Open mike 19/07/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 19th, 2016 - 82 comments
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82 comments on “Open mike 19/07/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    Uncaring.
    Anyone who voted this government in.

    A large proportion of New Zealand teenagers are living in poverty, a study has revealed.
    The research from Auckland University showed almost one in five secondary school students and nearly half of all Pacific students were struggling.
    Significant differences between ethnicities were highlighted, with about one third of Maori students living in households experiencing poverty.
    Published in the International Journal for Equity in Health, the study used data from the Youth 2012 study of 8500 students.
    It grouped students by household poverty based on nine indicators of deprivation:
    * No car
    * No phone
    * No computer
    * Parental worry about not having enough food
    * More than two people sharing a bedroom
    * No holidays with family
    * Moving home more than twice a year
    * Garages or living rooms used as bedrooms
    * No parent at home with employment.
    Students needed to report two or more indicators before being classed as experiencing poverty, while researchers also examined the interaction between household deprivation and depressive symptoms, smoking and obesity.
    Senior lecturer and co-author of the report Dr Terry Fleming said some results mirrored those found by the Ministry of Social Development and the Child Poverty Action Group.
    But the suggestion such a large proportion of Pacific youth were living in poverty was worrying.
    “When you start excluding a community or ethnic group to that extent that’s pretty harmful.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/82211556/half-of-all-new-zealand-pacific-teenagers-living-in-poverty-study-claims

    http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/one-in-five-young-kiwis-live-in-poverty

    • stunned mullet 1.1

      So you could have no car and no holidays with the family and be classed as living in poverty………

      I never knew I was so poor.

      • dv 1.1.1

        NOPE 9 factors NOT 2

        • Blackcap 1.1.1.1

          I think the article states that if you miss 2 of the 9 factors then you are classed as living in poverty.

          • McFlock 1.1.1.1.1

            Not quite.

            If children reported that their household was missing 2 of nine factors, then that was a hardship analog for poverty.

            I might have no car, but I don’t have to get kids to school or sports practise.
            I might have no holidays with family, but I can take a holiday any time.
            I might have no computer at home, but this will not impact on my education.
            I have a bedroom, but I only need one – I don’t have someone sleeping in my living room.

            As soon as it’s not just about me, but about the kids I’m responsible for as well, then some of those indicators aren’t quite so easy to scoff at.

          • dv 1.1.1.1.2

            OOps!!!

        • Tom 1.1.1.2

          I see some quite poor people, never seen one without a phone! If no car is a sign of poverty then we must be a rich Nation. Haven’t we one of the highest rates of car ownership in the OECD> So if you dont have all 9 your not in poverty? I am not sure what your saying!

          • McFlock 1.1.1.2.1

            You’re not sure what other people are saying, and you cut and paste your confusion in two comments.

      • Paul 1.1.2

        Your regular contributions to this site only confirm the point I make.
        We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under Key’s wretched leadership

      • Lanthanide 1.1.4

        Yeah, this is a pretty silly set of indicators to use in such a blunt fashion, as clearly No car, No phone, No computer and no family holidays have other explanations than “poverty” as being the cause of them.

        Instead it should be a points system, where you have to get 40 points to be considered in poverty, and things like no phone would score 10 points, whereas things like “garages or living rooms used as bedrooms” would count as 25 points.

        • McFlock 1.1.4.1

          I’m not sure that I’d want to raise kids without a phone or a car or a computer or even a family holiday for a week or so with relatives.

          Me? I can do without three of those standing on my head. But if I were raising kids, they’re more important for the child’s education and socialisation.

          • Lanthanide 1.1.4.1.1

            1. Maybe you live very close to a library, and your child isn’t obsessed with screens so they don’t need constant access to a computer / internet.
            2. Maybe you don’t have any relatives in the country to visit.
            3. Maybe your family doesn’t have anyone who can or needs to drive a car, and your child is encouraged to use their own bike to get everywhere.
            4. Maybe you just don’t need a phone, because you get on really closely with your neighbors and you just use theirs.

            I’ll admit that #4 is a bit grasping, but the others aren’t too unreasonable.

            My point is that not having 2 of those particular 4 things shouldn’t put you in to “poverty”. If you had 3 of those things, or 2 of those things + one of the other more important ones? Fine. But that’s why a more sophisticated scoring system should be used. I’m sure it wouldn’t take more than a few hours to come up with a system than it is better than simply “2 strikes and you’re out”.

            The list conspicuously doesn’t mention anything about electricity being cut off or limited use of heating during winter due to prices, which are pretty good indicators as well. Better than “do you go on family holidays”.

