$12 billion on roads no-one will use

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, August 12th, 2012 - 58 comments
Categories: transport - Tags:

Research from the Green Party shows that the $12 billion ‘Roads of National Significance’, the bulk of the next decade’s transport budget, would be on routes that carry just 4% of the country’s traffic. So, the other 96% of us are paying nearly $3,000 a head for roads that bugger all people will use. Traffic on many of the routes is actually falling.

Meanwhile, the CityRail Link that would double Auckland’s rail capacity and, so, slash motorway congestion waits forlornly for $1b from the Government.

And lets not forget that the effect of projects like Transmission Gully is to induce more traffic, adding to our $8.3 billion a year oil bill and sending more traffic into congested zones.

So, National’s policy is to spend $12 billion on routes that few use, will cause more downstream congestion, and further deepen our expensive oil addiction, while the Green option is projects that will carry more people for less, reduce congestion, and reduce our oil bill. Is there any real choice?

58 comments on “$12 billion on roads no-one will use ”

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  1. Dr Terry 1
    12 August 2012 at 11:08 am

    This is NZ “heading in the right direction? Well, if we are, the government is intent on using the wrong means.
    Note (again) the clever and bold initiative of the Green Party!

  2. TighyRighty 2
    12 August 2012 at 11:49 am

    4%of traffic is far different from 4% of the population. How many individuals will use, not trips made, the Auckland rail loop?

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      12 August 2012 at 11:52 am

      If you are interested in offloading pressure on roads, road trips saved is a crucial metric.

      • TighyRighty 2.1.1
        12 August 2012 at 7:28 pm

        I never said it wasn’t. All I pointed out was that the stats being bandied around had little on each other not being a straigh comparison.

  3. captain hook 3
    12 August 2012 at 12:06 pm

    what would happen if 4% of the population stayed home and read a book?

  4. Julie Anne Genter 4
    12 August 2012 at 12:46 pm

    Thanks for the post. To clarify, it’s not even really original research, we just did some maths with Government numbers.

    MoT daily household travel survey states a very realistic 11 million vehicle trips in NZ each day.
    NZTA traffic volumes show there are about 400,000 daily vehicles on the remaining routes. (Not counting Vic Park tunnel because that’s completed).

    So, 75% of money on new infrastructure over the next ten years will be spent improving (and we’re not even talking huge improvements here) 4% of the vehicle trips.

    Since the traffic growth on these routes isn’t higher than growth in trips overall, that percentage won’t be getting bigger over time.

    TightyRighty, you’re right that percentage of trips is not equivalent to number of people. But unlike the RoNS, the CRL will benefit more than just the people directly using it. In fact, the biggest overall economic benefit in the business case accrues to road users in the Auckland region. So, 80,000 people take the train, but that also improves the journeys of those travelling by bus and by car.

    (80,000 is also almost 3 times the number of people forecast to be using Puhoi to Wellsford in 30 years…)

    • DJ 4.1
      12 August 2012 at 6:08 pm

      Can I ask what percentage of Auckland users will use the rail loop?

      What percentage of New Zealanders will use the rail loop?

      And lastly, what percentage of North Shore residents will use the rail loop?

      • Carol 4.1.1
        12 August 2012 at 6:35 pm

        Isn’t the rail loop going to relief some of the congestion at Britomart?

        Britomart is already fast becoming too small for the number of people (mostly Aucklanders, I guess?) who use it. Already we have to sit in trains outside the one rail entrance to Britomart, waiting for a berth to free up. It’s very frustrating when your train has been on time up to that point.

        This is only going to get worse in the future as there is a continual rise in the numbers of people traveling to and from Britomart by train. As well as providing a 2nd entrance to Britomart, it looks to me that it will enable some people to get to the central city destinations without going through Britomart at all.

        http://transportblog.co.nz/tag/cbd-rail-tunnel/

        • handle 4.1.1.1
          12 August 2012 at 9:30 pm

          Doesn’t that rail loop mean they can fit more trains on the other lines as well, not just for people going into the city centre? And handle the load from a new airport train and from more buses to Botany and the North Shore?

  5. Psycho Milt 5
    12 August 2012 at 1:42 pm

    If any one section of road was carrying a significant percentage of the country’s traffic, that would be something to complain about. It would be a terrible indictment of our transport system. Having your traffic distributed over a large number of roads is a good thing, not a bad one – which means even the highest-used sections of highway don’t carry a significant percentage of the country’s traffic on them, and which also means complaining about road upgrades on the basis of what percentage of the country’s traffic they handle is obviously stupid.

  6. Julie Anne Genter 6
    12 August 2012 at 4:12 pm

    Psycho Milt,

    The reason I brought this up was simply to point out that the amount of money being spent is disproportionate to the number of trips they will affect.

