Open mike 24/06/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 24th, 2016 - 146 comments
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146 comments on “Open mike 24/06/2016 ”

  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.
    New Zealand’s housing.

    ‘Baby gets sick in crowded house
    A baby has contracted potentially deadly meningococcal meningitis – and a senior hospital doctor says overcrowded housing is a factor in the development of his condition.
    The 3-month-old boy lives at a Tauranga property with 10 other people sharing two bedrooms, a lounge and a caravan. He is one of eight people – including a 16-month toddler and three teenagers – living in the two-bedroom state house in Gate Pa. Another three people, including two children aged 5 and 13, live in a caravan outside.
    Doctors confirmed on Sunday that the baby had meningococcal meningitis. Tauranga Hospital specialist paediatrician Dr Hugh Lees this week wrote to Housing New Zealand (HNZ) on behalf of the family, stating that baby Hamish’s diagnosis was “meningococcal meningitis”, which he said was “known to be associated with overcrowding”.
    Dr Lees asked the case be given urgent attention and he supported an application for “appropriate housing”.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662280

    • I Feel Love 1.1

      One of the people living at the house is a manager & cannot afford a rental, must be in retail or a McJob or something because their wages are utter shite. But it’s OK, the state will will top up employers pathetic pay & the state will top up your wage for the greedy landlords, she will be alllllllllll right in godzone.

      • s y d 1.1.1

        We peons have had a visitation from our glorious leader whereupon he delivered these words unto my child…”Nothing lifts people out of poverty faster if they can work and earn money”.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1

          Which would be correct – if he and all the governments for the last thirty years hadn’t set it up so that working no longer provided enough income.

  2. Paul 2

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

    Cruel
    Housing New Zealand

    ‘Queenstown social housing questioned
    A memo from Housing New Zealand details an exit strategy for its presence in Queenstown.

    The memo, released under the Official Information Act, relates to the sale last month of one of the agency’s 10 homes in the resort town.
    It said the town was a “high profile resort/lifestyle environment” with “reasonable work opportunities”, which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.
    The comments have angered social housing providers in the town, including the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.
    Its executive officer, Julie Scott, said it had a waiting list of 350 people struggling to find affordable accommodation.
    “I just met with a family this morning and she was in tears. They’ve been in Queenstown since 1992, they’ve got three kids and they’ve got until 22 August and then they’ve got to be out of their property.
    “They just can’t find anywhere to go and it’s just heartbreaking.”

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307127/queenstown-social-housing-questioned

    • b waghorn 2.1

      “which could be seen as “incompatible” with a social housing presence.”
      Financial cleansing plain and simple.

      • Graeme 2.1.1

        Queenstown has been “incompatible” with just about all social services for the last 40 years at least. It’s been almost impossible to access the dole, a state house or most other benefits, so accomodation subsidies don’t kick in. Even sickness benefit is difficult. About the only beneficiaries are on the pension, and there’s a lot of them, some of quite modest means but they do own their home. The senior citizens is a very active bunch down here.

        I’m not that worried about HNZ selling out here, they got very good prices for the properties they sold and PROVIDED that money’s going to more housing in needier areas. That we’ll see. Their presence here is sort of a hangover from the days of government departments and an age when large employers had staff housing. The staff housing got sold off in the 90’s but HNZ endured. One story was that they couldn’t get their shit together in time to catch each cycle, so by the time they were ready to sell the market had gone.

        These problems are old hat for Queenstown, we have always had hordes of “immigrants” flocking into town when times are good to partake of our perceived lifestyle, so the place goes crazy. What’s different this cycle, and under this government is that this business model has been scaled up and transferred to Auckland.

  3. Paul 3

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

    Cruel
    Housing, prisons.

    ‘I reported from South Sudan and Sierra Leone. What I’ve returned to in New Zealand still shocks me…..

    To not be able to swim in our rivers because they are so dirty would’ve been unthinkable to me 10 years ago. In March, the Waikato River Authority said it could take up to 100 years for the Waikato and Waipa rivers to be restored to clean and healthy levels. I’ve seen first-hand waterways that run off the Waikato River blanketed in a creeping toxic algae, festering like a black drain, lifeless. Meanwhile, what remains of our pristine water is being sold by the likes of the Ashburton District Council, to be extracted, bottled up and sent overseas.

    Above ground, New Zealand’s reported rate of intimate partner violence is the highest in the developed world. Our incarceration rate is also one of the highest in the developed world and more than half of the men behind bars are Māori. According to Corrections Minister Judith Collins, our prison population topped 9,000 for the first time last year: “Since 2014, the prison population has increased… leading to record highs throughout 2015 and early 2016.” In part, she said the booming prison population was due to locking up family violence offenders for longer.

    Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/media/21-06-2016/i-reported-from-south-sudan-and-sierra-leone-what-ive-returned-to-in-new-zealand-still-shocks-me/

  4. Paul 4

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

    Selfish, greedy.
    Max Key.

    ‘Then there’s housing and homelessness. New Zealand has one of the fastest growing rates of income inequality in the OECD and it’s on show in our biggest city. In Auckland, families with at least one working parent are living in vans and cars, with marae and charitable trusts stepping in to fill the breach left by social services. How galling it must be for those parents trying to find a warm place for their children to sleep to then see the Prime Minister’s son in all his privileged glory, posing with a Lambourghini and helicopter in his music video.’

