“We may as well kiss democracy goodbye”

Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, September 19th, 2014 - 104 comments
Categories: Ethics, national - Tags: , , , ,

The words of the title of this post are those of Ombudsman Dame Beverly Wakem:

Ombudsman ‘appalled’ by ex-Customs lawyer’s OIA allegations

… She said the Ombudsman’s relationship with the government service was based on trust. Without that, she said, “we’re all in trouble”.

“We may as well kiss democracy goodbye. The work of this office relies in great measure in the maintenance of a high level of trust and integrity between ourselves and government agencies,” she said.

The Ombudsman is referring to this story, appearing in a separate article by David Fisher in The Herald:

Ex-Customs lawyer claims he was told to bury info that could embarrass the Government

A former high-ranking Customs lawyer says he resigned from his job after allegedly being told to bury information that could embarrass the Government.

Curtis Gregorash said he was told by senior Customs executives to refuse Official Information Act and Privacy Act requests, which he believed was at the direction of former Customs Minister Maurice Williamson.

It comes at a time the Prime Minister’s office is under inquiry over the release of intelligence material through the OIA and accusations that former Justice Minister Judith Collins was manipulating OIA responses for political purposes.

Back to the Ombudsman again:

“If our examination and investigation finds that [trust and integrity] has been betrayed or warped in any way that is something I am going to be taking very seriously and I think the public of New Zealand should be taking very seriously because it attacks the whole integrity of the system of governance.”

Dame Beverley said whistleblowers should make contact with the Office of the Ombudsman if they had evidence of such practices.

Yet another typical scandal from the dirtiest government ever seen in NZ.

104 comments on ““We may as well kiss democracy goodbye” ”

  1. One Anonymous Bloke 1

    I wonder whether the word ‘prison’ is starting to loom in their private thoughts.

    • Kaplan 1.1

      It can only be a matter of time.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.2

      We really need better anti corruption laws so that it does occur to them.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 1.2.1

        It still boils down to the basic problem: how can we Tory criminal-proof our institutions? We know they will be kneecapped the moment the criminal party regains the Treasury benches.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1

          Decent whistle-blower protections and more transparency. In fact, everything a government institution does should be automatically public on an easily searchable website. Throw in some decent anti-corruption legislation that throws them in jail immediately, pending trial, if they try to take that openness and protection down.

          Can’t think of anything else ATM.

          • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1.1

            It’s all very well talking about changing this law or that. That’s the easy stuff.

            The real hard work is around rebuilding a public sector organisational culture which values and implements integrity, impartiality and transparency.

            Also on making the judiciary and the courts a massive bulwark against the general anti-citizen assfuckery which we have been seeing governments running both here and in every other FVEY member nation.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.1.1

              The real hard work is around rebuilding a public sector organisational culture which values and implements integrity, impartiality and transparency.

              Yep and after thirty years of memememe culture as comes about from neo-liberalism it’s going to take a long time to rebuild.

              Of course, if all the fuckwits are in jail instead of in the leadership positions in our public institutions it would be a little easier 😈

        • Brendon Harre 1.2.1.2

          We need a neutral referee position in our political system.

          My preferred way of doing this is for the Speaker to be appointed by unanimous vote in Parliament (MPs locked in without recess until they decide). The Speaker then appoints all the important heads of our civil service -ombudsman, Chief Auditor, head of TVNZ etc. Plus Judiciary and recommendations to the Queen for Governor General and Knighthoods.

          This would prevent the corruption of the civil service and the wider civil society in general. Civil society would serve the public not the PM.

          • thatguynz 1.2.1.2.1

            Do you foresee the speaker being an MP as per current scenario or a truly independent external?

            • Brendon Harre 1.2.1.2.1.1

              I see my neutral referee type Speaker being a MP, a continuation of current practice. But this is a really good question. Many people don’t trust MPs or Parliament but the other choices are worse in my opinion.

              I don’t see much appetite for an independent Presidential type position elected by popular vote, which a truly independent external would be. For two reasons.

              1. Because their is no firm public support for Republicanism. I don’t think this independent referee position issue should be bogged down by the whole Monarchy versus Republicanism debate.

