What did Key really know about Dotcom?

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, July 2nd, 2012 - 57 comments
Categories: john key, national, police, spin - Tags:

We know that the Police overstepped their authority following their Hollywood wannabe raid on Dotcom’s home. They used invalid warrants to take property of Dotcom’s that they weren’t entitled to, and gave that data to the FBI. Now, we learn that Key’s office was involved in advising the Department of Labour on shutting down a leaked email.

The leaked email showed DoL immigration officials told the Overseas Investment Office about the FBI’s interest in Dotcom before his application to buy the Coatesville mansion was initially approved, then rejected by the Government.

This was a year before the Police-FBI raid on Dotcom’s home. How did DoL know the FBI was looking into Dotcom? They won’t say.

This is where is starts to get nasty. OIA-ed documents reveal that DoL”s media team ignored journalists’ calls and delayed responses to frustrate and slow the story. They asked the PM’s office for advice on shutting things down.

And senior managers exchanged emails about the Herald’s David Fisher, who has been instrumental in exposing the Dotcom story, calling him ‘evil’ and ‘crazy’.

The fact that DoL went running to the Prime Minister’s office as soon as knowledge of their involvement in blocking Dotcom’s mansion purchase became public is very interesting. Departments don’t go to the PM’s office for any old thing. And then you remember that Dotcom lives in Key’s electorate and Key’s electorate office had been lobbied by locals about approving Dotcom’s OIO bid. Was it Key’s office that told the DoL about the FBI’s interest in Dotcom?

It all makes it harder to believe that Key had never heard Dotcom’s name until the day before the raid.

Key got very shirty when challenged on Breakfast this morning about the whole Dotcom affair and whether an independent investigation into the Police’s actions was needed. For the second time in a week, he resorted to insulting the interviewer – telling Rawdon Christie that his question about the overkill of the raid by 70 armed Police on Dotcom’s house was ‘journalistic spin’.

Clearly, there’s a lot more to come out on this.

57 comments on “What did Key really know about Dotcom? ”

  1. Glg 1

    I believe ACC has a nice machine(don’t call it a lie detector) that could possibly sort this little misunderstanding out. Still it beggars belief the Key had never heard of Dotcon till the day before the raid.

  2. Aye it smells to high heaven.  And I suspect that TV3 has more information to come out.  This is why John Campbell has asked Key on a few occasions when he first found out about Dotcom.
     
    My personal conspiracy theory is that Kim was approached to make a donation to the National Party.  There is no way that he would have made such a generous donation to Banks and for National’s interest not to be raised.

    • burt 2.1

      Perhaps National didn’t declare the donation and perhaps they will deny it then it will be proven via the privileges committee – will National be your hero and suitable partners to get Labour the numbers to govern if this is the case ?

      • mickysavage 2.1.1

        I don’t recall Peters ever saying releatedly that he did not know who Owen Glenn was until the day before the police raid burty.

      • Kotahi Tane Huna 2.1.2

        Oh, Winston Peters did it too? Is he the new benchmark? Sad, feeble excuse much?

      • Deano 2.1.3

        burt thinks that Winston Peters is the benchmark for ethical behaviour. ‘if Winnie did it, it’s OK if anyone else did it’ – that’s Winnie-lover Burt’s attitude.

        • burt 2.1.3.1

          Deano

          Ah, no. I think Peters is the benchmark for self serving and corrupt. The fact Labour would jump at the chance to form a government with him speaks volumes about Labour’s disregard for ethics and integrity.

          • mike e 2.1.3.1.1

            Key has changed his tune on peters saying he would not rule it out,
            Another broken promise burt

            • TheContrarian 2.1.3.1.1.1

              Sorry, which broken promise was that?

              • McFlock

                Silly Mike,
                Key only promised not to work with winston after the last election, not 2014 (possibly) onwards. When winston as on 2% at the polls with to electorates.
                        
                Like any trader, key is negotiable when it comes to principle.

                • Trader? I think you mean….

                  Like any politician, Key is negotiable when it comes to principle.

                  • RedLogix

                    All politics is the art of compromise. Especially democratic politics; and in this there is nothing new nor anything to apologise for. Society is a complex, multi-faced beast with many competing demands and desires that can only be resolved by negotiation.

                    The real questions to ask are: Who is being served? What is being traded? And for what price?