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/media/21-06-2016/i-reported-from-south-sudan-and-sierra-leone-what-ive-returned-to-in-new-zealand-still-shocks-me/

    ‘Can’t wait to share paradise with you’……. says Max Key.
    Key, Mike Hosking and Paul Henry all call New Zealand paradise.
    And they are all rich.
    And don’t have the compassion or empathy to see how tough it it for many New Zealanders.
    For many New Zealanders it’s a neo-liberal nightmare.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7YYUsGs_ts

    • tc 4.1

      All part of the grand plan to attract criticism to max then the ‘cyber bullying’ and ‘class war’ cards will be played as well as all the msm shills who get to play their sympathy violins for hard done by max.

      • I Feel Love 4.1.1

        It is a shame they have hijacked ‘cyber bullying’ to mean people taking the piss out of the powerful & famous. Since when has hassling politicians & musicians been ‘cyber bullying’, since it suited the powers that be, who think themselves above criticism.

        “All hail plankton, all hail plankton”.

        • TC 4.1.1.1

          Thats why they put it out there with granny trying to garner sympathy for pullya benefit. Its all about subtle messaging and the framing.

      • Paul 4.1.2

        The class war is being waged already.
        By the rich.

        • TC 4.1.2.1

          Yes and passed off as the politics of envy

        • Greg 4.1.2.2

          The class war has been won. The left collapsed with thew end of the Soviet Union. And see how the New Prime Minister of Canada, son of a left marxist has been assimilated by Feminism. He wont improve workers economy.

    • srylands 4.2

      Oh for fucks sake. It is not neoliberal. New Zealand has a left government. New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government. You must be tripping.

      • I Feel Love 4.2.1

        Don’t blame the ‘left’ for this horrible Govt thank you very much, it’s all yours & your fellow ‘right’ travelers.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.2.2

        NZ has been a neo-liberal place since the 1980s as you well know. All governments since then have been either right-wing or hard right-wing. The present government is hard right-wing while pretending to be centrist – and you know that as well.

      • framu 4.2.3

        ” New Zealanders never ever will elect a neoliberal government”

        well that explains the lies, dead rats, massive $ spent on PR and the secret smear machine doesnt it

        another day, another load of cobblers from sly hands

    • Graeme 4.3

      So at what point do they cross the Marie Antoinette threshold and it’s perceived as arrogance and bites them on the arse.

      The casualties will be mounting of their aspirational economy, Max’s escapade would be hard watching for a young Dairy couple in their first farm with the big mortgage and deficits for the foreseeable. And probably soon to be followed by a lot in tourism and beekeeping.

      We’re seeing a lot of really grumpy and jealous New Zealanders over our counter in Queenstown. People quite annoyed that someone else is perceived as doing better than them or their town.

      Makes me wonder who the Keys are trying to reach with this caper?

  5. North 5

    How much was Rebstock paid for that rubbish report ?

  6. RTM 6

    Did a communist theorist predict Auckland’s housing crisis 70 years ago?
    http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/bill-mcara-on-aucklands-housing-crisis_23.html

  7. One Anonymous Bloke 7

    No pandas for Wellington. Perhaps they should have got someone who isn’t a low-life to make the request for them.

  8. Paul 8

    New Zealand men.
    Alcohol.
    Rugby.

    A formula for domestic violence..
    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11662434

    • Greg 8.1

      Women make all the choices to be in a relationship, men have very little options but to settle for one that says yes. And their is some people that just shouldnt be in a relationship.

      The question should be is how can we educate women to make better choices in men, because the problem isnt going to be fixed by doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome each time.
      And prohibition sure worked wonderfully in America circa early last century, the social outcomes was a huge success.
      Rugby is pretty boring with the All Blacks winning all the time.

      • Lanthanide 8.1.1

        You’re acting like women enter into a relationship with full knowledge about what the future holds.

        I suspect very few men are abusive at the start of a relationship, it’s only once the woman has no other choice that the abuse starts, trapping the woman and making it very difficult to escape.

        • Richardrawshark 8.1.1.1

          I thought he was meaning, Men are such desperate creatures, we sniff around women all day long until we find one who will say yes.

          Where as women get to exersize choice in their mate much more, in a primal base sort of way.

          IDNK it’s early I just woke up. The bloody standard requires, a fully comprehending mind of extraordinary intellect almost 24/7 where as right wing blogs expect you more to grunt at there bigotry, a far easier task.

          • Sabine 8.1.1.1.1

            and if he really thinks this about men in general, he is a pretty sad human being.

            Men, generally speaking are not animals that can’t control their urges and desires.
            Most man are not abusers, some are, and many of those that are would be repeat offenders, especially if they get away with their behavior. However, i firmly believe that the vast majority of men does not behave like a grunting degenerate around women and girls.
            I would also really hope that men will stand up to that type of bullshit peddling.

            It is time that we put the blame where the blame belongs, to those that abuse and hurt others, irrespective of gender, age and all the other stuff.

            • Richardrawshark 8.1.1.1.1.1

              Hi Sabine I think you took it , too far to the literal, as the coffee enters my system I may be able to say it better,

              In the gender search for a partner, perhaps he meant the male moves from rejection to rejection as he tries to impress each prospective mate, where as the female of the species is the one who sits and selects from her prospective mates as they vie for her affections.

              typically.

