Out of the Loop

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 pm, March 17th, 2014 - 155 comments
Categories: same old national - Tags:

As I’ve previously pointed out, John Key’s National government only serves the privileged elite.

But their policy of only favouring the favoured few is not only venal, it’s really stupid economics as well.

The reason why it’s stupid is simple Econ 101, supply and demand.

National is always quick to emphasise the supply side, the importance of looking after business. Because business is, in the eyes of National, the ‘engine of the growth’ in the economy.

You take care of the business (supply) side of the equation and everything else simply falls into place, right?

Fail.

Big fail.

What National neglects is the demand side of the equation. Without economic demand, there is no economy.

If the people in an economy have no money to spend then there will be no economic demand which means the economy won’t grow. It’s as simple as that.

We are already the most business friendly nation in the entire world. I think it’s safe to say that’s the supply side taken care of.

But 30 years of Neoliberalism has left most New Zealanders (and the rest of the Western world) in a state of economic anaemia. Kiwis are mired in debt, they have no money to spend, and therefore cannot possibly generate significant economic demand.

So what does John Key and National prescribe?

More Neoliberalism.

National’s antidote for the poison is……. more poison.

National loves going on about ‘growing the pie’ but growing the pie, ie increasing the size of the economy, is just a bad joke inside John Key’s high cost/low wage New Zealand.

To actually grow an economy, people need to have money to spend and under this government who’s got any money left to spend?

After all we’ve had…

  • Tax cuts for the rich (which worsens inequality)
  • Gutting workers rights even further (reduced family income)
  • Raising GST (shifts tax burden to those without capital gains, ie the NOT-privileged elite)
  • Flogging power companies (higher power prices, but totally worth it for the privileged elite who bought shares)
  • Failing to address the housing bubble (paying more and more for the already over-priced old houses is….pure evil)

These are just some of the really stupid things that National has done (or failed to do) which have weakened the economy and further impoverishing already debt-laden kiwis.

Gee, it’s almost as if John Key’s National doesn’t give a toss if the average kiwi has no money to generate economic demand. As long as the privileged elite, like Amy Adams can flog her milk solids to overseas buyers, and run her farms with dirt cheap kiwi workers then all is well…

We’re out of the loop.

Vote Left.

155 comments on “Out of the Loop ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Draco T Bastard 1
    17 March 2014 at 10:03 pm

    If the people in an economy have no money to spend then there will be no economic demand which means the economy won’t grow. It’s as simple as that.

    No, it’s that the financials won’t grow. The economy is a fixed size and we have no idea what that size is.

    Raising GST (shifts tax burden to those without capital gains, ie the NOT-privileged elite poor.)

    FTFY

    What you said was contradictory and thus meaningless.

    Gee, it’s almost as if John Key’s National doesn’t give a toss if the average kiwi has no money to generate economic demand.

    They don’t and this article clearly shows what the result will be – complete societal collapse. Hmm, wonder if the economists have worked out just how much that research is death to their hypothesis.

    • Richard Christie 1.1
      17 March 2014 at 10:57 pm

      It’s a sobering read, that Guardian article.

      • aerobubble 1.1.1
        18 March 2014 at 3:34 pm

        Two world wars started with Germany, there was no conspiracy. Simplistically it could be argued that the ability of the political-economic complex was incapable of adapting to the change of technology and resources. Oil and automation, added to political vacuum and a populations deprived of choices who were ‘given’ their power back through extreme right wing ideology.
        And as we all know, or should, fascists are either so apathetic to follow any crude argument, or so fed up with the present political impasse that they willing agree to join a human ponsi-pyramid scheme where only the top get to abuse everyone (in the hopes they they get to the top of the zombie pyramid).

        We are again entering a period where very boring men (mostly) are incapable of dealing to the present crisis-es. Collapse in military power (brought on by Bush II invasion into stupid) as America tried to cling on to power after the end of the cold war (which actually meant keeping profits of military, finance and media going). Anyone can now compete with the standing armies, all they need are cheap drones, network hackers… (etc).

        Yeah, so, sorry, to the point, of course Key is out of the loop, the Thatcher revolution was all about taking government out of the picture. Key, hopefully, is the last of those who deal themselves out of the govt, serving some ideological nirvana of free markets at the cost of even common sense.

        As for stupid. Why would we believe growth is key to our success. Growth is just a number and over throttling is just as dangerous as under throttling. Eating several earths is as stupid as communist central control. Its dangerous to target growth more when resources, population, pollution, debt, aging, all start going into the danger zone.

        The problem is the inability of tories to admit defeat and retire, they lost and clinging on just makes them look sad.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2
      17 March 2014 at 11:32 pm

      Hang about DTB,

      The article you link to places a huge importance in the role of wealth disparity in the part of the downfall of society – whereas you link to the article to argue against Geoff’s point on just that.

      … are you simply being argumentative for argument’s sake?

      From the article you linked to:

      These factors can lead to collapse when they converge to generate two crucial social features: “the stretching of resources due to the strain placed on the ecological carrying capacity”; and “the economic stratification of society into Elites [rich] and Masses (or “Commoners”) [poor]” These social phenomena have played “a central role in the character or in the process of the collapse,” in all such cases over “the last five thousand years.”

      Currently, high levels of economic stratification are linked directly to overconsumption of resources, with “Elites” based largely in industrialised countries responsible for both…”

      • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1
        17 March 2014 at 11:43 pm

        whereas you link to the article to argue against Geoff’s point on just that.

        I have NFI where you got that from. Geoff said:

        it’s almost as if John Key’s National doesn’t give a toss…

        To which I replied that they don’t and that’s it that not giving a fuck about anybody but themselves that will bring about the collapse of society and probably the environment.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 12:11 am

          @ DTB

          “No, it’s that the financials won’t grow. The economy is a fixed size and we have no idea what that size is.”

          I’m sorry have I misunderstood this part of your comment?

          • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.1
            18 March 2014 at 11:40 am

            I was pointing out that there’s a difference between finances and economics and why the financials shouldn’t continue to grow as it really does take us into the over-use of resources that the article tells us brings about collapse.

            I’m all for being far more egalitarian but we also need to exist within the physical limits of the economy/environment and just giving more money to the people at the bottom won’t bring that about.

            • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2.1.1.1.1
              18 March 2014 at 12:12 pm

              Yes, that is fairly well where I thought you were coming from.

              The article also put forward the case that having some with extreme wealth over many others pushes this process of resource depletion forward – that technology has made efficiency gains (efficient of resource use) – yet elites soak up this gain by extra consumerism

              “Currently, high levels of economic stratification are linked directly to overconsumption of resources, with “Elites” based largely in industrialised countries responsible for both”

              That if society was more financially equitable:

              a) the process of resource depletion would slow
              b) more importantly: those making the rules would be less buffered to the effects of their own destructive actions and would be more receptive to improving the structures so that unsustainable resource depletion didn’t occur.

              I.e until there is less wealth disparity it is unlikely a change in the elites’ attitudes toward growth and profits will occur because those in positions of power are the same people pushing those attitudes and they are the same group not experiencing the detrimental effects of such mistaken thinking.

              On rereading this article it may be that all of us in NZ might come under the definition of elite – unsure about the definition of who are the elite?

              • Draco T Bastard …
                18 March 2014 at 3:37 pm

                That if society was more financially equitable:

                a) the process of resource depletion would slow
                b) more importantly: those making the rules would be less buffered to the effects of their own destructive actions and would be more receptive to improving the structures so that unsustainable resource depletion didn’t occur.

                A) Not a good assumption. If everyone had enough money to demand excess resource use then excess resource depletion would still happen. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know what resources we have at a sustainable rate. The “market” doesn’t provide this information and the profit motive of the “elite” will drive us to excess resource use through a) their own excessive resource use and b) trying for ever more sales to drive up their profits.
                B) Possibly but I’m more inclined to think that the “elite” will just push for higher productivity from everyone else so as to increase that buffer that protects them from the negative consequences of their actions.

                unsure about the definition of who are the elite?

