadarko, and they don’t exactly have a stellar record.

          • greywarbler 1.3.2.7.1
            18 December 2013 at 7:51 pm

            blue leopard
            What convoluted reasoning you have. I objected to the word cunt as being unpleasant and unreasonably coarse and anti-women and carrying on with attitudes that disrespect women to the point of rape culture. Dickhead penis doesn’t have the same connotation – more used like bugger which now doesn’t mean someone is talking about homosexuality.

            I wouldn’t have thought that any ordinary decent man would need this explained to them. I said : “Aggressive language is best used like hot chillis – sparingly. And if you are going to use sexual language don’t call men out by comparing them to the sexual parts of womens bodies.

            A reasonable comment and criticism. And anyone who throws sexist language like cunt around is vile. And so I am not surprised to receive in return the nasty reply from
            Jerkoff geoff

            Fuck off ya PC cunt.

            Aggresive and foulmouthed, yes. As emphatic expression, not appropriate.

            • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.3.2.7.1.1
              18 December 2013 at 9:13 pm

              Hi Greywarbler

              Yep I thought that last reaction from Geoff wasn’t cool.

              I take it that you read my response to DTB?

              I realized I was saying something contentious and somewhat expected to get a firm reply back. I nearly didn’t comment for that reason, yet chose to express my opinion.

              What you said here : “– more used like bugger which now doesn’t mean someone is talking about homosexuality.” sums up much what I feel about the word cunt as a term of abuse. I was introduced to it as meaning something like ‘a very very annoying person/thing’ prior to discovering its previous meaning[s] and therefore view it as a word that has developed different and separate meanings over the course of time.

              Check out modern usage of the word ‘bad’, ‘sick’, ‘killed it’. English language has a habit of words shifting meaning.

              I get the feeling you didn’t register what I concluded by saying to DTB – that it probably is better to err on the side of caution on this matter.

              I’m sorry you view my reasoning as convoluted I do find the word offensive and I avoid using it along with a number of other words, yet not for the reasons you expect of me, sorry.

              • greywarbler …
                19 December 2013 at 10:00 am

                Thanks blueleopard for your considered reply. However…

                You have some opinions of your own as we all do. Also you have the option of your own to set standards of speech for yourself, and not do or say something just because a lot of people do it. It would be good if you could use your discretion to show respect for women and not use such blatantly sexist, disrespectful descriptions when criticising people, especially men, (women are not referred to as cunts are they!)

                Why do men use that term then. Because as sexist males who have a disdain for women, applying that female term for their most private parts and people-making orifice, to a man is condemning him as a specially stupid type in their eyes. Also women are attacked sexually by men far more than the reverse. Using the term cunt implies that you think this is an everyday okay practice.

                If you do have intelligence coupled with sensitivity to women’s concern about their treatment in society, you will form your own disciplines, control your own behaviour and not just follow what other people do dragging your knuckles as you go.

                And that applies to geoff who is trying to apply some totally fallacious and spurious reasoning. It’s probably too late for you geoff to learn anything about how it is necessary to show respect and restraint to other people when criticising them, and limiting abusive language.

                This should always be the case even when they are too small to react with a punch in the nose. I suggest you are the type who would think twice about abusing a gang member with other muscle men around him, but women give you no cause for restraint so get whatever sick stuff comes out of your mouth.

                And this could just as well be applied to racist sledging on the sports field. Inner discipline means considering and limiting the words and ways that you speak

            • geoff 1.3.2.7.1.2
              18 December 2013 at 9:17 pm

              Jerkoff Geoff? I like it!

              How unsurprising that you didn’t pick up on the irony of the fuck off ya PC cunt.

              Fortunately you don’t decide what language is and isn’t appropriate and your interpretation of the significance of using the word cunt in the context that I did is, thankfully, not widespread.

              Are you aware that you are trying to censor people? You’re attempting to misappropriate perfectly good words like cunt by using utterly bullshit excuses like, it encourages rape culture and that it disrespects women.

              Compare it with the word nigger. Nigger has essentially one accepted meaning, as a racist derogatory term.
              Cunt is nothing like nigger. Cunt is used in a multitude of contexts each with its own meaning and if, whenever you hear/see it used, you immediately think of female genitalia or that it promotes rape culture, then you’ve got some personal problems.

      • DJ 1.3.3
        17 December 2013 at 2:03 pm

        I laugh at the double standards on here. LPrent comes down hard on some people for personal attacks and lets other off. sorta makes the constant references to the rules and regs a joke.