            Growing up, my family seldom went on holidays, because my parents were saving all their extra money to take us on a 5-week overseas holiday when I turned 12. Turns out they only needed 1/3rd of the money they eventually saved up, so when we came back they bought a car, a new computer and put an extension on the house. But we weren’t in poverty – it was just a choice my parents made.

            • McFlock 1.1.4.1.1.1

              Good for you, I guess.

              You can put together a maybe about any of those factors. That doesn’t make it likely or reasonable. For example, these days “computer at home” is equivalent to “has school text books”.

              The list mentions long term things that the kids would be aware of, because it’s the kids being surveyed. They wouldn’t know that, for example, a friend of mine turns off all home heating during winter whenever her kids are out.

              But if you really want to critique the research, go read it rather than basing your criticism off a news report. And yes, some reasonably complex analyses are used to arrive at the deceptively simple “2 strikes” level reported in the news stories.

        • Sabine 1.1.4.2

          well anyone whithout a mobile phone would have an issue finding a job and may even could not keep a job if not ‘available’ on the ring of the bell.

          anyone without a car especially rural or semi rural areas would have an issue finding a job, take kids to school or doctor or just go to the next supermarket – and would then be futher taxed by having to buy at a local dairy at a higher price

          anyone without a computer or access to a computer and internet would have an issue finding a job or doing study / homework especially in rural semi rural areas where there may be a shortage of libraries that offer access to computer/printer/internet for free

          anyone who can’t offer their children a holiday programme or can afford to take time of during school holidays (or even is permitted to do so) and need help from whanau to not leave children unsupervised during 8 weeks of summer holiday may want to disagree with you.

          I think we need to see Point 1 – 9 not so much as luxury items. This is not the seventies anymore, people in this day and age can not well function without these items. Btw. I don’t have a mobile phone, but then i am 10 hours a day in my business and I have a landline. Not having a phone means literally that one is invisible and non existent.

          Seriously what is poor for you? Half starved in a ditch?

    • Tom 1.2

      I see some quite poor people, never seen one without a phone! If no car is a sign of poverty then we must be a rich Nation. Haven’t we one of the highest rates of car ownership in the OECD;

      • mauī 1.2.1

        Your perceptions aren’t reality though, if you want reality talk to people from the Mission, Food banks and charities who see what’s going on every day.

      • Paul 1.2.2

        Get out more then.

  2. Paul 2

    All Russian sport to be banned from the Olympics due to doping.
    Russian hooligans turn up in Marseille during Euro 2016

    Anyone else think all this is just a bit too convenient given the war games NATO is playing in the Baltic, Poland and Ukraine at the moment?

    Why, of course, the people don’t want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship…
    Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.

    Hermann Goering

    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jul/17/banned-russian-athletes-smear-campaign-documentary-rio-olympics-2016
    http://www.globalresearch.ca/smearing-russia-in-the-eyes-of-public-opinion-politics-propaganda-and-the-weaponization-of-the-rio-olympics/5532250

    • ianmac 2.1

      Russians banned from the Olympics? All the more medals for NZ.
      So USA banned from the Olympics? Even more medals for NZ.
      And ban Africa, Canada, Australia… 🙂

      • mpledger 2.1.1

        I’m not sure about that. Aren’t they only sending people who have a chance of a medal anyway? The ones who would have benefited aren’t getting sent.

    • stunned mullet 2.2

      Yes clearly a plot by the reverse vampires in cahoots with the lizard people.

  3. Paul 3

    The media is the problem.
    Propaganda about Corbyn, Syria, the Ukraine, Iraq…
    Feed the plebs with stories about Instagram postings by celebrities.
    The decline and fall of Rome had many similarities.

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU

  4. ianmac 4

    For the last 12 months I have had a $200 sub for an online Ancestory research program. It was OK, as it found a family 19 generations back. But watch out.
    I had apparently ticked a box 12 months ago which said it would automatically roll over for another year. Which it did yesterday to the tune of $333. But I had gone as far as I wanted. Stop. I say stop and desist. They said I couldn’t stop. Committed! A phone call last night from I think the Philippines, and a fierce defence of my right to withdraw, and I may have had the contract cancelled.
    My point is beware of what you sign up for!

    • Graeme 4.1

      The same goes for Adobe. I bought a month’s subscription to Photoshop a while ago to edit an add for the shop, my old version wouldn’t open the file so had to get the current one. Thought I’d selected all the right options for a single month, non-renewing subscription, but no. A month later Adobe are trying to take another month out of my card.

