He said Waterfront Auckland was open to partnerships, joint ventures or multiple-party contracts as opposed to the standard development agreement, but investors would be seeking certainty
WHAT!!!
So they want and ratepayer/taxpayer underwritten profits, regrdless !
I just heard Solid Energy’s chair Mark Ford on Radio New Zealand news saying that former chief executive Don Elder was not available to answer questions to Parliament’s Commerce select committee because it was apparently “not appropriate”. The committee were obviously interested in how Solid Energy could get things so bad that it had gone for a significant earner of overseas reserves to the current position where it is a cot case.
This is incredible for a couple of reasons. Firstly Elder is still getting full pay as he sits at home waiting for a telephone call. He was earning over a million a year so he must be the the best paid gardener in the country. He was the one who knew the business better than anyone else.
Secondly why is Ford the one to decide who should appear? Shouldn’t the peoples representatives be the ones to decide who should tell them how their business is doing rather than some high paid corporate friend of the National Party?
The corporate take over of New Zealand is nearing completion …
Waking up to hear Don Elder is ‘now’ a paid consultant makes my hangover even worst! What is it with these Coal guys? That dirt bag Whittle done the same. The only consulting Don should be doing is with his conscience. Oh that’s right psychopaths don’t have a conscience!
mickeysavage. “He was earning over a million a year so he must be the the best paid gardener in the country.”
I’m just off to do some gardening as a paid employee. One million dollars would employ me for over 32 years full-time, 2000 hours per year, at $15.56 per hour.
Why should people get upset over salaries, perks and golden handshakes of that magnitude? I just don’t understand it.
Had a look at the picture in the Herald article cited above. First impression was that John Key looks crumpled. He needs to press his suit, an analogy which could be also applied to his work as an ambassador for NZ in Venezuela. But I suspect an impeccable suit in Washington has told him that would not wear well in US circles.
Dirty Don the coal man and Double Dipping Bill suffer minimal consequences by fraudulently accessing public funds for their own benefit. However if you are struggling to bring up children on the DPB and lie about the existence of an unreliable partner, god help you! http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/dirty-don-and-double-standards.html
Do these ad/marketing people think w’re stupid? We know how ads work to convey multiple messages. In response to an “eco-activist” making a complaint about the 100% Pure slogan,
The ASA is responsible only for the regulation of advertising in New Zealand. Tourism NZ spokeswoman Deborah Gray said it did not buy advertising here with any of the ASA’s member organisations.
“100% Pure New Zealand is a campaign that tells the story of how our landscape, people and activities combine to deliver a visitor experience that is unique to New Zealand.
“Our unique combination of landscapes, people and activities cannot be found anywhere else – hence it is a ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ visitor experience.”
The slogan was “not an environmental claim, and it never has been”.
People do seem to be easily led by the flash advertising. That’s one of the reasons that I think stopping watching TV was such a boon for me. Instead of being led around I had to go look for information resulting in being better informed and clearer thinking which allowed me to see the BS that adverts are.
I’m interested by this ‘ASA’s member organisations’ claim. The ASA will not refuse jurisdiction on local ads. They can’t for to do so will mean they’re not being an effective regulator and open the argument for govt regulation of their sector.
The ASA of course won’t uphold the complaint. They are funded by corporates and controlled by conservative interests. They’re very ACT in their approach.
“It should be a real wake-up call to the mayor as to where the real problems and frustrations lie for most Aucklanders – that is in traffic jams.”
Mr Brewer said he’d like more improvements to the motorway network and more bus lanes, ferry terminals and cycle and walkways, rather than the CBD rail tunnel.
You know, it’s sometimes difficult to comprehend just how stupid some people are.
Auckland has transport problems, most of those problems centre around the simple fact that we have too many cars on the road and this idiot doesn’t want the CBD rail tunnel, which will remove cars from the roads and thus decrease the traffic jams, built?
Really, that paragraph is obviously some one who has an ideological hatred of rail and will do anything to try and prevent it from being built even when it will make his precious roads better.
Auckland rail network is doomed to fail as long as the one way in & out Britomart station remains status quo. A loop should have been put in 50 years ago. National & Labour take a bow!
The Greens should make it an election promise put the acid on Labour
Bedroom tax is the latest cruel welfare program from the British right wing, unable to institute positive programs to encourage employers to hire and the economy to produce what is needed for their citizens.
Will this soon be happening in NZ? This was tried here in the 1990’s I think. I know a woman who had to move to another distant town because she had a two-bedroom flat, and then couldn’t get the one bedroom one she expected in her new town. Meanwhile she was deprived of all her friends, support network etc. .
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/22/renters-downsize-bedroom-tax
Fears about the incoming bedroom tax are growing, along with speculation about the likely consequences. Some tenants might stay but not pay the difference between their local housing allowance and their actual rent. They face eviction when discretionary housing payments, limited to six months, run out in October. Mass evictions due to arrears seem certain. Government advice for tenants with a “spare” room is ill-informed or callous. Suggesting part-time workers do a few more hours work to cover costs is deluded when an extra 63 hours are required in certain circumstances .
