The lurch to the right begins

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, September 22nd, 2014 - 129 comments
Categories: john key, national, spin, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

John Key is busily constructing the smokescreen for his third term, and the key phrase is going to be “centre ground“.

“Obviously there are some things we want to do; RMA (Resource Management Act) reform, employment law reform, but they’d be very much based around what’s in the carry over provision … what we talked about before we left. We’re not looking to do radical, different things.”

But let’s remember a few things:

The Employment Relations Amendment Bill which National are going to pass in their first 100 days is radical rightwing reform. Despite the spin that it’s about “fairness and flexibility” in the workplace it attacks rights as fundamental as getting a regular rest break.

The ERA Bill stirred up so much resistance that they weren’t able to pass it last term, especially after John Banks resigned in disgrace.

In fact, it’s the perfect example of this narrative in action: take law changes which will undermine the wages and conditions of every New Zealand worker, make it easier for bad bosses to fire people whenever they want, but as long as you keep hammering the “fairness and flexibility” line you can pretend it’s not a dramatic shift to the right.

If anyone believes that Key’s third term won’t see a ramping up of the rightwing agenda to run down our public services and open more and more of our country to private interest plundering, I have a public/private bridge partnership to sell you.

129 comments on “The lurch to the right begins ”

  1. Draco T Bastard 1

    Emmerson almost gets it here. The bit that he’s missing is Key spinning the wheel to the right.

  2. Hayden 2

    In the current lexicon, “flexible” is never to the advantage of the worker.

  3. millsy 3

    If the government takes our smoko breaks we will have exhausted workers collapsing all over the place.

    Why the right begeudges workers a smoko break is beyond me.

    What is next?

    Sick leave?

    Holiday Pay?

    At will employment?

    The right to be paid in money?

    And dont rule out tradeable water rights in the future — which will impact in domestic users.

    • You are completely and totally deluded. There will be no appetite to take away smoko breaks, dilute sick pay etc. national is smart enough to know this sort of proposition just won’t be received well by the electorate at large.This is just fantasy stuff. No wonder Labour is in trouble if you represent their ability to think.
      What’s next/ The boogie man under the bed.

      • millsy 3.1.1

        You supported the “Hobbit Law” that effectively stripped smoko breaks, sick leave, ACC and holiday pay, not to mention the right to join a union from those in the movie industry by making them all independent contractors.

      • lprent 3.1.2

        Evidently you haven’t looked at the bill that Simon Bridges was trying to get through before the election. He wasn’t able to get support from some of the support parties, so had to abandon it.

      • Tracey 3.1.3

        go look at bridges bill which does the stuff you say they would never do…

      • aerobubble 3.1.4

        When growing an extra cow is taxed at the same rate as writing a new financial contract then it pays financial accountants to elevate the profitability of the financial over the productive. So conversely, it pays retailers to lower the productivity, i.e. retailers can carry more less productive staff. Worse, when the market place is so small, retailers can lower product quality to the point where consumers are forced to buy around to find marginal better quality and pay the highest price for it. While consumers details are collected to on sell to data brokers.

        But there is a problem for National. Well no, not a problem per se. As Banks are demanding higher deposits and secured income streams, more people will fail to enter the housing market (more homes to sell to offshore chinese), and become renters in their own nation. Insecure work places.

        Welcome to the creation of a class system in NZ. Remember that Cunliffe failed to sell CGT to farmers and others who are in debt to bankers. How a farmer cannot understand the fact that growing a cow is taxed at the same rate as some guy reselling a financial contract is just amazing to me.

        Farmers, dairy included should be very worried now the EU has to start exporting to dig itself out of its financial crisis. The Eu has been growing eastwards, bringing into the EU market large swaths of Eastern farmland. And the central government of the EU has removed restrictions of farm limits.

        So very soon good by to the distortions that gave us an advantage in China, that were also hugely expanded by the Dragon Year child boom. As property comes off the boil, logs exports will fall too, given that many logging firms are now sold off to overseas owners…

        Anyway the rot continues. And here’s the advice. Bring it on. The sooner NZ wakes up to the fact that the National party represents the back stabbing cheapshakes that they are, the sooner we will have change, and the way to do that is to demand even greater impositions on workers. The last thing we need is Key to govern for all NZ, what he means is he will paste over the problems as they come up.

    • smokeskreen 3.2

      Try zero hours contracts that many multi nationals have introduced overseas!