              • Sabine

                as per my comment below, i have absolutly no idea what he meant, but i can read what he typed.
                And what he typed is usally called Victim blaming and putting the onus on the Victim to protect herself form future harm, i guess whith the help of a glass ball or some tarot cards. I mean its not that man or women run around with a tattoo on their heads that say ‘beware, abuser’.

                IF he was being sarcastic he failed utterly. The two articles linked by me below are from todays herald. Other headlines today, a. another ‘sex’ attack in Wellington http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81407411/police-investigating-early-morning-sex-attack-on-wellingtons-taranaki-street and an arrest was made in the case of the 65 year old women who was raped in her home this week
                http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81384392/arrest-made-in-porirua-rape-case
                then there is the article about a murderer being released from prison, but the body of his victim is still not found http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/81363039/former-detective-holds-out-hope-neithes-body-will-be-uncovered
                and of course lets not forget the schoolsgirls with their defrauding knees defrauding and distracting male school teachers to the point of where their naked knees could be considered ‘sexual harrasment’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/81365804/christchurch-schoolgirls-told-their-skirt-length-distracted-male-teachers , maybe trousers should be the standard school uniform, or maybe teachers need to learn that if the knees of a 16 year old are so ‘defrauding and distracting’ that maybe they should only teach at a boys school….but then i hear there are boys that wear shorts to school…..oh those naked knees of children.

                And this is just one morning over coffee. So maybe you know, he just meant what he said?

                • Richardrawshark

                  I was just focused on that particular sentence of his, the rest of it made little sense, I just got his reference to the mating ritual.

                  His one weakness of argument I immediately noticed, was his simplification of the issue, which due to the diversity of human behaviour he fails to acknowledge, as in the fact, Sociopaths, psychopathic people. I won’t go into their behavioural expertise area’s if you understand me, because he should realize it and incorporate it into his argument but fails to see it at all. Why should I enlighten his narrow perceptions of how things are.

                  When he learns to challenge his beliefs he’ll adopt a more rational view point.

                  • Greg

                    Dating is a numbers game, and for a yes answer, some guys dont stop when they do get a yes, in marry.

                    I simplified the issue for the reason its not an easy one answer fix,
                    and it wont be solved because of human nature. And that desire of sexual attraction overrides any red flags.

                    I mentioned police proposing allowing women access to mens criminal records, privacy grounds aside, would it have worked,
                    has warning a female that a guy is no good ever.

                    Men Going There Own Way is a utube thing.

                    Relationships are a choice.

                • Gabby

                  Those poor male teachers can’t have been educated at coed schools, or they wouldn’t have made it to university.

                • Greg

                  These are crimes are of certain types of men who are psychotic, mentally ill, or just opportunists, it in no way relates to being in a relationship with a guy who drinks and watches Rugby.

                  And I cant stop them.
                  And Im not victim blaming, your projecting that onto me.

        • Rosie 8.1.1.2

          Thank you Lanthanide. I am just NOT getting into the theme of Graeme’s comment today. If there’s a few sentences that can sum up a response to Graeme, you’ve done it. Again, thank you.

      • reason 8.1.2

        The modern New Zealand way is not prohibition of Alcohol ………… just attacks and smears on those wanting to lower alcohol ABUSE …..

        While passing laws that are a confused expensive mess that work in favor of the booze industry.

        Steinlager All blacks ……… Drug All blacks

        • Greg 8.1.2.1

          So how can we fix rampant sexual abuse in religious communities etc, where booze isnt involved.
          And for that matter where government agencies replace children back with their abusers.

      • Sabine 8.1.3

        and this dead women here also could have done a better job at ‘choosing’ that man in her life.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662452

        but hey, it must be her fault and he gets an interview in which he can all tell us what a good boy he is and he meant nothing he did.

      • Sabine 8.1.4

        Yes, if this girl/women would have just have the good sense to ‘choose’ a different Dad. And i am sure the wifes and children of the other men mentioned in this article are also trying very hard in the future to ‘choose’ better men and dads.

        If your comment was an attempt at sarcasm it failed.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11662214

        “A man who raped his own daughter, forced her to wear bondage and pimped her to six other men told police it was fun while it lasted.

        The father, who cannot be named, has been jailed for more than 22 years in what a judge described as one of the worst cases of its kind.

        He pleaded guilty to 61 offences committed between 2013 and 2015 when the girl was aged between 11 and 13.”

        “Benjamin Simon Clarke was previously sentenced to three years in jail for his involvement, which included photographing the girl in lingerie and nude.

        Former pastor and father-of-two, Dawid Volmer, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years after he admitted molesting and raping the blindfolded girl while her dad was present.

        Four other men also face charges.”

        • Greg 8.1.4.1

          Its why there are prisons.

          • Sabine 8.1.4.1.1

            but how do you propose she could have ‘saved’ herself, by ‘choosing’ a better man in her life, and not ‘ignoring’ the pointers and hints that her father is a degenerate, that a priest is a degenerate that up to 6 man had no issue raping a girl of 11 – 13 years old.

            that is what you stated above. that women should choose ‘better men’. so how does a child choose her father? Please explain. Thanks.