Let’s take a simple example. A young woman leaving care, who was allocated a two bedroom flat costing £100 a week as there were no one bedroom flats available in her area, faces a deduction of £14 a week from her housing benefit. . She is already working 16 hours a week at the minimum wage. Working an extra three hours a week will net her less than £3 because her housing and council tax benefit will be reduced because of the additional hours: nowhere near enough to make up for the bedroom tax deduction. To earn an additional £14 a week, enough to pay for the bedroom tax, she will need to work 28 hours: a whole 12 hours more. However this doesn’t mean she has escaped the bedroom tax: in fact she will still face the full £14 being taken from her remaining housing benefit. To completely escape she must work a total of 48 hours a week at the minimum wage – three times her current working hours.
http://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare_reform/‘under-occupation’_penalty.aspx
How much will people lose?
The cut will be a fixed percentage of the Housing Benefit eligible rent. The Government has said that this will be set at 14% for one extra bedroom and 25% for two or more extra bedrooms.
The Government’s impact assessment shows that those affected will lose an average of £14 a week. Housing association tenants are expected to lose £16 a week on average.
How many people will see their benefit cut?
The proposal will affect an estimated 660,000 working-age social tenants – 31% of existing working-age housing benefit claimants in the social sector. The majority of these people have only one extra bedroom.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-bedroom-tax-is-just-the-latest-assault-on-our-poorest-citizens-8478898.html
According to Shelter, the number of overcrowded homes has doubled in just a decade; in some parts of the country, one in four households live in cramped conditions. Yet the bedroom tax is yet another means for the Government to turn Britain’s poorest against each other. Don’t blame the Government for failing to build housing: blame your neighbour instead. The refusal of both New Labour and the Tories to build council housing has left up to five million on social housing waiting lists. A house building programme is key to recovery from our economic catastrophe: it would stimulate the economy, create j obs, and bring down the housing benefit bill. But it would be a policy of sanity for a government in the grip of economic madness.
Thousands of those hammered by the bedroom tax have nowhere to downsize to. According to the National Housing Federation, there are 180,000 English social tenants “under-occupying” two-bedroom homes, but fewer than 70,000 one-bedroom available social homes. According to Hilary Burkitt at Affinity Sutton, one of the largest housing associations, there are very few one-bedroom properties at all in regions like the North West and North East. Tenants could be driven into the higher rents of the private sector, of course, but then would need even higher levels of housing benefit. Research for housing associations shows 42 per cent of those affected already struggle financially. The rise in homelessness that will result won’t just be devastating for those involved, it will cost: last year, the number of homeless families living in B&Bs soared by nearly half.
When I was in Britain in the 1970s there was a rort on government assistance for homeless people. So there is a synergy in treating vulnerable people harshly by government and private enterprise sweeping them up into some sort of accommodation subsidised by government. And who cares about them?
No-one in NZ seemed to care when the Nats put rents up to market levels. Wikipedia In 1991 the fourth National government raised state house rentals to “market levels” amid much controversy. The Housing Corporation was now expected to make a profit.
The Fifth Labour Government, elected in 1999, placed a moratorium on state house sales and re-established the income-related rents.
It was an eye opener to me about our ‘caring socially responsible’ society when the market rents were introduced. Even the local churches didn’t have any sense of care or involvement. We now have Habitat with houses being built by volunteers along with some sweat equity on an individual basis. But churches could use their power to encourage a good housing system. If they combined and got government to prepare plans and consult while the churches had an expert that oversaw the liaison over the preparation and the work, government would find it hard to resist. But the churches are stuck in their own paradigms of care, and are often concentrated on their own congregations. Their quality of mercy is strained I’m sorry to say.
others (with a little on-going supervision for me-self; it’s ok to be validated for being od / “not normal” ) anyway, upon reflection, nothing that’s observed is regretted. 🙂 (could swear like a trooper, yet, how does that help anything? they don’t refer to this site as a “vipers nest” by accident.
I think Claire Trevett is reading a little too much into the importance of a hat given to John Key. It’s like she’s imagining a conversation between some adviser and the Colombian President.
–¿Senor Presidente, is the smiling gringo worthy of this fine Colombian sombrero?
–Si
When in all likelihood it’s just standard operating procedure for visiting delegations to get some kind of token.
When she was a student in the late 1950s, she said, it was widely understood that loans create deposits. Now students are told that deposits create loans, which is wrong.
Much of neo-classical economics “regard banks as glorified safes.” However, “banks do not lend money” she stated. They don’t have a pot of money that they are passing on.
Economists: Getting the basic fundamentals wrong and then getting surprised when things don’t go as the expect.
Actually, that may be a good addendum to the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result which is something else that economists keep doing.