        • lprent 1.3.3.1
          17 December 2013 at 2:12 pm

          I guess that you are too illiterate to actually read the policy that you are alluding to. The prohibition is against “pointless abuse”. When I call someone an idiot it is with the point that says exactly why I think they’re being an idiot. Same with most of the other people here. They know the rules.

          geoff did have a point in that rant. Perhaps it eludes you because you didn’t understand it?

          Of course people like yourself who are too lazy to read the “rules and regs” don’t understand them. Instead you spend time rolling around wanking on your brain…

        • Tracey 1.3.3.2
          17 December 2013 at 3:08 pm

          You should pop over to whale oil, you wont find double standards hypocrisy or personal abuse over there.

    • Naturesong 1.4
      17 December 2013 at 10:21 am

      With regards the risk vrs reward.

      In New Zealand, the government levy on oil extraction is on profit.

      It’s pretty clear in the recent law suit against Anardarko that they are past masters in shuffling money around in order to hide profit and reduce ability to pay out liability.
      Herald link and Reuters
      Also, the specialists that run the rig, won’t be locals when they already have access to trained and qualified people from overseas.

      We risk catastrophic damage to our reputation, and “Brand” (fuck I really hatte that marketing speak).
      And in return, possibly a few truck drivers will be employed.

      So, public risk, vrs, little to no reward.

      • Bearded Git 1.4.1
        17 December 2013 at 10:57 am

        Good one Naturesong. Couldn’t agree more-and I’m a qualified accountant.

        Any taxes should be levied per barrel extracted (or equivalent) and at a high rate. Not sure what they do in Norway (have the feeling the oil companies may be state owned, or partly?) but this may be the model to follow.

        I would be very interested in anyone out there with info as to how oil production is taxed in other countries for the benefit of the wider populace.

        • BM 1.4.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 11:09 am

          Statoil is run along the same sort of lines as what our power companies will be.

          As of 2013, the Government of Norway is the largest shareholder in Statoil with 67% of the shares, while the rest is public stock. The ownership interest is managed by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.[5] The company is headquartered and led from Stavanger, while most of their international operations are currently led from Fornebu.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statoil

          • Naturesong 1.4.1.1.1
            17 December 2013 at 11:38 am

            Do you mean you are expecting the already corporatised and recently privatised public utilities to engage in some some unethical practices and the odd bit of corruption?

            Or are you talking about the New Zealand public protesting and boycotting privatized public utilities herer in a similar way that Norwegians are with Statoil?

            NB. Yes, I know these are a couple of cheap shots, but I couldn’t resist 😈

        • Naturesong 1.4.1.2
          17 December 2013 at 11:10 am

          Actual royalties are set out here:

          Royalty regime
          The Crown Minerals (Royalties for Petroleum) Regulations 2013 set out rates and provisions for the payment of royalties on petroleum production from initial permits granted after 24 May 2013. The royalty terms and conditions for permits granted before 24 May 2013, and any subsequent permits to those existing permits, is determined by the relevant minerals programme.

          New Zealand’s internationally competitive royalty regime stipulates the payment of either an ad valorem royalty (AVR) or an accounting profits royalty (APR), whichever is the greater in any given year.

          The royalty rates are either:

          5% AVR, that is 5% of the net revenues obtained from the sale of petroleum, or
          20% APR, that is 20% of the accounting profit of petroleum production.

          If a discovery was made between 30 June 2004 and 31 December 2009, the following applies:

          AVR of 1% for natural gas
          APR of 15% on the first NZ$750 million cumulative gross (offshore) or 15% on the first NZ$250 million cumulative gross (onshore).

          In calculating the accounting profit deductions are made and may include associated production costs, capital costs (exploration costs, development costs, permit maintenance and consent costs and feasibility study costs), indirect costs, decommissioning costs, operating and capital overhead allowance, operating costs and capital costs carried forward and decommissioning costs carried back.

    • Cemetery Jones 1.5
      17 December 2013 at 11:53 am

      Surely part of that democracy you cherish is a government which is up front with us about the ugly details? How else are you to make an informed choice about whether or not you are pro or anti drilling?

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.6
      17 December 2013 at 12:45 pm

      BM hijacks this thread by his statement “I’m happy with the risk to reward ratio.”

      This is not what this thread is about – it is about the Government not telling the people what the risks are in the first place, it is about the government not acknowledging the risks at all.

