On the waterfront: art & politics

Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, October 29th, 2013 - 81 comments
Categories: activism, auckland supercity, capitalism, class war, democratic participation, Revolution, workers' rights - Tags:

I wonder who decided to include such a divisive piece of artwork on Queen’s Wharf on Auckland’s waterfront?  Sir Bob Harvey seems to be a spokesperson in relation to it, but I would have expected him to have known better.  At least if they were including a piece celebrating the suppression of one one of the most significant strikes in NZ’s history, they would have thought to include both sides of the dispute.

Anyway, after Mike Lee protested, and Bomber threatened to deface it on Labour Day, the “art work” has been covered up. NZ Herald reports:

An artwork depicting controversial strikes on Auckland’s waterfront 100 years ago has been covered up ahead of its removal this morning to avoid upsetting descendants of harbour workers.

The two-dimensional black silhouette shows a baton-wielding “strike-breaker”, one of the rural Aucklanders employed to disrupt protesting dock workers in 1913.

The work is on Queens Wharf as part ofTamaki Makaurau – The Many Lovers of Auckland, a Waterfront Auckland project that tells the history of the waterfront.

Yesterday, city councillor Mike Lee protested to Waterfront Auckland chairman Sir Bob Harvey after reading the plaque attached to the work. It quotes strike-breaker Jim Ross from a 1913 newspaper saying, “From our homes in the backblocks of Auckland we came to help down the strike and keep the town’s name.”

An accompanying description gave a brief history of the role of strike-breakers and labelled Mr Ross “one of the many lovers of Auckland”.

Mr Lee said the artwork paid homage to “thugs and bashers on the people’s wharf. We have really lost our way if heritage experts believe vigilante thugs rounded up to attack striking working people are deemed to be heroes.”

Mr Lee’s great-grandfather and grandfather were both dock workers.

Labour Day commemorates past battles won for rights and fairness for NZ workers.

Labour Day commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day. New Zealand workers were among the first in the world to claim this right when, in 1840, the carpenter Samuel Parnell won an eight-hour day in Wellington. Labour Day was first celebrated in New Zealand on 28 October 1890, when several thousand trade union members and supporters attended parades in the main centres. Government employees were given the day off to attend the parades and many businesses closed for at least part of the day.

The date, 28 October, marked the first anniversary of the establishment of the Maritime Council, an organisation of transport and mining unions.

Dunedin Labour Day Parade 1894

Dunedin Labour Day Parade 1894, New Zealand History Online. 

It’s a sign of the times when the Auckland authorities, (or is it the unaccountable Ports of Auckland Ltd) show such disrespect for the workers of Auckland and the country.

Time for the many to unite against the few who so easily disregard important struggles for fairness and democratic rights.

81 comments on “On the waterfront: art & politics ”

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  1. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 1
    29 October 2013 at 12:02 pm

    There are some books I want banned while we’re about it.

    • Rogue Trooper 1.1
      29 October 2013 at 12:06 pm

      “The Joy of Sex”?

      • fender 1.1.1
        29 October 2013 at 12:10 pm

        LOL

        “The gormless National Party manifesto”?

      • greywarbler 1.1.2
        29 October 2013 at 12:52 pm

        I remember managing to get a copy of Portnoys Complaint when it was banned in Oz. Just to see what the fuss was about. And Joy of Sex? Well what can one say. Two would make a better point of agreement. It’s all over-rated really. But not always. When there is time for reflection – sometimes yes, sometimes no. I am sure that L B..wn would agree.

    • karol 1.2
      29 October 2013 at 12:08 pm

      At the very least, they should have included both sides of the dispute, showing why people were striking, and the ruthless treatment they got. Instead we get one side – that brutal and anti-democratic side, presented as a celebration.

      Distortion of reality in support of the elites, does not serve democracy.

      • King Kong 1.2.1
        29 October 2013 at 12:20 pm

        I think the strikers of that time would be embarrassed about the squawking of “scatterbrained” woman in public.

        As well as being unbelievably sexist (many of them would be prodigious wife beaters) I bet they were almost wholesale racists.

        The truth must out!