              2. Because a Presidential type vote would be dominated by big money -so even more influence from the Colin Craigs, KDC and whoever the money men behind ACT are.

              • Tracey

                In my opinion it needs to be someone who hasnt had their world narrowed by being in parliament.

                The Ombudsmen relies on trust from government… That is the biggest flaw. This govt has deliberately messed with the oia process and the use of urgency… It leaves it to the voters to then decide while hiding their deceit from those voters.

                That the press gallery was not outraged by the recent revelations and constantly needs others to do their work for them removes the only real parliamentary watchdog we have.

                • Brendon Harre

                  Tracey two responses and I hope you take it in a friendly debating the issue way I intend.

                  Firstly Parliament has done nothing wrong, it is the Executive (what we call the Government) that is on trial.

                  It is dodgy way that Ministers, supposedly neutral civil servants and sections of the media operate that is undermining our trust in corrupt free governance in NZ. The scary thing is this corrupt nudge, nudge, wink, wink, culture becomes entrenched. We are all poorer if that occurs.

                  Secondly how would this person from outside Parliament be appointed? How can they stand up to the Government if they are appointed by the Government -even if the odd case where they are indirectly appointed like the current Ombudsman, Chief Auditor etc. The Speaker appointed them and he was only voted in by National MPs. So basically it was a stitch up by John Key and his Ministers.

                  So the options are either a unanimous vote from all democratically elected MPs or a popular vote from all kiwi voters.

                  • Tracey

                    I would have them appointed by 75% agreement of parliament. You have a committeee set out criteria and seek candidates. Three get selected by that committee and presented to parliament for a vote.

                    I said parliament because i dont believe the current govt has a monopoly on obstructive behaviour. Some of us recall tge winebox days when labour and national parry colluded to block winston, and the truth, from parliament.

                    I would have this person coming from a legal background.

                    • Brendon Harre

                      Tracey that might be better than current practice but I can see several flaws.

                      75% of Parliament means basically Labour + National. So minor parties will still be ignored.

                      There is no urgency in your process like my proposal with Parliament being locked without recess. This probably means National would demand the selection of one person, Labour the other, compromise for the third. Then when Parliament vote if it is a simple majority the Government (either National or Labour) will choose their person.

                      Sorry for being blunt Tracey but your proposal gives the appearance of adding a neutral referee into NZ’s system of governance but the reality is it probably wouldn’t.

                      If 75% of Parliament selected one outside person, probably with a legal background that might work better.

                      My proposal also has the bonus of giving a neutral Speaker, which might improve the quality of Parliamentary debates, that would be better than the kindergarten behaviour we have come to expect.

                      It would be hard for the PM, his Ministers, the civil service and the media to politically ignore a neutral referee type Speaker. In my opinion an outside person appointed by a Parliamentary committee would have less authority so could easily be undermined, side-lined, ignored etc.

                    • Tracey

                      By unanimous, you mean supported by 100% of parliament?

                      For the record i was pleasantly surprise by lockwoods performance, far better than wilson or carter, imo.

                    • Brendon Harre

                      Sorry Tracey I didn’t read your proposal clearly with it being a Parliamentary committee then 75% Parliamentary vote. But most of my comments still stand. I tried to correct it but then got timed out. I think that is why I am now ‘undefined’. (now fixed -Yah)

                    • Tracey

                      Brendan

                      I shrink withfear of a president style election of such a person for the reasons you allude to.

                      We could create this new position constitutionally, embed it into legislation and the position… They sit as an adjudicator taking over speaker roles, and expand them if required. I would put ombudsmen and privacy commissioner, to name only two, under this person, so they effectively have the clout of this position.

                  • Brendon Harre

                    Yes I mean all MPs. The whole 100% and they can be locked in Parliament for days with no breaks until they decide. That will concentrate their minds….

                    Tracey I have played around in my head with a strong majority figure like 75%, like you have suggested. But in the end I think the advantages of a unanimous vote is better.

                    Lockwood was definitely better than Carter. I was out of the country for Wilson.

                    • Brendon Harre

                      Tracey I seemed to have got this out of order. I hope readers can still follow this thread. I think we agree except on the minor details. That is ok.