      How can we assess whether we are prepared to accept the risks when we are kept in the dark?

      Yet it is worse than that – when an organisation lets people know what the risks are – the government lied to us by saying they were exaggerating…and they weren’t – they were being conservative

      This is not governing with the peoples’ interests uppermost in mind. It is not governing at all. This is the government not doing its job [again] – unless somewhere along the line a government’s job has become that of pushing the agenda of big business – in which case why do ‘we’ fund them?

      A government should act for the greatest good for the greatest amount of people and it does not seem to be doing that at all.

      What part of democracy does this government understand?

      Where has our democracy gone?

      So who cares whether BM is privy to the risks and prepared to accept them? What has that got to do with anything? Perhaps also BM is prepared to accept the risks without knowing what they are? Whatever the case may be it is not relevant to the issue raised by this thread’s article.

    • Conquestored 1.7
      17 December 2013 at 4:01 pm

      It’s funny that you think destroying peoples lives for money is democracy. Maybe educate yourself a bit before distributing your disgusting, weak-minded choices. Democracy is about pro-evolution not pro-capitalism so don’t point fingers at democracy unless of course you’re scared for some reason. We will never stop blaming your kind.

  2. greywarbler 2
    17 December 2013 at 9:31 am

    On top of the oil spill modelling that Conan the Earth Destroyer peanut brains are satisfied with,
    this morning there is a story on frakking in New Plymouth.
    The query is whether it is safe to farm on, particularly for dairy. The Greens have said they are not correct in doing so, Alberta doesn’t allow it.
    But Doug Edmeads? independent expert, says that it is fine. Nothing of any danger is showing up in sampling.
    There is no barium, residues of petrochemicals, heavy metals. No salts.
    Kathryn Ryan is asking all the right questions.
    Has your work been peer reviewed. He says that it is open for review and very little response has shown up. Green Party critique did not amount to anything of substance. Questioned as to whether plants are taking up petrochemicals, he says that plants produce their own waxes or something.

    Gareth Hughes says that terms of reference are flawed. The testing sample was tiny, not sufficient to give representative sample. Hughes quotes examples that negate totally what this ‘independent’ tester reports. (We have to watch accepting NACTs expert opinions wherever.
    ACC is another with pet experts with their own bent influencing their objectivity.)

    • weka 2.2
      17 December 2013 at 10:12 am

      “The query is whether it is safe to farm on, particularly for dairy”

      Yeah that’s right. Our premier ecological concerns are whether one form of strip mining and fucking the land will interfer with another form. This is a consequence of the shift in the past decade or so from conservation for its own sake to justiftying conservation on economic terms. As with politics the centre has been shifted so far that we don’t even know what ecological intelligence is any more.

  4. aerobubble 4
    17 December 2013 at 9:59 am

    Fracking fluids? Not same as petroleum waste water? Hard to tell.

    So, you’ve just been hired CEO of a mining company, you need to get rid of losts of waste…

    …hire a guy to test land that’s had dump only the most lightly contaminated waste, maybe even the waste hydrocarbons have come from a refinery, so don’t measure the amount dumped, don’t measure the soil before dumping, but add to that, don’t test for toxic chemicals or arsenic, or all the nastiness in raw crude. Don’t take many at all samples either. Now give the green light to dumping toxic waste on land, sandy soil no less, like there would be any previous indication of leaching. I mean sand! Its so uniform preciously because its so temporary and porous.

    Sorry, but that’s not science. Don’t measure inputs, outputs, or measure stuff that would be there if they dumped the most toxic waste, I mean Canada has serious bureaucracy managing the waste and you think you can just dump it on a sand soil someplace? Oh, please your fired for bad publicity.

  5. greywarbler 5
    17 December 2013 at 10:09 am

    Any further comments on fracking should be carried on in MS Frack thread started about 10 a.m. with probably lots of discussion going to be focussed there.

  6. Tracey 6
    17 December 2013 at 10:49 am

    BM

    are you confirming you dont actually have a risk reward analysis upon which you base your green flag upon? Its that which concerns me. Not that you have a differing opinion but rather you opened with a strong statement that appears to have little factual foundation. Truly I was hoping you had some analysis of risk reward to ally some of my misgivings.