      Unfortunately (for Adobe) they weren’t getting anywhere as I’d used a burner debit card (Loaded Card) that I use for online purchases. I transfer the required amount onto immediately prior to use and generally all’s good.

      The upshot with Adobe is that they tried to get the payment for 21 days and then gave up. Adobe’s conditions turned out to be that subscriptions could only be canceled when the subscription was current, or would automatically renew. Adobe did say they would refund if it was canceled within a short time (10 days?). That all came out after the obligatory chat with the robot.

      Moral of the story, try and read, and comprehend the conditions when you buy from these online outfits, and expect inertia marketing. It’s an insidious practice but how these globalised pricks roll.

      • ianmac 4.1.1

        But the process is pretty sneaky Graeme. I wonder how many people get caught out and are unable to know how to argue to cancel. Its a bit like the single phrase buried in pages of Insurance policies as opposed to key rules in big print. I think I will assume that they are all out to get me.

        • Graeme 4.1.1.1

          “I wonder how many people get caught out and are unable to know how to argue to cancel. ”

          The answer to this is unfortunately a significant amount. Often the amounts aren’t that large, so cardholders don’t bother following up odd small transactions, then spending hours arguing with a robot or $2/hr call centre. A lot of card fraud also works like this, lots of small innocuous transactions adding up to a huge amount.

          On the consumer protection side they give lip service and will try and negotiate the best deal for them that they can. The call centre location / robot algorithm is set up to maximise their opportunity. So you’ll end up arguing with someone from a culture with inherent negotiating abilities, and incentivised to get the best deal. The only moderation now is the power of social media, once their practices start to hurt them, they back off or run out of customers.

          Another aspect to the online wide boys is taxation. Generally these purchases don’t attract any sales tax anywhere, and profits get a bit amorphous, so no income tax, anywhere.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.2

        Unfortunately (for Adobe) they weren’t getting anywhere as I’d used a burner debit card (Loaded Card) that I use for online purchases. I transfer the required amount onto immediately prior to use and generally all’s good.

        Clever. One to remember.

  5. jcuknz 5

    The first three poverty factors of Paul’s survey are a joke when I think back on my life…. no car … cars were too expensive ….no phone …. even today I only need a phone to connect to the web …. No computer …. they were only in universities and Sinclair had not brought out the ZX80.

    OK I know things change but perhaps people need to get a grip on what things really matter in life and starting out. Some of the other factors are suspect too like sleeping in the living-room and bedroom numbers. Well into ‘life’ I was living in a converted stable with just power and cold water, outside privy … maybe that was poverty but it was adequate and cheap …. I had been sleeping in the firm’s darkroom before somebody found a better place to live with her husband and passed the stable onto me.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1

      You didn’t have a Sinclair ZX80 therefore there is no poverty in New Zealand. Do you even believe the shit you type?

      OK, OK, I know that your entire sense of self-worth hangs on complete drivel, and examining it makes you uncomfortable, and it’s easier to simply regurgitate the lies you were spoonfed, but seriously; is that the best you can do?

      As for the Auckland University study, I note your feeble attempt to belittle its provenance says lots about you and nothing at all about the study.

    • Paul 5.2

      Your contributions above only confirms the point I make.
      We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under Key’s wretched leadership.

      Are you happy to live in a country where this happens?

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLjVc-zNcNQ

    • Ad 5.3

      Would’ve been a palace to us!

      • Gangnam Style 5.3.1

        When I was young I had to walk uphill in bare feet both ways to get to the salt mines, kids today with their fancy shoes & smart phones don’t know how lucky they are, sarc.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.4

      Yes, things have changed.

      1. Our cities have been designed to be car dependent making it essential to own a car. It’s not optional any more.
      2. Did you know that it was a requirement to get the unemployment benefit to own a phone? WINZ don’t pay for the phone of course.
      3. Computers to have become mandatory. They encase many things including schooling, political engagement, research and many other things that are part and parcel of today’s society.

      If we followed your logic the Industrial Revolution would never have happened as nobody would have learned maths because back in my day we didn’t need it.

      • jcuknz 5.4.1

        Draco …. Your points merely confirm my opinion of how society has gone on a wrong materialistic path …. I gather some call it Neoliberalism … a fancy word for a lack of common sense.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.4.1.1

          The first point was all about making profit. A car in each driveway produces far more profit than the entire number of buses needed to move a city. It’s actually a large part of the proof that the profit motive brings about the worst possible outcome rather than the best as our economists and RWNJs tell us.

          The second point has to do with being contactable to get a job.

          Those are the only two to do with neo-liberalism.