1: Vehicle WoF costs are minimal compared to the capital expenditure of buying it in the first place. If the repairs to make it up to code are more than the cost of buying a new one, they write it off and buy a new one. And seriously, for houses we’re not talking gold-plating. Insulation and a roof that doesn’t leak isn’t that much to ask for.
2: Prices are set at the most basic level by supply and demand. If the costs increase, the demand is smaller, so costs decrease again.
Putting 1 and 2 together means that you are only correct if the cost of upgrading homes puts enough houses out of the rental market that the supply dwindles and increases costs beyond poor people’s affordability. But then there will be a glut of below-par houses that will be more affordable purchases for first-home DIYers (as Prism points out) because they’re not an investor’s choice.
I think you’ll find that the actual requirements for the WoF will be fuck-all compared to the income provided by rents. And if I’m proved wrong, the worst that will happen is that the accommodation supplement gets larger.
While costs incurred may be minimal compared to total investment expenditure, they are still an additional cost that will be required to be offset. Effectively leading to rent increases.
People living in cheap, poor quality rentals generally don’t have the fiscal scope to sustain rent increases, albeit minimal..
Higher rents will negatively effect family budgets.
The decline in current rental supply will result in higher demand, hence higher rents.
Higher rents largely won’t impact housing demand as housing is a necessity, the numbers requiring cheap housing won’t just disappear..
Tenants in low quality homes generally can’t afford to buy, hence why they are tenants
The current housing shortfall will help sustain prices challenged by a market increase of poor quality homes, hence continuing to price tenants of low quality homes out of the market.
Moreover, those poor quality homes can’t be rented until they meet new requirements set, hence no increase in the supply of cheap rentals.
Additionally, investment in upgrading the properties will generally be seeking higher yields.
Higher accommodation subsidies is not the solution, it’s a bandage and taxpayer burden resulting from poor forward planning.
See, what you’re doing is suggesting that obstacles might be insurmountable as a justification for avoiding the attempt, without actually bothering to see if obstacles that large actually exist.
If the average upgrade/wof cost were 30% of the average residence, you might have a point. But given that I think we’re probably talking about single-digit percentages (if not fractions of a percent), I think the changes will be too small to have an effect on the market as a whole.
But on the off-chance you’re correct, cutting GST a couple of percent will compensate the poor for the change in price.
The shortfall from reducing GST would also have to be offset.
I’m not stifling the attempt or the end objective (improving living conditions).I’m highlighting the unforeseen consequences being over looked.
The means to this end (improving living conditions) .needs reconsidering.
I’ve conceded increases may be minimal, but I’ve also highlighted the lack of fiscal scope. A number of landlords are mortgaged to the hilt and people living in cheap, poor quality rentals generally don’t have the fiscal scope to sustain higher rents.
If they did, they wouldn’t be living in low quality homes
Landlords have faced tax changes, rate increases, and insurance increases, this would add to that burden and will be passed on to tenants.
You’re not highlighting anything that’s been overlooked.
Until specific wof standards come out of proposed legislation, you’re simply pretending that the worst case scenario is among the most likely. And that therefore the policy shouldn’t be implemented. If we all followed that philosophy, we’d still be living in caves.
Only parata would be dumb enough to suddenly introduce standards at a level that distorts the rental market to that degree. Well, maybe brownlee, too.
Failing to refute my assertions, you’ve now taken to being somewhat disingenuous.
I’m highlighting the pitfalls proposed legislation should initially avoid when drafted.
Claiming otherwise is merely your unsubstantiated disingenuous assertion..
I’ve yet to see advocates highlight these pitfalls. Perhaps you could provide me with a link?.
Moreover, I didn’t say or imply the policy shouldn’t be implemented. I highlighted the means to the ends needs reconsidering. I support the end objective (improved living conditions)
Again,you’ve resorted to being disingenuous.
Look at the impact of supply and demand in Christchurch for an example.
Effectively, outlawing lower quality rentals will force the poor into higher quality homes that they can’t afford.
That’s not a warning of what might happen, it’s an outright prediction you made on the basis of no data whatsoever.
For example, do you have any idea whether the short term housing stock reduction that results from the proposed wof policy will be at all comparable to the christchurch earthquakes? No, of course you don’t, because policy specifics haven’t been worked out yet let alone released for public discussion. But apparently you know enough to predict dire consequences for the poor. Rest assured, your concern is touching.
Just have the government enter as a major landlord, instead of leaving it to the market.
If a private investor doesn’t want to upgrade their rental property to the latest standards, the government can acquire the property for a small sum, and socialise the accomodation.
+1 and the price is offset by fewer kids being admitted to hospitals with asthma, rheumatic fever and other illnesses that flourish in damp, cold living conditions.
Just have the government enter as a major landlord, instead of leaving it to the market.
Yep, just have the government own and maintain enough housing to null out demand. IMO, a 2 or 3% over supply of housing, all up to the highest standards and all set to a percentage of household income.
Watch out everybody who wants a house. There will be some that come onto the market ‘needing TLC’ if the WOF is brought in as the money-grubbers have to change to investing intelligently. So start getting your home maintenance classes under your belt in advance.