    The Government is saying, we’re proud to be spending billions on “roads” — which is disingenuous. These new motorways won’t affect most people’s car trips. More road users in Auckland would benefit from the CRL. More road users in Wellington would benefit from more frequent, reliable and affordable commuter train services and some targeted safety upgrades.

    A new alignment of a motorway is at least 4 times costlier than safety upgrades and passing lanes — which achieve the same benefit, perhaps greater benefits because they are less likely to induce new traffic and fringe development.

    Why spend $12b on a few new alignments, when you could spend $4-6 billion to upgrades these routes, and have a few billion left over for the CRL, some busways in Auckland, better PT in Wellington and Christchurch, invest more into rail freight and coastal shipping, maintaining and upgrading our existing roads (which are being neglected because all the money is being sucked up by these big projects)?

    All of those things would benefit road user more than what the Government is doing.

    • Colonial Viper 6.1
      12 August 2012 at 4:15 pm

      Keep up the good work. Good to see you on The Standard.

    • bad12 6.2
      12 August 2012 at 4:29 pm

      Nice work on Gerry in the House, half the time i don’t think He is avoiding answering the question, seems He hasn’t the intellectual capacity to carry those answers round in His head,

      From what i have seen of Wellington rail there would be as much a case for building enhanced car-parking at a number of rail stations as there is for building anything that gets more cars from all directions to the bottom of Ngaraunga Gorge at the same time…

    • Psycho Milt 6.3
      12 August 2012 at 8:28 pm

      The question of whether these motorway projects justify diverting funding from other roading projects is worthy of consideration, but the fact that the motorway projects only cover 4% of traffic is irrelevant.

      Also: yes, we in the many hick towns of NZ are forking out for motorways in Auckland and Wellington, and yes, commuters in those cities would benefit more from improved commuter rail. But those of us in NZ’s hick towns do occasionally have cause to visit Auckland and Wellington, both for work and pleasure, and when we do we’re bloody glad previous govts have kitted those places out with motorways. We couldn’t give a rat’s ass about whether the local commuters are provided with an excellent public transport system or not, for fairly obvious reasons.

      • Draco T Bastard 6.3.1
        12 August 2012 at 8:52 pm

        We couldn’t give a rat’s ass about whether the local commuters are provided with an excellent public transport system or not, for fairly obvious reasons.

        Yep, very obvious – it’s because you’re stupid.

        • Psycho Milt 6.3.1.1
          12 August 2012 at 9:20 pm

          Really? Try reading the post again – disdain of worthwile publicly funded infrastructure you’re unlikely to use is apparently all the rage.

          • Colonial Viper 6.3.1.1.1
            12 August 2012 at 9:32 pm

            I’d just like a $10 train ride from the airport into the centre of the city, like most civilised cities have.

          • Draco T Bastard 6.3.1.1.2
            12 August 2012 at 10:29 pm

            It’s a question of which ones are worth supporting. The RoNS aren’t.

            And I was specifically responding to the line I quoted. You’d be better off when you visited Auckland if PT had been installed rather than roads so “couldn’t give a rat’s ass” about it is quite stupid.

            • Psycho Milt 6.3.1.1.2.1
              13 August 2012 at 6:27 am

              I would? This is an article of faith for the Greens, but the evidence suggests cities based on sprawl and the accompanying low population density aren’t going to be public transport success stories, at least not unless hugely subsidised. Auckland is going to have a lot of road traffic no matter how much the rest of us subsidise a rail system for it.

    • xtasy 6.4
      13 August 2012 at 12:23 am

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWtCittJyr0

      Julie Anne –

      So far I am impressed and want to encourage you on your good work! This is what Parliament, the public and NZ in general need, the truth to be told!

      If only the media would heed this a bit more and come to the party and do their jobs!

      Keep up the good work, and tell your Green Party members that have not had much chance yet, or feel a bit less motivated, to do the same and hammer this useless, lying government with heaps of written and oral questions!

      I will consider voting Green again, as long as you guys keep it up and keep honest and committed!

    • xtasy 6.5
      13 August 2012 at 1:09 am

      Julie Anne –

      and NEVER get hung up for your bit of accent!

      NZers are generally not that bad and can be very open minded, especially in the cities. So many will love your honesty, openness, and they “love” Americans that are progressive, real and honest! You can only win, win and win, if you keep your work up!

    • KJT 6.6
      13 August 2012 at 8:50 am

      I do not entirely agree about this.

      One of the most effective ways of relieving congestion in Auckland is to encourage industry and workers to relocate to the regions.

      Effective transport links and satellite towns are more congruent with how New Zealanders like to live, than high density cities.

      Too much is being spent on a few roads, but the road and rail links to Northland do need to be substantially upgraded.

