Pike River Compensation must be paid

Written By: - Date published: 12:36 pm, July 7th, 2013 - 33 comments
Categories: disaster, Mining, uncategorized, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

pike river families

So Pike River has been punished for the deaths of 29 workers.  Judge Jane Farish has fined the company $760,000 and ordered it to pay $110,000 compensation for each worker that died and for the two survivors.

Judge Farish found the company had a high level of culpability for its methane management and ventilation management and said that there were significant deficiencies in the company’s ventilation management plan.  She is quoted as saying “[t]here were many indicators that the mine was in a potential explosive position but the warning signs were not noted or heeded.”

She also remarked on the obvious despair felt by the families and described the hearing where they spoke of their loss as very tough,  “[t]he victim impact statements were harrowing. They all feel deep sorrow.”

She previously said that it was morally unjust the way that Pike River Coal Ltd had been able to fold soon after the disaster and thereby avoid paying further money to the families.

The SST this morning contrasted Pike River with that of the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, where a compensation package of $46.5m was paid after an explosion that also claimed the lives of 29 men.

That sum was part of a US$209.3m package that mine owners agreed to pay to end a criminal investigation and civil proceedings. Mine manager Gary May was also jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to impede America’s Mine Safety and Health Administration’s enforcement efforts at the mine.

…

Like Pike River, the Upper Big Branch mine was blighted with health and safety failings and poor ventilation; the latter which contributed to the subsequent deadly methane explosions.

The chances of the Pike River families being paid out do not appear to be good.  The Company has said that it only has $500,000 in cash which is available for secured creditors and $156,000 in insurance monies left to meet liabilities.

The shareholder, New Zealand Oil and Gas appears to be reluctant to contribute any further funds.  It has noted that it provided Pike River with $25m to keep keep it afloat immediately after the tragedy and put insurance proceeds to the contractors of Pike River to partially compensate for money owed to them and made a contribution to the victims’ family trust.  But its “largesse” appears to be running out.

NZOG chief executive Andrew Knight has told the SST “[w]e quite clearly don’t have a legal responsibility … we quite clearly were not in control. And there is evidence to that effect. I have my own shareholders to manage. And my shareholders are saying, ‘Well you’ve already spent $25m – you need to learn where to stop.”

I suspect that the legal advisers for the families will be having a good look at a possible claim against the directors of Pike River.  Under section 135 of the Companies Act 1993 a director must not “allow the business of the company to be carried on in a manner likely to create a substantial risk of serious loss to the company’s creditors”.  With the benefit of hindsight the way the mine was run clearly created a substantial risk of serious loss to all involved in the mine.  There is some wriggle room in what meaning ought to be given to “creditors” and if this includes the workers but this may be able to sustain a claim.

Judge Farish may have been hinting at this when she noted that the Directors had significant insurance and criticised them for not volunteering funds.  One of the directors, Stuart Nattrass, has been quoted as saying that he is thinking of making a contribution.

One thing is clear.  The Pike River families deserve every cent of compensation that has been ordered.  For NZOG and others to use legal niceties to avoid paying compensation would be totally unjust.

33 comments on “Pike River Compensation must be paid ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Dv 1
    7 July 2013 at 12:49 pm

    Why cant the shareholders be levied.

    The number of shares on issue are 405,513,900

    A levy of 1 cent per share would raise about $4mill
    5 cents would raise about $20m
    10 cent would raise $40m

    How about it shareholders

    • Lanthanide 1.1
      7 July 2013 at 1:04 pm

      Sounds like a pretty fair way to do it, really. Probably 2c would be a good amount.

      Although as there’s probably no actual mechanism for this to happen, the costs involved could eat up quite a bit of the money gained back.