                    A politician with no principles has no answer to these questions, beyond mere self-interest and survival. Helen Clark could answer these questions; Key never does.

                    • McFlock

                      Indeed.
                      The difference between “compromise” and “for sale” is frequently beyond the tory view. 

                  • yeshe

                    As Winston Peters commented a few weeks ago on Q and A —

                    ” Key holds himself to the highest possible double standards”.

                    A great Lange-ism !

          • Kotahi Tane Huna 2.1.3.1.2

            Nope, Burt, it speaks volumes about their ability to form a government.

            Taking your benchmark of “self-serving and corrupt”, you were saying that the National Party is about on a par with Winston. I disagree; they are demonstrably worse.

      • bbfloyd 2.1.4

        The tories must be shitting themselves if borty is the only one prepared to take “point” on this ….

        One more card slips off the stacked house… maybe another one, or two, and the whole lot will fall down….

        Even guyon asspinner won’t be able to save them soon…..

        • gobsmacked 2.1.4.1

          Is that Guyon Espiner of “60 Minutes”, who highlighted the pokies/casino deal, and grilled Steven Joyce more effectively than any Labour MP has managed? Or the guy(on) who did the fracking story, on the same TV3 programme?

          One story has led to an Auditor-General inquiry, the other is being investigated by the Environment Commissioner.

          To say nothing of ACC, also featured on “60 Minutes”.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 2.2

      Has Key ever denied meeting Dotcom, or was it one of his ‘cant recall meeting him’ flimsy excuses that have been shot down before.

      Im thinking that Key may not have seen Dotcom ‘privately’ but may have been indroduced as a very small group.

      After all Key did go to a car dealership fundraiser that sells BMW/Rolls Royce and Dotcom is a roller owner

      • felix 2.2.1

        As I recall he said he’d never heard of him, and further to that he said it’s such an unusual name that he’s sure he wouldn’t have heard it and forgotten it.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 2.2.1.1

          Sounds like his answer to whether he was ‘religious’ a few years back- his answer was that the kids attend church services at the private schools-
          But of course , that wasnt the question asked then either.

          Slipperiest politician I have ever heard of.

          So I gather he hasnt directly denied meeting Dotcom

  3. yeshe 3

    I keep wondering how on earth Kim Dotcom got enough internet access in rural Rodney Coatesville to run his vast stack of computers for Megaupload ????

    And yes, so much more to come on this story … can’t wait.

    • Dv 3.1

      I think the main file servers were in other countries.?

      • ghostwhowalksnz 3.1.1

        Using 5% of the entire internet traffic would be difficult from Coatesville.

        The difficulty in rural areas is for residential users, if you were a business using 100GB per day, which isnt that much it would be done fairly quickly even in Coatesville. There is a whole range of equipment which far exceeds the average home users requirements especially for business and large users

  4. gobsmacked 4

    Yes, David Fisher (Herald) and John Campbell (TV3) have done a good job investigating this story.

    Still, we must never forget, it’s the media’s fault Labour aren’t doing better. Or … something.

    • ropata 4.1

      Seen the front page of the paper lately? It’s either bloody murder or trivia about the rich and famous.

      Reports of destructive govt policies, affecting all NZer’s are seen as boring politics and relegated to the middle pages. Probably because the editor is a gen Y twentysomething with no understanding of social context.

  5. Tiger Mountain 5

    Hilarious to see Mr .Com on a TVNZ7 protest.

    Maybe this curious affair will be the one that sees ShonKey finally get his. A giant german of interest to the FBI thundering through the PM’s electorate in a pink ’59 caddy and donating dosh to Banksie–the other ahem, Newmarket tea bagger, and JK didn’t know he f*****g existed?

  6. Glg 6

    Someone made a very good point about John Key being the head of the SIS, and he still had not heard of Kim Dotcom? That’s a Tui’s moment that.

    • Anne 6.1

      Perhaps the SIS don’t tell him much anymore because they know he’s got a memory like a sieve.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 6.1.1

        Its not his memory , it seems he doesnt do any work, read any papers, make any decisions- they all seem to be made by his underlings.
        His managerial style is ‘dont ask dont tell’

        • Anne 6.1.1.1

          Too true gwwnz. I was being sarcastic. I should have said:

          Perhaps the SIS don’t tell him much anymore, because they know he doesn’t want to know… unless it’s something to his personal advantage to know.