        [lprent: See http://thestandard.org.nz/nationals-civil-war-continues/#comment-718087 for your most recent ban. ]

      • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 1.2.2
        29 October 2013 at 5:26 pm

        Every piece of art has to show “both sides” now? How’s that going to work practically? And what happens if there are more than two sides?

        Maybe an illustration would help me understand, karol.

        Maybe you could draw me a picture showing the “other side” of the Death of Marat.

        http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/d/david_j/3/301david.html

        • McFlock 1.2.2.1
          29 October 2013 at 5:34 pm

          Funny choice of example, there, given that David ended up in exile and not even his corpse was allowed back into France due in no small part to his paintings (some of which were banned from public viewing for decades) that certainly showed both sides (assuming each side took turns being in power and therefore sucked up to).

          Personally, my issue is not so much with the artwork as the caption. Interesting point as to how much of that is part of the artwork itself, though.

        • fender 1.2.2.2
          29 October 2013 at 5:42 pm

          It’s not a piece of art though, it looks like an historical information sign.

      • Populuxe1 1.2.3
        29 October 2013 at 5:53 pm

        I would think it would be very obvious to anyone but a complete cretin that the image is supposed to be one of fear and thuggish evil – a warning and admonishment, not a “distortion of reality in support of elites”. It’s not up to you to decide how an artist chooses to communicate an idea and this certainly seems a direct way of doing it. By your logic we should have monuments to H1tler and the Na51s because the Holocaust museums are only part of the story when any sensible person could see that one infers the other – or is this another example of that elitist assumption that ordinary people are somehow inferior and stupid and need everything spelled out to them slowly in small words so they don’t depart the true ideological path.

        • Tat Loo (CV) 1.2.3.1
          29 October 2013 at 6:01 pm

          Awesome unprovoked self-Godwin.

          • Populuxe1 1.2.3.1.1
            29 October 2013 at 6:04 pm

            A very provoked one, akshully. And appropriate considering their particular attitude to what art was acceptable and what wasn’t.

        • karol 1.2.3.2
          29 October 2013 at 6:08 pm

          Well, it clearly wasn’t obvious to the people who put the image on the Wharf. It depends on the context and how it’s done. if you have images of such thuggery along side some images and information about the strike, it can show up the thuggery.

          Actually the website for the US Holocaust Museum has various museum has images from Nazi propaganda and references/links to various Nazi works of art and films.

          It is important to show how propaganda works.

          • Populuxe1 1.2.3.2.1
            29 October 2013 at 6:13 pm

            This isn’t propoganda, it’s an art work or at least design, and a silhouette of someone wielding a baton seems pretty bloody obvious to me that it’s not about rainbows and unicorns, Tovarish Lunacharsky. – or do you also have problems with determining whether to cross or not cross because you can’t tell apart the little stylised people at the lights. This disturbing blindness to stylisation must cause you endless difficulty with public toilets.

            • emergency mike 1.2.3.2.1.1
              29 October 2013 at 8:18 pm

              “Yesterday, city councillor Mike Lee protested to Waterfront Auckland chairman Sir Bob Harvey after reading the plaque attached to the work. It quotes strike-breaker Jim Ross from a 1913 newspaper saying, “From our homes in the backblocks of Auckland we came to help down the strike and keep the town’s name.”

              An accompanying description gave a brief history of the role of strike-breakers and labelled Mr Ross “one of the many lovers of Auckland”.”
              http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11147747

              It’s about context – it’s not just a stylised silhouette. Accompanied by the above text it surely does look an awful lot like anti-union propaganda. But I doubt that it is consciously that. Probably written by someone with a rather shallow grasp of workers rights and when to not applaud violence. And rubber stamped into existence.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 1.3
      29 October 2013 at 12:14 pm

      At least it serves as a reminder of the true nature of treacherous authoritarian scum.

    • emergency mike 1.4
      29 October 2013 at 8:20 pm

      You are welcome to suggest any books you want banned through the appropriate channels.

  2. Enough is Enough 2
    29 October 2013 at 12:10 pm

    It is a sad day when we start censoring art – of any description.