                The “elite” are the ones calling the shots – government and business leaders (which excludes the self-employed, small businesses and the general populace – see TPPA processes).

      • Richard Christie 1.2.2
        17 March 2014 at 11:50 pm

        It read to me to me that Draco is agreeing with the observation made about the caring nature of Dishonest John’s Govt.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.2.2.1
          18 March 2014 at 12:18 am

          Yes, I read that too – it was the first sentence (the one that started with ‘no’) that I was questioning.

      • aerobubble 1.2.3
        18 March 2014 at 3:49 pm

        Build another road, increases number, size and speed of vehicles into built up areas, slowing down traffic, increasing pollution and pushing adaptive industries out to clean fill sprawl. How does increasing the costs, time, petrol, infrastructure supposed to be efficient. Its not. Its about doing what worked when there were year on year drops in energy costs, when politicians (life ultimate cheapskates) manage (with media alliances) to sell the absurd (that their actions, policies, ideology was creating growth, not a bunch of greedy arab princlings who found black gold under their sandy front room floor).

        Take welfare, why are the poorest (those with most motivation to change) forced by the state (taxes) to take income support that stops them (70% marginal taxes) from using their free time to give back to the community (and so network, experience and so expose themselves to possibilities and so see and seize on opportunities). Why? well because stressing how those who already work for too little, or overpaid by far too much, how they could lose everything they work for, pressing the button on fear of change, has become lifeblood for the media. And so by locking out a share of the population from work, enough work, or living wage work, the economy will be saved. How I ask, by driving up the cost of labor, by increasing churn of employees, of breeding a generation of workers peeing in the bake beans (fed up with their lot).

        No, its not a return to religion we need. Its just churning out those who pander to negatives. Benefit bashing. Or Labor response, diverting.

    • Kahukowhai 1.3
      18 March 2014 at 10:52 pm

      Why do you think the NSA is gearing up their spy networks, in order to prevent that collapse a police state will be imposed first. It can be done in a way that was never possible in ancient times. Russia and China went that way and China especially has prospered – their societies didn’t collapse as such they just continued under totalitarianism.

  2. adam 2
    17 March 2014 at 10:59 pm

    So the next step is indentured servitude – I mean if the poor can’t pay their way then maybe they should have their freedom taken off them. That those who can pay their way, should have all the privileges and the rights. Who cares that in all probability, they inherited it, that just goes to show there a better type of people.

    My goodness this is the natural solution to all the problems of liberalism and why it is failing so bad. If we didn’t have an uppity poor – who wanted stuff – like houses, food, education, health care, a better future for their kids. We could keep them oppressed and downtrodden, and curb their ambition. It’s the damn aspirational stuff of the working classes which is holding us back.

    This is what is meant by supply side economics. The future you know you can love, if you’re part of the elite.

    • geoff 2.1
      17 March 2014 at 11:10 pm

      Well I’d like to be optimistic and say the next step is to vote this cretinous Key and his band of plundering plonkers out of government!

      • Stuart Munro 2.1.1
        17 March 2014 at 11:57 pm

        Failing which NZ will see the kind of skirmishing that characterized south american fascist regimes – kidnapping, death squads, an underground along the lines of sendero luminoso and vasts increases in random acts of senseless violence. When cows become preferred terrorist targets the right will slowly begin to realise that they can’t f**k over the people indefinitely.

  3. Richard Christie 3
    17 March 2014 at 11:36 pm

    .So the next step is indentured servitude – I mean if the poor can’t pay their way then maybe they should have their freedom taken off them.

    No need, just keep them well supplied with more lotto, sports arenas, reality TV, cooking shows, casinos, cheap Chinese DIY gear and a TVNZ news service.

    Despite what the aforementioned Guardian article predicts, the scam has years of life to run yet.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 3.1
      18 March 2014 at 12:15 am

      er…Richard Christie…sorry I have bad news for you …the bit Adam said about ‘taking the freedom off the poor’….it wasn’t a prediction – it is a process that has well and truly started already….

      And any government that follows policies that ensure a percentage of us don’t have jobs or don’t have jobs that cover living costs or, while being on welfare can hardly be said to be ‘freedom’, creating rules to make it easier to boot people off welfare when there are no jobs cannot be said to be a policy that is creating more freedom…such governments are perpetuating this taking of freedom from a percentage of us because such policies create poverty.

      I agree though, that such devices as you mentioned serve to keep those with a bit more than nothing pacified.

      • Macro 3.1.1
        18 March 2014 at 11:44 am

        It wasn’t the peasants who begun the French Revolution, it was the bourgeois, the traders and the middle classes who saw that their position was continually being eroded by the elite.
        Those who neglect their history – and those who live solely for the present generally do (the elite amongst them) – are destined to repeat it.
        We have seen the beginnings of it in Greece and eventually if things continue the way they are, it will happen again here. Eventually people will have enough and the result will not be pretty.

        • greywarbler 3.1.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 12:20 pm

          Didn’t Marx foresee that it was inevitable that the poor would rise and protest and break the class system and claim their fair share? And they didn’t.

          It takes a very clear head to voluntarily throw away the little one has in the hope of a better future. Especially if you have children. If you are forced into doing so by disaster then its TINA, no choice. Usually they need to have helpers, either at the beginning. or willing to support and aid during the process which can be unpleasant.

          • Macro 3.1.1.1.1
            18 March 2014 at 2:46 pm

            The poor have neither the resources nor the organisational networks. What made the French Revolution “successful” was the organisational skills of the middle class. The were sick of being constantly screwed by the elite. I think that we are not far away (in historical terms) from similar reactions today. Just what the form of reaction will be I do not know. But those who currently give themselves obscene bonuses and live extravagant lifestyles obviously at the expense of others should remember what happened at the end of the 18th C.

    • tc 3.2
      18 March 2014 at 7:18 am

      Yes its boiling frogs, by the time people wake up it will be too late.

      Its the middle sector who think theyve got it sussed by leveraging their way to multiple properties thinking theyll be fine…..till demand dies and they discover the health, education etc has all been smashed along with nz and essential utilities sold off.

  4. PhilDC 4
    18 March 2014 at 12:23 am

    I always remember a piece of graffiti a water pipe on TiRakau Drive – long since painted over and fenced off to prevent another repeat spraying. I once delivered milk in that area(thats how long ago it was).
    it was burned into my brain seeing it everyday.

    “Prices rise and profits hop. Pay stays low so buying stops. Goods wont sell so workers sacked, dont look now depressions back – workers unite to protect wages and conditions.”

    Still as true today as it was back then.

  5. Matthew Hooton 5
    18 March 2014 at 7:25 am

    How do you reconcile your claim that John Key’s government serves only the privileged elite, when two-thirds of people want him to remain prime minister?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11221487

    • Te Reo Putake 5.1
      18 March 2014 at 7:34 am

      Bread, circuses and royal visits.

      • Matthew Hooton 5.1.1
        18 March 2014 at 7:49 am

        That’s a very patronising attitude you have towards two-thirds of your fellow citizens.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 7:59 am

          What, as opposed to your relentless manufactured dishonesty for sale, you rancid hypocrite?

        • risildowgtn 5.1.1.2
          18 March 2014 at 8:22 am

          and the way u tory scum treat the common man on the street is disgusting and mark my words scum, you will be held accountable

        • kenny 5.1.1.3
          18 March 2014 at 10:15 am

          That’s two-thirds of a Herald DIGI-POLL respondents (laugh), clearly not 2/3rds of NZ voters.

        • Tracey 5.1.1.4
          18 March 2014 at 10:31 am

          Surely it is not patronising to say that the massaged message put together by those who understand about hot buttons and subliminal messaging and can afford to pay for the best (Crosby Textor, as opposed to Excelcium (altho I am sure you are not cheap matthew)) are working by making someone popular who is actually doing nothing for the majority or is harming them? That is a fact and one which makes your services wanted by some?

          Next you will say advertising doesn’t work.