          • mike e 6.1.1.1.1

            he can remember when labour slipped up
            but he must be being advised by Brownoselee
            I know nuthink

          • mike e 6.1.1.1.2

            Key claims he was briefed 1 or 2 days before the raid !

  7. felix 7

    I wish the PM’s office would hurry up and get their lines sorted.

    The post has been up for over 5 hours now and still no show from any of their mouthpieces.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 7.1

      I think their spin is there is a mix up , its the Department of PM and Cabinet, not the PMs private office, which would get those close to Key off the hook. Yeah right

    • mike e 7.2

      like the ctv building manager and Pike river Key Banks none of these over paid high powered people’ they must all be Crosbie textor Clones (clowns).
      I can’t remember yeah right (wing nutters)

  8. Treetop 8

    When 70 cops were deployed to Dotcoms mansion on 20 January 2012 there was a message in this. I think the message was we have the power and the cops were used to send the message from an anonymous source.

    Next Fisher might be raided/set up so he has to watch his back, I just hope he keeps digging and that Dotcom invites him over for a beer.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1

      I think the message was we have the power and the cops were used to send the message from an anonymous source.

      Or was the message, ‘we can’t get the fucking basics right so although we look the business dressed up, all our shit just ends up thrown out as a waste of incorrect procedure, effort and money’

  9. Can anyone tell me why TVNZ has shortened the interview with Key this morning to 58 seconds?  It starts off and then ends abruptly.  We get to miss the interesting stuff …

    • Anne 9.1

      What the hell! That was far too abrupt to have been inadvertent. Why? Key obviously said something that he – or someone influential – wants to keep off-line.

      TVNZ recently revamped it’s online news layout. They made quite a fuss about it, but a noticeable change is that they have buried the ‘political news’ category so that its not quite so readily available. And how many people have noticed they have been cutting back on political stories on the 6pm news including Close Up? Tune into TV3 and the political stories have prime billing. Tune into TV1 and more often than not it’s… nothing.

      TVNZ has become politicised. They are nothing less than a mouthpiece for the NActs. They have their broad instructions from the PM’s office, and heaven help anyone who doesn’t tow the Party-line!

    • yeshe 9.2

      But it is there on the full programme site for On Demand …. here you are .. starts around 31 mins in

      http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast/2012-07-02-video-4952679

      the usual 3D deflect effect … deny, discount, disparage .. so boring and disingenuous.

      • Anne 9.2.1

        Thanks for that yeshe. You’re right it was utterly boring and disingenuous. No wonder they didn’t put the whole thing up. Showed Key up for the shifty, fudging bugger he is:

        “Not sure if that’s an accurate description of what happened… the matter is before the courts so I can’t say anything much… that may or may not be correct blah blah… matter before the courts… its got nothing to do with NZ… Dotcom just happens to be living here… the USA authorities want him extradited and they have been working with our authorities to that end… that’s all there is to it… simple as that.”

    • yeshe 9.3

      mickysavage and Anne .. perhaps it was a genuine error. I emailed to highlight the brevity yesterday and had a reply this morning with a new link from a senior TVNZ news producer ….

      Dear xxxx,

      Many thanks for getting in contact regarding the John Key interview on Breakfast.

      The link below will take you to the full interview.

      http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/john-key-dotcom-saga-video-4952640

      Kind regards and many thanks once again.

      David Dunham
      Senior Producer, onenews.co.nz
      D. 64 9 916 6904
      M. 64 21 299 0011
      david.dunham@tvnz.co.nz
      http://www.facebook.com/ONENewsNZ

  10. jack 10

    Looks like the Herald is coming out with articles that boost Key’s popularity after the asset sales legislation went through. Is there a New Zealand newspaper owned by a New Zealand company I can read? Key definately new about Dot.com but it is interesting the Morgan polls coincidentaly came out with National gaining in the polls. Does anyone believe that? Looks like the media is becoming more of a propaganda machine for Key and National and my gut feeling is the Dotcom issue will be lightly covered. It won’t publish Key lying about not knowing him. Frustrating, very frustrating.

    • Te Reo Putake 10.1

      The Otago Daily Times is still independent, isn’t it?