    • karol 2.1
      29 October 2013 at 12:13 pm

      But isn’t an official commemoration of a significant political struggle, that censors by omission, even worse?

      • vto 2.1.1
        29 October 2013 at 12:38 pm

        Yes it is. This is entirely inappropriate for reasons that shouldn’t need explaining.

        By way of tangent – another piece of so-called “art” that is entirely out of place is the USA and New York foisting a pile of twisted 9/11 twin towers steel on the people of Christchurch on one of our prime corners of river and street public space. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2VYH

        I don’t want the results of America’s political and military acts dumped in my house thank you very much and have said so about this piece of shit from day one. It is deemed a memorial to the firefighters, which is a crock. They should remove it. It is completely inappropriate.

        • Populuxe1 2.1.1.1
          29 October 2013 at 5:59 pm

          And you haven’t a clue what you’re talking about and sound like one of those bitter nasty old people who write anal letters to The Press every time a sparrow craps on their car.

          • vto 2.1.1.1.1
            29 October 2013 at 7:36 pm

            “And you haven’t a clue what you’re talking about”….

            … so where is the claim wrong

            …

            … I look forward to something more than emptiness and vitriol

            …

            • Populuxe1 2.1.1.1.1.1
              29 October 2013 at 8:12 pm

              Then don’t look in the mirror.
              The fact that you can be so callous about the deaths of 2,606 innocent people and subsequent fatalities among emergency workers suggests that you are no better than any other small minded bigot. That particular sculpture is an acknowledgment of our sending emergency personelle to help as we have done for many other countries around the world in times of crisis. Your attitude is ugly.

              • Tat Loo (CV) …
                29 October 2013 at 8:29 pm

                Oh, Pop1, stop grandstanding. You’re not some morality police officer, no matter how much you would like to be. For starters, far more than 2606 innocent people have died because of that day, although as expected you can’t be fucked counting up to half a million or so.

              • vto …
                29 October 2013 at 8:53 pm

                That is surely clearly not what the point is.

                And neither was any point made about the deaths of 2,606 people, or your other dribble.

      • Populuxe1 2.1.2
        29 October 2013 at 5:58 pm

        It doesn’t censor anything by omission. It is perfectly obvious what the art represents – a figure of fear and thuggish evil – and the victims are inferred. I suppose having a waxwork of Jack the Ripper means that Madame Tussaud’s condones the murder of prostitutes.

        • Pascal's bookie 2.1.2.1
          29 October 2013 at 9:18 pm

          Pop, does anyone else interpret the work they way you do?

          The guy is quoted and then described as a hero of Auckland. Are any of the other hero’s treated in this ironic way?

    • felix 2.2
      29 October 2013 at 12:14 pm

      I used to agree with that until I heard Coldplay.

    • fender 2.3
      29 October 2013 at 12:20 pm

      Yes I agree, the word “art” is being used for stuff that isn’t too much these days.

      • Rogue Trooper 2.3.1
        29 October 2013 at 12:24 pm

        ahhh, the prostitution of Art, and so the circle is completed.

        • fender 2.3.1.1
          29 October 2013 at 12:57 pm

          It’s getting ridiculous, if I put up a fake 1km/h speed limit sign out on the road are we going to call that art, a prank or just a nuisance…

          • Rogue Trooper 2.3.1.1.1
            29 October 2013 at 1:26 pm

            Crawling In their Skin. (Dad used to come home from work and describe the “crawlers” to us at the dinner table. RLB, never, never, never forgotten. Memory is such a privilege 😀

  3. vto 3
    29 October 2013 at 12:26 pm

    .
    people have
    short memories
    no understanding
    where history
    resides

    doomed to repeat
    the thug against
    the worker
    the dollar against
    the people

    …………………………………..

    art to commemorate and memorialise?

    who is the brainless goof who thought that up?

  4. Tiger Mountain 4
    29 October 2013 at 12:33 pm

    Could have been combined with a union panel of similar size next to it incorporating Jack London’s “The Scab”. But that would have taken thought and planning and doesn’t really deal with the power imbalance of the state forces vs a section of the workers anyway. Imagine the squeals if a Pro Union piece about the ’51 “Lockout” (the right and uninformed call it a strike) had been featured.