  7. red blooded 7
    17 December 2013 at 11:02 am

    I think there are two distinct issues raised by the original posting, and BM was slick enough to pull people away from one of them. The “risk to reward ratio” is something he and other short-term Blinkered Monkeys like him see entirely in money terms. (Hey – if the world is going to fry anyway and coming generations are going to have to deal with a catastrophic shift in weather patterns, we may as well make a buck and turn our backs in the meantime). The other issue being highlighted here though was the dishonesty of the government and JK in particular. They made some pretty extreme attacks on Greenpeace, which got plenty of airtime and credibility at the time. I haven’t heard/seen anything yet about this report, which shows how baseless those attacks were, except here.

  8. tricledrown 8
    17 December 2013 at 11:08 am

    Bumptious
    Meglomaniac
    Desperate driller
    Nationals chickens home to roost.

  9. Natwest 9
    17 December 2013 at 11:23 am

    The anti-busines/anti-progess rag.

    The ‘Rena’ was going to be a massive pollution issue for our waters – according to Greenpeace/Labour and the Greens.

    Um! All gone – well buggar me.

    Just more hyperbole and scaremongering from the left.

    • Naturesong 9.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:50 am

      Unless you live in the Bay of Plenty.

      They are still removing bits of it.
      While it looks like the damage will not be as long term as previously thought, theres still issues in the area.

      Not to mention the folks whose livelihoods were badly affected, or in some cases ruined.

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/rena-crisis/9247168/Rena-row-still-raging

    • framu 9.2
      17 December 2013 at 12:25 pm

      do you have straw neighbours in that straw village you just built?

      • idlegus 9.2.1
        17 December 2013 at 1:11 pm

        the enquiry basically said we were bloody lucky to get away with that. how long will our luck last, & that being a small ship in relatively benign waters

    • KJT 9.3
      17 December 2013 at 1:41 pm

      The risk was increased immensely by the lack of funding and competence, in both the Government and MNZ.

      And, we still have much greater risks, of a much more serious re-occurrence, because of the “race to the bottom” that is allowed for shipping on our coasts..

      As the inquiry said, “it was luck”. Definitely was not good management.

      • Tracey 9.3.1
        17 December 2013 at 3:15 pm

        source/link for “it was luck”?

        • idlegus 9.3.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 5:58 pm

          it was in a tv3 news bulletin (when the inquiry came out), cant find any links when i search. the inquiry (according to the same report i saw) said it was also because of the hard work by the volunteers that the situation wasn’t was resolved quickly. & maritime nz patted itself on the back for letting the volunteers help.

            • KJT 9.3.1.1.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 6:47 pm

              Thanks.

              “A common view of those interviewed, reflecting on the outcomes of the response, was
              that “it could have been a lot worse”. They felt that fate or luck had played a part in so
              far as the vessel itself had held together long enough against the forces of nature for the
              response to become reinforced and to gather the strength and organisational shape to
              deliver the mitigations against multiple pollution and other risks as effectively as it did.”

          • Tracey 9.3.1.1.2
            17 December 2013 at 6:46 pm

            thanks for trying gus

        • KJT 9.3.1.2
          17 December 2013 at 6:39 pm

          Looking for the source I read. Haven’t found it yet.

          Seems pretty obvious to me that it was luck, however.

          1. Given the joke that is New Zealands oil spill response capability.
          2. The fact that the weather was calm initially, and the ships was hard on the reef, meant it did not break up while MNZ took time to dick around and get their shit together.

          http://kjt-kt.blogspot.co.nz/2011/10/kia-ora-contradictory-statements-and.html

          http://kjt-kt.blogspot.co.nz/2011/10/rena-neo-liberal-failure.html

          We are now hearing more within the industry about the tiring muck around the Rena crew had in Napier, previous to departure.
          Very common that crews are awake for hours expecting to shift ships in and out of port, in the interests of port efficiency, of course. At the same time that standards of training and manning has been reduced drastically.

          • Colonial Viper 9.3.1.2.1
            17 December 2013 at 6:43 pm

            Lazy slack attitude at the top levels now permeates all of NZ society. Who would bother creating with sweat, innovation and hard work anything of value which actually works when you can just try for a quick cut or commission off someone else’s ponzi scheme, and bail before the consequences come home to roost.

            The classic bankster mindset.

            The final proof in the pudding for me was the total balls up in getting people to the World Cup opening on time, after literally years and years and millions of dollars of planning.

            • KJT 9.3.1.2.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 7:01 pm

              Sit in the job, polish the chair, collect the money, cut wages, cut investment, get rid of all the skilled people (they cost money which could go on pumping up the share options), flog off essential plant, then avoid responsibility when it turns to shit.