          • Sabine 8.1.4.1.2

            what about this girls and one boy? in care of CYF and a foster family?

            Could they not just have choosen a better foster father? Or maybe the violene is really the fault of the one meeting out violence and not the fault of the one receiving the violence.

            good grief, you really are a sad excuse for a human being aren’t you 🙂

            http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/79441329/walmsley-trial-the-evidence-that-simply-couldnt-be-invented

            • Greg 8.1.4.1.2.1

              Systemic failures in government agencies and various institutions are something I can not fix, and that political parties in government duck any responsibility if fixing problems they could.

              Just blaming it all on booze and rugby is getting tiring to hear.

              Meanwhile its an election next year, maybe a new anti domestic violence campaign will fix deeply embedded social problems that just seem to get worse.
              Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time sure seems to be working.

      • Pasupial 8.1.5

        Greg

        Are you really that repulsive that you’ll settle for the first person who doesn’t run away screaming? If so, I think you’d be better advised to look at improving your own self rather than blaming all woman.

        “The question should be”; why should anyone pay heed to one who can type; “their is some people” (not the only error, just the most concentrated), and then post it on a public thread? If they give their reasoning as little thought as they do their composition, then why am I wasting my time responding to this gibberish…

        Fuck that and fuck you too!

    • vto 8.2

      New Zealand men + alcohol + rugby = domestic violence ???

      bullshit on the toilet front

      • Greg 8.2.1

        Plenty of violence happens in religious communities, where their isnt any booze or rugby. And then theirs gang culture, which does.

  9. Wonderpup 9

    This a good, silly game.

    http://w3w.co/humans.skill.rats

  10. weka 10

    Mexit petition nears 20,000

    https://www.change.org/p/tvnz-get-rid-of-hosking-1347aa6d-8044-4a33-ba59-7fe0a5dba42b

    Interview with petition starter,

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/81370038/mike-hosking-why-i-want-to-get-rid-of-him

    I wish the focus was less on offender and more on the critical role of journalism/media and the need to not use that position for expressions of personal opinion.

    • Puckish Rogue 10.1

      One could argue that this will make more people watch the show thus consolidating Mike Hoskings position

      • Sabine 10.1.1

        one could argue that not watching this geezer is good for the mental and spiritual well being of one.

      • Greg 10.1.2

        Not me, havnt watched TV since Netflix started up.
        And he is too predictable.

        • Puckish Rogue 10.1.2.1

          I prefer kodi… 🙂

          • Greg 10.1.2.1.1

            I just stick with a few beers, work enough hours to pay rent , food etc.
            Minimizing stress and chaos,
            and avoiding the unrealistic expectations of others.

      • weka 10.1.3

        One could argue that the moon is made of blue cheese too PR. Go on, make your argument then.

        • Puckish Rogue 10.1.3.1

          Well ok then Campbell Live was losing viewing and only picked up when TV3 announced its axing, to the best of my knowledge Mike Hosking isn’t losing viewers yet if people think it may get axed then more people may watch it, if for nothing else then curiosity to see what the fuss is about

          Or not

          • weka 10.1.3.1.1

            That would only make sense if there were a whole lot of people who love Hosking in the way that others love Campbell. I just don’t think that’s true. There will be some, but mostly people watch Hosking because it’s on and because it’s sensational.

            A lot of Campbell’s audience had stopped watching TV or were getting their current affairs on the internet. It’s really a different situation than Hosking.

            • Puckish Rogue 10.1.3.1.1.1

              Agreed, its quite different. Campbell Live getting axed was a commercial decision because he was losing viewers, Hosking isn’t losing viewers and is popular but people want him axed because they don’t like his views

        • Greg 10.1.3.2

          Actually on that topic, where’s our moon base.
          Nasa wants to go to Mars, yet we havnt got a moon base yet.

          • McFlock 10.1.3.2.1

            glad I’m not the only one pissed off about that

            • Greg 10.1.3.2.1.1

              And ,so many promises of a great future,
              4 day working week, or working from home, living wage, paperless office,

              They has just managed to implement E invoices in the last 6 months.

    • Richardrawshark 10.2

      Have faith Weka, one of the morons will slip up and mention that which they promised never to mention.

      On a side note, I really find it absurdly ridiculous we have a PM, who is so arrogant he’s come out defending keeping Rebstock, and without even saying he dismisses the Ombudsman as irrelevant to his agenda, he just did by ignoring him. Iain moves on he knew and got a free pass, helped onto his next train wreck.

      I trust a full investigation into the actions of National will be forthcoming regarding abuses of power, upon a change of government.

  11. Anne 11

    Paula Rebstock’s influence on NZers:

    Rebstock is an Auckland based economist and company director. She is Chair of the ACC Board, Chair of the Work and Income Board, Deputy Chair of KiwiRail, and Chair of the Insurance and Savings Ombudsman Commission. Paula is also a member of the University of Auckland Business School Advisory Board, a member of the Synergia Limited advisory board and a director of Auckland Transport. She is also a lead reviewer for the Performance Improvement Framework for the State Services Commission. Paula has been chair of the New Zealand Commerce Commission (2003-2009) and a member of the Commission for 11 years.
    Other past roles include director of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, and Health Benefits Limited, general manager with the Department of Labour, as well as economic adviser positions with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the New Zealand Treasury. Paula has also worked in the private sector in the United States in the 1980s.