                      I think this lack of neutral referee type person within the constitutional governance system is what has gone wrong in US politics and society. Especially now politics has got more partisan. This has ruined an otherwise good political system.

                      So I too ‘shrink with fear from a Presidential type election’.

                      NZ has the opportunity to gently evolve into a better system. I hope the left champion this evolution.

                      I think the right will either try to distract this progressive idea with either labelling it as anti Monarchy/pro republicanism. Or distract the voters with something else like the Conservatives Referendum proposals.

                    • Tracey

                      I am happy with 100% but i dont think it would get through the Bill stages?

                    • Brendon Harre

                      75% vote could work. IMHO it would work best if tied in with the Speaker’s appointment for the reasons I detailed above.

                    • Tracey

                      Thanks for the discussion Brendan.

                      Now, how do we get this to Winston?

                    • Brendon Harre

                      Thanks to you too Tracey.

                      I emailed Winston a few weeks back on this but not sure he paid much attention.

                      Personally if I was any smaller party I would insist on this sort of constitutional reform.

                      Governance in NZ is becoming more about controlling patronage rather than policy and legislation. That is how the big the party’s bypass the little party’s. The right have found they are better at this than the left because they can go really negative. The more people lose trust in public services and the political process the more votes they get (Actually the lower voter turnout means the left lose more votes).

                      Each cycle of MMP gets worse for patronage abuse.

                      Look at how much nepotism is in this lobbyist, media, civil servant, Government Minister corrupt culture. Follow the names -they keep reappearing.

                      Nepotism never used to be part of NZ’s culture.

                    • Tracey

                      Have you tried emailing the Greens too? Norman and Turei?

                      I think it is worth re sending to winston… This time in two days he will be looking for workable ways to lance the boil of dirty politics.

                    • Brendon Harre

                      Yes I have emailed the Greens amongst others following ‘Dirty Politics’ and surprisingly got the best response from Julie-Anne Genter the Transport spokesperson(actually the only non-automatic reply)!

                      I sent Julie-Anne some similar information to the above before this debate http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1409/S00004/fiery-broadcasting-debate-in-auckland.htm
                      Afterwards I got a thank you email saying my email had been helpful.

                      I will email this thread to all the progressive party’s to show the continued concern re this issue.

                      Thanks Tracey for your support that this proposal could help lance the ‘Dirty Politics’ boil

      • AmaKiwi 1.2.2

        We need some separation of powers so the PM’s party cannot influence certain bureaucrats.

        The UK is considering that the chair of the security services oversight committee is ALWAYS the Leader of the Opposition. We need something similar.

    • barry 1.3

      It will be a dangerous situation if a change in government results in the incumbents being imprisoned. then we get to a situation like Pakistan or Ukraine. It makes orderly change of government less likely.
      Unfortunately, short of murder, the government has to be forgiven a lot if they hand over peacefully.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 1.3.1

        I agree. Any criminal charges must be brought by the appropriate authorities. The important thing for the government is to ensure that the other arms of democracy, (police, Judiciary, fourth estate etc) are protected from the National Party’s owners.

        National party members and enablers will be best remembered by their willingness to cooperate with the Police etc.

        Do something your great-grandchildren can be proud of.

        • AmaKiwi 1.3.1.1

          When Key announced he was not going to read the police report into Bank’s campaign contributions, the message to our police was clear: “Don’t prosecute Banks or else.”

          Our Police are compromised, our SIS is compromised (leaks to Slater), and the GCSB is run by someone whose primary qualification was his life-long friendship with Key.

          If there is no one to investigate, there is no corruption.

          Nixon was not brought down by 2 newspaper reporters. He was brought down by their secret source (“Deep Throat”) who told them where to look. Eventually we learned “Deep Throat” was the Deputy Director of the FBI.

          Who can be our independent investigators with the powers to prosecute?

  2. dv 2

    Frank Macskasy has a minute by minute record of what happened.
    well worth a read

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/19/the-donghua-liu-affair-the-players-revealed/

  3. Chooky 3

    Yep …we have to shout corruption from the rooftops…I still believe the Left will WIN on Saturday!