        • Mark 5.1.1.5
          18 March 2014 at 12:04 pm

          Matthew, last poll for preferred prime minister had John Key at 39%. And that is 39% of the 70% of New Zealanders who took part. Land line polls are excluding 13% of the population and 17% of the respondents in the last poll wouldn’t give a preference. I live in Christchurch and 39% is a thing of the past down here. I am a former Nat member and even I acknowledge the party is going to get its arse kicked down here. Key is now a liability in this town.

        • geoff 5.1.1.6
          18 March 2014 at 12:34 pm

          How is it patronising?

      • Anne 5.1.2
        18 March 2014 at 9:10 am

        @Te Teo Putake

        Add to that, John Key’s top drawer and extreme dirty politics.

        A sad indictment on a large bunch of voters who can’t tell the difference between reality/truth and fiction/lies. They only work because said bunch of voters are stupid and ignorant.

        Right Hooton? You should know because you’re one of those who peddle the myths, lies and obfuscations.

    • RT 5.2
      18 March 2014 at 9:39 am

      Exactly the question I was going to ask! The replies are telling.

    • Tom Gould 5.3
      18 March 2014 at 10:05 am

      Indeed, this post is illustrative of how far the pseudo-intellectual left have their heads in the clouds, while just about everyone else, if the polls are indicative, seem fairly happy with where Key is leading them. It’s almost as if they know ‘trickle down’ was a con job, and they have moved on, maybe years ago?

      Discount the National Herald poll which was taken precisely to coincide with the Tory-orchestrated assassination attack on Cunliffe’s character.

      • Anne 5.3.1
        18 March 2014 at 10:59 am

        … Herald poll which was taken precisely to coincide with the Tory-orchestrated assassination attack on Cunliffe’s character.

        +1 Tom Gould. My immediate reaction too. This is the poll that always – I repeat always – over estimates National’s ratings. Digi-Poll would deny it, but they know what is expected of them and they deliver the result at exactly the right time. Don’t put it past their political masters to give them a heads-up as to the date they are to start polling – following the latest manufactured scandal. Conspiracy? No way. It’s common knowledge that’s the way the “Tories” operate.

      • Melb 5.3.2
        18 March 2014 at 11:18 am

        “Discount the National Herald poll which was taken precisely to coincide with the Tory-orchestrated assassination attack on Cunliffe’s character.”

        This is real head-in-the-clouds stuff. +111 for imagination.

        The Herald poll was taken a month after the last Herald poll, which was also taken a month after the previous one. If you think long and hard about it, you may start to notice a pattern. The editors don’t just sit around around and suddenly say “oi, you know, what! Let’s do some polling today!”

        The timing of the Cunliffe trust stories came from the deadline of having to file the pecuniary returns. It was a point of interest to see who had funded the leadership challengers, and even more interesting that Cunliffe had chosen to hide his secret big-business crony money-men with a trust.

        Though the piece that Paddy Gower did about Cunliffe’s older trust was pretty average, and likely to be National putting the boot in while Cunliffe was down.

        As an aside, wouldn’t the moniker Tory (Traditional Conservatism) be far more applicable to Colin Craig and his ilk?

        • Anne 5.3.2.1
          18 March 2014 at 11:37 am

          The Herald poll was taken a month after the last Herald poll, which was also taken a month after the previous one. If you think long and hard about it, you may start to notice a pattern.

          Yep. there’s a pattern alright. Sometimes they’re monthly, sometimes they’re not – or maybe they don’t bother to report some of them in non election years. It’s monthly now because the election is close. You lack the insight to see the politically biased patterns in the Digi-Poll? Perhaps I put it the wrong way around:

          Somebody rings Hooton/Slater/whoever… we’re sending you our latest attack story on Cunliffe. Don’t print until such and such a date. Herald says next poll due to start one week later.

          I’m not saying that is exactly how it happens, but do you get the picture Mr Clever Boy/Girl?

    • vto 5.4
      18 March 2014 at 10:10 am

      It is entirely about rising house prices, nothing else…..

    • thatguynz 5.5
      18 March 2014 at 10:54 am

      Does that include the million people that didn’t vote Matthew? Surely that is the absolute epitome of disinterest, apathy or loss of hope is it not?

      • Matthew Hooton 5.5.1
        18 March 2014 at 11:35 am

        There are not a million people who didn’t vote. But even of the nearly 800,000 who didn’t vote in 2011, you are wrong if you assume they are all left-leaning, lacking hope etc.

        • geoff 5.5.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 11:59 am

          True. Many of them are probably traditional National supporters who have given up in disgust that their party has been captured by the corporates.

          Traditional National party supporters aren’t all as dumb as you think they are, Matthew.

        • thatguynz 5.5.1.2
          18 March 2014 at 12:47 pm

          Fair point – I’ll acknowledge your 800k correction. I did however not mention “left-leaning” so they’re your words, not mine. So back to the question.. If they are not disinterested, apathetic or lacking in hope, what is your view as to why they didn’t vote?

    • Ennui 5.6
      18 March 2014 at 11:24 am

      Because Matthew most of those two thirds are one hell of a lot more privileged than those below them and they don’t want the party to end. This is all comparative, however if you were to try and live like the bottom third you wouldn’t enjoy it much!

      Of course you could try and be a little bit imaginative and think about the bad tempers and blame game that might occur should the markets take a dive (lets face it the world exchanges are at unprecedented and extreme highs..based upon f.a…read Galbraith and you might get the picture of what happens next). Or any number of more and more likely events that might send the repo agents around to reclaim the new shiny SUV as the money goes west.

      So Matt, yes the bloated fat cats that we “middle classes” are (consuming well beyond our means to repay on credit and unsustainable salaries) might just end up becoming plebian voters (probably will is more likely). With bad attitudes like anybody thrown out from the party.

    • geoff 5.7
      18 March 2014 at 12:19 pm

      Matthew Hooton, do you believe that poll result is accurate?

    • adam 5.8
      18 March 2014 at 2:36 pm

      Matthew, Matthew you cervical creation of the elites. You propaganda is a vial veil – that us scum from the poorest of the poor, are seeing as the lie that it is. The manipulation of the masses is an affair which has been running for almost a hundred years now. I thought you’d better understand that tool of corporations and the elites dear boy (or are they not letting you in). You distractions into the lies of the propaganda machine are stale, as they are old. Matthew lie to yourself, that I can live with – but stop lying to us

    • aerobubble 5.9
      18 March 2014 at 3:57 pm

      We keep being told by media his polls are so very very high. And the polling? Well it panders to parties not principles, issues, or ideals. When asked is Key doing a good job, geez, when government does nothing, does not believe in govt of course he’s doing an excellent job… …hence high polling for Key.

      Set the metric so low, flip it upside down, and then the more, longer stupid lasts the more credible and successful said metrics make fools of us all.

      Are we really better off? are we as adaptive as we were? are we better able to meet our expectations?
      How can you say yes? oil will continue to cost more, we will continue to mis-adapt by continued sprawl of cities and upside down inside out ideologies that hate govt yet want to retain govt…

      Will our kids be better off. No.

    • Kahukowhai 5.10
      18 March 2014 at 11:09 pm

      As the others say it is based on illusion. John Key for example didn’t tell people when they voted in 2008 that he was going to abuse parliamentary process to rush through a whole lot of new laws under urgency, including bringing in National Standards which no one knew was coming. He didn’t campaign on diverting obscene amounts of money from around the country into a handful of expensive and unnecessary highways in cities, or stealing water resources for the dairy farmers so they could pollute the rivers, or driving people off welfare rolls even if they were unable to work. I’ve got a sister who is mentally ill and the only thing keeping her sane right now is that she qualifies for the DPB and therefore has not got Winz hounding her day and night to get a crap job which she couldn’t do as she gets stressed out too easily but all that matters to the Minister is making the numbers look good. John Key didn’t campaign on slashing hundreds or thousands of low paid jobs out of the public sector throwing more people onto the dole queues did he? Or on putting huge 62 ton trucks onto narrow twisting highways which they will pound to pieces and where oncoming drivers are at real and serious risk of coming off second best as these vehicles will swing well over the centre line on curves so sharp that the recommended speed is only 45 km/h.