    It beggars belief!!

    This hard-wired American neoliberal junkie with a vindictive bent is practically running the show. I wonder how many NZ lives she has destroyed thus far… not to mention those she has slandered or defamed.

    I sincerely hope the next Lab/Green/NZ First(?) govt. ensures she never gets another position of influence in this country ever again!

    http://www.beaccessible.org.nz/the-movement/fab-50-network/paula-rebstock

    • Draco T Bastard 11.1

      I wonder how many NZ lives she has destroyed thus far…

      Probably in the thousands so far at least.

      I sincerely hope the next Lab/Green/NZ First(?) govt. ensures she never gets another position of influence in this country ever again!

      And what law would they do that under?

      Although, falsifying the report seems like good grounds.

      • Anne 11.1.1

        Well, they got rid of Christine Rankin. I was referring to the public sector roles in which she is involved.

  12. Bearded Git 12

    With Rebstock in charge no wonder the railways are being closed down and no wonder this government has fought sensible public transport options in Auckland (only to do the usual u-turn on the rail loop when their ridiculous position became untenable) and no wonder ACC has become much harder to obtain.

    Her refusal to front up today to answer questions when disastrously wrong with the Foreign Affairs report , or earlier answer a civil question on ACC investment of public money (listen to Morning Report this morning) speaks volumes for the way this government operates.

    • Greg 12.1

      And she will be getting a heafty stipend for every one, how would her PAYE would work out,

      • Draco T Bastard 12.1.1

        Probably contracts rather than PAYE and she has offshore trusts?

        I’d be surprised to find that she paid tax.

  13. Penny Bright 13

    Auckland Mayoral candidate Phil Goff supports road tolls for Auckland.

    Labour Party Leader Andrew Little is calling for Labour Party supporters to support Phil Goff for Auckland Mayor.

    Does that mean that the Labour Party supports road tolls for Auckland?

    Statement by Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright
    “Road Tolls? NO WAY!”

    “Let’s get it right – there is NO SUCH THING as ‘public transport’ in Auckland,” says Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright.

    “There are 10 private bus companies, 4 private ferries and a French multi-national operating and managing Auckland trains.”

    “What is ‘public’ – is the subsidies these private passenger transport operators are receiving – but there is no transparency or accountability regarding how much is being received by whom.”

    “I know – because I have asked.”

    “Here is the LGOIMA (Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act) reply from Auckland Transport, dated 7 July 2015:

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494427/9aa813e65f89372033c648c285010dec9ff0b40f

    “Here is the evidence in the form of an extensive Privacy Act reply from Auckland Transport, dated 29 October 2015, which confirms that these private passenger transport operators did NOT want to reveal how much public monies they were receiving in the form of SUBSIDIES:

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494428/9b31a5acc867353077952bd23648be429134bbf6

    “Here’s a wild idea – how about ‘opening the books’ and ‘cutting out the contractors’, and making ‘public’ transport truly PUBLIC – by bringing ownership, management and operation back ‘in house’, under the not-for-profit, public service model?”

    “Why should the public subsidise that which we no longer own, operate or manage?”

    “If the private sector are SO ‘efficient’ – why do they need public subsidies?”

    “‘Activists – get things done.

    As well as carrying out this pivotal investigative research, I have also petitioned Parliament, where I have raised my concerns about Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) – directly, and successfully, with the law-makers.”

    http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/51DBSCH_SCR69296_1/924613ec7fb831c4e74bd062f73287ac2ceb5081

    “Accountability and transparency of Auckland’s council-controlled organisations

    The petitioner told us of her concern that the public was unable to have a say on the model of Auckland’s CCOs after the 2009 Auckland “super city” merger.

    She stressed that the public is also unable to have a say about the directorship of CCOs or to have any direct say in CCO statements of intent.

    She believes that this is because CCOs are not classified as local authorities for the purposes of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.

    The petitioner strongly believes that CCOs need to be more accountable to Auckland ratepayers because a percentage of rates goes towards the operations of CCOs.

    She told us that she is defending her “lawful right as a citizen to know where my money is being spent”.

    The petitioner questions how the efficiencies and cost-effectiveness of Auckland CCOs is monitored.

    She is particularly concerned that information about the financial transactions of CCOs is unclear and difficult for the public to access.

    For example, she would prefer that contractor transactions were easily available in a written format for public scrutiny.

    The petitioner also asked why Auckland Transport does not provide open access to information about transport subsidies, given that much transport in Auckland is privately operated.

    We were also told that Auckland rates have increased to pay for a transport levy.
    …”

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    • The Chairman 13.1

      Indeed, Penny.

      National’s brighter future seems to be one where the poor are priced off the roads.

      What is Labour’s vision?

      • Greg 13.1.1

        Priced out of apartments as well, forcing inner city workers to the suburbs.
        It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.
        Auckland’s wage increases by its major employers have been lucky to be inflationary.

        • The Chairman 13.1.1.1

          Dead right, Greg.

        • Draco T Bastard 13.1.1.2

          It sure is wonderful sitting n a bus with virus filled passengers, or relying on the trains to be on time.