    • Tim 1.2
      7 July 2013 at 2:50 pm

      ….and failing all that – what about the “We will do whatever it takes” assurance (pardon me for the lack of reference – in advance).
      The ‘risk society’ (led by agencies of State), prevented those amongst the ‘coalition of the willing’ (fellow miners, family members, any and all on standby at the time) from initiating recovery at a time that was the most appropriate moment.
      If ONLY because they did that, they are at least, morally accountable.
      … it’s all a bit like: NO – you can’t attempt to rescue your kith and kin, because you might hurt yourselves. You might even die in the process – AND WE KNOW BEST!
      Turns out – they didn’t (know best)

      • Tim 1.2.1
        7 July 2013 at 3:02 pm

        To be clear:
        “If ONLY because they did that, they are at least, morally accountable”

        By they – I mean those agencies of State.
        Gary Knowles – bless his heart, out of his depth, and trying to do his best – did what he thought best (maybe).
        Probably though – he should have deferred to those who were actually familiar with the conditions, rather than listening to those more concerned with ‘risk management’

      • David H 1.2.2
        8 July 2013 at 9:43 am

        “We will do whatever it takes”

        More John Key Bullshit. It just means he will sit there and cover his ears, and shout naya naya naya, cant hear you.
        Or he’s already forgotten what he was going to do.

    • Tamati 1.3
      7 July 2013 at 3:16 pm

      Why should the shareholders be held liable?

      They didn’t make the decisions on how company was run. The responsibility should lie with the directors personally.

      Does anyone know if they are going to be sued by the receivers under s135 ?

      • Dv 1.3.1
        7 July 2013 at 5:58 pm

        Tamiti the directors should be have some responsiblilty.

        Legally you are probably right about the shareholders, BUT there is a moral responsibility and a duty of care by NZer for the victims

  2. RedBaronCV 2
    7 July 2013 at 2:37 pm

    It’s over to the NZOG shareholders – passing a motion at the AGM I suspect. Anybody with a conflict of interest can’t vote which should leave some big share blocks out of the action.
    And I know a long term shareholder who is investigating this right now. May require pressure on significant shareholders ACC was one at the end of 2012. You’d think ACC would have a real vested stake in good work practices to save payouts from the fund. Be interesting to see if they factor that sort of risk into their sharebuying practices.

    And to the directors – unethical business practices tend to create these sorts of losses , think exxon valdez, union Bhopal, Nike

  3. RedBaronCV 3
    7 July 2013 at 2:56 pm

    Of course NZOG can afford it. I don’t believe the director saying there won’t be a payout has confirmed that stance with shareholders and I believe that NZOG has about 0.50 cents per share held in actual cash plus $20m profit per annum. Also a diverse share registry.

  4. Lefty 4
    7 July 2013 at 5:07 pm

    Limited liability for companies was a good idea at the beginning of the industrial revolution when it was necessary to kick start capitalism and the process of accumulation that built modern society.

    We now need to move beyond capitalism and concentrate on redistribution and sustainability rather than accumulation.

    Many of the laws that were once appropriate now simply operate to enable kleptomania and the abuse of power by businesses that have grown far to powerful.

    Ditching limited liability would be a good start to reforming commercial structures and laws that favour the already too powerful and prop up an arrogant elite who have nothing but contempt for the people who make them rich.

    • Tamati 4.1
      7 July 2013 at 5:18 pm

      So you would be happy paying up out of your own pocket if a company your Kiwisaver invested went bankrupt?

      Limited liabillity is a pretty fundamental concept, removing would harm small start up companies not large corporations. People do business with limited liabillity corporations at their own risk.

      What we need is greater liabillity for directors (including corporate manslaughter) and higher labour standards in mining.

      • Lefty 4.1.1
        7 July 2013 at 5:28 pm

        I am not happy that I have to make savings through Kiwisaver that may be used for immoral purposes.

        Pension funds cause a great deal of damage to both our local and the international economies as they are in a never ending quest for better returns at any price.

        I would far sooner the same amount of money was taken from me in tax and used to build a fair and sustainable economy that was able to provide an adequate pension for me when I retire.

        Making money out of other peoples efforts is never right, but at least removing limited liability would stop the ‘great entrepreneur and risk taker’ bullshit we have to put up with from both corportate crooks and dodgy small businesspeople.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.1.2
        7 July 2013 at 5:39 pm

        removing would harm small start up companies not large corporations.

        I doubt it. If a small start up fucks up they go out of business and declare bankruptcy. If a large corporation fucks up they get protected by the law and don’t have to pay out the full damages that they caused and they keep going causing similar damages because of that protection. This latter is a massive injustice that needs to be corrected. Removal of limited liability would seem to be the way to achieve it.