      And that 67% does not mean a lot as it does not translate into 67% of the votes, it’s extremely unlikely National will ever win that percentage of votes in a general election, or anything like any simple majority. So the preferred prime minister number does not mean a lot at all.

    • McFlock 5.11
      18 March 2014 at 11:19 pm

      Doesn’t it concern you that only 3/4 people who want key to be prime minister can stomach his policies enough to vote for his party? Or any of its likely coalition allies?

      And doesn’t it concern you that if the polls are biased towards the nactoids by even a few percent, the he’d need peters to get the government benches again?

  6. drongo 6
    18 March 2014 at 7:28 am

    If so, how come Key’s government is this popular?
    http://yournz.org/2014/02/09/poll-margin-of-error-explained/

    Latest NZ Herald Digipoll:
    – National 50.8% (up 4 from Dec 2013)
    – Labour 29.5% (down 5.9)
    – Greens 13.1% (up 2.3)
    – NZ First 3.6% (down 0.3)
    – Conservative 1.3% (no change)
    – Act 0.8% (up 0.8%)
    – Other 0.5% (up 0.1)
    – Maori 0.2% (down 1.1)
    – Mana 0.1% (up 0.1)
    – Undecided 11.4%

    • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1
      18 March 2014 at 7:44 am

      It isn’t. The National Party never gets the electoral support its polling suggests.

    • Craig Glen Eden 6.2
      18 March 2014 at 7:49 am

      Very simple drongo we have a biased media that keeps repeating Key’s good news spin. The people I speak to are struggling to make ends meet are asking where are these poll numbers coming from and as for the economy being in growth mode pppffftttttt.

    • risildowgtn 6.3
      18 March 2014 at 8:24 am

      and on all these polls i say bullshit

      pure bullshit

      fuk the way you lot go on and on and on and on its as though you have 30 seat majority over the LEFT, you have 1
      yeah 1
      1
      1
      1
      1
      1
      1 🙂

      have a great day

      • Rosie 6.3.1
        18 March 2014 at 1:49 pm

        Statement of the day risildowgtn. +1.

        And it’s a shakey “one” seat at that eh.

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 6.3.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 2:33 pm

          +1 I second that Rosie – excellent point Risildowgtn

    • RJL 6.4
      18 March 2014 at 8:32 am

      drongo: If so, how come Key’s government is this popular?

      The inability of Labour to effectively communicate why they are a better option, to the individuals that were polled.

      You can decide for yourself whether this is because a) Labour is not the better option, b) Labour cannot articulate their position properly, or c) Pro-National / Anti-Labour spin has fooled the polled individuals.

      You can also decide for yourself whether or not the polled individuals (plus any “bias” corrections applied to the poll) are representative or not of the general population.

      • George D 6.4.1
        18 March 2014 at 8:49 am

        Labour doesn’t look like Government.

        Shane Jones isn’t helping.

        • RJL 6.4.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 10:03 am

          Of course, equally, National doesn’t look much like Government. So that doesn’t seem to be an impediment in and of itself.

    • woodpecker 6.5
      18 March 2014 at 9:11 am

      Hammer Labour with made up bull shit in the media, then do a poll. Any guesses how it will turn out?
      Also did you see the 11.4% undecided?

    • Tracey 6.6
      18 March 2014 at 10:33 am

      you get that 50.8 is not SO popular, it’s a slim majority?

      you get that companies pay billions of dollars on advertising (including subliminal messaging and dishonesty) because it works to convince people that their true desire may not be one that serves them well?

      • Bob Square Pants 6.6.1
        18 March 2014 at 11:11 am

        They could poll @ 90% and you’d still post the same crap.

        • Tracey 6.6.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 1:54 pm

          if they polled 90% I would not be posting that 90% is a slim majority.

          you still think collins didnt breach the cabinet manual dont you’

          cos that popular mr key told you so.

    • veutoviper 6.7
      18 March 2014 at 11:16 am

      Interesting that Drongo links to YourNZ, not the Herald reports on their Digipoll results. YourNZ is none other than Pete George’s blog site. Remember him – now the “impartial” editor of Politicheck …..

    • Mark 6.8
      18 March 2014 at 4:30 pm

      At least you got your moniker right. Polls as they are presently done are a joke. No cellphones polled and a double digit no response along with the margin of error means you may as well throw a dart at the board. I belonged to the National Party for a long period but have drifted away after the disaster of the Christchurch rebuild. I don’t think I could vote for Labour but The Nats are not getting my vote thats for sure. Key’s popularity in Christchurch has been severely damaged by the rebuild chaos and Parata’s incompetence.The Nats are going to get a mauling in Christchurch and they deserve it.

      • Kahukowhai 6.8.1
        18 March 2014 at 11:16 pm

        +1

        CERA especially CCDU is all about strangling the city council, look at what they are still keeping Ecan firmly under their thumb, and the commissioners have been told to run down the Ecan reserves to the bottom of the barrel so the farmers don’t have to pay any rate increases, meanwhile the water theft plan keeps on rolling along just nicely, even if the zone committees cannot agree on anything they have no power to stop the implementation.

  7. One Anonymous Bloke 7
    18 March 2014 at 7:57 am

    The National Party’s milk companies can sell to Chinese consumers. Who cares about demand in NZ?

  8. JanM 8
    18 March 2014 at 8:27 am

    “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him someone to look down on and he’ll empty his pockets for you.” Lyndon Johnson.
    And pretending you know nothing about this phenomenon is very disingenuous, Matthew Hooten

    • RedLogix 8.1
      18 March 2014 at 10:27 am

      Oh how very, very true. Johnson was a remarkable figure in American politics. Much underestimated over the years.

    • Tracey 8.2
      18 March 2014 at 10:34 am

      Bravo

      It’s how Mr HootOn makes his money. By peddling the myths and meme planting, truth is irrelevant.

    • Tracey 8.3
      18 March 2014 at 2:00 pm

      who would suspect that lyndon had met bob square pants?

  9. TightyRighty 9
    18 March 2014 at 8:49 am

    you haven’t proven that people in the economy have no money to spend? just repeating lame meme’s that tax cuts for the rich (earn over $70k a year? feel rich?) and that the assets are being sold (if you own more than 51% of something, you own it) doesn’t magik the money out of peoples pay packets.

    Try again geoffy

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1
      18 March 2014 at 9:20 am

      Personal tax and GST receipts not matching Treasury’s The National Party’s propaganda is a fair indicator.

      • TightyRighty 9.1.1
        18 March 2014 at 9:47 am

        at least 47%, and up to 54.6% of the population voting for the government that the tired old meme’s are supposed to be attacking and bringing down because the voting populace don’t have money in their pocket? that’s a fair indicator too. gst is a consumption tax. it’ll be interesting to see what people saved instead of spent with the certain rise in interest rates on the horizon. personal tax take down on projections could mean a number of things. that projections were a little bit overstated maybe? it certainly doesn’t mean people are poorer.

        • Tracey 9.1.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 10:35 am

          Do you agree that most economists accept that a tax cut to the top bracket during a recession does not stimulate an economy while tax cuts lower down the pile do?

          Do you agree that if the bottom tax rate is cut, that ALL tax payers benefit because of how our tiered system works?

          • TightyRighty 9.1.1.1.1
            18 March 2014 at 1:30 pm

            I don’t agree with your first assertion as most economists agree that a tax cut, at any time, let alone a recession, stimulates the economy more through private enterprise than the government can using higher taxes and higher spending.

            your second assertion is plainly correct. i’ve always argued for a tax free threshold as opposed to welfare to those in work. so whats your point? the msm don’t report that this is the case and are therefore stupid for not reporting it as you want?