    Not comfortable with banning stuff but with the insensitivity at the very least displayed by Waterfront Auckland it should be removed post haste and returned to the creator in tiny pieces.

    http://www.iamll1005.org/definition_of_a_scab.htm

    • Murray Olsen 4.1
      29 October 2013 at 7:57 pm

      Massey’s Cossacks loved Auckland like Jake Heke loved his wife. There should also be something commemorating the workers’ side. The stupid monument to thuggery should never have gone up, but I’m not happy with Mike Lee taking time out from his work to remove beggars from the streets to make this gesture.

  5. fender 5
    29 October 2013 at 1:25 pm

    If the aim of an “artwork” is to spread propaganda, misinformation or a one-sided account of history it is no longer worthy of being called “art” despite art/craft being employed to convey the message.

  6. Pete 6
    29 October 2013 at 2:08 pm

    I reject totally the idea that Massey’s Cossacks were anything but repressive thugs, but censorship of art sticks in my craw. Art is often provacative and challenges our views. You might argue this crosses a threshold from being artistic into being propaganda or whitewashing history, but lots of art is subjective.

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 6.1
      29 October 2013 at 2:50 pm

      This is a commercial design commissioned and executed to a brief set by the client. Not exactly fine art.

    • vto 6.2
      29 October 2013 at 7:39 pm

      If it is art of course it is fine, but it has been portrayed as historical record / commemoration / memorialisation and that is where the boundary is crossed imo.

  7. Leopold 7
    29 October 2013 at 3:20 pm

    Or the Port Authority could at least put up something of the same 1913 vintage:

    Too Old to Rat
    Or, The Old Unionist

    Henry Lawson, 1912

    I don’t care if the cause be wrong.
    Or if the cause be right —
    I’ve had my day and sung my song,
    And fought the bitter fight.
    In truth, at times I can’t tell what
    The men are driving at,
    But I’ve been Union thirty years,
    And I’m too old to rat.

    Maybe, at times in those old days
    Remembered now by few,
    We did bite OR in various ways
    Much more than we could chew —
    We paid, in sodden strikers’ camps
    Upon the black-soil flat;
    We paid, in long and hungry tramps —
    And I’m too old to rat.

    The Queensland strike in Eighty-nine,
    And Ninety’s gloomy days —
    The day the opera comp’ny sang
    For us the “Marseillaise”,
    The sea of faces stern and set,
    The waiting “bitter cup”,
    The hopeless hearts, unbeaten yet,
    The storm cloud rushing up.

    The fighting, dying Boomerang
    Against the daily Press;
    The infant Worker holding out;
    The families in distress;
    The sudden tears of beaten men —
    Oh! you remember that! —
    Are memories that make my pen
    Not worth its while to rat.

    I’ve wept with them in strikers’ camps
    Where shivered man and beast;
    I’ve worn since then the badge of men,
    Of Hell! and London East!
    White faces by the flaring torch!
    Wraith wives! — the slaves of Fat!
    And ragged children in the rain —
    Yes! — I’m too old to rat!

    • Rogue Trooper 7.1
      29 October 2013 at 3:42 pm

      Prisoners everywhere
      Send me all you have
      Fears screams and boredom
      Fishermen of all beaches
      Send me all you have
      Empty nets and seasickness

      Peasants of every land (see how the Bulgarians live)
      Send me all you have
      Flowers rags
      Mutilated breasts
      Ripped-up bellies
      And torn out nails
      To my address…any cafe
      Any street in the world
      I’m preparing a huge file
      About human suffering
      To present to God
      Once it’s signed by the lips of the hungry
      And the eyelids of those still waiting…

      – The Postman’s Fear – Muhammad Al-Maghut (Syria).

  8. chris73 8
    29 October 2013 at 5:42 pm

    This is a good thing, a precedents been set and now anyone who doesn’t like any sort of art can moan about it enough and get it removed

    Its another small step towards the type of government i want 😉

    • felix 8.1
      29 October 2013 at 6:27 pm

      “and now anyone who doesn’t like any sort of art can moan about it enough and get it removed”

      Nothing new there.