              Essential management skills.

    • Tracey 9.4
      17 December 2013 at 3:14 pm

      and how much money had the rena bought into the NZ economy to warrant the spending it took to deal with it and to fully compensate the businesses. Some iwi still cannot fish their areas.

    • Tracey 9.5
      17 December 2013 at 3:17 pm

      “Costs to the taxpayer had blown out to over 50M as at the end of last year.” Some folks here seem to be alergic to thinking for themselves. Dupes, taking us down with them.

  10. tricledrown 10
    17 December 2013 at 11:45 am

    Ratfest.
    At a cost to taxpayers $30 odd million.
    Only a small spill.
    If a bigger spill happened how many billions would it take to clean up.
    Pike River !
    The Gulible right wing expect the rest of us to say nothing.
    Facism.

  11. tricledrown 11
    17 December 2013 at 11:50 am

    Natwest Bm.
    Stop talking fracking effluent.

  12. adam 12
    17 December 2013 at 11:59 am

    I think if there is an accident – then we should all get to kick Mr Bridges in the balls. Oh and BM you happy to line up and take one for the team too? Kick in the nuts that is.

  13. Colonial Viper 13
    17 December 2013 at 1:24 pm

    Time to do the 20 year transition off fossil fuels for transport.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 13.1
      17 December 2013 at 1:54 pm

      +1 This is an excellent idea.

      • Colonial Viper 13.1.1
        17 December 2013 at 3:24 pm

        Lot’s of jobs, lots of international attention, lots of very valuable new knowledge.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 13.1.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 6:35 pm

          So many advantages to this idea.

          Will we choose this positive way forward
          or will NZ politicians and voters turn it into a missed opportunity?

          • Colonial Viper 13.1.1.1.1
            17 December 2013 at 6:40 pm

            Almost by definition, visionary leadership and pressure for change has to come from outside of Parliament.

            Time to break out of the neoliberal policy straight jacket, time to get ready for the future and build our nation.

            • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 13.1.1.1.1.1
              17 December 2013 at 7:00 pm

              Good point although we do have some good options to choose from amongst NZ political parties…so long as people take advantage of MMP and stop being so loyal to useless parties.

              I think your focus here, however, on ‘us’, is the most effective way forward and the way to ensure we move in the positive direction we wish for…it seems like our politicians are selling out for private gains on both sides of the divide and it shouldn’t be assumed that they are working for our interests anymore.

              • Colonial Viper …
                17 December 2013 at 7:26 pm

                Abso-frakin-lutely.

                Movements of people focussed on different campaigns of economic justice need to hold all politicians of all stripes, to account.

          • Draco T Bastard 13.1.1.1.2
            17 December 2013 at 11:43 pm

            Will we choose this positive way forward

            Not under this or even a Labour government as they’ll both keep NZ working to profit the foreign banksters.

    • weka 13.2
      17 December 2013 at 8:03 pm

      “Time to do the 20 year transition off fossil fuels for transport.”

      Anyone know what the DCC has done with the Peak Oil report it commissioned for Dunedin city?

  14. Lez 14
    17 December 2013 at 1:26 pm

    Natwest WRONG Oil is still on the beach Under the sand at Papamoa And so is the Toxic Cleaner So Go Bugger Yourself

  15. tricledrown 15
    17 December 2013 at 3:20 pm

    Yes CV we have world leading technology right here in NewZealand .
    Induction powered cars buses have been developed in NZ .
    The govt should get in behind this technology and start rolling out this technology.
    Its being trialed in the UK and Italy .
    Our economy would grow by far more than any gas or oil could deliver.

  16. geoff 16
    17 December 2013 at 7:15 pm

    How come all the right wing wankers are so keen to use norway as an example for its oil exploration but not for its successful redistributive economic system. Oh that’s right, they’re selfish, right wing pieces of shit that couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag unless it involved screwing someone over.

  17. Foreign Waka 17
    17 December 2013 at 8:52 pm

    It really should be that the decision makers on this potentially life destroying operation (risk description) are held personally responsible. This is reasonable given that there is sufficient information available to describe the risk/benefit ratio. One would expect that the decision makers will err of the safe side in the interest of the country’s land, foreshore and sea and its associated industries that represent the economic base on which the country survives. No hiding behind trust funds.

    • Lloyd 17.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:07 pm

      Is their sufficient information available to describe the risk/benefit ratio?