And don’t forget that little ruse that one solicitor and his wife in Sydney used. Keep an eye on all the mortgage sales and pop along early to see the place, after getting a bit of info on the property. You never know, someone’s bad fortune might be your stroke of luck.
And of course have your mortgage pre-agreed and don’t try beyond that. Look for a reasonable lender who will advise on your suitable loan cap and if they offer you a mortgage holiday don’t take it and check their standing.
The foreseen consequences of a rental property WoF
People don’t live in cold, damp houses and garages, and their children don’t get third world diseases.
Scumbag property owners (slumlords) fix up their stock or get out of the market, but either way, aren’t getting money for nothing off the backs of the unfortunate.
I don’t care about the costs to implement the scheme, just as long as it’s not self regulated or a patsy quango setting the scene.
Those who knowingly rents out an unfit property, it’s clear, value income over society. You are not not good citizens.
You should be hit hard, with legislation aimed squarely at your fat wallets.
Soon as you don’t have the numbers in parliament, you’re fucked.
Stephen Joyce is getting away with far too much piss taking. Hearing Joyce is considering supporting New Zealand manufacturers in some kind of procurement arrangement, where joint ventures between NZ firms get preferred consideration on big builds etc.
I can hear the former skilled engineer workers from the now deceased Dunedin Rail workshop cheering from here!
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After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skylineAleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/ShutterstockRecent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...
The Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
The New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...
By Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...
Tara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...
The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...
Its new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...
BusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...
Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...
The club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors.“There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...
The under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...
New Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...
New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...
Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams?The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...
Wellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...
New Zealand’s largest book publisher has undergone drastic changes this week, leaving its future role in local publishing uncertain. Two of the most recognisable local publishers in New Zealand are among those restructured out of Penguin Random House, it was announced this week. Head of publishing Claire Murdoch will leave ...
Successive governments have tried, and failed, to count Māori. But with the return of social investment, it’s more important than ever to get good data. The post Government looks for a better way to count Māori appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Experts in financing social investment initiatives say New Zealand is in a prime position to tackle social issues via a social investment approach The post What will Willis’ social investment fund look like? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
In 2021 the Public Interest Journalism Fund launched the Te Rito Journalism project, a $2.4 million initiative to boost diversity in New Zealand’s newsrooms. The initiative was in response to the decades-long shortage of Māori and Pacific journalists in the media industry. It was billed as New Zealand’s ...
The Black Ferns Sevens appeared to be a mile behind Australia at the halfway point of the 2023-24 SVNS international circuit. Winless in three tournaments, a cup quarter-final exit in Perth was one of their worst results. To add insult to injury, talismanic skipper Sarah Hirini had been ruled out ...
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By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A former Tuvalu prime minister says while the New Zealand government’s oil and gas plans show it is concerned about its economy, he is more concerned about the livelihoods and survival of the Tuvalu people. Enele Sopoaga — who still serves as an MP ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Many people who follow federal budgets know about the magnificent “budget tree” in a parliamentary courtyard, which turns a glorious red in time for the May event. This week Treasurer Jim Chalmers posed by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Bennett, Professor of Music, Australian National University Richard P J Lambert/flickr, CC BY The future belongs to the analogue loyalists. Fuck digital. As a tsunami of CDs, DAT tapes and samplers swept the recording industry in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University This week American rapper Macklemore released a new track, Hind’s Hall, which has gained a lot of attention because of its explicitly political nature. The track is unapologetically pro-Palestine. It declares the artist’s ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danica Jenkins, Lecturer in European Studies, University of Sydney On a freezing spring night in March, Georgia’s national soccer team beat Greece in a nail-biter penalty shootout to qualify for the Euro 2024 championships. The atmosphere on the streets of the capital ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam G. Arian, Lecturer (Accounting & Finance), Australian Catholic University Loic Manegarium/Pexels Imagine every ton of carbon dioxide a company emits is slowly inflating its costs — not just in terms of potential fines or fees but in the capital it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Somwrita Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Design and Computation, University of Sydney The “latte line” is the infamous, invisible boundary that divides Sydney between the more affluent north-east and the south-west. Historically, people north of the line enjoy better access to jobs and ...
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Auckland waterfront up for grabs
Nice headliner….
WHAT!!!
So they want and ratepayer/taxpayer underwritten profits, regrdless !
Taxpayer contributions, foreign investors wanted… say what?
I despair.
That’s what they always want and they have a tendency to get it as well.
I just heard Solid Energy’s chair Mark Ford on Radio New Zealand news saying that former chief executive Don Elder was not available to answer questions to Parliament’s Commerce select committee because it was apparently “not appropriate”. The committee were obviously interested in how Solid Energy could get things so bad that it had gone for a significant earner of overseas reserves to the current position where it is a cot case.
This is incredible for a couple of reasons. Firstly Elder is still getting full pay as he sits at home waiting for a telephone call. He was earning over a million a year so he must be the the best paid gardener in the country. He was the one who knew the business better than anyone else.