      • joe90 3.2.1

        We have zero hour contracts in the meat industry where after a period of penance workers sacked by Talleys for violating on site codes are reemployed as on-call casuals.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 3.2.1.1

          Zero hours casual means you wont know what hours you get ‘that day’ till you get the call.
          Dont even think about being unavailable for that day

          • KJT 3.2.1.1.1

            Already in most ports. The reason behind the Auckland lockout.

            Also for many retail workers.

            • bad politics 3.2.1.1.1.1

              NZ Post posties too, have “Oncalls” that don’t know if they get any work til they get a phone call 6am in the morning, & then they might only get 4 or so hours for the whole week!

              Plus no sick, no holiday pay etc…

    • What is next?

      Sick leave?

      Holiday Pay?

      At will employment?

      The right to be paid in money?

      The party of the employers will put as many of those on the agenda as it thinks it can get away with. The question is, how many does it think it can get away with? It has a majority, but there’s always the next election to consider – it’s hard to say, but I expect we’ll be all the way back to the Employment Contracts Act before Labour gets in again.

    • Peanut horse-fart a donkey 3.4

      As if major employers are going to be taking those out of job contracts. NZ may have unemployment, but a significant part of it is structural and the competition for more skilled labour is very real. Besides, casual part time work being subject to some vicious labour laws is just an expense that’s ultimately taken out of wages. It’s time it needs reviewing, but radically changing the law would be railroading: something the Nats have learned not to do.

    • Mr Grumpy 3.5

      THe “Right” as you call it don’t want stop you having smoke breaks they just you to be flexible when you take them. So how about telling the real story

  4. cogito 4

    ….. not to mention a great smokescreen in the form of a referendum on the flag!

    “We want to have the referendum and I want to embark on the referendum relatively quickly,” he says.
    “I want that issue dealt with in 2015. New Zealanders either need to decide yes or no, and we need to give them a proper, thorough constitutional process.” ”
    http://www.3news.co.nz/politics/keys-priorities-economy-education-and-the-flag-2014092209

    This National government is going to be the worse yet as Key gets hell-bent on leaving his mark on NZ.

    • yeshe 4.1

      Well, the words are a first for Key but of course this is likely the only thing in his coming rule that will receive “a proper, thorough constitutional process”.

      sigh …

      • cogito 4.1.1

        Agreed.

        The “constitutional process” will be a great cover and diversion, allowing Key to slip in all manner of extremist reforms while people are busy arguing about the union jack and whether they want the kiwi or the silver fern or the maui dolphin on our flag.

        And he’ll get away with it too.

    • Jones 4.2

      That’s one referendum I won’t vote on. Given the plethora of more important problems and issues facing this country… the flag debate is NOT one of them. It will be used as a smokescreen to pass some legislation that the Government knows to be unpalatable to the electorate.

      • cogito 4.2.1

        Exactly.

        Funny how I don’t recall any mention of the flag issue during the election campaign…. drowned out by dirty politics….???? LOL.

        How many other things got conveniently drowned out that will now appear as top priorities.

      • Hanswurst 4.2.2

        In the lead-up to that referendum, whenever it does take place, there should be large ads online, in papers and all over the place, reading:

        There’s a referendum on our flag next Tuesday…

        … or was it Wednesday… or Monday?

        … Meh. Something like that.

        John Key, concentrating on the issues that don’t matter to you since 2007.

  5. fambo 5

    A lot of National Party voters are about to lose their right to a tea break. I don’t want to hear any of them complain.

  6. Puckish Rogue 6

    I fervently hope what you say is true but the sad fact is John Key has taken National to the center and thats where his greatest strength is

    I do realise that your looking at what he’ll do through your own eyes

    ie if the left got in they’d gut everything Nationals done so of course you expect National to go rampant but thats why the left did so poorly this election because you don’t know what NZ wants

    • millsy 6.1

      So you do want to get rid of paid sick leave?

      • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1

        I’m surprised at such a restrained question, why not ask if I support slavery as well
        🙂

        • Psycho Milt 6.1.1.1

          Unusually for millsy, it’s a fair question. Just how far would you like to see a government strip workers of their current rights? Why would sick leave be sacred if the 40-hour week isn’t?

          • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1.1.1

            John Key is a centrist that leans right, he won’t remove WFF and hes not going to remove sick leave

            • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1.1.1.1

              Sorry should have mentioned I also don’t want to get rid of paid sick leave

              • One Anonymous Bloke

                Don’t worry, PR, you’ll realise that sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to from time to time when John explains it to you. Or doesn’t, but smiles, and waves.

