Parata bungling inexcusable

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, October 3rd, 2012 - 74 comments
Categories: Hekia parata, national, schools - Tags: , , ,

Hekia Parata’s bungling on the proposed closure of Christchurch schools is simply inexcusable. The botched announcement. The colour coded principals. And now this:

Errors in data used for Chch schools revamp

The Education Ministry has admitted it used incorrect data when planning the drastic shakeup of Christchurch schools.

Secretary for Education Lesley Longstone said last night there were errors in data about the number of buildings on school sites, when she was grilled on TV3’s Campbell Live.

“I accept there are three cases, that you have pointed out to us, where the number of buildings is not the right number of buildings. One is a transcription error.”

She put the other mistakes down to “interpretation” of what constitutes a building and that the ministry counted all buildings on Crown land “irrespective” of whether they formed part of a school.

It was a reversal of the response given last month, when a ministry spokesman told The Press: “Schools can have confidence the proposals are based on the best information to hand, which has been drawn from a variety of sources and provided in good faith.”

We’re not talking about minor errors here:

Twenty-two schools believe that they are in trouble. They think the Ministry’s figures are wrong.

For example, the Ministry lists all 50 imaginary buildings at Burnside Primary as having earthquake damage, making the school appear way too expensive to fix. “The Ministry has quoted us $9 million to repair the school,” says Burnside Primary principal Matt Bateman. “Our own figures show that this is grossly inflated and we could have a new school for about half that.”

At Central New Brighton Primary, the Ministry says they have 13 quake-damaged buildings. Two cracks represent the worst of the school’s damage, yet “affected buildings” is one of the main reasons given for this school to merge. … [this is just some of the examples] …

At Ouruhia Model School, they’ve been saddled with nine quake-damaged buildings when they don’t even have nine buildings.

It is a similar story at Greenpark School. They think they have just three buildings. Unless the Ministry is counting the roofless pool changing room shed or the library, which is in fact community, not Ministry-owned. The number of buildings matters because they equate with the amount of money the Ministry says it would cost to fix each school. …

Based on March figures, the Ministry says Linwood Ave only needs 11 classrooms, but they already use 15. Phillipstown has grown 32 students since March, and at Windsor School the roll is up by 75.

Some principals think it’s the Ministry’s agenda to close smaller schools, quake-affected or not, in favour of big schools.

The attack on the social fabric of Christchurch (a city which has already suffered enough at the hands of both nature and National’s contempt for democracy) is already inexcusable. To base such an attack on such abundantly incompetent and incorrect data makes it even worse.

Apologists will claim that this latest fiasco is a Ministry error, not Parata’s. Two responses. First, it is the Nats who are gutting the public sector, making errors like this inevitable. And second, Parata is the Minister in charge. If Ministers (and Prime Ministers) are never responsible for anything, what is the point in having them?

74 comments on “Parata bungling inexcusable ”

  1. jaymam 1

    The “experts” who inspected the schools should be forced to go back and walk around the schools with the principals and justify their reports. And the amount of damage should be quantifed – a couple of cracks does not equate to to ruined building.

    • insider 1.1

      I’m not sure they actually did physically inspect them. They probably collated a bunch of reports from a range of different organisations. Errors were always going to happen if that’s the case because it is highly likely a building in one report was identified/categorised differently in another.

    • Georgecom 1.2

      Go back to each school with the data, check the veracity of it and then back to the Ministry office to reanalyse the data. Any school which after the reanalysis is found to eb viable is taken off the closure/merger list, the school notified and a press release issued. All schools that remain on the list are advised of this and the consultation period extended.

  2. King Kong 2

    Imagine what a competent opposition education sopkesman could do with this.

    • Zorr 2.1

      So you’re admitting the NACTs are completely incompetent? Good, glad we can agree on that…

      Saying “opposition education spokesman” suggests that there is only one other member of the house that should be able to take advantage of this – tbh, there are multiple opposition partys and I especially look forward to the Greens skewering the NACTs over this as well…

    • bbfloyd 2.2

      And who is going to report any statements by the labour education spokesperson? Or the ones that have been made allready?? Certainly not those poodles you obviously use reinforce your own version of “planet key” as a world view….

      The fact is that the labour party has been all over this, as you would know if you had the wit, and desire to inform yourself… which, patently you don’t….

      Back to the job raking the sand bunkers on johnny’s personal golf course for you youngster…..

    • insider 2.3

      Let’s check on twitter to see what she’s up to.