Secondly why is Ford the one to decide who should appear? Shouldn’t the peoples representatives be the ones to decide who should tell them how their business is doing rather than some high paid corporate friend of the National Party?
The corporate take over of New Zealand is nearing completion …
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2548506/solid-energy-chairman-says-don-elder-on-full-pay.asx
Waking up to hear Don Elder is ‘now’ a paid consultant makes my hangover even worst! What is it with these Coal guys? That dirt bag Whittle done the same. The only consulting Don should be doing is with his conscience. Oh that’s right psychopaths don’t have a conscience!
Sad, isn’t it. And all the environmental protections will soon be gone too. Oh, we live in a country run by
shitty people. Is there any hope left ?
Three truths.
Is there a left hope?
mickeysavage. “He was earning over a million a year so he must be the the best paid gardener in the country.”
I’m just off to do some gardening as a paid employee. One million dollars would employ me for over 32 years full-time, 2000 hours per year, at $15.56 per hour.
Why should people get upset over salaries, perks and golden handshakes of that magnitude? I just don’t understand it.
mac 1 With all that disgusting wealth he will surely be buried in a solid gold coffin (oh, yes, even people like that get to die before long!)
Did you hear Joyce declare he could not recall the meeting?
he couldn’t even keep the smarmy conceipted chuckle out of his voice as he said it
This crew will be remembered as ‘the brain fade government’.
Ford is the Nat’s ‘Mr fixit’ when he’s actually ‘Mr cover it up’
Subpoena the Solid Energy bloke, before he gets any elder and inconveniently dies.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10869811
not a single comment, really ??? Not a single Herald on-line reader has an opinion on this topic ?
Had a look at the picture in the Herald article cited above. First impression was that John Key looks crumpled. He needs to press his suit, an analogy which could be also applied to his work as an ambassador for NZ in Venezuela. But I suspect an impeccable suit in Washington has told him that would not wear well in US circles.
There probably are comments… The Herald online has likely decided not to publish them.
There are comments now. Sometimes there’s a huge lag, then they publish a whole lot at once.
Dirty Don the coal man and Double Dipping Bill suffer minimal consequences by fraudulently accessing public funds for their own benefit. However if you are struggling to bring up children on the DPB and lie about the existence of an unreliable partner, god help you! http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/dirty-don-and-double-standards.html
Do these ad/marketing people think w’re stupid? We know how ads work to convey multiple messages. In response to an “eco-activist” making a complaint about the 100% Pure slogan,
“Do these ad/marketing people think w’re stupid?”
Yes, yes they do.
But the worst part is how often they’re proven right…
People do seem to be easily led by the flash advertising. That’s one of the reasons that I think stopping watching TV was such a boon for me. Instead of being led around I had to go look for information resulting in being better informed and clearer thinking which allowed me to see the BS that adverts are.
Deborah Wormtongue Gray
I’m interested by this ‘ASA’s member organisations’ claim. The ASA will not refuse jurisdiction on local ads. They can’t for to do so will mean they’re not being an effective regulator and open the argument for govt regulation of their sector.
The ASA of course won’t uphold the complaint. They are funded by corporates and controlled by conservative interests. They’re very ACT in their approach.
How one crash caused gridlock chaos
You know, it’s sometimes difficult to comprehend just how stupid some people are.
Auckland has transport problems, most of those problems centre around the simple fact that we have too many cars on the road and this idiot doesn’t want the CBD rail tunnel, which will remove cars from the roads and thus decrease the traffic jams, built?
Really, that paragraph is obviously some one who has an ideological hatred of rail and will do anything to try and prevent it from being built even when it will make his precious roads better.
Auckland rail network is doomed to fail as long as the one way in & out Britomart station remains status quo. A loop should have been put in 50 years ago. National & Labour take a bow!
The Greens should make it an election promise put the acid on Labour
It was Labour’s policy last time to support the loop.
What we need is for Labour support to actually make things happen.
To do that Labour needs levers of power throughout NZ when it is both in and out of power.
It has none currently – it gave them up.
Tiny Solutions to Capitalism and the crisis myth
The artist taxi driver:
Bedroom tax is the latest cruel welfare program from the British right wing, unable to institute positive programs to encourage employers to hire and the economy to produce what is needed for their citizens.
Will this soon be happening in NZ? This was tried here in the 1990’s I think. I know a woman who had to move to another distant town because she had a two-bedroom flat, and then couldn’t get the one bedroom one she expected in her new town. Meanwhile she was deprived of all her friends, support network etc. .
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/22/renters-downsize-bedroom-tax
Fears about the incoming bedroom tax are growing, along with speculation about the likely consequences. Some tenants might stay but not pay the difference between their local housing allowance and their actual rent. They face eviction when discretionary housing payments, limited to six months, run out in October. Mass evictions due to arrears seem certain. Government advice for tenants with a “spare” room is ill-informed or callous. Suggesting part-time workers do a few more hours work to cover costs is deluded when an extra 63 hours are required in certain circumstances .