                Your principles will prove worthless. Non existent, in fact, eh.

                • Puckish Rogue

                  I’d take to heart what you said except that I’m just really happy with the result of the election 🙂

                  The election result I predicted I might add

            • Tracey 6.1.1.1.1.2

              he is self centred and leans toward his personal self interest.

  7. weka 7

    I know the specials aren’t in but can someone please clarify. Can National govern on its own or does it need support from ACT/UF/Mp?

    • Lanthanide 7.1

      121 seats required a majority of 61, which they have in Nat MPs alone.

      They’re stringing in the other parties to ward off two problems:
      1. Short-term, the specials could give Greens another MP at the expense of National
      2. Medium-long term, they don’t want to be held hostage to a single defecting MP, a la Brendan Horan.

      • Enough is Enough 7.1.1

        They have essentially got the Act vote as well.

        That chap won’t have a clue what to do and the only reason he is there is because Key allowed him to win.

        The Nats will babysit him and slap him around if he dares to vote for anything other than them.

      • alwyn 7.1.2

        Short term it is more likely that another Green MP would be at the expense of Labour.
        You also suggest that Brendan Horan defected. He didn’t, Winnie kicked him out of their caucus and he wouldn’t resign. It isn’t quite the same thing.

  8. millsy 8

    Once Was Pete, etc — do you support the right of workers do join a trade union and bargain collectively?

    Do you support sick leave and holiday pay?

    If National put forward a bill banning trade unions would you support it.

    • If they want to they can. I would not be in favour of making membership compulsory.
      I doubt you would find 1/100 people who would advocate for a reduction in employees rights. I am not one of those people. I see employment as a partnership where each is treated with respect, and mutual obligations are met. Old fashioned idea, but it works.
      No, I would not support a bill to ban trade unions. Why would anyone do that? Are they seditious? Are they breaking the law? Do they deal drugs, corrupt our children etc etc.
      Just because someone wants to reform something eg RMA, union voting rights in Labour party etc doesn’t mean they want to do way with it.

      • millsy 8.1.1

        Well if people want to weaken them, like you, it is just as good as doing away with them.

        Did you support Rogernomics?

        • Once was Pete 8.1.1.1

          If legislators took your view no Act of parliament would ever be changed, and that is clearly nonsense. I am in favour of any measure that streamlines the process and removes cost. That does not necessarily weaken it. At the moment the RMA is used by inefficient council staff to obfuscate and delay. Unfortunately too many of our elected council members do not have the intellectual horsepower to find their way through the morass.
          Rogernomics was 20 years ago, and I like many others voted for David Lange. I am not going to go around in sack cloth and ashes apologising for it.
          You might also like to reflect on the fact that it was Muldoon’s (worst PM in history) excesses which paved the way for Rogernomics. he left the country broken.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 8.1.1.1.1

            Look everybody: a conspiracy theorist who think Council employees are plotting against him.

            Point and laugh 😆

          • millsy 8.1.1.1.2

            The RMA is so people like you cant just go around turning our national parks into parking lots.

            And Muldoon was a great PM. No child poverty when he was PM. We got to own some good assets too.

          • ma rohemo 8.1.1.1.3

            “worst PM in history”

            Give history a little time. We have a new contender.

  9. Annie 9

    National need to appoint a Speaker, so if it is one of their own MPs, they’ll have to get at least one of their little friends to support them.

    • alwyn 9.1

      You appear to be assuming that the Speaker can’t vote. In that you are wrong. The Speaker’s vote can be cast and is counted like any other MP’s since MMP was introduced 18 years ago.

  10. Tracey 10

    jason ede resigned. announced by key even though key hasnt had anything to do with him for years.

    so an ede story came out 2 days after the election…

    key wants act so he can pretend they are behind some policies but its all nats

    key is back to making mugs of the voters

  11. adam 11

    This is were national will go – once they introduce the TPP, were going that way.

    Goodbye co-operative NZ, was nice knowing you,
    Goodbye freedom, was good having you,
    Goodbye liberty, you were such a wonderful dream.

  12. higherstandard 12

    Will this be like the odious lurch to the right that was heralded by the lefty parties and activists after the last election in 2011 ?

    Did it ever eventuate ?

    I really do despair about the blog sites and activist base on the left, the only thing that gives me some hope are sites like the dimpost, psychomilt’s musings and reflective commentators like r0b. Sadly they’re drowned up by the lunatics at the Daily blog and many of the frothing activist masses.