      Is the effect on global warming/global sea level rise (including property loss from sea level rise)/sea acidification included in the analysis.

      How about the loss compared with investing the same money in the development of electric induction charging roads/car parks as a New Zealand led export?

  18. greywarbler 18
    17 December 2013 at 9:08 pm

    I went fishing for links to pieces on oil spills.

    Brief summary
    http://www.groundtruthtrekking.org/Issues/AlaskaOilandGas/ExxonValdezSpill.html
    and long report
    [PDF]
    Review of Offshore Oil-spill Prevention and Remediation …
    (Canada)
    http://www.gov.nl.ca/nr/publications/energy/nloffshore_oil_review.pdf‎
    and
    Alaskan Native culture affected
    http://www.jomiller.com/exxonvaldez/articles/picougill1.html
    and
    Assessment of fault in legal safety measures before exxon oil spill short summary
    http://www.adn.com/evos/stories/EV265.html
    and
    http://www1.american.edu/ted/projects/tedcross/xoilspl7.htm
    Summaries of oil spills around the world.

  19. McGrath 19
    17 December 2013 at 10:06 pm

    There is this from the NZ Herald quoting the Enviroment Minister recently
    “Risk of a well blowout was closer to 0.25 per cent. This was based on a rate of 2.5 blowouts per 1000 wells in the Gulf of Mexico.”
    If that is correct, then I’m happy with those odds.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=11160976

    • Colonial Viper 19.1
      17 December 2013 at 10:15 pm

      Those statistics were put together by US gov regulators who were fucking oil industry executives and doing drugs with them.

      Seriously, literally, actually.

      • McFlock 19.1.1
        17 December 2013 at 10:25 pm

        personally I’d be interested to know how many wells in that report were at >1500m.

        I’m sure that those odds are a bit more than 0.25%.

        • Colonial Viper 19.1.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 11:30 pm

          And as you know, the severity of an incident is crucial to consider. 0.25% chance suggests that a deep sea well could conceivably operate for hundreds of years without incident.

          Which is of course, bullshit.

        • Naturesong 19.1.1.2
          19 December 2013 at 1:51 pm

          Stats from Gulf of Mexico; shallow water oil drilling 1 in 272 wells has a spill, while that number increases to 1 in 35 wells for deep sea drilling and to 1 in 19 wells for ultra-deep sea drilling.

          Less than 50 barrels is not considered a spill, or rather not included.
          Deep sea drilling is 300m – 1499m, and ultra deep is +1500m depth.

          Raw stats for ultra deep was 24 spills for 465 wells.

          Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Stats

  20. McGrath 20
    17 December 2013 at 10:27 pm

    Even if the odds were 10x (ie: 2.5%), the risk is still worth it. That is assuming there is oil there in the first place.

    Would it not be better to find out what is there (if any), and then have a more informed debate?

    • McFlock 20.1
      17 December 2013 at 10:35 pm

      So now you’re cool with a 1 in 40 chance?
      At what level of risk would you not place our fisheries, tourism industry, and environment under the sword of Damocles?

      You’re like a surgeon who wants to perform an operation that has a teeny-tiny risk of death, just to see if anything’s in there.

      • Paul 20.1.1
        17 December 2013 at 10:37 pm

        Is it worth it when so little is actually going to New Zealand?
        Sounds like our risk, their profit.
        Same old capitalism for the poor, socialism for the rich mantra.
        Could you explain that McG?
        Why are you prepared to. Take such a risk when the real money goes to overseas corporations?
        Do you work for them?
        Or are you just incredibly uninformed?

  21. McGrath 21
    17 December 2013 at 10:50 pm

    In a nutshell, I’m “cool” with a 1/40 chance if it creates a significant industry with significant employment industries. For example, An oil industry in Northland will help to reduce high unemployment numbers in the region. This cannot be a bad thing surely?

    • McFlock 21.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:02 pm

      Well, if the sole concern were economic, it depends entirely on what other industries it endangers.

      And as macro points out, that’s 1 in 40 per well you’re happy with. A dozen wells, and you’re perilously close to not giving a damn whether a blowout occurs at all.

      So your crocodile tears over jobs in Northland are demonstrably false. I’d much rather recreational fishing, tourism, yachting, and even commercial fishing continue to grow than gamble it all on 40 black.