Let’s take a simple example. A young woman leaving care, who was allocated a two bedroom flat costing £100 a week as there were no one bedroom flats available in her area, faces a deduction of £14 a week from her housing benefit. . She is already working 16 hours a week at the minimum wage. Working an extra three hours a week will net her less than £3 because her housing and council tax benefit will be reduced because of the additional hours: nowhere near enough to make up for the bedroom tax deduction. To earn an additional £14 a week, enough to pay for the bedroom tax, she will need to work 28 hours: a whole 12 hours more. However this doesn’t mean she has escaped the bedroom tax: in fact she will still face the full £14 being taken from her remaining housing benefit. To completely escape she must work a total of 48 hours a week at the minimum wage – three times her current working hours.
http://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare_reform/‘under-occupation’_penalty.aspx
How much will people lose?
The cut will be a fixed percentage of the Housing Benefit eligible rent. The Government has said that this will be set at 14% for one extra bedroom and 25% for two or more extra bedrooms.
The Government’s impact assessment shows that those affected will lose an average of £14 a week. Housing association tenants are expected to lose £16 a week on average.
How many people will see their benefit cut?
The proposal will affect an estimated 660,000 working-age social tenants – 31% of existing working-age housing benefit claimants in the social sector. The majority of these people have only one extra bedroom.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-bedroom-tax-is-just-the-latest-assault-on-our-poorest-citizens-8478898.html
According to Shelter, the number of overcrowded homes has doubled in just a decade; in some parts of the country, one in four households live in cramped conditions. Yet the bedroom tax is yet another means for the Government to turn Britain’s poorest against each other. Don’t blame the Government for failing to build housing: blame your neighbour instead. The refusal of both New Labour and the Tories to build council housing has left up to five million on social housing waiting lists. A house building programme is key to recovery from our economic catastrophe: it would stimulate the economy, create j obs, and bring down the housing benefit bill. But it would be a policy of sanity for a government in the grip of economic madness.
Thousands of those hammered by the bedroom tax have nowhere to downsize to. According to the National Housing Federation, there are 180,000 English social tenants “under-occupying” two-bedroom homes, but fewer than 70,000 one-bedroom available social homes. According to Hilary Burkitt at Affinity Sutton, one of the largest housing associations, there are very few one-bedroom properties at all in regions like the North West and North East. Tenants could be driven into the higher rents of the private sector, of course, but then would need even higher levels of housing benefit. Research for housing associations shows 42 per cent of those affected already struggle financially. The rise in homelessness that will result won’t just be devastating for those involved, it will cost: last year, the number of homeless families living in B&Bs soared by nearly half.
When I was in Britain in the 1970s there was a rort on government assistance for homeless people. So there is a synergy in treating vulnerable people harshly by government and private enterprise sweeping them up into some sort of accommodation subsidised by government. And who cares about them?
No-one in NZ seemed to care when the Nats put rents up to market levels.
Wikipedia In 1991 the fourth National government raised state house rentals to “market levels” amid much controversy. The Housing Corporation was now expected to make a profit.
The Fifth Labour Government, elected in 1999, placed a moratorium on state house sales and re-established the income-related rents.
It was an eye opener to me about our ‘caring socially responsible’ society when the market rents were introduced. Even the local churches didn’t have any sense of care or involvement. We now have Habitat with houses being built by volunteers along with some sweat equity on an individual basis. But churches could use their power to encourage a good housing system. If they combined and got government to prepare plans and consult while the churches had an expert that oversaw the liaison over the preparation and the work, government would find it hard to resist. But the churches are stuck in their own paradigms of care, and are often concentrated on their own congregations. Their quality of mercy is strained I’m sorry to say.
others (with a little on-going supervision for me-self; it’s ok to be validated for being od / “not normal” ) anyway, upon reflection, nothing that’s observed is regretted. 🙂 (could swear like a trooper, yet, how does that help anything? they don’t refer to this site as a “vipers nest” by accident.
I think Claire Trevett is reading a little too much into the importance of a hat given to John Key. It’s like she’s imagining a conversation between some adviser and the Colombian President.
–¿Senor Presidente, is the smiling gringo worthy of this fine Colombian sombrero?
–Si
When in all likelihood it’s just standard operating procedure for visiting delegations to get some kind of token.
Maybe they were just sick of seeing his bald spot.
I refer again to this article for those who didn’t see it.
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v34/n17/james-meek/how-we-happened-to-sell-off-our-…
Still can’t believe Key and co are following the same disastrous line of that silly Margaret Thatcher flogging off UK silverware.
…from the “Peak”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/terry-tamminen/peak-barbie-mickey-mouse_b_2813737.html
not far to drop-off now
Why don’t economists understand money? (new video)
Economists: Getting the basic fundamentals wrong and then getting surprised when things don’t go as the expect.