          The third one has to do with being able to access the information needed to govern. Sure, a lot of people don’t use it for that but I’m also sure that that will change over time. It’s a large part of democracy.

          And the only thing that can be said about common sense that old saw Common sense isn’t. Most of what’s passed off as ‘common sense’ is simply wrong.

    • b waghorn 5.5

      Would you be glad to raise kids in a stable??

  6. ianmac 6

    “Governor Graeme Wheeler has today released proposed new urgent restrictions that will mean property investors across the country will need a deposit of at least 40 per cent….”
    But that won’t stop investors will it? The equity in existing houses become the deposit for the next.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11677196

  7. Ad 7

    A pretty thrilling account of how close the recent Turkish coup came to succeeding:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/18/military-coup-was-well-planned-and-very-nearly-succeeded-say-turkish-officials

    As more of these accounts come out, it will help put aside silly conspiracy stories about how it was all just a giant stunt by Erdogan.

    • Paul 7.1

      Really well planned?
      Turkish officials would say that.
      Organising a coup at 9.30 p.m. isn’t the best planning I can think of.
      More and more people are questioning the reliability of the Guardian as a source after its pro-establishment line over Scotland, Brexit, Ukraine and Corbyn.

      I note that you love to close down debate and discussion on many issues by using the words “conspiracy theories’. Is that by design?

      Gwynne Dyer is an expert political commentator. He doesn’t buy the well planned argument.

      It wasn’t a very competent coup attempt. The first rule of coup-making is: arrest or kill the person you are trying to overthrow. The coup leaders should have been able to grab Erdogan, who was on holiday at the seaside resort of Marmaris, but they didn’t.
      They didn’t shut down the internet and social media either, so Erdogan was able to use his cellphone to get a message out on FaceTime, calling on his supporters to defy the soldiers on the streets of Istanbul and Ankara. They didn’t even shut down the broadcast media that sent Erdogan’s call out to the public.
      It was three hours before they occupied the offices of TRT, the state broadcaster, and they were chased out again by Erdogan less than an hour later. They didn’t ever try to shut down the private television networks, which have a much bigger audience.
      The second rule of coup-making is: act as if you mean it. This usually means that you have to be willing to kill people—but the colonels behind the coup (the generals were all vetted by Erdogan’s people) were reluctant to use large amounts of lethal force.

      I like Rachel Stewart’s take.
      ”I’m pretty convinced that Turkey’s “coup” was about as staged as Milli Vanilli’s singing.”

      http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20160718/gwynne-dyer-half-hearted-coup
      https://twitter.com/RFStew/status/755141011693633536

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.1

        Everyone has noticed how Erdogan already had purge lists of thousands of people drawn up and ready to go.

        Next to be gone is 7000 police officers. (And the police stayed loyal to Erdogan during the coup).

        One of the best theories I have seen is that what Ad references as a “well organised coup” was actually a parallel coup. Some military officials got wind that Erdogan was about to launch a massive purge which would catch thousands of them and other officials.

        So they quickly organised and launched a rapid, pre-emptive coup ahead of Erdogan.

        And failed.

        So instead of being removed from their offices, now they are going to be shot.

        (I think Erdogan will follow through with his threat to bring back civil capital punishment. Not that that’s an impediment to military tribunal capital punishment.)

    • Colonial Viper 7.2

      This “really well planned coup” let CNN Turkey stay on the air, and let Erdogan do a Facetime appeal on the channel to hundreds of thousands of supporters to come out on the streets.

      Then it appears that only a minority of military units took part in the coup, and most of them declined to use the force required to do their jobs. In fact, many coup soldiers looked bewildered and said that they had simply been told that they were on an exercise.

      And Erdogan’s personal jet kept its transponder turned on up in the air for over an hour, and it wasn’t shot down even though the coup had interceptors in the air!

      Really weird shit.

      • One Two 7.2.1

        Well planned as defined by ‘Turkish Officials’ not included on the pre coup ‘purge lists’

        “Thrilling account” is a term better used for a fictional movie production or bed time story.

        The Monty Python esque coup attempt by a military with a strong history of successful coups to its credit, doesn’t qualify as, ‘thrilling’

    • adam 7.3

      Ad, you do know Coup’s are by their very nature, are generally organised by a group of people, in secret. Or if you will, a secret group conspiring to overthrow a government?

      So by definition it is a conspiracy, and like most conspiracies, it takes a long time to unravel them. So at present, the case put forward by the guardian, is just another conspiracy theory along with the rest.