    ‘Unbelievable corruption inside Government to attack Kim Dotcom’

    By Martyn Bradbury / September 19, 2014

    “Will John Armstrong or the rest of the press gallery focus on this as much as they focused their attacks on Kim Dotcom’s decision to take his fight to Parliamentary Privileges?…

    – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/19/unbelievable-corruption-inside-government-to-attack-kim-dotcom/#sthash.P133n4wY.dpuf

    • Tom Jackson 3.1

      If they don’t, the strategy should be to bring the government down as soon as possible via pursuit of Dirty Politics, Spying, etc.

      The right have proved themselves ruthless, which means the left are going to have to be as well.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1

        Yep, we need to be as ruthless as the RWNJS but with the ethics and morals that they lack.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 3.2

      We’d had better hope the left wins b/c with the recent news coverage we’ve now got some idea as to the extent of government corruption and misuse of power we will face if the lefties are in the minority.

    • Sans Cle 3.3

      + 1
      Keep calm and vote left!!!!!
      People I have been talking to are moving their political allegiances….away from National. Let’s build on that momentum….and get everyone out to vote.

  4. Dont worry. Be happy 4

    If the case against KDC is so water tight why are so many powerful people in Govt and the media stooping to such low, desperate and potentially risky/illegal methods? Logically, the only thing that can be inferred is that their case is pretty rubbish.

    By the way, I love that the person who is warning NZ on the brink of an election that if this is true “we can kiss democracy goodbye” is called Wakem. You couldnt make that up!

      • yeshe 4.1.1

        +100% and go Wakem ! She will do what Cheryl Gwyn cannot imho.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.1.1

          There is a loophole.

          As journalists they will all say the law allows them to ‘protect their sources’

          Guess who now claims hes a journalist too- Oily Orca.

          Testify under oath just means instead of lying they will refuse to answer

          • Tracey 4.1.1.1.1

            Based on the quality of audrey youngs work recently he doesnt have a high bar to climb over for that claim…

  5. Tania 5

    on the ground information seems to be vastly different to that the media is promoting here is the debate comments and Cunliffe is ahead at 278 to keys 178 lets hope it turns into votes http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11326376

  6. Treetop 6

    I reckon that Peters has one more term in parliament and he really needs to make this count.

    Peters has two main options.
    1. To go with Key and change little as Key will still continue to dupe the voters.
    2. To go with Labour and the Greens and to overhaul all the rot that has accumulated over the last 6 years.

    No time to waste is my message to Winston Peters.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 6.1

      I think he has a third option which is to vote on each individual issue. This will be preferable because he will maintain power and answer only to himself.

      • Treetop 6.1.1

        I considered this to and concluded that it was window dressing. There needs to be a purge otherwise the regime/culture will hardly change.

        Will need to wait and see how serious Peters is about the rot.

        Will he just make consessions or will he eradicate the cause?

      • Draco T Bastard 6.1.2

        Now that would be an interesting shift. It would get rid of government and leave us with only parliament. This would probably be more democratic than the present system and possibly more stable well.

  7. Tracey 7

    and this is also relevant to how well served slater has been by oias. I have said for a while… slaters experience is WAY out of the ordinary.

    This govt is appalling on OIAs. Key breaches level 4 security for his own purposes. why not use denial of oias to over burden ombudsmen and slow the thing dowm

  8. Disturbed 8

    Yes we need to combine all vestiges of opposition members to form a Government and firstly rid this NatZ filth from our shores.

    Lets us please just forget the differences between all opposition parties for now.

    The greater peril is keeping these evil Governing right wing parties alive in Government.

    Most importantly now to do is first to get rid of total corruption of Government, MSM and big business interests ruling our future in a very damaging & corrupt way.

    This makes all feel very sick right now so please this plea from us elders is to get our young future leaders, those young voters out to vote and save our future from peril and destruction.

  9. Tracey 9

    name of person handling slaters sis oia released. not name of person who told him what to ask tho

  10. Martin Legge 10

    I was a gambling whistleblower in 2010. I was encouraged and at times harassed by investigators and DIA Management to provide statements and documents that would prove the illegal arrangements behind why millions of dollars of grants went to certain groups and how the trustees of the pokie trust I worked for had deceived DIA in an earlier investigation. I was told it was a “slam dunk.”