      • mike e 10.1.1

        Owned by Act National party people

        • Colonial Viper 10.1.1.1

          Financial capital owns the country. And it is far more friendly to NACT than to anyone else. A centre-right Labour might be acceptable at a push.

    • gobsmacked 10.2

      Jack, that is drivel. The media have been covering the DotCom story extensively – including the examples I mentioned above.

      Let’s play a game. David Shearer versus David Fisher. One is leader of the opposition (and well-paid for it). The other is a journo. So, it’s Super Labour versus Nasty Herald. Who will win?

      I’ll start. Here’s David Fisher’s reporting, including many on DotCom, and other gov’t issues.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/david-fisher/news/headlines.cfm?a_id=191

      Now, I invite anyone to demonstrate a similar quality/quantity of output on Dotcom from David Shearer. Questions to the PM? Press statements? Feel free to link and share.

      How long are we going to keep blaming the media for not reporting what Labour are NOT doing?

      • jack 10.2.1

        The media have been covering extensively about Banks and Dot.com.. There isn’t any rebuttel whether Key knew about Dot.com. We all know he did. Read John Armstrong yesterday defending Key which Armstrong says that Key came out with his 10 point plan for whatever is not a diversion to the asset sales saga. Another commentary about how Key is CEO of New Zealand. Also, another article trashing ACC in favour of private insurance. Yet this very article did not associate National with ACC. National has had 4 years to “clean up ACC” but it has gotten worse. I’m going to start reading Otago News.

        • idlegus 10.2.1.1

          don’t bother, even though the odt is locally owned its very tory leaning, john armstrong, nat press releases on third page, the other day on page 3 was a big colour picture of that anne tolley car crushed thing, the infamous ‘hi heels’ shot. i actually think tv3 & nz herald are not too bad.

      • Te Reo Putake 10.2.2

        And yet Labour under Shearer continue to make gains despite your worries, gobsmacked.
         
        Perhaps not being seen as negative and allowing stories to develop at their own pace is a good strategy for the Labour leadership. I note they left Tariana Turia alone last week, when it would have been easy to put the boot in. Maybe Shearer and his advisors are playing the long game and distancing him from the nasty stuff. If so, it does seem to be paying small but incrementally mounting dividends.

        • gobsmacked 10.2.2.1

          TRR

          They are the same gains that Bill English made after 2002. Because the only way was up.

          Given the performance of this PM and gov’t, to suggest that no longer being at an all-time low is an achievement is generous to a fault.

          • Anne 10.2.2.1.1

            At this stage of the electoral cycle, I think it is better that Labour keeps rising by small, incrementally mounting dividends. I don’t want to see too sharp a rise because it could just as easily be followed by a sharp fall.

            Its hard for us politically aware types to understand why – given the performance of this PM and gov’t – Labour’s polling is not higher. But when you consider that a very large portion of the population is seriously politically unaware, then it stands to reason it will take one hell of a lot longer for them to catch up with the political play.

            • Colonial Viper 10.2.2.1.1.1

              But when you consider that a very large portion of the population is seriously politically unaware, then it stands to reason it will take one hell of a lot longer for them to catch up with the political play.

              Labour is out of touch with mainstream NZ. Its run by beltway intellectuals who know how Auckland and Wellington think, but no where else in the country. And Labour also deliberately left behind many of its core supporters, even as it undermined its founding principles to be just another mainstream free market driven political party.

              As Anderton said, it was not he who left Labour.

              “The People’s Flag is Palest Pink”

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k-u3JY0lnA

              • ghostwhowalksnz

                Which page number is all that on Nationals talking points.

                It appears that people like Bill English not qualify as a ‘beltway intellectual’

  11. PoliticallyCorrected 11

    Somethings’ rotten in the state of Denmark. Key & Warners.

  12. Draco T Bastard 12

    Was it Key’s office that told the DoL about the FBI’s interest in Dotcom?

    More than likely – the intelligence services report directly to the PM after all.

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  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
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    18 hours ago
  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
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  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
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  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
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    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    24 hours ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
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    1 day ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
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    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
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  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
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  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
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    1 day ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
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    1 day ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
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    2 days ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
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    2 days ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
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    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
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  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
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  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
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  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
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  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
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  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
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  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
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  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
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  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
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  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
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  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
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  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
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  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
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  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
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    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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