    • millsy 12.1

      They are in the process of kicking thousands of state housing tenants out, a lot of them will simply not be able to find or afford accomodation in the private sector.

    • Tracey 12.2

      examine employment law changes betw 2008 and 2014.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 12.3

      a lot of them will simply not be able to find or afford accommodation

      …and some will die. Abuse of power doesn’t just kill hope and civility.

    • framu 12.4

      “Did it ever eventuate ?”

      it does take more than one term to skin an ideological cat

      considering that theyve essentially tried to pick things up from where shipley put them – who picked them up from ruth richardson – who was handed them by rodger douglas, and they all pretty freely admit that what they really want takes quite a bit of time – even if you rush through a whole bunch of stuff – “Did it ever eventuate ?” is somewhat missing the point and timeline

      the lack of historical and chronological context in NZ is a big problem when trying to understand the “why” of political policy. If we dont look at what people of the same group have done or pushed for before, if we dont examine a parties base ideology, and if we dont look at how one policy fits into a much longer narrative we will always be easily tricked by anyone

  13. philj 13

    It’s ‘ business as usual ‘ folks. Welcome to NZ Inc.
    George Carlin – ” The planet is fine, it’s been around for over 4 billion years …… it will shake off the human race like a dog shakes off a bad dose of fleas “

  14. Jeg 14

    Shifting the centre is nothing new – it’s what effective governments do. Working For Families, for example, was seen as quite left when introduced, but by the time Labour had positioned the policy it was centred enough for National to have to continue it. “The centre” is not an unchaning location.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 14.1

      The notion that there is a “centre” between evidence based policy that focusses on positive outcomes for as many as possible, and evidence free ideology as a mask for greed, is beyond stupid.

      We have a bought government run by criminals. What “centre”?

  15. ghostwhowalksnz 15

    Key mentioned ‘Speech from Throne’ in october.

    Is this significant, as parliament would normally do a quicky meet up after election and then close down for Xmas.

    yes the election is a bit early, but gives them 6 weeks to do some nasty things before hoping every one tunes out for Xmas.

    I reckon its the blitzkreig of policies that havent told us about before the election

    • Skinny 15.1

      I pinned down one of their retiring MP’s 3 weeks ago about policy. Like where & what are National policies? The smart arse let out enough of an indication “Oh we have a plan alright.” I replied “yeah I am well aware you lot do ya just don’t want to share it prior to voting.”

      He laughed and said ” yeah you got it.”

      Makes me sick some of their rightwing lobbyist’s come out of the woodwork today. The usual suspects like Kim Campbell of the EMA and Phil O’Reilly Business sector. The Trucking Lobby Group would have made it a treble of trouble they must have been busy feeding Brownlee at a brunch function.

  16. Mike 16

    Here’s hoping. We have had 6 years of Labour Lite run by National – now we want some meaningful reform.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1

      Join the Mongrel Mob: they have your sort of “reforms” down pat.

      • Skinny 16.1.1

        +1 Haha classic! go to a pad up North Mike. There is bound to be a few Mana members who will be in a pleasant mood to greet you!

  17. Jonathan 17

    It does seem funny that the very first day back at work after the election that myself and all my other work mates are given new contracts to sign.
    Might need to do a thorough read.

  18. RRM 18

    “Lurch to the right begins”…?

    Good.

    I believe the word for it is democracy.

    We won.

    You lost.

    Eat that 🙂

    • One Anonymous Bloke 18.1

      What Bev Wakem said.

    • It’s not democracy if you lurch to the right while claiming you’re not lurching to the right.

      • Blue 18.2.1

        If the voters want National to govern (and they clearly did – voting to have them govern alone if they saw fit), dont you believe that is a democratic choice? BTW it is democracy to claim you’re not lurching to the right, because it is a perspective on your part, an from your opinion. The Labour Party to an ACT supporter look like slavering marxists, and ACT would look like gun toting red necks to a Mana supporter. Just because you beleive something from your perspective doesnt make it true.

        • cogito 18.2.1.1

          @Blue.

          How patronising.

          • Blue 18.2.1.1.1

            Really? How so? I find anyone attributing a ‘lack of democracy’ to anything they disagree with childish. If a left wing Government was elected on a centrist platform and then moved further left would you still cry your tears?