          The ‘virus filled’ buses cause less death per year than the cars (probably the lack of viruses due to good coverage of vaccines) and the trains are almost always on time.

          • McFlock 13.1.1.2.1

            the trains are probably a shitload more reliable than a car.

            That’s why people get pissed off if they’re more than a few minutes late on any particular run, whereas even if traffic runs okay there’s always “sorry, I couldn’t find a park”.

      • s y d 13.1.2

        Labour will instigate a funding mechanism whereby a portion of your toll (sorry congestion pricing incentive) invoice will be topped up, dependent on the extent to which your trip was related to your work. This won’t be available to anyone not working, or with more than 2.45 children under the age of 12.
        There will also be a secondary method whereby you can estimate your likely toll bill for the next year and be paid the top up amount by NZTA. However penalty charges (150%) will be incurred should your estimate prove to be incorrect by more than 0.637%.
        A partial compensation refund fund will also be available on a contestable, first in first served basis, with a sliding scale reduction for multiples of 12 public transport trips. Keep your tickets.
        Further these charges will not apply to any vehicle less than 14 months old or with a market value greater than 48000 or with a WOF less than 2 weeks old.

  14. Richardrawshark 14

    Epiphany moment.

    I finally figured out why John keys flag referendum failed. The proper flag option he wanted didn’t get picked.

    It would have been a black flag, with the word in bold white “democracy” written across it, and to finish it off, a nice blue slash going from bottom left corner, to the top right.

    I am a fkn genius!

    /sarc.

  15. Rosie 15

    “I feel love”

    Which do you prefer, the original Donna Summer disco sounds or Bronski Beat?

    I love both but for today it will be Bronski Beat, featuring Marc Almond

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYFRFyvhGRY

    • Gangnam Style 15.1

      Patrick Cowley did the original mega 12″ version of I Feel Love, he was one of the first casualties of HIV/Aids back in the early 80s. The guy was pure genius, alongside Moroder he pretty much invented Disco/Hi-NRG/Electro whatever. Not heard the Bronski Beat version, it’s all right, they def wear their influences on their sleeves, love ’em.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cowley

    • Gabby 15.2

      The Rollo/Sister Bliss Monster Mix.

  16. Richardrawshark 16

    I grew up with both as they came during different era’s I too agree both were good as each other, have to go for the former Donna summer for me. by a creative first way.

    • Rosie 16.1

      Georgio Moroder produced a lot of hits for Donna Summer. He was a very influential pioneer of electronic beats

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Moroder

      And of course you can hear Moroders “tears” famously sampled in DJ Shadow’s Organ Donor:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4E60Ffa9yQ

      Now I’ve gotta get outta here because this isn’t politics, this more like The Standard Weekend Social. I’ve gotta go catch up with Brexit, check the house for ducks and work out how to use facebook. I’ve finally given in after all these year!

      • Richardrawshark 16.1.1

        Half of my house is riveted, Heard of multitasking? Split screens etc. 🙂

        We are in the, please leave already camp.

        • Rosie 16.1.1.1

          You’re in the leave camp?………………

          • Richardrawshark 16.1.1.1.1

            The celebrations are resounding here, and i’m proud to say Sunderland voted to leave to, as well as Durham. Represent North east!

            Proud to be British might mean something again, so will “Made in Briton”.

            • Peter Swift 16.1.1.1.1.1

              “The celebrations are resounding here, and i’m proud to say Sunderland voted to leave to, as well as Durham. Represent North east!

              Proud to be British might mean something again, so will “Made in Briton”.”

              Even if you’re not and it’s spelled Britain. lol

              http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21062016/#comment-1192171

              “i’m also Albanian”

              • Richardrawshark

                I was born in NZ to a UK mother and an Albanian father, I’ve seen it spelled Briton, and it’s a distraction to the point I make.

                Oh BTW Trying to belittle someone you don’t know is just a reflection of your own insecurities, and how I spelled it , unless this is a spelling contest is my business.

                • Peter Swift

                  It’s no distraction, just a bit of a fun fact to go with your third party rhetoric.
                  For informational purposes only, if you’ve ever seen ‘made in Briton’ then whoever wrote it got it really wrong. In the context given it’s always going to be Britain, unless of course it’s an archaeological relic from the relevant time period.

                  “The Britons were an ancient Celtic people who lived in Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Roman and Sub-Roman periods. They spoke a language that is now known as Common Brittonic.”

                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Britons

                  • Richardrawshark

                    I never been there, rrreally, what would I know about the UK 🙂

                    come on dude I lived there ten years, mum came back 2 weeks ago from ten years there, we may have had a good catch up you know?. My sister works for the Council in Sunderland, she’s kiwi born, but like me has right of abode?

                • In Vino

                  Britain is the country. Briton is a person from Britain. They sound the same, but our illogical spelling system means that one sound can have a number of spellings in English..

  17. Rosie 17

    Dunedin, what are you doing? 20 degrees yesterday – are you serious? Are you trying for the 2016 climate change challenge to be the most unlikely southern city to have the highest winter temperature?

    • weka 17.1

      The degree of cognitive dissonance in South Dunedin must be peaking too (they had a meeting earlier in the week where some residents thought the council talking about the flooding in the context of climate change was greenie nonsense).