  3. framu 3

    “She put the other mistakes down to “interpretation” of what constitutes a building”

    thats sounds like BS to me – im guessing that any building on a school would need a permit to be built

    So surely the number of building can be found via plans and council permits

    which would seem like the correct method from a legal and provable perspective

    Anyone know the specifics?

    • David H 3.1

      Ummm Hekia its one of those funny things you see everywhere, It has walls, a roof ,windows, and even doors and you can even live in them. What do you live in a cave??

    • Plan A – ask the principal of each school how many buildings there are.
      Plan B – send people out to count the buildings. Maybe even get them to confirm with the principal..
      Plan C – create and keep an asset register.
      All of these would have worked, none are particularly difficult.

      • Kotahi Tāne Huna 3.2.1

        Plan D: leave it to the market.

        They went with Plan D.

        PS: Plan E: release invented figures and wait for people to correct them…

      • framu 3.2.2

        exactly

        “Plan C – create and keep an asset register.”

        this alone would be required for insurance anyway

  4. shorts 4

    thank goodness for Campbell Live picking this up and doing something… in isolation each school and community is pretty powerless against the govt… united and given the attention country wide one hopes sanity can prevail

    what a clusterfuck – can this govt do anything with any degree of competency? Other than feather their own nests

  5. BLiP 5

    .

    Oh, c’mon peeps! All that lovely juicy tender land sitting around in the middle of the burbs, empty for most of the week, sitting there doing nothing but amuse children for a few hours a day. Just aspire to think of the potential wealth a few developers could wrought from such waste. Think of the big picture. Just once. Christchurch needs this. New Zealand needs this. Put the schools in Charter Warehouses and free the land!!

  6. BM 6

    How incompetent is the public service, must be gutting for a minister to be let down by such useless staff.

    On a side note
    http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/AboutUs/LeadershipTeam/LeadershipTeam.aspx
    Don’t see a lot of representation for white males, might explain why kiwi boys are lagging behind.

    • felix 6.1

      “Don’t see a lot of representation for white males,”

      What an interesting insight into your tiny damp mind. How many non-white people do you see in that picture, BM?

      • BM 6.1.1

        2 Maori
        5 Caucasian woman

        No Caucasian men, not very inclusive.

        • felix 6.1.1.1

          I see one non-white face out of seven, you see two out of seven.

          Even giving you the benefit of the doubt it’s fascinating that you think that’s too many darkies.

          • BM 6.1.1.1.1

            Funny, you just looked at the picture.

            Is Rawiri Brell not Maori enough for you.

            • felix 6.1.1.1.1.1

              I don’t know anything about the Brell family, sorry. No idea if he’s maori or not.

              However I’ve already given you the benefit of the doubt that you do, so it’s moot. I guess it’s better for you to talk about this though than address why you think two brown faces out of seven is too many.

              • Lanthanide

                “I don’t know anything about the Brell family, sorry. No idea if he’s maori or not.”

                All you have to do is read the first 8 words of his bio:
                “Rawiri, of Te Arawa (Ngāti Whakaue – Ngāti Rangitihi)”

                • felix

                  Which I didn’t – obviously.

                  However I already mooted the point – even more obviously.

            • Kotahi Tāne Huna 6.1.1.1.1.2

              Aww, BM, is Lesley Longstone not enough of a hand-picked rightwing ideologue for you? Diddums.

    • tc 6.2

      Livingstone looks like lurch from adams family…..the hands look just about right to choke the life out of those pesky teachers disagreeing with their lords policies.

      Good to see Campbell has grown a pair now and again….plenty of material and shows what a bunch of gov’t lackeys TVNZ are.

      I hear Close Up’s due for the chop as it’s grown tired according to some research TVNZ’s done, more like Steven says I reckon.

    • Te Reo Putake 6.3

      “Don’t see a lot of representation for white males, might explain why kiwi boys are lagging behind.”
       
      In BM’s world you have to be white to be a Kiwi.

  7. The false figures are especially designed to hide the real truth of what the nacts are
    intending to do in chch, charter schools will be one of them,they have already
    taken chch to a dictartorship via the duly elected council being effectively
    thrown out, now this,its disgraceful to say the least.
    Parata needs to name and shame those who assessed those buildings,that may
    be difficult because obviously they didn’t even have a look,if they had they
    would see that a sand pit is not liquifaction and the numerous ‘damaged’ buildings
    that were claimed to exsist on various sites, just dont exsist.
    Callous,Cold and Calcutlating, the three ‘C’s’ Pararta’s pass mark fails.