            • TightyRighty 9.1.1.1.1.1
              18 March 2014 at 2:31 pm

              i must have been busy as i missed the blatant logic leap in your statements. if the top statement is false then then the bottom statement must be true, and vice versa. good work tracey.

            • Tracey 9.1.1.1.1.2
              18 March 2014 at 2:54 pm

              can you post your source for your first assertion. i keep finding research and data which ssuggests that tax cuts to the rich dont positively impact growth.

              In the last 50 years there were 5 tax cuts to the rich. Three of them were followed by a decline in GDP growth, 3 were followed by a decline in employment growth. The evidence suggests that tax cuts do not promote growth and probably promote decline.

              http ://conceptualmath.org/philo/taxgrowth.htm

              • TightyRighty …
                18 March 2014 at 6:06 pm

                can you post your source for the assertion you made in your first question? you’ve found “all this research” (btw conceptual math looks like an early 90s conceptual html website, and it’s hypothesis is rather weak, based on a tangetal equation that wouldn’t stand up to real life situations) so it should be a doddle for you to provide.

                How about the tax increases, as tax cuts start from a point too, what decline in capital investment followed their introduction? i could argue the raising of the tax rate to 38% on the dollar for income over $60k by the labour government led to property speculation as it incurred no capital gains tax and the flow of money to the middle class via wff increased income streams, enabling higher mortgages?

                No you try argue something properly…

                • Tracey …
                  19 March 2014 at 7:07 am

                  So I have to continue to prove my argument and you just get to say “I know you are but what am I?”

                  ” i could argue the raising of the tax rate to 38% on the dollar for income over $60k by the labour government led to property speculation as it incurred no capital gains tax and the flow of money to the middle class via wff increased income streams, enabling higher mortgages” Source? Otherwise you are not arguing you are writing an opinion with no factual basis that you have proven.

            • Macro 9.1.1.1.1.3
              19 March 2014 at 5:08 pm

              Bullshit! Plain and utter bullshit! Everything you spout from here on in is just that – utter crap!
              You say you have some knowledge of economics..
              Well almost your every utterance proves otherwise. You may be repeating some of the myths of neo – liberalism – but any understanding of what an economy is, and how it works, is completely beyond your comprehension.

        • Tracey 9.1.1.2
          18 March 2014 at 10:36 am

          what do you think the projections are based on?

          Makes you wonder why the government keeps using average wage rather than median though.

          • TightyRighty 9.1.1.2.1
            18 March 2014 at 2:29 pm

            projections are based on many things. also, being projections they make assumptions about human behaviour, often invoking ceterus paribus. David Cunliffe was predicted to lead labour to victory, look how well those predictions are going! maybe treasury has to get it wrong for a bit before it comes right.

            • adam 9.1.1.2.1.1
              18 March 2014 at 2:52 pm

              It’s the lies that hurt. – Tighty.

              I think your under the delusion that repeating the propaganda of the day from the media makes you a intellectual.

              Our politicians are morally bereft. Indeed there actions look like those of a socio-path – if not in thought, then action.

              We use to hang money speculators you know.

              A race to who can get the most money – stop, apply some morals to that question – and it comes up looking a very sick virtue. How about the will/desire for power – again when we stop and think for a moment – apply morality and, our leaders come up – wanting.

            • Tracey 9.1.1.2.1.2
              18 March 2014 at 3:01 pm

              hmmmmm, i read the words. twice. still not sure it answered my question or much at all.

              i know it didnt address my second question.

              • adam …
                18 March 2014 at 3:32 pm

                Tracy all tighty ever does is a Gosman. You will see hell freeze over first before you get a straight answer.

              • TightyRighty …
                18 March 2014 at 6:17 pm

                they are projections, for all i know they could have got the dartboard out. maybe they forgot to carry the one when they factored in the change to consumer behaviour from the impact of the OCR. the difference between predictions and actuality is sometimes referred to as variance. it’s not a bad thing, but you look like an idiot if it is too large either way. if they’d have gone over with the tax take, you can bet your life someone would be saying they are taxing too much. probably me.

                your second question is phrased as statement and lacks a question mark. I think those people who desire to use median wage as a benchmark are a special kind of stupid. there, i answered it.

                • freedom …
                  18 March 2014 at 10:35 pm

                  TR, you state stuff, then when called on it, you blame others

                  you’re serving last week’s bread

                • Tracey …
                  19 March 2014 at 7:32 am

                  “I think those people who desire to use median wage as a benchmark are a special kind of stupid.”

                  Thank you.

                  Which makes statements such as these kind of, well, stupid, or at least meaningless

                  “English says the tax package will leave someone on the average wage of about $50,000 with an average rent or mortgage about $15 a week better off – …

                  A typical family with two children and average household income of $76,000 will be about $25 a week better off, he says.” Bill English 2010

                  He then said

                  “He says the government still expects to borrow an average $240 million a week until 2013 before this amount falls away as we move closer to budget surplus.”

                  Then we have things like this

                  ““Does the Prime Minister agree with Professor Eric Leeper’s statement in the latest Reserve Bank Bulletin that counter-cyclical fiscal policy could actually be counter-productive; if not, why not; if yes, why, then, is he borrowing $1 billion plus interest a year in order to give tax relief of $1 billion?” – Roger Douglas, 1 April 2009”

                  National’s 2008 Tax policy statement

                  “National’s promises in 2008,

                  “National’s rebalancing of the tax system is self-funding and requires no cuts to public services or additional borrowing.

                  [...]

                  I also refer to the report: Household incomes in New Zealand: Trends in indicators of inequality and hardship 1982 to 2011

                  Interesting article at Forbes on the CRS report I mentioned yesterday. Lends support to your argument too Tighty.

                  “The study by Grant Graziani, Wilbert van der Klaauw, and Basit Zafar of the New York Fed staff was based on two surveys of about 200 workers. The first (in February and March, 2011—just after the tax cut kicked in) asked what they planned to do with their extra take-home pay. The second (in December, 2011) asked the same workers what they actually did with it. The results: While workers on average said they planned on spending only about 14 percent of added income, they reported months later they actually had spent 36 percent.

                  One especially interesting finding: High-income workers were more likely to spend the extra cash than their lower-paid counterparts. This contradicts the widely-held theory that cash-strapped low-income households will spend a tax cut while high-income workers will save those extra dollars. If these results turn out to be correct, they suggest that payroll tax cuts may do a better job stimulating demand than many economists think.

                  The Obama Administration designed the payroll tax cut as a temporary one-year stimulus (though it did extend it for an extra year). It cut taxes by as much as $2,200 per worker and by an average of about $1,000 for a middle-income household. The study found that those workers who thought the tax cut would last longer than a year were somewhat more likely to plan to spend the extra income than those who believed it was only a one-year break.

                  Congress has reduced withholding many times over the past few decades and thus created lots of grist for researchers. But their studies have come to widely varying conclusions about who saved and how much. This may be because some did consumer surveys while others looked at spending data, or because the circumstances or designs of the tax cuts differed. Whatever the reason, the New York Fed study lands at the high end of the estimates of how much people spend.

                  Even the authors seem somewhat baffled about why people consumed so much. Much economic theory argues they should have saved or used it to pay down debt. But the authors speculate that the design of the tax cut—a reduction in withholding rates instead of a single lump-sum rebate—might have been the cause of all that consumption.

                  Behavioral economists such as the University of Chicago’s Dick Thaler have argued this for many years. In their view, people think of a large lump-sum tax cut as new wealth and thus save it, while they think of the extra money that shows up in their weekly paycheck as additional income and spend it.

                  There is a big caveat here: Surveys are not necessarily the most reliable way to measure behavior—people often say they do one thing when they actually do something else.

                  Still, there are some interesting policy lessons from this new study: If your goal is to boost spending, you should probably do what Obama did and reduce weekly withholding rather than give people a one-time tax season rebate. But if you are going to give it to them for two years, you should probably say so up front, rather cut their taxes one year at a time. All good to remember when the next recession comes around.”