Actually, that may be a good addendum to the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result which is something else that economists keep doing.
The unforeseen consequences of a rental property WoF
A warrant of fitness for rental housing will create a new bureaucracy that will require funding.
Funding will come from landlords (via their tenants) through new fees incurred.
The quality of a rental property is generally reflected in the rent. Improving quality and imposing new fees will further increase rents.
Deeming cheaper, lower quality homes unsuitable for rent will further reduce rental supply, also resulting in higher rents.
A number of landlords are mortgaged to the hilt, hence don’t have the extra money or means to upgrade.
Effectively, outlawing lower quality rentals will force the poor into higher quality homes that they can’t afford.
Govt eyes WoF for rental housing
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869714
Oh, noes, the poor landlords!!1!!11
/sarc
Well, then the government will just have to build more state houses.
It’s not an excuse seeking sympathy. It’s an economic reality requiring recognition.
tell me, do WoF requirements make rental cars unaffordable? Or are other factors involved?
WoF requirements increases the running cost of any vehicle Hire companies past the cost burden on. As will landlords.
1: Vehicle WoF costs are minimal compared to the capital expenditure of buying it in the first place. If the repairs to make it up to code are more than the cost of buying a new one, they write it off and buy a new one. And seriously, for houses we’re not talking gold-plating. Insulation and a roof that doesn’t leak isn’t that much to ask for.
2: Prices are set at the most basic level by supply and demand. If the costs increase, the demand is smaller, so costs decrease again.
Putting 1 and 2 together means that you are only correct if the cost of upgrading homes puts enough houses out of the rental market that the supply dwindles and increases costs beyond poor people’s affordability. But then there will be a glut of below-par houses that will be more affordable purchases for first-home DIYers (as Prism points out) because they’re not an investor’s choice.
I think you’ll find that the actual requirements for the WoF will be fuck-all compared to the income provided by rents. And if I’m proved wrong, the worst that will happen is that the accommodation supplement gets larger.
Ponder this:
While costs incurred may be minimal compared to total investment expenditure, they are still an additional cost that will be required to be offset. Effectively leading to rent increases.
People living in cheap, poor quality rentals generally don’t have the fiscal scope to sustain rent increases, albeit minimal..
Higher rents will negatively effect family budgets.
The decline in current rental supply will result in higher demand, hence higher rents.
Higher rents largely won’t impact housing demand as housing is a necessity, the numbers requiring cheap housing won’t just disappear..
Tenants in low quality homes generally can’t afford to buy, hence why they are tenants
The current housing shortfall will help sustain prices challenged by a market increase of poor quality homes, hence continuing to price tenants of low quality homes out of the market.
Moreover, those poor quality homes can’t be rented until they meet new requirements set, hence no increase in the supply of cheap rentals.
Additionally, investment in upgrading the properties will generally be seeking higher yields.
Higher accommodation subsidies is not the solution, it’s a bandage and taxpayer burden resulting from poor forward planning.
See, what you’re doing is suggesting that obstacles might be insurmountable as a justification for avoiding the attempt, without actually bothering to see if obstacles that large actually exist.
If the average upgrade/wof cost were 30% of the average residence, you might have a point. But given that I think we’re probably talking about single-digit percentages (if not fractions of a percent), I think the changes will be too small to have an effect on the market as a whole.
But on the off-chance you’re correct, cutting GST a couple of percent will compensate the poor for the change in price.
The shortfall from reducing GST would also have to be offset.
I’m not stifling the attempt or the end objective (improving living conditions).I’m highlighting the unforeseen consequences being over looked.
The means to this end (improving living conditions) .needs reconsidering.
I’ve conceded increases may be minimal, but I’ve also highlighted the lack of fiscal scope. A number of landlords are mortgaged to the hilt and people living in cheap, poor quality rentals generally don’t have the fiscal scope to sustain higher rents.
If they did, they wouldn’t be living in low quality homes
Landlords have faced tax changes, rate increases, and insurance increases, this would add to that burden and will be passed on to tenants.
You’re not highlighting anything that’s been overlooked.
Until specific wof standards come out of proposed legislation, you’re simply pretending that the worst case scenario is among the most likely. And that therefore the policy shouldn’t be implemented. If we all followed that philosophy, we’d still be living in caves.
Only parata would be dumb enough to suddenly introduce standards at a level that distorts the rental market to that degree. Well, maybe brownlee, too.
McFlock
Failing to refute my assertions, you’ve now taken to being somewhat disingenuous.
I’m highlighting the pitfalls proposed legislation should initially avoid when drafted.
Claiming otherwise is merely your unsubstantiated disingenuous assertion..
I’ve yet to see advocates highlight these pitfalls. Perhaps you could provide me with a link?.
Moreover, I didn’t say or imply the policy shouldn’t be implemented. I highlighted the means to the ends needs reconsidering. I support the end objective (improved living conditions)
Again,you’ve resorted to being disingenuous.
Look at the impact of supply and demand in Christchurch for an example.