            • framu 18.2.1.1.1.1

              ” If a left wing Government was elected on a centrist platform and then moved further left would you still cry your tears?”

              bet you wouldnt call it democracy would you – of course you wouldnt

              so – if your being honest you will admit that national has tried to portray itself as center/center-right. And thats what people voted in.

              So yes a lurch to the right would be deeply undemocratic because no one voted for an extremist hard right govt to the point that gained that kind of platform a mandate

              its not childish – its fact

              • Blue

                You are assuming an “extremist right wing government” is what the majority of people voted for. You must not have been paying attention for the last six years. I know its your perception, but that doesnt make it so.

                A working majority in an MMP environment is a “mandate”, particulalry if a coalition is unnecessary to govern. National has a majority without any other parties. How is that not a mandate? If it was another Party (say Labour) in the same position would you not think they had a mandate? I cant follow your logic.

                • framu

                  no – i said people voted for a center/center right govt – that was the sales speech the nats put forward

                  “so – if your being honest you will admit that national has tried to portray itself as center/center-right. And thats what people voted in. ”

                  go back and read it again

                  i will make it really simple for you

                  1) NZ elected what was portrayed and advertised as a center/center right govt – yes/no?

                  2) If that govt then lurches hard right that is then anti democratic – yes/no?

                  to make it even easier – heres you agreeing with me up thread …
                  “If a left wing Government was elected on a centrist platform and then moved further left would you still cry your tears?”

                  please dont make me explain this very simple set of sentences again

                  • Blue

                    I didnt agree with you, its called an analogy. Either way you didnt answer the question. Would it be undemocratic for a centrist left wing Govt to move further left after an election? If they did, I dont think that’s undemocractic, especially if they have a mandate froim being able to Govern alone.

                    • framu

                      OK – for the last time for the slow table – the issue being discussed is a party elected on a centre/center right platform going hard right – not a little bit right, but hard right.

                      If i sold you a flat screen TV but it turned out to be one of those clunky rear projection ones would you want your money back? – i reckon you would

                      yes your comment is an analogy – but are you saying you wrote that with absolutely no suggested answer? – why the hell did you put it there if not to suggest something?

                      and yes i did answer your question – i answered it in my first reply to you by outlining that a party elected for centrist platform who then goes hard right or left is being undemocratic

                      Obviously this applies to all parties

                      So – are you saying that a party that outright deceives the electorate by selling a fake or neutered policy platform only to then change to something far more radical, that they know is unpopular is a democratic and correct thing for a party to do? Do you really have no problem with that?

                      a simple yes/no will suffice

                • framu

                  me – “so – if your being honest you will admit that national has tried to portray itself as center/center-right. And thats what people voted in. ”

                  you – “You are assuming an “extremist right wing government” is what the majority of people voted for.”

                  hey blue – just so we dont have to do this again. Do you see where youve utterly mis-interpreted what im saying?

                  Please read all the words before responding – no one likes repeating themselves

          • Mike 18.2.1.1.2

            Cogito
            No not patronising..true

        • KJT 18.2.1.2

          Com-on. Key is the reasonable smokescreen for the hard right policies, just as David Lange was.

          He was head hunted to be the personable face of the National (Corporate takeover) party when both Brash and ACT proved to be unelectable, as too many people were fully aware of their polices.

          National is now seeking to do the same things, but gradually and under the radar. Like Ryalls successful deconstruction of our health system.

          If National had been open about what they are doing, and the effects on most of us, they would be as unelectable as the fruitcakes in ACT.

    • cogito 18.3

      @RRM

      Your comment reeks of arrogance. Your leader said that arrogance will not be tolerated.

  19. Black Lemming 19

    The greatest sleeper of the election and the greatest policy lurch to the right post election is the Trans Pacific Partnership .

    Wall street and the super rich of America having successfully bought US democracy to enhance corporate profits , and now wish to export the model to take over and control other countries democratic institutions to raise profitability further .

    The TTP is not a trade deal , its a covert takeover of our parliaments ability to make protective laws for its own citizens, workers , land , the financial system , public health , and the environment. The american greed virus.

    Is this to be John Keys finest achievement and ultimate political purpose ?

    To suggest he is a puppet of wall street would be incorrect , he is an integral part of that global elite ,with high level banking / political connections and a personal fortune in excess of $ 50 million.He is one of them.

    Under “certification ” US lawyers will help draft NZ legislation ,( and will even travel to Wellington if necessary to ” assist ” the drafting of legislation ), to make sure no Kiwi law undermines or reduces offshore corporate profits , which would be a contravention of the “trade Agreement “.