  8. Andy 8

    I wonder if the National can remember they got into Government thanks to the seat won by Nicky Wagner for Christchurch Central in the last election, if this goes ahead, I’m sure they won’t get the same support in the next election.

  9. Tiger Mountain 9

    Lady Gardiner is a hopless case. Lesley Longstone? send her back to Hogwarts. She did not give a damn that John Campbell had the ministry on the ropes via its bogus figures, a true heart of stone transient pro.

    Campbell should change his sign off to “good night and good luck” like the Clooney film if he is able to continue the journalism of late.

  10. higherstandard 10

    Parata joins the long of useless Ministers of Education who have been served by a decidedly average to utterly useless Ministry of Education.

    • felix 10.1

      Yes, I’m certain that Parata isn’t actually the dishonest, deceptive, bumbling, stonewalling, arrogant, ego-maniacal fool she appears to be every time she opens her mouth.

      Quite certain.

    • Kotahi Tāne Huna 10.2

      ….served by a decidedly average to utterly useless hand-picked rightwing nut job parachuted in having failed overseas. FIFY

      • higherstandard 10.2.1

        The management team at the MoE are undoubtedly useless, but they were equally useless under Mallard, Maharey, Carter etc….

        Can’t you recall the fuck ups from years gone by such as the chimp in the MoE that fronted on closeup giggling moronically after they had failed to deal with the leaky buildings in schools

        • Kotahi Tāne Huna 10.2.1.1

          I just love the BS you guys come up with. According to you, we’ve got useless teachers, useless public servants, useless everybody. Meanwhile, under Labour our OECD PISA ranking was in the top five. No doubt by some sort of voodoo magic, what with everyone (apart from your beloved right wing idiocrats) being so useless and all.

          Since 2008 we’ve slipped a couple of ranks. Oh, I wonder why that could be. What changed in 2008?

          • insider 10.2.1.1.1

            In the interests of accuracy we were 3rd in maths and reading, and sixth in science in 2000. By 2006 we were out of the top 10 in maths, fifth in reading and seventh in sciences. The Ministers of Education during this time were Trevor Mallard and Steve Maharey.

            • Kotahi Tāne Huna 10.2.1.1.1.1

              Citation necessary.

            • Draco T Bastard 10.2.1.1.1.2

              Link?

              And where were we in 2k7, 2k8, 2k9, 2010?

              Hmmm, IIRC, we were in the top 5 overall.

              I believe we were still having teething problems with NCEA in the early 2000s.

              • insider

                http://www.oecd.org/edu/preschoolandschool/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/ but wikipedia is a lot easier.

                They are not done anually. 2009 is the latest and the trend down continued but. Not sure you could blame National for a test done eight months after taking power.

                I love how you guys get all citey when received wisdom is challenged by the facts.

                • BM

                  Brilliant, arse meet plate.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  …but wikipedia is a lot easier.

                  Actually, this link is.

                  The Wikipedia table for 2000 through to 2006 is just wrong as it has a year and a specific subject in each column so we’re not seeing the whole picture.

                  2009 is the latest and the trend down continued but. Not sure you could blame National for a test done eight months after taking power.

                  Although down slightly three tests just aren’t enough data to draw a conclusion of a trend. We won’t be seeing the results of NACTs fucking with the system until 2012 at the earliest but the one to watch will be 2015 (Unless the next government drops National Standards).

                  I love how you guys get all citey when received wisdom is challenged by the facts.

                  What you were saying conflicted with what had been reported in the MSM.

                  • insider

                    “Although down slightly three tests just aren’t enough data to draw a conclusion of a trend.”

                    Tell that to KTH…

                    And your faith in the mainstream media is touching

                    • Kotahi Tāne Huna

                      No need to tell me. According to PISA, were were in the top six in 2006.

                      BM, sorry to once again burst your bubble. Whose arse were you talking about?

                    • insider

                      Oh dear what a Pisa fail.

                      “Finland, with an average of 563 score points, was the highest-performing country on the PISA 2006 science scale. Six other high-scoring countries had mean scores of 530 to 542 points: Canada, Japan and New Zealand and the partner countries/economies Hong Kong-China, Chinese Taipei and Estonia”

                      This was just for Science. Finland plus six others makes seven countries, and what score did NZ get? 530! And what ranking number was NZ out of those seven? Drum roll please….Number SEVEN!!!