    Then Peter Dunne contacted the DIA and according to investigators, his contact influenced DIA Management to do an about face. The original investigator was removed from the investigation and I was never interviewed or spoken to again in respect of these matters. I was constantly fobbed off by the highest DIA Management with claims that they’d reviewed the file and they all continued to uphold it as a robust and serious investigation.

    The constant delays in OIA disclosure meant that it would be nearly 3 years before I would discover that DIA had in fact lost a file containing critical documents. Rather than alert me, they had preferred to stay silent on the matter because, I am in no doubt, the result of any investigation into this poke trust already had a pre determined outcome. DIA has broken the law in relation to the gambling act to achieve this outcome, not to mention their missed opportunity under the Crimes Act.

    I hope my renewed complaint to the Ombudsman will be given the attention and scrutiny that Beverley Wakem is finally admitting it needs!!!

    • yeshe 10.1

      kudos, martin.

    • thatguynz 10.2

      +1 Martin

    • ghostwhowalksnz 10.3

      remember this about the Wairarapa police child abuse whistleblower and ‘lost files ?

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/local-blogs/off-pat/3732066/A-whistleblower-lost-files-and-lies

      Apparently ‘lost files’ were just in another locked cupboard.

      You would think its the 1960s and everything is in physical paper.
      Modern document management will ensure all records are digital ( as they created on computers to start with) with some other documents scanned in. Once they are in the system all previous versions and and updates are retained on computer drives.

      Of course that didnt stop GCSB from ‘aging off’ or deleting stuff relating to its illegal activity with KDC

      • Treetop 10.3.1

        Justice delayed is justice denied. I would like to know the actual number of convictions that arose when the complaints were finally investigated.

        Disgraceful when serious crime against children was not a priority for the police.

        It takes a certain apitude to work in the area of sexual abuse and adequate resources/funding is required.

        • AsleepWhileWalking 10.3.1.1

          Yeah, it’s a technique to avoid anything happening. I have had experience of government departments saying that b/c an event happened years ago they weren’t going to investigate (the agency was the Health and Disabilities Commissioner and the complaint was only after a two year delay due to…. issues getting information…).

          Just because it falls inside their durisdiction doesn’t mean they have to investigate.

    • Tracey 10.4

      Thanks for speaking out martin.

    • BLiP 10.5


      Respect.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 10.6

      I didn’t realise that Peter Dunn was involved. Wish there had been more coverage as I feel an extra week or two is needed for the public to process all of this.

    • yeshe 10.7

      and Martin … hope your renewed complaint to B Wakem includes your record of Dunne’s interference.

    • Sans Cle 10.8

      You have our fullest admiration. We need more brave people like you. Kia Kaha!

    • Theodora 10.9

      Good on you!

  11. philj 11

    The wheels of this corrupt dumocrupty are falling off. Regardless of who prevails, our country has fundamentally changed.

  12. minrach 12

    IMO NZ has been corrupt for a long time, and what is starting to emerge is really just the tip of the iceberg…

    • Tracey 12.1

      Well when China is listening to Collins lecture them on corruption you know our standards are very low in that regard.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 12.1.1

        Please… just because Collins has no scruples doesnt mean we all are in the same boat

  13. venezia 13

    Martin Legge you are a hero.

  14. Smelper 14

    This is the second time in a week that David Fisher has pursued a story that is significantly embarrassing for the government. He also was the journo who dug out the Kitteridge material that partly forced Key into admitting that we maybe, possibly, couldn’t quite deny that we had a relationship with the NSA.

    Is it my imagination or has Fisher’s journalism turned around 180 degrees since his mea culpa revealing the potentially blackmailing side of his relationship with Slater and co?

    Are we waking from the fever dream that was the hold the Whoilers had over some of the MSM? If it can happen in the Herald it can happen anywhere?

    • Tracey 14.1

      Perhaps hwrald is using his articles to try and seem balanced. I mean this is theday before the election and doesnt trump audrey youngs mathematical gymnastics to create an unpaid Ad for the Nats

  15. Tracey 15

    if you want to see how most OIAs are handled you can follow my experience here

    http://thestandard.org.nz/guest-post-tracey-blinglish-single-handedly-reduces-teenage-pregnancies/#comment-877463

    Of note it took three weeks from my last, very specific, request to bill english to get the summary. He had referred to receiving a summary from ms bennett before making a statement to the data forum. He told me about the existence of the summary, and I asked him for it. It took THREE WEEKS.