    The highjacking of our parliament by the high priests of globalisation is the ultimate in organised crime and John Keys National Govt is about to sell out his own countries sovereign independence to foreign corporate pirate raiders.

    Can this be stopped ? Short answer ; no.

    1. A left block victory would have stopped this.

    2.A National lead Govt with Winston as King maker could have constrained this .

    3. A National governing alone with unbridled power means they can pass it any time they want.

    It tragically appears we may end up losing a great deal more than an election .

    • KJT 19.1

      Forget the politicians, and forget waiting for “our” turn in Dictatorship. What we need to build is grass roots movements to oppose the ongoing destruction, NOW!

      Many people are opposed to a great many of Nationals policies. Even people who voted for them.

      As the effects become more apparent the movement will build.

      Oppose policies individually for the next three years and do not depend on Government to do the right thing.

    • Melb 19.2

      >A left block victory would have stopped this.

      No it wouldn’t have. Labour’s position was “it sounds concerning, but we want to see what’s in it first. They would have continued to negotiate it, and pass with votes from National.

      >The TTP is not a trade deal , its a covert takeover of our parliaments ability to make protective laws for its own citizens, workers , land , the financial system , public health , and the environment. The american greed virus.

      Did it escape your notice that the drafts on wikileaks showed NZ opposed to these sorts of clauses?

  20. coolas 20

    With an absolute majority Nats will continue to undo the achievements of the last Labour Govt and I reckon there’s an element of spite in their gusto to gut the ECA, RMA, LGA – all far sighted legislation to protect workers rights, the environment, and localized participatory democracy.

    Key asked his MP’s to avoid arrogance but can’t see the likes of Tolley, Brownlee, Bridges, and Paraata heeding his call. Education is in for an especially rough ride with divisive performance pay policy implemented, and everyone who has to work multiple jobs to make ends meet will get no relief from secondary tax rates.

    Here in HB there’s talk of the Port being sold off to pay for the Ruataniwha dam and they could do that through legislation. And repeat the model throughout the country. Providing investment opportunities for the portfolios of the wealthy, as with energy company PPP’s, will be a priority.

    Legitmisation of greed is what will characterise National’s third term.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 20.1

      They will spend a considerable amount of time embedding criminal associates in public bodies, and running hate-based attacks on those brave souls who refuse to follow orders.

      • Naki man 20.1.1

        You are confused this is National not the dirty politics of the left.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 20.1.1.1

          And yet the Labour Party is not subject to three official investigations (and the Prime Minister’s Clayton’s whitewash) at the moment, and the National Party is.

          Funny that.

  21. dave 21

    Well the bastards should have voted this is what they wanted I have no sympathy left to hell with them I don’t how times I heard while canvasing we don’t vote well fuck them they were warned. See how they like it with there incomes cut
    Zero hour contracts benefit cuts no breaks and no show of getting a
    Pay crime will sore as will violence but he they have there beloved leader

  22. infused 22

    You’re not going to see it. I put $100 on it. Key wants a 4th term. Maybe then, but not in this term.

    • Blue 22.1

      Agree totally, Infused. At the risk of using a naughty word, I think the hysteria about the election result from the left is ridiculous. It was such a hammering I think folk are a bit bewildered by it all. The people have spoken, democracy has run its course, and the result is what it is. Of course noone is saying you have to be happy, but the speculation that National will be implementing harsh and unforgiving legislation is laughable. Key is too smart for that, this also explains his victory. Examining why the left message is so unpalatable to the majority of New Zealanders might be the more valuable path.

      The sooner Key’s opponents realise how much a smart operator he is, the sooner they might get some traction. You have to admit he’s a very smart operator. I don’t think Mana and the German having the “moment of truth” helped anyones cause – Labours included. Key handled that with aplomb, dismissed it, treated it and the messangers with contempt and the public agreed. It had as much impact as a deflated ballon at a 5 year olds birthday.

      When people start throwing shit around many others get splattered.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 22.1.1

        “…democracy has run its course…”

        Meanwhile, on Earth, democracy is considerably more than a box-ticking exercise.

        Do you think the National Party will succeed in destroying Beverley Wakem before she exposes their criminal behaviour, or will they focus on intimidating and undermining witnesses?

      • framu 22.1.2

        History is against a 4th term – and all politicians know this deeply. Sure they will try for it, but they will definately be dusting of the bucket list this time round. Any party would be doing exactly the same.