                  • Tracey …
                    19 March 2014 at 7:49 am

                    a special kind of stupid or meaningless cos they are a statistical fallacy. The important aspect of wage movement is how many people are experiencing the movement toward higher wages and their ability to offset their wages against their accommodation and other bills. Average does not address this and is a special kind of stupid.

                    Gosh, now we both say that something is a special kind of stupid.

                    Here is an ee of the two terms.

                    “Hon Phil Goff: Why is it fair that someone on a high salary—let us use, for example, somebody on a salary of the level of the Prime Minister’s—gets $120 extra a week today, while someone on the median wage with kids gets nothing?

                    Hon JOHN KEY: As I said earlier, the reality of a progressive system is that higher-income earners pay a lot more tax. The reality is that a very small percentage of New Zealanders pay a lot of PAYE tax. But today the National Government has been very fair in its tax cuts. The average worker is getting around $20 a week. It is a very fair tax system.”

                    The average worker is a fiction. He/she cannot actually be pointed to, they are a pure statistic. The median wage earner is identifiable and real.

                • Tracey …
                  19 March 2014 at 7:38 am

                  “special kind of stupid” use median, enlighteneded folks use average wages…
                  Steven Joyce 2013 and 2014

                  ” 2. JOHN HAYES (National—Wairarapa) to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on wage increases in New Zealand?

                  Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Associate Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Minister of Finance: Everybody’s own circumstances are, of course, different, but average movements in wages across the economy are shown in the quarterly employment survey, the latest release of which came out last week. It showed that average hourly wages rose 2.6 percent in the last year, compared with inflation of around 0.9 percent. Average weekly wages rose by even more—2.9 percent—and the average wage is now over $53,000 a year before tax. So it is quite clear that, on average, wages in New Zealand are rising considerably faster currently than the cost of living is…. Since September 2008 the average wage after tax has increased by a total of 22 percent, from a bit over $36,000 a year to a little bit over $44,000 a year. Inflation over the same period has totalled 8.5 percent. So it is a total of 22 percent in after-tax wages versus 8.5 percent inflation over the same period. Again, everybody’s circumstances are different, but it is clear that, on average, working New Zealanders have had a sizable increase in their standard of living over the last 4 years.”

                  “Using this measure, average weekly earnings rose by 2.8 percent over the year to December, while inflation was only 1.6 percent. So, on average, wages are continuing to rise faster than inflation. The gains are even more significant when measured on an after-tax basis. The average weekly earnings after tax—[Interruption]; they do not want to hear it—have gone up 25 percent since September 2008, compared with inflation of just 10 percent over the same period.”

                  My sense is a special kind of stupid believes that using average wages paints a realistic or even honest picture of our society and its ability to navigate its bills.

                  50% of kiwis in work earn less than $22 per hour. 50% of kiwis can only get 36.5 hours per week paid work.

                  But for you that is meaningless.

                  • TightyRighty …
                    19 March 2014 at 8:42 am

                    Everything you just pointed out shows that the average wage is a better measure and that median wages only enter the conversation when someone wants to point out how poor someone else is.

                    oh, and that tax cuts for the well off aren’t a waste of money.

                    at what point are you actually going to prove to me that using median wage means something.

                    you’d give an asprin a headache.

                    • TightyRighty …
                      19 March 2014 at 9:07 am

                      can you provide one definitive source that says using the median wage is a better indicator of an economies performance that isn’t a nz labour politician / green politician in opposition?

                    • Tracey …
                      19 March 2014 at 10:40 am

                      and average why do you think i posted something that supported your argument?

                      by all means call me names or make your silly comments but of tge two of us only one of us is trying to find fact for support.

                      of course “how poor” people are is important which helps explain your a nationals desire to cling to the average. any growth that doesnt reduce poverty is more than a spreadsheet exercise.

                      it appears you delight in discussing statistics with little application to human beings yet you blithely say nzers are saving more. BS. some may be, but which ones and to what end. the gap between the bottom 50% earners and top 10% is growing. your average and growth smugness overlooks this.

                    • Tracey …
                      19 March 2014 at 10:52 am

                      you wrote

                      ” provide one definitive source that says using the median wage is a better indicator of an economies performance…”

                      ” What does the gross domestic product tell us about our quality of life and economic well-being? If you ask Nobel laureate and economist Joseph Stiglitz, he’ll say — Not much. And then he’ll tell you to look at median household income instead.

                      In his May 16 New York Times Magazine article about GDP, writer Jon Gertner featured Stiglitz for good reason. Stiglitz recently served as the head of a commission formed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to identify the limits of GDP. And he and his international team of economists and statisticians produced an expansive report outlining a dashboard of indicators for measuring progress — considered as alternatives to GDP.

                      His oft-repeated mantra is “What we measure affects what we do.” In his view, using the wrong metrics will inevitably lead to the wrong policies.”

                      …” Share This Print This RSS Feed
                      Economy
                      Measuring Economic Well-being: GDP vs. Median Income

                      By Anthony Calabrese
                      July 6, 2010

                      gdpthumb.gifWhat does the gross domestic product tell us about our quality of life and economic well-being? If you ask Nobel laureate and economist Joseph Stiglitz, he’ll say — Not much. And then he’ll tell you to look at median household income instead.

                      In his May 16 New York Times Magazine article about GDP, writer Jon Gertner featured Stiglitz for good reason. Stiglitz recently served as the head of a commission formed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to identify the limits of GDP.

                      Public Perception and Economic Reality

                      In addition to wasting time and taxpayer money on bad policy, the gap between expectations and economic growth can erode the public’s trust in the government, according to Stiglitz. “One of the reasons that most people may perceive themselves as being worse-off even though average GDP is increasing is because they are indeed worse-off,” Stiglitz said in official reflections on the commission’s report.

                      …

                      Focusing on Different Measures Over Time

                      Looking at median measures (the middle value in a set with an equal number above and below), Stiglitz noted how median household income had declined over the past decade while GDP per capita had gone up. “When you have increasing inequality, median and average behave differently,” Stiglitz said in the Times article.”

                    • geoff …
                      19 March 2014 at 1:00 pm

                      Traitor tighty, this is just basic stats.
                      The median is used primarily for skewed distributions, it’s just the point where half of the sample values are less than the median value and the other half of the sample values are greater than the mean value.
                      It’s usually a better measure for population wage measurements because the wage distribution for a population is usually skewed.

                      I don’t hear you complaining about the use of the median price in the reporting of stats in housing market where it is commonly used for exactly the same reason.

                    • TightyRighty …
                      19 March 2014 at 1:38 pm

                      lol stiglitz. that guy. sheesh. where do i start.

                      what your really saying is that inequality increases as gdp increases and it’s hidden if we only use average wage growth to measure the growth in average wages. to some extent thats true, but it still doesn’t make up for the loss of accuracy as to where individuals sit in relation the wage group as a whole.

                      If you just want to measure how poor some of the working people are, by all means flagellate yourself about it and use the median wage. If you want to see how sectors within the economy, professions, and individuals within these sectors and professions / vocations are actually doing in relation to their peers, use average wage. it’s easier to break down, and then we all know if we are above average. or in your case below.

                      geoff, you are a complete moron. have you ever heard me complain about house prices and how they are reported except to say i think they are overvalued and not a good investment compared to stocks? try again geoffy. basic stats? duh. this is the standard of the authors on the standard these days? someone please help the mouthpiece of the labour movement.

                    • geoff …
                      19 March 2014 at 1:47 pm

                      Ah ok, I see what level I should have pitched at now.
                      I’ll try again.

                      Ewe iz pooo fart! Er duh shurrp bowt stuf lol Y yoo suche a dum?!!? Lolzzzz

                    • Tracey …
                      19 March 2014 at 2:56 pm

                      so it has to be an economist you agree with? gosh it gets narrower and narrower.

                      are you still reading the second article and sounding out the big words?