  16. Historical: Read comments by whistleblower Martin Legge at What if? Dunedin blogsite at http://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/…. (enter *martin legge* and *dia* in the search box) ….Bev Wakem better listen!

  17. Peter 17

    Correct me if I am wrong but as I recall when Mr Key won his first election much of his campaign involved mocking the Public Service. It appears as if they simply carried on from there and took actions to demonstrate their contempt ……..

  18. KJS0ne 18

    This could easily be a scene straight out of the Sopranos.

  19. AsleepWhileWalking 19

    Today on a sandwich board outside a dairy a headline said something about National rising after the DotBomb.

    I would assume if I hadn’t been following the issue that there was nothing to the claims made by Greenwald, Amsterdam, and Dotcom.

    Corruption has many forms.

  20. finbar 20

    Corporartions and their control will always stack the deck in their favour.We now have had six years control of a government who!s corporate favoured rule has had little effect on their popularity.The bailing out of Canterbury finance, and their vilification of its director.The disaster of ChCh,and the control of their power, not only to disenfranchise its citizens by appointing one of their own to be the governing ajudicator on all its major capital decision above their elected council.The white wash, that their corporate anti worker and corperate favour of the Pike River Disaster.These are only a few examples of what has occured in our present governments corporate control of our country,and for some reason a persons face seems more important.

  21. ianmac 21

    Bryce Edwards and Matt Nippet have been discussing this on the Panel. Concerning.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20150319

  22. venezia 22

    Just arrived home to find a message on my answerphone urging me to Party Vote National “for a strong stable government”. There has never been National voters in this household since the place was built 10 years ago. So they are getting desperate!

  23. gregorash is a hero…

    ..i hope he gets the respect he deserves..

    • One Anonymous Bloke 23.1

      Crowd fund a statue? Name the National Party wing of Paremoremo after him? What?

      • phillip ure 23.1.1

        u cd name the inquiry after him..that’d be a start..

        ..the gregorash inquiry..?

        ..that has a nice ring to it..

        ..and garth mcvicar is going to name that parry-wing after himself..

        ..after he becomes minister of corrections..

        ..(anyone nervous..?..)

  24. small thing 24

    I read a wee while ago that there is plans to create special prison units for specific crimes maybe they should consider spending a large proportion of it on” White Collar” criminals and then we might be able to get our democracy back

    • One Anonymous Bloke 24.1

      Not so sure. Right wing faith thrives in part due to ‘low levels of contact with outgroups’ (Hodson & Busseri 2012). Ratfuckers belong with the general prison population, although when we return the right to vote to inmates let’s make an exception in their case 😈

    • @ small thing..

      ..they could just put some locks on the doors..and bars on the windows..

      ..down at natty-hq..

      ..that should sort things out…..

  25. Jepenseque 25

    This sounds a little similar to what phill Goff tried to do re sis OIAs!

  26. Gruntie 26

    without a string Fourth Estate out democracy is in the terminal phase

  27. Mr If Only 27

    To National:

    I want to break free
    I want to break free
    I want to break free from your lies
    You’re so self satisfied I don’t need you
    I’ve got to break free
    God knows, God knows I want to break free

    I’ve fallen in love
    I’ve fallen in love for the first time
    And this time I know it’s for real
    I’ve fallen in love yeah
    God knows God knows I’ve fallen in love

    It’s strange but it’s true
    I can’t get over the way you love me like you do
    But I have to be sure
    When I walk out that door
    Oh how I want to be free baby
    Oh how I want to be free
    Oh how I want to break free

    But life still goes on
    I can’t get used to living without living without
    Living without you by my side
    I don’t want to live alone hey
    God knows got to make it on my own
    So baby can’t you see
    I’ve got to break free

    I’ve got to break free
    I want to break free yeah

    I want, I want, I want, I want to break free

    lyrics By Queen

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  • 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
    4 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
    5 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
    8 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
    9 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
    9 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
    9 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
    10 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
    11 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
    13 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 ...
    1 day 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
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
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