      • Paul 21.1.1
        17 December 2013 at 11:09 pm

        Agreed McFlock. Remembering also that the profit goes overseas.
        Are you able to adopt the Cui bono (who benefits) principle McG? It is the most important question to ask when evaluating any situation.

        • McFlock 21.1.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 11:11 pm

          He just assumes that if ordinary people are opposed to it, he’ll be one of the beneficiaries. Debate ended, as far as he’s concerned.

  22. Paul 22
    17 December 2013 at 11:03 pm

    Well if that was the only factor to consider, then yes…
    However, it’s not . Oil drilling that entails destroying our tourism industry, our dairy industry and our environment, then no.

    Also and more importantly, fossil fuels are destroying the planet. The only reason companies like Andarcko are considering drilling for oil in such places is because we are running out of oil. Wouldn’t it be better to be spending the time, energy and money ( and investing in jobs) in such alternatives.

    Finally a question, McG, do you accept that climate change is being caused by rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere?

    • Lloyd 22.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:19 pm

      Before climate change how about oceanic acidification and sea level rise? These are already happening in an ever-increasing rate with sometimes unexpected negative consequences that are almost certainly not included in an oil companies cost-benefit calculations.

      • McFlock 22.1.1
        17 December 2013 at 11:21 pm

        acidification worries the shit out of me, along with runoff dead zones like in Gulf of Mexico.

  23. McGrath 23
    17 December 2013 at 11:11 pm

    Paul

    Yes I confess, I work for “them”. Its all a giant global conspiracy… Much like BM, I’m sure he works for “them” too… Or perhaps its simply just the opinion of those who don’t mind Oil Exploration. Shane Jones is keen for it, Greenpeace is also keen for it in a roundabout way. It wasn’t love that powered their boat recently to Russia…

    Just because your’e offended doesn’t mean you’re right .

    • Paul 23.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:17 pm

      I’m not offended McG. The question about you working for an oil company was rhetorical. It would make sense as you would benefit form oil drilling.

      I’m actually waiting for your answer to the questions I asked.
      1)Who benefits from Andarcko oil drilling in New Zealand?
      2) Do you accept that climate change is occurring due to climate change.

      Using the conspiracy word is not really a debating technique but an attempt o undermine, that’s all. it only works a few times. Use it too much and people can see why you do it.

      Referencing BM and Shane Jones in support of your argument suggests I may be wasting my time expecting a reasoned debate based on evidence.

    • Colonial Viper 23.2
      17 December 2013 at 11:26 pm

      NZ should keep all that energy for ourselves, not gift it to foreigners to benefit from.

      • Paul 23.2.1
        17 December 2013 at 11:30 pm

        You would think that was the rational approach.
        That’s why I wonder why McG is so keen to take these risks when I can’t see how he or the country would benefit?
        So far he’s mentioned some jobs in Northland….
        He has dodged the issue you mention

        • Colonial Viper 23.2.1.1
          17 December 2013 at 11:32 pm

          Exchanging vital physical resources (concentrated energy) for digitally printed currency credits created out of thin air by keystrokes.

          Yes, it’s ridiculous.

          • felix 23.2.1.1.1
            17 December 2013 at 11:53 pm

            Also the energy units are increasing in value. The currency units, not so much.

            • Colonial Viper 23.2.1.1.1.1
              18 December 2013 at 1:22 am

              the energy units are increasing in value, and in relative scarcity (ease of obtainability)…while the currency units are being produced in an unlimited flood of keystrokes…

  24. McGrath 24
    17 December 2013 at 11:22 pm

    What’s my opinion on climate change? If you really want to know, it’s basically inbetween. I don’t believe its as bad as the climate scientists say, if it was we’d be drowning under melted polar ice caps by now. Equally I don’t believe those that say we’ve nothing to do with it as shitting in your own nest with pollutants must do something. What the true answer is, i’m honestly not sure.

    • Paul 24.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:26 pm

      OK, then you are aware of the connection between drilling for fossil fuels and rising CO2 levels?

    • McFlock 24.2
      17 December 2013 at 11:27 pm

      So you’re not sure, but you choose to not believe the people who have spent decades studying the issue? Fascinating.

    • Colonial Viper 24.3
      17 December 2013 at 11:27 pm

      I don’t believe its as bad as the climate scientists say, if it was we’d be drowning under melted polar ice caps by now.

      You’re sorta stupid, right? Or do you simply believe in saying stupid things as a diversion?

      It’s very difficult to tell with you.

      Time for NZ to get off transport fossil fuels.