        • Tamati 4.1.2.1
          7 July 2013 at 5:52 pm

          Bankruptcy is essentially limiting liabillity.

          • Draco T Bastard 4.1.2.1.1
            7 July 2013 at 6:52 pm

            Yes I realise that but large corporations generally don’t go bankrupt. In other words, bankruptcy acts as a reasonable limited liability for small firms without the protection offered to large corporations that don’t need it that limited liability involves.

            • Tamati 4.1.2.1.1.1
              8 July 2013 at 12:18 am

              By definition companies can’t go bankrupt, they often go into receivership and sometimes then into liquidation.

              Bankruptcy is a tough process, would be pretty unfair to make every person who started a cafe which didn’t work out sell their house and car!

              • KJT …
                8 July 2013 at 11:41 am

                Usually what happens to any small business start up if it fails.

                Losing your house is what normally happens, as a mortgage is the only source of reasonably priced businesses finance in NZ.

                Unless the owner is already a millionaire, in which case they will have their wealth well hidden in trusts and offshore.

      • KJT 4.1.3
        8 July 2013 at 11:37 am

        Removing limited liability would not make any difference at all to small start ups.

        If you had ever, actually, started a small business yourself you would know that suppliers and banks require a small business startup to give personal guarantees, i.e. waive limited liability, before you can get supplies and or loan finance.

        It may in fact make starting a business easier as you could then compete on more equal terms with the big outfits, that can, and do, limit liability.

        AND. The small business may, ACTUALLY, get paid, when the big one they are subbing to, decides to go belly up to avoid taxes and contractors accounts, while the owner shareholders decamp with millions, leaving the small business owners, suppliers and employees holding the baby.

        AND, Why the hell, should shareholders, who expect to benefit from the lax safety standards and stealing from employees that goes on, be exempt from responsibility. They should pick better directors and hold their feet to the fire.
        The owner manager of a small to medium business is not exempt.

        Limited liability in effect works only to allow those owning and in charge of large corporations to avoid any responsibility. The responsibility they claim they take on, to justify their ridiculous pay rates and profit.

        If they were not able to limit liability, imagine the effectiveness of the push, from shareholders, to get competent and knowledgeable directors and managers, who do more than paper their arses with safety policies which are more honoured in the breach, instead of the present self perpetuating old boys club.

  5. RedLogix 5
    7 July 2013 at 7:31 pm

    I was talking with an electrical engineer from the Australian coal industry last week. One of the first things he brought up was how incomprehensible the whole Pike River disaster was to him and his colleagues.

    We’ve had a Royal Commission that has established beyond all shadow of a doubt, and stated in the strongest possible terms that this mine was run in the most grossly negligent manner possible. I took the time to read the whole of the Commission’s report. Virtually every paragraph was another eye watering, head shaking revelation of folly.

    What is seems utterly missing here is any real accountability. A monetary penalty/compensation is surely only the entry point. If our H&S regime is to mean anything at all, then the key management and directors must all serve long prison terms. Their failure was feckless and complete; if this fiasco does not attract a substantial, meaningful and maximum penalty for the guilty … then nothing will.

    • mickysavage 5.1
      7 July 2013 at 8:48 pm

      I agree RL.

      Pike River, Whittall and VLI Drilling Pty Limited were charged with offences under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. The directors were not.

      I must admit struggling with the decision because under section 56 of HSEA if a company fails to comply with a provision of this Act its directors who “authorised, assented to, acquiesced in, or participated in, the failure” is also guilty.

      Unfortunately the limitation period on prosecuting the directors ended some time ago …

      But yep we need a charge of corporate manslaughter on the books.

    • UglyTruth 5.2
      7 July 2013 at 8:58 pm

      Accountability lies to some degree with those who enabled the company to operate with limited liability. The actual liability for the deaths doesn’t just disappear.

      • Tamati 5.2.1
        8 July 2013 at 12:12 am

        Limited liability has been with us a while. Blame some 19th Century English judges.

        • UglyTruth 5.2.1.1
          8 July 2013 at 12:29 am

          Scapegoating. Try again.