      • Rosie 17.1.1

        A face palm meeting by the sounds of it. It’s difficult when a council actually acknowledges their geographical area has a problem with CC and the residents deny it. A similar thing happened a few years ago when the Kapiti District council projected sea level rises along the coastline where housing would be affected.

        Residents said it was nonsense and scaremongering. Now the $million + homes on beachfront land are sitting there unsold while houses elsewhere in that range, especially in town, in Wgtn, are selling no problem. I wonder if there will be an issue with potential buyers talking their insurance agents and the agents letting them know they will high premiums living in such a setting.

        Even when I was a kid in the 70’s growing up across the road from the sea we had massive spring storms that would bring dunes down. It’s going to be nuts as we move further into the anthropocene.

        • Gangnam Style 17.1.1.1

          I live in South Dunedin, we are not all morons.

          Dunedin hasn’t had a winter, I work outside & have def noticed it, this time last year I think we had 2 dumps of snow! & the floods a year ago too (yes we were surrounded by water, came right to the door, 2 hours in this street were pulled down because of damage), been living in this suburb for 10 or so years, & def noticed the beach is nearer than it used to be, its a bit scary when you can hear it so close. Also a few years ago I had to dig a grave for the dog & the water table is only maybe 1-2 feet below us! So good on Cull for talking about it, though he’s back-tracking a bit because of the South Dunedin morons.

          Side note, South Dunedin is one of the poorest suburbs in the country, with shocking rates of teen pregnancies, over crowding, unemployment etc…but it is connected to the richest suburbs of the city with old beautiful Victorian mansions & brand new mega flash cars, so I think its the rich end of town complaining, I doubt the poor have too much invested in this suburb.

          • Rosie 17.1.1.1.1

            Thanks for the local report. It’s always good to hear from residents and get their viewpoint. It’s often the case the wealthy have louder voices, or quite often more influence with the council.

            • Gangnam Style 17.1.1.1.1.1

              Farry lives around the corner from me in the biggest house in the street,I would imagine he has a direct line to council/Govt. He was responsible for the stadium & got some kinda ‘honour’ from the Nat Govt for his effort in lying to us about it’s benefits. Some stunning old mansions in this ‘hood, a lot of ‘old money’ swishing around. Pity it’s all gonna be underwater in a few years.

              http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2015/06/aerial_07_03062015_jpg_556eb86932.jpg

              http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/5/4/y/f/3/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.154ri4.png/1433445323485.jpg

              http://www.odt.co.nz/files/featured_gallery/2015/06/aerial_01_03062015_jpg_556eb86911.jpg

              http://www.odt.co.nz/files/user21583/aerial_05_03062015.jpg

              The area used to be sand dunes & wetlands, the ducks still walk around thinking it is, but then maybe they have long genetic memories & know it will be theirs again one day.

              • Pasupial

                Gangnam Style

                No mention of Farry in the ODT, mainly; Ray MacLeod, spokesman of the South Dunedin Action Group (SDAG). Haven’t heard of him before, do you have any local knowledge? It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.

                SDAG spokesman Ray MacLeod finished the meeting by praising some of the council’s short-term measures, but had harsh words when it came to what he perceived as a “green” agenda on the council.

                This agenda had resulted in a council policy of “strategic withdrawal” from South Dunedin “by stealth”, Mr MacLeod said.

                Council chief executive Sue Bidrose earlier said there was no such plan, but both she and Mayor Dave Cull, whose speech was read out by Acting Mayor Andrew Noone, said such an option could not be counted out, given the serious threat posed by climate change.

                http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/387568/anger-about-south-dunedins-future

                This seems to me to be another bit of prepositioning for the anti-Green vote in this year’s local body elections. Similar to the antiwindfarm movement that sprangup out of nowhere earlier in Warrington.

                In slamming “green” councillors, Mr MacLeod pointed to a proposal in the second generation plan being consulted on which would require “sensitive activities”, which included emergency services and other key infrastructure, in South Dunedin, to be relocatable.

                He called on South Dunedin residents to vote out “green” councillors and Mr Cull, who he said were willing to “sacrifice” South Dunedin people in favour of their ideology.

                • Gangnam Style

                  No sorry, I just mentioned Farry because he’s around the corner, he’s more a behind the scenes type of guy, just my opinion. I don’t know of Mr MacLeod, but read about his anti ‘green’ type rant, maybe he should make use of the internet & google Canute. Not heard of the South Dunedin Action Group before this article sorry.

                  Just read the group was started after last years flood, maybe I should try & get involved, I love this ‘burb!

                • weka

                  bugger all coverage in the ODT, what’s that about?

                • Colonial Viper

                  ” It seems a weird bit of delusion to be; blaming those attempting to formulate a response to climate change, for the property damage caused by sealevel rises.”

                  Disagree.

                  Last year 90%+ of the damage was caused by DCC neglect. And all of the sub par post flood response.

                  Did climate change add a couple of cm to the flood height? Sure. So what.

                  • Gabby

                    You’d think the council could ponder deeply the issues of climate change AND keep the drains clear, really.

              • Rosie

                Blimey.

                I don’t know of this Farry character but there always seems to a local body self promoting/self interest type that is also in league with the nat party.

                Hope you’ve got some strong contenders to look at voting for this year, ones that are aligned to environmental/restoration/cc issues/resilience. (Just reading Pasupial’s comment below).