      • chris73 8.1.1
        29 October 2013 at 6:32 pm

        Unfortunately

        • karol 8.1.1.1
          29 October 2013 at 6:35 pm

          I think it’s the context and explanation with it that is causing offence. It’s part of series of art works entitled “Lovers Of Auckland.” The explanation glorifies the strike breaking thugs.

          • chris73 8.1.1.1.1
            29 October 2013 at 7:03 pm

            And yet theres probably the same amount of people who think the strikers got what they deserved as there is who think the strike breakers were thugs

            • fender 8.1.1.1.1.1
              29 October 2013 at 7:41 pm

              “…… strikers got what they deserved …..”

              They’d be the same people who would support the stabbing of tagging youth, shooting fleeing offenders in the back, and police planting evidence to secure a conviction no doubt. You have some ugly mates there chris73, why don’t you conduct your poll and shock us with the results.

              • chris73 …
                29 October 2013 at 7:48 pm

                Well roughly 16-17% of the workforce are unionised and of that lot roughly 10% are government employees so really the people of NZ have kinda spoken

                • fender …
                  29 October 2013 at 7:59 pm

                  Yeah the empty prisons also back up your claim NZers don’t care about GBH and other violence.

                • felix …
                  29 October 2013 at 8:03 pm

                  Because 16% are in unions that means the other 84% must be totes keen on smashing their heads open with clubs?

                  Ladies and gentlemen, the intellect of the right.

            • Psycho Milt 8.1.1.1.1.2
              29 October 2013 at 9:10 pm

              …got what they deserved…

              The world is never short of people willing to declare the victims of a beating “got what they deserved.” It’s fairly unusual for them to construct artworks celebrating their moral turpitude, however. What next? A heroic statue devoted to the nation’s wife-beaters?

  9. Ron 9
    29 October 2013 at 5:44 pm

    Can someone please say now the waterfront ‘art’ was placed there and when it was. I get an impression that it is a fairly recent addition to waterfront but would like to know just how it was put there.

  10. phillip ure 10
    29 October 2013 at 5:47 pm

    i am uneasy about the reaction/censoring of this..

    ..given the execution/captioning/couching was clumsy in the extreme..(citing an opinion/reason as some sorta fact..)

    ..this is still our history..

    ..and an examination of the beliefs/brainwashing of these strike-breakers has inherent lessons..

    ..lessons that are totally relevant today..

    ..(personally..i am puzzled by the little concern shown for one in four children living in poverty..now/here/today/in 2013..seeing that indifference to such suffering as a current example of the myopia affecting/infecting these historical-thugs..

    ..hands up..!..eh..?..)

    ..and so i don’t see it as an either/or…

    ..both stories should/need to be told..

    ..not just the victors tales/reasoning celebrated..

    ..wholesale enthusiasm for censoring/re-writing history in such a way makes me shudder..

    ..whether it comes from the right..or the left..

    ..phillip ure..

    • karol 10.1
      29 October 2013 at 5:54 pm

      Agreed that the full story should be told, rather than banning one side. But, in view of that fact that only one side has been presented in a celebratory way, what to do until the full picture is ready to be presented?

      • Populuxe1 10.1.1
        29 October 2013 at 6:02 pm

        Do you have some evidence that anything was banned, or could it simply be that this was the most direct and uncluttered way of representing a horrible incident in NZ history

        • karol 10.1.1.1
          29 October 2013 at 6:12 pm

          The NZ Herald’s description shows it was presenting only one view point. In contrast, the links to some of the official records in my post show how much was left out. it is clearly a very skewed representation.

          • Populuxe1 10.1.1.1.1
            29 October 2013 at 6:17 pm

            Because he had the baton raised up in a threatening manner for the good of his health? Admittedly art is often reductive when applied to protest, but in this case there are a bunch of glorywhores like Bombast Bradbury (Bradbury, like in Farenheit 451) who are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. I am reminded of the tedious people who complained about the austere Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC because they wanted kitschy statues of soldiers or something. Taste =/= Ideology.