      The Kaimai road and rail links also had theoretical negative ROI when built. The costs of linking the sleepy hollow that was Tauranga to the Waikato would not have met the test at the time either.

      Look at the real ROI, now.

      Marsden Point is the only New Zealand port with the depth and access for larger more fuel efficient ships.

      We should be investing in a effective transport infrastructure for the future. When fuel prices will be much higher and electricity may be the only energy we can afford.

      • handle 6.6.1
        13 August 2012 at 10:24 am

        Electrified rail, you mean.

      • Tracey 6.6.2
        13 August 2012 at 10:43 am

        KJT, people know about high unemployment and other problems int he far north, they also know that what you suggest could be an answer. They don’t really want answers for problems like this… that’s one reason it gets so little attention. NOW a highway from Auckland to Wellsford to save ten minutes in a car….

        We also need fewer ports, something which makes alot of sense. BUT this is hindered by the business model which sees a proliferation of ports, and freight companies playing them all off against each other for lower and lower prices…

    • Tracey 6.7
      13 August 2012 at 10:39 am

      STOP MAKING SENSE, use more rhetoric and half truths…

  7. blue leopard 7
    12 August 2012 at 5:36 pm

    MUSIC BREAK

    All together now folks!

    “We’re on the Road To Nowhere”

  8. BM 8
    12 August 2012 at 6:09 pm

    Voters love roads.

    • Carol 8.1
      12 August 2012 at 6:36 pm

      There’s plenty of voters who love (and use) rail, including some Auckland Nat voters I know.

      • BM 8.1.1
        12 August 2012 at 6:44 pm

        Great thing about roads though, is that they are multi-use.
        Bikes can go on roads
        Buses can go on roads
        Cars can go on roads
        Motorbikes can go on roads
        Trucks can go on roads

        vs Rail
        Trains can go on rail
        Hmm

        • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.1
          12 August 2012 at 6:46 pm

          And roads are still far less efficient than rail.

        • blue leopard 8.1.1.2
          12 August 2012 at 6:58 pm

          If that is the only thing going against rail, then:

          tiny trains,
          medium sized trains
          slightly larger than normal trains
          really large trains

          could be designed, no?

          …And bikers could use the tracks if they really felt like it…

          • Jim Nald 8.1.1.2.1
            12 August 2012 at 7:49 pm

            And …

            Trains carry bikes into the city that can be used around CBD

            Trains carry cars as per European motorail trains eg
            http://www.seat61.com/Motorail.htm

            Trains can carry lots with some planning and organising

            • BM 8.1.1.2.1.1
              12 August 2012 at 7:53 pm

              Don’t get me wrong I’m not anti train, I just personally think we need to get our roading network sorted first.
              At the moment I think roading gives us a few more options.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                12 August 2012 at 8:23 pm

                The problem is that it’s impossible to get our roading network sorted. Adding more roads, adds more congestion and thus increases the waste of resources.

                • fatty …
                  12 August 2012 at 8:43 pm

                  True, the last thing our urban centres need is to charge ahead and blindly build more road,s as if it was still the 1950s. NZ actually needs to reconstruct roads into cycle friendly roads. Auck, Wgtn and Chch can all easily be reconfigured to accommodate cyclists and buses.
                  Around the world in progressive cities car driving is being stigmatised the same way we do to smokers…maybe we’ll catch on in another 20 years. Its a shame poor people don’t drive, our government would attack it with everything they have

              • Colonial Viper …
                13 August 2012 at 1:05 am

                Don’t get me wrong I’m not anti train, I just personally think we need to get our roading network sorted first.

                Classic “reasonable voice” discussion delaying tactic.

              • Tracey …
                13 August 2012 at 10:47 am

                “Don’t get me wrong I’m not anti train, I just personally think we need to get our roading network sorted first.
                At the moment I think roading gives us a few more options.”

                Don’t you think the way the roads have been dealt with, a blueprint which continues today, is unlikely to solve the problem with the “network”. Why would doing the same thing we always do get a better result this time?

        • Kotahi Tāne Huna 8.1.1.3
          12 August 2012 at 7:04 pm

          In his next amazing revelation, BM will explain how he worked all this out while reading Thomas The Tank Engine.

        • bad12 8.1.1.4
          12 August 2012 at 7:25 pm

          Behold BM, the birth of a truly inspirational genius,(while obviously suffering brain damage)…

        • rosy 8.1.1.5
          12 August 2012 at 7:53 pm

          Trains can go on rail
          And people can go on trains more efficiently – and in the end, that’s what we’re trying to move. (and bikes can go on trains).

        • Tracey 8.1.1.6
          13 August 2012 at 10:44 am

          You’re right, and it’s an argument for both sides.