      All I know is the Kurds I know are freaking out. This is bad for them because Erdogan has reignited the civil war with them, he will use this as excuse to hurt the Kurds more. This is what we should be talking about. Not how a conspiracy has played out, because frankly, that is for historians.

  8. Ad 8

    Breaking news:

    New Zealand property investors will need a 40% deposit, according to new Reserve bank rules.

    https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2995161/ReserveBankConsultationPaper.pdf

    Other home buyers will still need at least a 20% deposit.

    But this time all the rules apply nationwide.

    “A sharp correction in house prices is a key risk to the financial system, and there are clear signs that this risk is increasing across the country.”
    -Graeme Wheeler, Governor of the Reserve bank of New Zealand.

    Hopefully this has more effect than the last lot of measures.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1

      Foreign Chinese cash buyers will be happy with these changes.

      • b waghorn 8.1.1

        thats racist dude

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1

          It’s a pure economic analysis. Nothing racist about it. It takes local Kiwi competition out of the market and gives cash buyers like them a clear run.

        • Sabine 8.1.1.2

          nah its only racist when Labour says it. 🙂

      • adam 8.1.2

        Should you not change “Foreign Chinese cash buyers” to those cashed up the the People’s Liberation Army?

        OK not all, like those trying to get the hell out of Hong Kong, and Macau.

        • save nz 8.1.2.1

          CV is right. It is defiantly helping foreign investors and richer people a lot more than Kiwi Mums n Dads owning a 2nd property.

          Everything this government does seems to be geared to help non residents and those paying no taxes here rather than people who live here. It is uncanny.

  9. Draco T Bastard 10

    RSA Animate: Ha-Joon Chong

    Video, autoplays.

  10. Bearded Git 11

    Just reported on RNZ.

    The Treasury has heavily criticised the government’s drug policy. It said (paraphrasing) “that instead of spending $400m a year on trying (and failing) to enforce the illegality of using cannabis it should instead legalise it such that it would gain $150m from taxes on its use.”

    This is groundbreaking. Treasury, no less, are saying legalise cannabis. This will bring a gain of $550m to the public purse. Looks like a good policy option for Labour and Greens now that this has Treasury backing.

  11. Puckish Rogue 12

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11677179

    NZ has its problems but still a lot better then Europe at the moment

  12. Muttonbird 13

    In the latest ‘major backdown’ by the government…

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/82236173/nz-gets-new-assurances-from-chinese-embassy-over-trade-war-fears

    McClay admitted he received new information, while speaking with media on a trade trip to Indonesia.

    “I’ve checked overnight and when I was in China I did receive some information from the embassy that an industry body made contact with a New Zealand company in China raising some concerns.

    McClay using the old ‘didn’t get the email’ defence when he mis-spoke before.

  13. Sabine 14

    serco…the gift that keeps on giving.

    and no we can’t expect the current National Party led government to do better cause free market, money needs to be made and surely Labour did it too at some stage over the last 100 years of its existence. so all is good in NZ.

    we now officially don’t give a shit anymore.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/82241264/prison-operator-serco-slammed-over-treatment-of-inmate-at-mt-eden-prison

  14. Paul 15

    Michelle Boag on the Panel with no rebuttal from either Mora or Edwards.
    Ghastly.

    • Bearded Git 15.1

      +100…she was slagging off Mike Lee because he had an opinion on Auckland airport transport options. Apparently you have to agree with everything or resign. Complete bollocks. She has spent too much time talking to Key’s sheep in parliament….sorry “MP’s”.

      • Paul 15.1.1

        Then someone texted in and asked that she declare her interest in supporting Bill Ralston to council. And boy, did she go off.
        As usual, Mora and Edwards were utterly ineffective.

  15. save nz 16

    Commons votes for Trident renewal by majority of 355
    Over half Labour MPs but not Jeremy Corbyn back motion after Theresa May says she would order nuclear strike

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/18/mps-vote-in-favour-of-trident-renewal-nuclear-deterrent?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+categories&utm_term=182262&subid=13842748&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2

  16. Penny Bright 17

    Yes – some of us ARE having an anti-TPPA protest against USA Vice-President Joe Biden.

    (It’s Our Future Auckland have called this protest.)

    WHEN: Wed 20 July 2016

    WHERE: Cnr George Bolt Memorial Drive / Tom Pearce Drive (in front of Z petrol station)
    Near Auckland airport.

    TIME: 3 – 5.30pm

    (It gets HEAPS of traffic!)

    Want to ‘stand up and be counted’?

    (You may need an umbrella 🙂

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

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    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    9 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Funding hole for tax cuts growing by the day
    The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s brave climate change promise
    The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles  and that ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
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