                    • Tracey …
                      19 March 2014 at 3:01 pm

                      Adjective
                      definitive (comparative more definitive, superlative most definitive)
                      explicitly defined
                      conclusive or decisive
                      definite, authoritative and complete

        • Kahukowhai 9.1.1.3
          18 March 2014 at 11:19 pm

          54% in the polls is not 54% of the electorate, a large chunk have not voted in the last election and maybe the one before.

    • Ennui 9.2
      18 March 2014 at 11:31 am

      Tighty, you are right that there is spending…I would contend that to a large degree that expenditure is made possible by credit based upon any number of false assumptions such as “continuously rising property prices”. I would also contend that the spending is highly vulnerable to any number of likely events and could dry up over night.

      Neither Right nor Left have a clue how to respond to reality, smoke and mirrors suffice to keep confidence in unreality high enough to maintain the mirage. Real supply and demand will be a harsh tutor….and this particular Cassandra will be truly despised because she wont take any prisoners. Interesting times.

      • TightyRighty 9.2.1
        18 March 2014 at 2:38 pm

        I would contend that you are partially right with your first statement. ignoring the fact that for the last 6 years new zealanders have saved as opposed to borrow, even if it is only 3c on the dollar as opposed to borrowing 17c, you would be completely right. but there are savings and a pool of local capital available for investment. we are starting to see the net improvement in the economy as a result of returns to local people for their investments.

        the second part of your comment is grounded in the belief that the government can control the economy. i think there has been enough evidence of this recently to prove that the good government is a stable government. one not hell bent on nationalizing everything to please it’s ideological, but minority support base.

        • thatguynz 9.2.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 2:55 pm

          Would the opposite of “nationalizing everything to please it’s ideological…” not be “privatising everything to please its ideological” as opposed to what you have called a “stable government”?

          Interesting play on words you’ve used there.

          • TightyRighty 9.2.1.1.1
            18 March 2014 at 6:18 pm

            it’s partially privatized. the majority of it is still government owned. that’s what it means when you have 51% of something.

            • thatguynz 9.2.1.1.1.1
              19 March 2014 at 9:30 am

              That’s splitting hairs – so if the left were to nationalise it, they are only nationalising 49% of it?

              The point still stands.

        • Tracey 9.2.1.2
          18 March 2014 at 3:04 pm

          WHICH nzers have saved?

          you relyi g on averages or median? source?

          • TightyRighty 9.2.1.2.1
            18 March 2014 at 6:11 pm

            median wages are a fallacy, it automatically makes the “benchmark” wage lower as there are a lot more people on lower wages than their are on high ones. if we take the stupid measure that any income gets included into wage equations, median drops right down to next to nothing, where as using average wages accounts for it.

            WHICH new zealanders have saved? those who didn’t spend all their money obviously. yell at me like you actually asked a cogent question.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 9.2.1.2.1.1
              18 March 2014 at 6:19 pm

              The median wage is a statistic. Calling it a fallacy is a National Party enabler, so who cares what they say they mean?

              • TightyRighty …
                18 March 2014 at 6:40 pm

                a meaningless one. if it meant something, it would have been used before the national party came to power.

            • Tracey 9.2.1.2.1.2
              19 March 2014 at 7:46 am

              You stated that NZers had saved not spent. I asked you which ones had saved. As you wish to be deliberately obtuse, let me rephrase it for you.

              Please post your sources for “for the last 6 years new zealanders have saved as opposed to borrow”

              You attack one statistic as a fallacy, median, but invoke other statistics to boost your arguments. median is a very good measure precisely because it deals with real peole where average does not translate to anything tangible. median gives us a snapshot of the lower 50% of our working nation or our nation. Average does not, but purports to, as used by politicians and their apologists.

              “as there are a lot more people on lower wages than their are on high ones” – we definitely would be stupid to focus on that.

        • Ennui 9.2.1.3
          18 March 2014 at 3:08 pm

          T, the second part of my comment is not around government at all, it is around the concepts and ideas currently espoused by both Left and Right that have far more in common than you imagine. For example both are children of industrial growth economies, and share definitions / assumptions re money property etc even if they dont agree on outcomes etc. They both proscribe the thinking and the possibilities of what can be included in any debate, they both frame the argument into one theme.

          As Galbraith said about Keynes “He was for a time, but not for all times”, so to are the concepts of Left and Right.

          • TightyRighty 9.2.1.3.1
            18 March 2014 at 6:12 pm

            while not wrong, i’m guessing what your proposal would be to replace it would be more wrong than the current status quo. i don’t have the answer, but i’ll know if ones wrong.

          • geoff 9.2.1.3.2
            18 March 2014 at 7:23 pm

            Depends what you mean by left and right.
            For me they relate to the distribution of power in a group of people.

            Left generally means a more even distribution of power but more importantly, where ever the power is held it is exercised for the benefit of the group.

            Right means the opposite, generally power condenses to a few and that power is exercised for the benefit of those few.

            Greens, Labour, Mana, NZ first are left in their outlook

            National/Act are clearly Right wing in this sense. Hence they are privileged elites who fuck everything up with their greed for power.

    • Lanthanide 9.3
      18 March 2014 at 12:16 pm

      TR, it was National that decided if you earned over $70k, you are rich.

      • TightyRighty 9.3.1
        18 March 2014 at 2:33 pm

        no shit lanth, it’s not like i’m making a huge song and dance about where the tax rate kicks in. do you fell rich though? would you feel any richer if being rich kicked in at $60k. seems national might be a bit more progressive than labour on that front.

        • alwyn 9.3.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 3:54 pm

          Given David Cunliffe’s musings it appears that the “new” labour party approach regards rich as being about a million a year.
          Cunliffe himself gets about $300,000/year if we include his tax-free expense account. His wife, a well known Auckland lawyer and a partner in a law firm would probably have a similar income. He then has the gall to describe his family as being in a middle income bracket who live in a “do-upper” type of house! I can’t remember his exact words but that was the gist of them.

        • Lanthanide 9.3.1.2
          18 March 2014 at 8:15 pm

          Once again, TR, Labour implemented a tax cut that put the top tax bracket at $80,000.

          National repealed it as one of their first actions in government.

          National have chosen not to introduce a higher tax bracket, as Labour are planning for this election (with enough signalling to suggest it’ll kick in at $150k).

          Therefore, National thinks if you’re earning over $70,000, you must be rich.

  10. captain hook 10
    18 March 2014 at 8:51 am

    the National party dont care if its stupid or not as long as they are in charge. Thats all that counts with lowbrows like them.

  11. travellerev 11
    18 March 2014 at 9:13 am

    In 1973 the club of Rome released a paper called the limit of growth. The paper stated that according to this group the planet could not sustain more than 500 million people long term.

    In fact one of them in 1980 said that the US should lose 2/3 of its population within the next 50 years. That was almost 35 years ago and they just stopped billions in foodstamp programs for some 50 million people. All they need to do is find a solution for another 150 million or so over the next 15 years (Fukushima, more wars come to mind) and they should be up to schedule.

    Some of the people responsible for that paper are still powerful behind the scenes today and they mean to get to that number no matter what.

    They are printing their own money out of thin air. Don’t need workers for taxes anymore and with the introduction of a robot army in the form of drones and remote controlled weaponry they don’t need to convince thousands of idjits anymore to join in the war efforts. They can kill us from above and so no longer need to fear us; the masses.

    We are not so much out of the loop as obsolete.

    • Lanthanide 11.1
      18 March 2014 at 12:18 pm

      “Some of the people responsible for that paper are still powerful behind the scenes today and they mean to get to that number no matter what.”

      Your comment was going so well until you got to there.

      • thatguynz 11.1.1
        18 March 2014 at 12:52 pm

        So you don’t agree with the remainder of the comment then Lanth?

        • Lanthanide 11.1.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 2:26 pm

          Stopped reading when I got to the paranoid conspiracy theory so don’t know what the rest says.

          • thatguynz 11.1.1.1.1
            18 March 2014 at 2:56 pm

            Wow.. Interesting view of what a “paranoid conspiracy theory” may look like I guess.