                Re ducks. I think they have long family memories, just my observation. I’ve really noticed that the more of the farmland disapears on the development where I live (especially the boggy bits) the more ducks we get in the garden, that won’t leave.
                Because I live in their territory I feel I have a duty to care for them. I give them fresh water everyday as their water source has dried up. We had a drought over summer and they had nothing to eat so hung out here. I’ve also got orphaned ducklings who grew up in our garden and they come here every day, some are pets. They have a double risk with ongoing development too. The more roads that go in, the more stormwater drains there are for ducklings to fall into. I had SPCA in to help me rescue 3 babies that went down a drain. The SPCA person said that in the developing northern areas they had double the callouts, up to 500 call outs for ducklings alone. It’s a waste of their time. We just need smaller gap grates.
                As humans we may expect them move somewhere else but they don’t seem to. They stay in their turf. Hope the ducks in your area have enough grass and insects to eat and enough water.

          • marty mars 17.1.1.1.2

            mum lived in Atkinson st – like going back in time going there

            • Gangnam Style 17.1.1.1.2.1

              Michael Woodhouse is from that part of South Dunedin too marty, he mentions it now & again like Key & his state house upbringing.

              • lol – street cred is hard to buy

                • Colonial Viper

                  Still wondering why Woodhouse hasn’t stood against Curran. He has more connections to the Dunedin South electorate than she does. I figure it is because he can’t be bothered being an electorate MP.

                  • Possibly because Curran is too popular. Nobody seems to have been able to roll her, no matter how much they’d like to take her place.

                    • Colonial Viper

                      Curran is too popular? Have you even looked at her plummeting electorate majority?

                    • Robertina

                      There was a time when Curran was perceived as a bit of an embarrassment who spent too much time on twitter, but for what it’s worth, I think that’s changed.
                      She has grown into the role. She works hard. Yes she can be a bit impulsive and makes some mistakes, but has a lot of heart.
                      Her approach to the June flood was spot on from the day one; she held council to account for its dissembling and appeared to do a huge amount of work on that issue (for individual cases as well as the infrastructure issue).
                      It will be interesting to see if her efforts translate into more votes next time around.

          • swordfish 17.1.1.1.3

            I was about to say: It’s amazing how many Dunedinites are on this site.

            But, come to think of it, Dunedin is still the most Left-leaning City in the Country* (Wellington’s the only other centre where the Left continue to beat the Right Bloc) … so maybe not all that surprising after all.

            * Indeed, it’s been argued that Pete George is the only Dunedinite to have Party-Voted National at the last Election. Isn’t that right, Pete ?

  18. ianmac 18

    Those who have followed the hatchet job on Peggy Burrows Principal of Rangiora High School, might care to visit the Givealittle page at
    https://explore.givealittle.co.nz/search?q=Peggy+Burrows
    This time Peggy’s Rangiora case is in the Herald.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662583
    Bev Moore, the Commissioner has also done a hatchet job on an Invercargill Principal in a similar fashion because that Principal contested National Standards. That Principal took her case to Court won and was vindicated.
    Nasty unfair stuff.

  19. Gangnam Style 19

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/387979/homeless-installation-causes-stir

    My mate has this installation at the moment, some people find it shocking, some are angry, but most are talking about homelessness which is kinda the point. Well done Toki!

    • weka 19.1

      Good for them! interesting piece of interactive art with people leaving donations of food and cash.

      • Gangnam Style 19.1.1

        Got a few lovely notes offering help, blankets, couches to sleep on etc…The All Blacks walked past without even glancing down, it’s been quite fascinating watching peoples reactions, I thought it was real when I first saw it. Apparently Dunedins homeless sleep in the greenbelt, too cold on the streets. And he’s left it outside over night a few times & each time in the morning the sleeping bag has been removed so we assume people are checking ‘he/she’ is OK. No sign of any Bennett ‘flying squad’ of monkeys as yet, still time!

        Rest of the exhibition is good too if anyone is walking past, have a look!

    • marty mars 19.2

      + 1 Awesome art and contemporary commentary – love it and the things people have left.

  20. tipping point?

    “The British pound is in freefall as the Brexit vote looks set to win the EU Referendum. In the last five minutes it has fallen 8 per cent against the US dollar.

    The crash is now the largest in modern history and has exceeded the fall known as Black Wednesday in 1992 when the UK was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11662600

    • McFlock 20.1

      beginning of the transition. A lot of it will be speculative shorting

      • logie97 20.1.1

        I wonder what instructions those trustees who are managing blind trusts/investments in foreign exchanges are receiving from those who have major interests in those blind trusts …

  21. Gangnam Style 21

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11662642

    All credit to Amy Adams for reading out the apology to Teina Pora, apparently she didn’t have to. It was the least she could do, now it’s the polices turn.

    • Colonial Viper 21.1

      I have to be slightly impressed by that.

      • North 21.1.1

        I don’t have to be but I acknowledge a good measure of belief. Politics fucks up belief unfortunately but it is admirable as far as it goes.

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  • 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours 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
    7 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
    9 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
    10 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
    23 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
    1 day 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
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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  • Government lowering building costs
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  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
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    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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  • Progress continues apace on water storage
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  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
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  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
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