Take a Chair man
You sound as if you’ll soon be thinking like that notorious sheriff in Arizona who puts prison inmates in tents as holding cells.
“Disingenuous”? Let’s see what you started with:
That’s not a warning of what might happen, it’s an outright prediction you made on the basis of no data whatsoever.
For example, do you have any idea whether the short term housing stock reduction that results from the proposed wof policy will be at all comparable to the christchurch earthquakes? No, of course you don’t, because policy specifics haven’t been worked out yet let alone released for public discussion. But apparently you know enough to predict dire consequences for the poor. Rest assured, your concern is touching.
Well you outlaw the poorer quality rentals and have the govt repossess them at market value less needed improvements.
The govt does them up and uses them as socialised housing.
Its pretty win/win.
McFlock
No joy on that link?
It’s a warning that will result if the pitfalls raised above are not taken into prior consideration (and resolved) when drafting legislation..
I wasn’t implying the numbers would be as bad as Christchurch. The reference was to the effect of supply and demand.
And regardless of the numbers, impose additional costs onto landlords and those costs will be passed on.
Effectively, forcing the poor into higher quality homes that they can’t afford.
Bullshit at “warning”. It was a clear prediction. Otherwise you “asserted” nothing.
Care to make an actual assertion, then?
Just have the government enter as a major landlord, instead of leaving it to the market.
If a private investor doesn’t want to upgrade their rental property to the latest standards, the government can acquire the property for a small sum, and socialise the accomodation.
+1 and the price is offset by fewer kids being admitted to hospitals with asthma, rheumatic fever and other illnesses that flourish in damp, cold living conditions.
Yep, just have the government own and maintain enough housing to null out demand. IMO, a 2 or 3% over supply of housing, all up to the highest standards and all set to a percentage of household income.
All fixed.
Watch out everybody who wants a house. There will be some that come onto the market ‘needing TLC’ if the WOF is brought in as the money-grubbers have to change to investing intelligently. So start getting your home maintenance classes under your belt in advance.
And don’t forget that little ruse that one solicitor and his wife in Sydney used. Keep an eye on all the mortgage sales and pop along early to see the place, after getting a bit of info on the property. You never know, someone’s bad fortune might be your stroke of luck.
And of course have your mortgage pre-agreed and don’t try beyond that. Look for a reasonable lender who will advise on your suitable loan cap and if they offer you a mortgage holiday don’t take it and check their standing.
The foreseen consequences of a rental property WoF
People don’t live in cold, damp houses and garages, and their children don’t get third world diseases.
Scumbag property owners (slumlords) fix up their stock or get out of the market, but either way, aren’t getting money for nothing off the backs of the unfortunate.
I don’t care about the costs to implement the scheme, just as long as it’s not self regulated or a patsy quango setting the scene.
Those who knowingly rents out an unfit property, it’s clear, value income over society. You are not not good citizens.
You should be hit hard, with legislation aimed squarely at your fat wallets.
Soon as you don’t have the numbers in parliament, you’re fucked.
People don’t live in poor quality homes because there is currently no better alternative – they tend to live in them because they are cheap to rent.
Improving low quality homes comes at a cost.
Improvements also add value, further adding to insurance and local council rate costs.
These costs will be passed on to tenants.
The objective is to improve the living conditions of the poor. Higher rents won’t achieve this.
Higher rents will negatively effect family budgets.
Savings would have to be made elsewhere – i.e.Doctor visits, heating, diet, etc…
Cheap low quantity rentals cater to market demand.
Not all landlords have the means to buy a quality rental.
And not all tenants can afford to rent one.
But all NZers deserve one.
Absurd Political Correctness Watch
No. 1: David Slack
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 8 March 2013
JIM MORA: All right, it’s Susan Baldacci with what the world’s talking about. What have you got for us today, Susan?
SUSAN BALDACCI: First up is this story of a British school which has banned children playing cops and robbers.
JIM MORA: Did you play with toy guns when you were a boy?
DAVID SLACK: I think I had a toy gun and a holster but I don’t think I enjoyed it very much.
Glib and Spineless Watch
No. 1: Jim Mora
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 8 March 2013
JIM MORA: Okay, just a couple of minutes left. SHOULD JOHN KEY GO TO HUGO CHAVEZ’S FUNERAL OR NOT? I can see why he’s NOT going. Ha ha ha ha!
DAVID SLACK: Of course he should go. He’s been leaned on by the United States.
MORA: But he’d be seen to be endorsing a revolutionary left wing leader?
MARK INGALLS: I’m ashamed as a New Zealander that he’s not going.
[Long uncomfortable pause….]
MORA: Okay!
Stephen Joyce is getting away with far too much piss taking. Hearing Joyce is considering supporting New Zealand manufacturers in some kind of procurement arrangement, where joint ventures between NZ firms get preferred consideration on big builds etc.
I can hear the former skilled engineer workers from the now deceased Dunedin Rail workshop cheering from here!