        ———————-
        “Key handled that with aplomb,”

        i dont call changing your story every day for 4 days, starting with – “its bullshit” and ending up at “yeah hes right but semantics” as handling with aplomb

        he behaved like a child whos been caught

        ——————-
        most of know key is a smart operator – thats how hes got most of NZ thinking hes not hard right

        thats not to say there wasnt major fuck ups from certain people on the left and from labour.

        Key regularly lies, makes mistakes and treats the public and govt convention with outright contempt – really obviouslly as well – he doesnt even hide it. But for some reason his supporters and the MSM dont see or even care – thats what confuses the left.

        Its not Keys ability to deceive – its your weird ability to keep believing despite evidence

        • cogito 22.1.2.1

          Key taps into that part of the kiwi psyche that admires someone who is a lying sob and yet manages to get away with it and stay ahead of the game.

        • infused 22.1.2.2

          History is against increasing your support in a 3rd term as well.

          • framu 22.1.2.2.1

            true enough – but that doesnt make my first point wrong in any way

            do you think the nats are going to sit on their backsides waiting for the maybe of a 4th term?

            • infused 22.1.2.2.1.1

              If their result was lower, I think you may be right. With what’s happening in Labour, I really think a 4th is quite high.

      • Richard 22.1.3

        Give me a break Blue. Talk reality. Three months of pure bias towards National by all MSM won the election. the people are so dumb they took it all in without question.

        Resign Cunliffe from Armstrong in the herald over an 11 year old letter was one example, but all the dirty politics and bad press for national was overlooked and labelled dirty politics by the loony left. Please go talk shit elsewhere I am not in the mood to hear twaddle from some gloating scumbag who hasn’t got a blardy clue.

        You know it. Fact is the rich media owners support Corporate government and cabinet club must be so awesome.

        Where my bloody invite I pay taxes. That their isn’t democratic at all and should be highly highly ill blardy legal. Fancy giving a section of the population preferred treatment and access to ministers 24/7.

        Hey isn’t it time you got back to labelling labour the queer party? We know how you Blues like to play name calling kiddie games.

        • framu 22.1.3.1

          “Three months of pure bias towards National by all MSM won the election”

          try 6 or 7 years

          while not the only factor (by a long shot) the media have a hell of a lot to answer for – the way theyve conducted themselves the last few years is utterly unacceptable – regardless of whos in govt

  23. Dramaticus 23

    If Key and his fascists take my smoko break I will go to Wellington and kick his arse
    When hes shorn sheep on a 12hr day then he will Know that a smoko break is earned, its not a cuppa with the Queen

    [lprent: No threats of violence on this site please. Or you will have to give up writing here. ]

    • Richard 23.1

      Think that’s a figure of speech Lprent. I don’t think he meant it literally mate.

      [lprent: Do I care? Write the words and start praying you can write here again. I have no particular wish to spend MY time talking to police about threats made by thoughtless fuckwits. It is simplier to just give them a permanent ban. Having unthinking fools like you wasting my time explaining the obvious just makes the easy option look easier.. ]

  24. venezia 24

    Well – its already started. I saw for the first time a job position advertised in a shop window at my local mall titled “On Call Position”. I went inside and asked (‘on behalf of a friend’) what were the regular hours. The answer was that it is an ” on call position”; You only get paid if you are called up. In other words a Zero Hours contract.

    • Richard 24.1

      Advertisement like that in the south Waikato news every week. on call job . no hours, no promises, like why would you bother? unless your retired and looking for a few extra dollars.

      Thing is all this casual hours work isn’t going to get bill and ben newly married through the mortgage checklist is it. Thanks god I have a full time permanent job, made it through a very worry some 90 day trial. I have been there almost 1.5 years and if I’m good and work hard another three maybe i’ll even get a wage rise above 16.75 I’m on now. Frankly 16.75 and only 40 hours, single, mortgaged I barely , I mean barely, keep this place from going mortgagee. I really should give up the smokes but heck I need some stress relief from all the final demand letters.

  25. Lloyd 25

    The interesting thing about the push for “RMA reform” is it usually comes from people who are complaining about their local district plan. The more you gut the RMA , the more likely you are to end up with capricious local rules that will increase costs for developers trying to make “one product fits all” housing. In the meantime the lawyers will have a ball litigating the new rules.
    Introducing more National Environmental Standards would make the life simpler for business and strengthen the RMA, but don’t hold your breath awaiting a bunch of useful NES from the gnats.