                      “The top performer in science in PISA 2006 was Finland, followed by Hong Kong-China, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Estonia, Japan and New Zealand.” http://www.oecd.org/edu/preschoolandschool/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/oecdspisasurveyshowssomecountriesmakingsignificantgainsinlearningoutcomes.htm

                      KTH, may I reintroduce you to your mouth organ? Also known as your arse.

                    • Kotahi Tāne Huna

                      It seems we’re both having trouble reading. In 2006 we were fourth in science, not seventh. Pucker up.

                      In the same year we were fifth in reading and eleventh in Maths.

                    • insider

                      Only if you are using OECD countries. But it was not restricted to them in 2006…as the next table down shows http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessment#2006 . Hint- NZ has the number 7 next to it in the ‘Sciences’ column. Note the BBC table actually includes those non OECD countries that you ignore to get your sciences rank.

                      We probably would be number four if not for the likes of you.

                    • Kotahi Tāne Huna

                      According to your link, if we take out the non OECD countries we get the OECD PISA rank for NZ, 2006 as: fourth in sciences, fourth in reading, and seventh in Maths.

                      Which averages out at fifth overall in the OECD. Making my statement “under Labour our OECD PISA ranking was in the top five” true, even if serendipitously so 🙂

                    • insider

                      Shall we declare it an honourable draw then? 🙂

                    • Kotahi Tāne Huna

                      lol +1

  11. shorts 11

    of the Ministry Of Education is so useless how come we do so well in OECD rankings for education – can’t all be down to the teachers, surely?

    I’d imagine it would suck to work there currently given the anti educational stance of the Minster

    • r0b 11.1

      can’t all be down to the teachers, surely

      Ummm – why not? Teachers and parents between them.

      • shorts 11.1.1

        fair call, I’ve massive respect for our teachers but I don’t buy the ministry is useless line, the directives and leadership maybe

      • mac1 11.1.2

        I think the kids have something to do with it, as well.

        And that’s not just a flip comment. The health, motivation, aspirations, willingness to engage etc of our learners is very important. Not all of this is down to parents and teachers.

        • Kotahi Tāne Huna 11.1.2.1

          Um, I know I’m repeating myself, but “teacher effect” has a very small role to play. Less than 8% according to some, although I have also seen Professor Margaret Wu put it at more like 10%.

          The elephant in the room is family income.

          • mac1 11.1.2.1.1

            And family income affects and/or is linked to the learner’s health, motivation, aspirations, willingness to engage. It also would play a part in the parents and teachers’ roles; the parents by affecting their health, motivation etc and the teachers by affecting the resources they have, in turn affected by the wealth of the school community.

            Yep, you’re on it, KTH.

            Therefore, calls as put by Ms (Heckled) Parata to the PPTA conference for teachers to do something about the “bottom 20%” are 8-10% effective whilst she and her government ignore the presence of the elephant of family income.

  12. Looks like they had teenage children counting buildings from an aerial photograph too me.

    They must have been counting the white lines on the playing fields as “Buildings”

    Great work Parata ….. Did you pay them for it ?

    I wonder how many kids fit into the Goal Posts buildings they counted.

  13. aerobubble 13

    Education reforms, poor? got a bright child? get school kickbacks
    to send them to a under performing school. Rich and got
    a slacker, buy a place in a high achieving cohort. Welcome to
    the monetizing of education. School fees and National
    Standards together create the opportunity to turn out
    underachieving bright kids of the poor, and overachieving
    dumb kids of the rich. Go figure. Lisa Simpson.

  14. captain hook 14

    she thinks she just has to flash her pearly whites and shake her groove thang and hey presto everybody will fall over for her.
    yeah right.

  15. ianmac 15

    Every school has a location plan showing every detail of buildings, paths fences etc. This is identical to those held by the Ministry. Even if a Ministry officer stayed in her office, she could count buildings on the plan, as well as the list form. How else could decisions be made where buildings need to be added or subtracted?
    Therfore there is something murky going on here given the error rate.

  16. Jokerman 16

    few people of attainments take easily to a plan of self-improvement. Some discover very early their perfection cannot endure the insult. Others find their intellectual pleasure lies in the theory, not the practice. Only a few stubborn ones will blunder on, painfully, out of the luxuriant world of their pretensions into the desert of mortification….(and reward?)

    -White (clearly paraphrased) 😉

  17. All people needed is for Hekia Parata to be human and apologise for any errors, in earnest, and assure them they would beek seeking to get the correct info asap. Instead she offered snarky comments, snide remarks, insane grins, and obfuscation. She has no idea.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T23:06:40+00:00