            • Draco T Bastard 11.1.1.1.1.1
              18 March 2014 at 3:44 pm

              I’m with Lanthanide on this one. travellerev obviously has no idea as to what the Club of Rome was doing or trying for.

              • thatguynz …
                18 March 2014 at 4:04 pm

                That’s not what I was questioning 😉

                I was questioning Lanth’s statement that she stopped reading at the line where Ev asserted (or implied) that members of the Club of Rome were still powerful “behind the scenes today” and that it was a paranoid conspiracy theory when I think it could be fairly well accepted that some members of MOST international think tanks almost certainly are powerful behind the scenes today.

                I may of course have misinterpreted what Lanth was taking umbrage with and if so, I withdraw and apologise 🙂

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  18 March 2014 at 4:37 pm

                  I don’t think the Club of Rome has always been a powerful force behind the scenes – if they had been I think the world would be a much difference place today.

                • Lanthanide …
                  18 March 2014 at 8:18 pm

                  It seems you only read the first half of the sentence I quoted, I’ll quote the second part for you again:
                  “and they mean to get to that number no matter what.”

                  travellerev is saying members of the club of Rome are trying to orchestrate genocide under the guise of the planet running out of resources.

                  Also I’m male, btw.

                  • travellerev …
                    18 March 2014 at 10:07 pm

                    Here are some members. Kissinger notably was part of the Club of Rome when the wrote the paper I wrote about:

                    The membership list of the Club of Rome includes Henry Kissinger, Al Gore, Javier Solana (Secretary General of the European Union), Mikhail Gorbachev, Hassan bin Talal (World Future Council), Javier Perez de Cuellar (former UN Secretary General), Kofi Annan (former UN Secretary General), Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jimmy Carter, and Steven Schneider, the Stanford University biology professor who practically invented global warming. Other associates include Tony Blair, Deepak Chopra, George Soros, Ted Turner, Barbara Marx Hubbard (New Age occultist), Jane Goodall (evolutionist), Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Prince Philipe of Belgium, Martin Lees (President of the University of Peace), Ernesto Zedillo (former President of Mexico), Vaclav Havel, and a variety of UN officials.

                    Kissinger thinks we’re all useless eaters and should be got rid off and soldiers are stupid animals to be used as pawns. Nice!

      • travellerev 11.1.2
        18 March 2014 at 1:37 pm

        Radioactive rare earth man,

        I take it you are trying to make a point?

        For all of you out there needing some links to read up on:

        Here is Webster Tarpley on what the IMF, Europa, the US and Chevron just to name a few are trying to unleash in the Ukraine on the local people after their illegal regime change.

        Here is what will happen when the 0.001% can kill whomever they don’t like with drones.

        Here is what Max Keiser has to say about us not being needed anymore and a whole lot of other interesting genocidal activities by the way.

        Here is what is happening in China. Something I might add I have predicted for at least the last 6 years.

        They killed more than a million people in Iraq, They’re killing in Libya, Syria. The Greek are being pushed out of healthcare and an entire generation in Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, England and the US to name a few is unemployed with absolutely no prospect of ever getting a job.

        And yes, they are printing money out of thin air as I might add they have been doing when they took the US from the gold standard.

        Now radioactive rare earth man why don’t you go geek out some more somewhere else or alternatively why don’t you do us all a favor and read up on the links I just agave here.

        • Colonial Viper 11.1.2.1
          18 March 2014 at 3:25 pm

          I guess a global electronic surveillance state panopticon is also just some fictional paranoid conspiracy theory as well.

    • the pigman 11.2
      18 March 2014 at 6:46 pm

      Your post might have had some validity/interest until you fell back on the “Fukushima is going to cause deaths in the U.S.”

      Let me know when it’s held responsible for one, let alone 150 million.

      • travellerev 11.2.1
        18 March 2014 at 9:58 pm

        I never said Fukushima was going to cause 150 million deaths. Bad healthcare, no more food stamps, no jobs, no houses will probably do a lot of damage. And I’m sure they’ll come up with some other shit too.

        • the pigman 11.2.1.1
          18 March 2014 at 10:13 pm

          Of course, you are spot on that bad healthcare, no more food stamps, no jobs, and no houses will cause deaths, I’m not sure as it will go so far as wide-scale depopulation, since the U.S. doesn’t seem to be able to imprison its poor fast enough to stop them expanding.

          What I take issue with is the bald assertion that Fukushima is going to cause deaths in the U.S. (“All they need to do is find a solution for another 150 million or so over the next 15 years (Fukushima, more wars come to mind) and they should be up to schedule.”)

          For me, the last straw was when Stuff published the article about the “radioactive giant squid from fukushima” washing up on the west coast of the U.S. then didn’t publish even a squeak of a retraction when the whole thing was found to be a hoax. I only learned that it was a hoax watching Japanese TV several days later. Which is a fucking fail by NZ MSM journalism.

  12. Bob Square Pants 12
    18 March 2014 at 11:10 am

    Going by this years polling, it would suggest Labour is out of the loop.

    • drongo 12.1
      18 March 2014 at 6:41 pm

      It seems inevitable: Key to continue as PM, and the ABC faction must be sharpening the knives, but it’s a bit too late to change leader.

  13. greywarbler 13
    18 March 2014 at 11:31 am

    Rod Oram has interesting comments on Fonterra this morning. e&oe of my report. Worth listening to on Radionz to get the correct gen.

    The government has not released its report on its own responsibility or lack of it in the affair about botulism. He says there is much to be learned and government is not fronting. Fonterra is pleading guilty to the court case and that means that matters won’t come out there. But the French company that is suing Fonterra is likely to result in full reports being shown. Oram points out that Government has not picked up on recommendations of the task force. Kathryn Ryan defending Key strongly, more strongly than I would expect.

    He also says that it is very strange that Key has gone to China as it is unprecedented for a major leader to go and apologise for a business fault, and he cannot say definitely that government is not at fault. As he hasn’t he cannot assure the Chinese leaders of NZ being on top of it. It is really Fonterra’s problem, and Oram doesn’t think that there are lingering doubts there that make it necessary that Key should go. Oram feels that instead that it will raise questions and confusion in the minds of the Chinese leaders that there are further problems which they as yet have not learned about.

    Oram mentioned that food regulations take up 3 metres of shelf space. I think that is the NZ ones. And there are questions as to whether they are satisfactory. There is an absence of a special branch responsible for food safety here which has been noted overseas.

  14. greywarbler 14
    18 March 2014 at 12:26 pm

    Just hat tip to a heading in today’s The Press Chch – pA2 –
    “Key suggests Chinese lease rathr than buy” from Cathie Bell and Tracy Watkins.

  15. greywarbler 15
    18 March 2014 at 9:52 pm

    Ooh I have just read a comment from Gravedodger on No Minister. Reading this and some of other stuff on certain blogs gives me the same sinking feeling as having walked on a piece of dog shit.

    • lprent 15.1
      18 March 2014 at 10:44 pm

      Yeah Pyscho doesn’t appear to be writing there much these days. I may drop the site off the feed. The old farts over there seem to be getting pretty repetitive and boring.

  16. Kahukowhai 16
    18 March 2014 at 10:48 pm

    That is easy to work out. The idea (chilling as it is) is export focused and completely writes our small domestic market out of the picture. Make labour costs as low as possible and exporters can compete with low wage economies like China or undercut high wage economies like the US. This of course is exactly what China has done and look at how their economy is booming. Of course China has a terrible work safety and public health record but their government helps to keep a lid on dissent so the companies all doing business over there just look the other way.

    Economic development or empowerment of NZ workers is definitely not the aim – disempowerment and impoverishment is, and I am sure John Key and all of his cabinet know it. China is the model for this. With the export demand constantly growing due to the increasing global population, NZ’s small domestic market can be largely ignored. The government can always fill gaps in labour shortages by importing workers from low wage countries, for whom New Zealand is seen as a paradise.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
    The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-18T20:12:53+00:00