  26. Jrobin 26

    I am almost looking forward to the howls of betrayal when the dear father substitute turns into the rapacious cold eyed figure standing behind the nice smiley chap. National voters, there was a reason they announced no policies except the freindly sounding ones they stole from Labour and the Greens. These are their real policies which Key has already announced today.
    RMA reforms;read pillage our natural resources for overseas interests.
    Labour reforms, read maximise exploitation of ‘human resources’ again to keep corporates happy.
    Welfare Reforms, read starve more people, forces wages down, persecute solo parents.
    Education Reforms, install a toady class of tame right leaning teachers to hector the rest of the inferior unionised rebels and intensify competition between and inside schools.
    Then will come Bill English’s ‘something special’promised us by the dear leader: “the most profound reforms to the public service that NZ has ever seen”. At a candidates meeting in Dunedin Michael Woodhouse stated and this is not hyperbole “what I consider to be public services are street lights” !! You poor naive fools. I kep singing the National Anthem to myself to ward off the demons “God defend New Zealand”.

  27. Wayne 27

    Jrobin

    If it is as bad as you imagine (or worse) you can repeal with all with the triumphant incoming Labour/Green Govt of 2017.

    Or alternatively John Key is smart enough to work what he needs to do (and not do) to gain a 4th term win.

    You work out which is more likely.

    • framu 27.1

      wow – condescending much wayne?

      just when did you turn into gossman?

      i thought cult members werent allowed off the compound?

      Thats what the nats and its supporters are now under key – a cult

  28. sabine 28

    our young ones already are on 0 hours.
    our admin workers already eat the lunch on the desk while working
    our full time jobs are already being replaced by casual and temps
    this is just formalizing what has been happening to NZ for some time now.

    so again same as with the schools
    and any other piece of unpleasant legislation.
    if people moan about it….remind them that they voted National and that they own all the decisions they make.
    Remind the non-voters that they essentially voted National and that they own the decisions National is going to make.
    Remind the Greens that next time Dunne is the only vote to pass controversial Legislation that they own that one.

    i for once will let those that I know have voted for National know that they own it. Every single bit of legislation that comes through

    YOU OWN IT.

    This is not time to be polite.

  29. TheBlackKitten 29

    I would agree with this but the problem Key has, if he puts any right wing policy in place that harms middle NZ he will loose their vote that is mainly responsible for the 48% result he achieved on Saturday night. Labour would then win the next election & simply reverse any right winged policies implemented. What does National or the right wing gain from this? Not much really. Any policies Key implements, he must ensure they don’t upset middle NZ too much.

  30. Melanie Scott 30

    Not sure it would be easy to reverse the TPP once its in place. Have been re-reading Matt Taibbi’s Griftopia over the weekend, just to make myself more depressed. Everyone should read it, along with Dirty Politics.
    Lots of Australians are concerned about the number of farms being sold to foreigners, mainly the Chinese. Australian farmers have been having a really hard time in recent years, and rather than go broke many are quite keen to sell. I would expect this to become quite common here too, once dairy farmers’ payouts sink and their banks start phoning them.

  31. Sable 31

    Personally I wont be sticking around if it gets too ugly. I think the real bugbear is going to be the TPPA. Should be interesting to see what happens there…

  32. Len 32

    The Nats are a right wing party that has colonised the centre ground which is ever shifting.
    The lurch to right that is to be feared is that of Labour, if the opponents of David Cunliffe get their way. The simplistic idea, expressed most banally by Stuart Nash, that the centre is where we have to go to get the centre back – “dump those who complain and get those who work hard to get where they are” was his mantra – will take Labour back to the future. We are in the process of dumping neo-liberalism and getting back to genuine Labour values of justice, fairness and equality. To backtrack now will destroy Labour as an alternative to National, and it will fail because why would people want to vote for a copy-cat Nat-lite party when they can have the real thing.
    No, Labour has to be the genuine alternative to the consumption-based, profit-driven, environment-destroying system that the Nats want to maintain and expand. The centre-ground will shift to us when they believe our alternative has credibility and connection with the real problems besetting them and their world. This is a task that takes time and patience and dedication. Panic measures are not in order and neither is a right-wing takeover of the Labour Party.

  33. RRM 33

    Lurch to the right?

    Good.

    We won. You lost. Eat that.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    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 ...
    2 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    5 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    6 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    7 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    8 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    11 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    12 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    13 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    16 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T08:25:41+00:00