      • Paul 24.3.1
        17 December 2013 at 11:34 pm

        I think just desperately uninformed. Probably relies on Slater for his information.
        It’s scary to see how easily people learn not to question and simply regurgitate the prejudices of others.

  25. McGrath 25
    17 December 2013 at 11:35 pm

    Who benefits from oil drilling? Ask the future government (be it Labour or National) regarding additional taxes and royalties earned. Ask those who are directly or indirectly employed as a result of any additional oil finds. On the flip side, the oil companies will also benefit, and so will local businesses with supply contracts to the oil firms?

    • McFlock 25.1
      17 December 2013 at 11:40 pm

      nah, the flipside is the damage to the economy, to employent, and to the environment from a blowout.
      Which the company doesn’t face, although it reaps the significant bulk of the profits.

      Great holiday season in Tauranga a couple of years ago – and that was just one container ship, not a blowout.

    • Paul 25.2
      17 December 2013 at 11:40 pm

      I think you’ll find the vast majority of the profits will go overseas McG.

    • Paul 25.3
      17 December 2013 at 11:40 pm

      I think you’ll find the vast majority of the profits will go overseas McG.

  26. McGrath 26
    17 December 2013 at 11:52 pm

    I could post endless articles about how past climate predictions have failed to materialise, however I fear I’d be wasting my time such is the intransigence displayed. Anyway, I leave you with the words of that font of all knowledge “BM” where its all about democracy and choice. Besides, I need to get ready for my corporate masters to earn my top 10% NZ salary bracket tomorrow. Goodnight all!

    • Colonial Viper 26.1
      18 December 2013 at 1:27 am

      You need to think on the time scale of a redwood McGrath. Currently you’re thinking on the time scale of a cicada. No wonder you can’t see shit.

    • Draco T Bastard 26.2
      18 December 2013 at 2:16 am

      I could post endless articles about how past climate predictions have failed to materialise

      And every single one of them would be outright lying.

    • KJT 26.3
      18 December 2013 at 8:32 am

      You have just outed yourself McGrath.

      Another chair polishing, wannabee one of the big boys, on 80k a year.

      What causes it? small dick complex?

    • tracey 26.4
      18 December 2013 at 8:37 am

      LOL, by using BM as your “source” of anything brings more than just your posts into question. he has been unable to actually outline the basis for his risk-reward ration contentment. he started strongly but finished very soon after with less than a whimper.

  27. tricledrown 27
    18 December 2013 at 8:07 am

    McG addicted to Oil .
    97% of peet review sciemce shows you are captive of the oil industry.

  28. tricledrown 28
    18 December 2013 at 8:19 am

    Peer reviewed that is.
    The depth of these wells offshore means it will be 20 years before they can be used as the technology is not able to retrieve this oil.
    So this govt is telling porkies about benefits to NZ economy.
    By then electric cars will have taken over and it will have been pointless drilling and risking our enviroment!

    • Tat Loo (CV) 28.1
      18 December 2013 at 8:25 am

      No, electric cars will not be “taking over” as only a very small proportion of people will be able to afford them as the economy continues to struggle.

      • aerobubble 28.1.1
        18 December 2013 at 12:57 pm

        I disagree. Sure urban sprawl has locked in high energy usage patterns… …for those that live there. As populations continue to increase, more people will live in denser areas, and since they won’t own or run as many cars, they will have more spending power. Why buy an electric car when you don’t need a car at all, and the economic pressure for you to not own a car is so real (share car ownership, renting, etc).

        Its NZ sprawl that is the huge burden on the economy in future decades.

    • Draco T Bastard 28.2
      18 December 2013 at 2:49 pm

      Not electric cars but electric trains and buses. There’s no way we have the generation capacity to run electric cars and we probably never will have as we have other, more important, things to do with our resources.

  29. greywarbler 29
    19 December 2013 at 10:03 am

    aerobubble
    Have you a link on sharing car ownership – say neighbours sharing?

    • aerobubble 29.1
      19 December 2013 at 12:50 pm

      I think its called a market opportunity.

    • greywarbler 29.2
      19 December 2013 at 5:49 pm

      Car ownership sharing among neighbours etc has already been done was my point. So how to go about it I thought would be good to know. But i haven’t time to look that up. Done looking up links for the post for this year.

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    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

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    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
    16 mins 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
    59 mins 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    5 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
    16 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
    22 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
    23 hours 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
    3 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
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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