            • karol 10.1.1.1.1.1
              29 October 2013 at 6:38 pm

              No, it’s the context and explanation with it that is causing most of the offence – it’s part of a series entitled “Lovers of Auckland”, and the print text with it glorifies their role, rather than presenting the full story.

              An image on its own is open to diverse meaning. Usually the print accompanying an image particularly helps anchor the meaning, along with the context.

              • phillip ure …
                29 October 2013 at 8:02 pm

                “..it’s part of a series entitled “Lovers of Auckland”..”

                is there a section on len ‘down-trou’ brown..?

                ..the true history must be told..

                ..phillip ure..

              • Populuxe1 …
                29 October 2013 at 8:24 pm

                Really? Because if what is offending you is having to entertain a perspective without neccisarily agreeing with it, Aristotle would be very dissapointed in you. As that principle also underpins democratic freedom of speech, I am also dissapointed in you. Or maybe it’s that persistant bigotry you have about the analytical abilities of non-academics, because I think they probably will see it as a darkly ironic artistic statement even without having read Derrida.

                But anyway, I don’t want to keep you from your next book burning. May I suggest the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – it has the ‘N’ word in it – yes I know the book and Mark Twain were anti-slavery, but the plebs might not understand that so better to be safe than sorry, eh?

            • Alphaville 10.1.1.1.1.2
              30 October 2013 at 12:37 am

              I hope Karol didn’t go see the last Auckland Triennial. Luke Willis Thompson’s work must have given her hives.

              (And don’t anybody tell her about Jeremy Deller!)

  11. TheContrarian 11
    29 October 2013 at 6:37 pm

    I would have thought (it it may have been so – I don’t live in Auckland so can’t view the context myself) that the best way to present it, if at all, would be part of a series detailing the whole event and the climate of the time.

  12. binders full of women 12
    29 October 2013 at 8:15 pm

    As a RWNJ & union member I say let it stay— it got people talking. I never knew they used lynch mobs to bash protestors, I thought it was just constabulary- the art has got people talking and educated me— pretty much what you hope for from art…. not some balanced view that made it’s way through a balancing & approval committee. The debate that has flowed has provided the balance. Do some counter art…

  13. joe90 13
    29 October 2013 at 9:16 pm

    Mr Clemens: December 8, –

    A couple of curious war-monuments here at Wanganui. One is in honour of white men who fell in defence of law and order against fanaticism and barbarism.

    […]

    The other monument cannot be rectified. Except with dynamite.

  14. GregJ 14
    30 October 2013 at 1:52 am

    NZ History Net has a new Flickr site of images of the “Great Strike” of 1913 here plus an updated page giving details of the strike.

    As an aside it seems to be a particularly provocative act to have a piece of art work put up that tells only one part of the story on the 100th anniversary of the strike – a strike which was both a significant event for the country & the development of the Labour movement (even if the outbreak of WWI has tended to overshadow the event from a historical perspective).

  15. Not Another Sheep 15
    30 October 2013 at 2:29 am

    Fascinating records on the link, Greg.
    The National Library has also been running a series of events with guest speakers. I think there are a couple of these lectures to go. “Flashpoint of history” and “1913: still relevant after all these years?” still to come.

    http://natlib.govt.nz/events/2013/11

    It would be too incredible to think that such an amassing of the people in protest could happen again here in NZ; even a peaceful one on a massive scale, say before the next election.

    Today being arrested and imprisoned on Somes Island might be pretty cool?

    • Tat Loo (CV) 15.1
      30 October 2013 at 7:59 pm

      A peaceful protest is a good idea. Just look out for the agent provocatuers though.

  16. vto 16
    30 October 2013 at 8:00 am

    The scum bastards who came out of rural Auckland to act as vigilantes and bash working people can go fuck themselves. They and the government of the day (a National type for sure) that enabled them to bash like they did have no place in the world I live in – they can go jump.

    Woody Duthrie shows it for what it is. Watch and weep.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyUagbsg-HI

    (fwiw we had family on both sides of this shit)

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    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    12 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    13 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    15 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    16 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    18 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    19 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    21 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours 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
    10 hours ago

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

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 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
    12 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
    12 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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