        • Populuxe1 5.2.1.2
          8 July 2013 at 1:40 am

          By the 15th century, English law had awarded limited liability to monastic communities and trade guilds with commonly held property. In the 17th century, joint stock charters were awarded by the crown to monopolies such as the East India Company. The world’s first modern limited liability law was enacted by the state of New York in 1811. In England it became more straightforward to incorporate a joint stock company following the Joint Stock Companies Act 1844, although investors in such companies carried unlimited liability until the Limited Liability Act 1855.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.3
      8 July 2013 at 12:08 am

      What you’ll find is that National and Labour are tough on crime – as long as the criminals aren’t business people.

      • KJT 5.3.1
        8 July 2013 at 11:48 am

        Yep. The party of individual responsibility have never taken individual responsibility, for anything!

        Watch them scapegoating like mad now, after they put the pressure on Christchurch city council to rush through the consenting processes, without spending the money on giving them the resources to do so, they pretend it was all the councils fault that it has been too rushed.

    • bad12 5.4
      8 July 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Obviously without evidence the Pike River Royal Commission could not address ‘deliberation’ in it’s inquiry into the cause of the 1st explosion at the Pike river mine,

      There are 2 strands to ‘deliberation’, one being the compromised state of the ventilation system from the time of the shafts collapse and the building of a ‘dog-leg’ into the system, included in this is the number of times Miners were left to work underground whilst Methane levels were within the levels required in the mine’s atmosphere where an explosion could have occurred at any time,

      The 2nd strand of ‘deliberation’, much more sinister in nature is based upon the evidence of the ‘Mine Manager’ on the day of the 1st explosion and the South African electrician sent into the mine after that 1st explosion,

      The Mine Manager in evidence to the Royal Commission said that He, from the office car-park, smelt on that day after having already sent the South African electrician up to the mine to investigate, a strong smell of burnt diesel,

      The South African electrician, a man with 27 years experience in South African mining, stated in His evidence to the royal Commission that He smelt, in the mine, a strong smell of burnt diesel and went on to say that this smell was the same smell He had experienced in South African mines after the use of AMFRO explosives,

      As far as i have been able to ascertain, Methane when combusted is odorless and the evidence of ‘a heavy smell of burnt diesel’ given to the Royal Commission leaves me with the sneaking suspicion that the 1st Pike River Mine was not one of Methane gas at all…

  6. vto 6
    8 July 2013 at 10:37 am

    Bill Birch, who I understand introduced the self-regulatory healt & safety regime for mining, is similarly culpable for negligently putting in place a system with findamental and fatal flaws.

    If Bill Birch’s system had not been put in place it is likely that an independent system would have picked up the problems that Pike River willfully turned a blind eye to.

    This entire episode is one of the ugliest in New Zealand’s history imo. And it should be hammering another nail into the neolib philosophy and approach to things, in people’s minds. It has involved;

    1. failure of deregulation.
    2. failure of self-regulation.
    3. failure of accountability.
    4. failure of “greed is good”.
    5. failure of individualism and each acting in their own interest equating to the wider longer common good.
    6. failure of incentives (in fact incentives made it worse).
    7. failure of limited liability (well, it has succeeded from the directors and shareholders perspective, but not from society’s perspective).

    Failures which killed 29 men dead.

  7. vto 7
    8 July 2013 at 10:44 am

    Regarding limited liability, it is of course a cornerstone of capitalism and any broad-reaching changes to that will have significant consequences imo.

    But that is only with regard to financial and business matters………..

    When it comes to the lives of workers and other people then the limited liability feature of commercial enterprise has far less importance. As it should. A dollar can be printed again, a life cannot.

    So, when it comes to other life-matters in the course of commercial enterprise as a limited liability company shareholder and director then that limited liability must itself be limited. Personal liability must be able to be raised in circumstances such as Pike River.

  8. Rosetinted 8
    8 July 2013 at 12:17 pm

    Now that returns from sales of government property are to be turned to paying off debts to banks and citizens for Solid Energy, looking after the Pike River families with compensation would be in order, actually demanding to be attended to.

    And as in making good the losses of out-of-pocket investors in South Canterbury Finance, the losses of payments to Pike River contractors (workers on contract) should also be met. I don’t know how much this amounts to but I understand that they came far down the priority list even though they were the actual wealth creators!!

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    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
    23 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
    24 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    47 mins 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
    12 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
    18 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
    19 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
    21 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
    22 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    4 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
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
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  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
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