          Sadly, like many who want roads more roads and even more roads, you miss the point. It’s not rail and eradicate all roads… it’s more rail than we have, and less road expansion.

  9. Poission 9
    12 August 2012 at 7:23 pm

    In wellington the problem is less acute ie less reason to travel to.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/commercial-property/7453779/Wellington-offices-and-shops-sitting-empty

    Less work,fewer customers decreased demand.

    • prism 9.1
      12 August 2012 at 8:26 pm

      But I saw last week that a commuter with bike trying to travel at peak time was ordered off the train. Apparently the only place to be was near a door and the bike was a hazard. This isn’t good and people with bikes should be able to travel at all times. There needs to be an option at peak times, where a biker can stand up beside the bike in a freight wagon if they have run out of available bike storage.

      • xtasy 9.1.1
        13 August 2012 at 1:01 am

        I lived in the Hamburg suburban area for a few years, taking a bike onto a local train was no issue at all. Only at peak times, as far as I remember, were bike riders and owners taking it on board expected to pay a little surcharge!

        It shows that NZ has a long way to go. It can be done, it will be done, but NZ governments are so ridiculously petty and backward, they almost always look for every excuse NOT to advance matters and policies.

        Wakey, wakey, David, are you there? May be a little hint and idea YOUR team has failed to acknowledge or get aware of?

  10. captain hook 10
    12 August 2012 at 8:04 pm

    take two options and go to bed.

  12. xtasy 12
    13 August 2012 at 12:56 am

    Dear all –

    Re public transport the debate can go on forever, but with fossil fuel costs definitely going to increase substantially due to increased demand by growing populations and new growing economies using traditional transport forms (in India, China, Brazil and many other countries), and also new resources going to be limited, there is NO alternative to switch as soon as possible to alternative, public transport systems at least in the major centres of NZ. For discussion and information just have a look at a very few selected bits of information on the following websites:

    http://www.trforum.org/forum/downloads/2006_2A_EffAnalysis_paper.pdf
    http://urbanhabitat.org/node/344
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curitiba
    http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-03-02-best-public-transportation-europe_N.htm
    http://www.thepep.org/en/workplan/urban/documents/Chisinau/Presentations/13Bruehwiler.pdf

    All this is just limited info, and more is available. I am sure those that do thorough research, will realise, NZ is behind with public transport investment and usage, and substantial investments are needed here, no matter what modes of PT may be preferred, to get things moving and to prepare for a more energy efficient future.

    Now does anyone within Labour perhaps get this? It may offer a kind of positive “difference” to what National offers in policies, would it not?

    Wakey, wakey!

    • Colonial Viper 12.1
      13 August 2012 at 12:57 am

      Now does anyone within Labour perhaps get this? It may offer a kind of positive “difference” to what National offers in policies, would it not?

      Yeah man a few of us are paying attention.

  13. xtasy 13
    13 August 2012 at 3:01 am

    No matter what dollares will be assigned and spent, it is going to be a sick joke under this government. No common sense and intelligencia, I’d say. I take consolation with following musica, or I’d go isane in this sadly to “limited” country with “narrow” minds:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb4RauhteFA

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcm55lU9knw&feature=relmfu
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=ogD8UDiMe1g
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=a40lR-hiO4E

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmK9GylXRh0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELKpKwG4rzo&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLk4EH9FWwI&feature=list_other&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9B2sZNXZqQk4WKZJE_bU2ix

    Boa noite my friends.

  15. marsman 15
    13 August 2012 at 8:20 am

    Notice how the spin on these Roads of National Party Significance is that they will bring Economic Benefits, ha ha like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Meanwhile they are doing their best to destroy Kiwirail. Brains in the National Party?

    • handle 15.1
      13 August 2012 at 10:27 am

      The official cost-benefit analysis reports for those roads mainly say they cost more than they bring. Now the Minister and his servant in charge claim otherwise. Based on what? Keep pressing them, Julie-Anne.

    • Tracey 15.2
      13 August 2012 at 10:50 am

      Well, already it’s resulted in a rates revolt up there in holiday paradise due to the over payment for sewerage. Those Aucklanders in their holiday homes want to poo in peace but not pay for it… maybe they have a disproportionate amount of irritable bowel syndrome, which is why the trip up there needs to be ten minutes shorter???? Is that what you mean by economic benefit??

  16. KJT 16
    13 August 2012 at 11:58 am

    12 Billion into roads to please the trucking lobby.

    A few 100 million into rail.

    Zero into coastal shipping.

    When oil is likely to steeply increase in price in future, even if we do not have to fight a war to get any at all.

    Roads do need upgrading to the regions, but the priorities are all skewed.

    Improving Auckland transport at the expense of the regions is also just going to compound the problem of congestion in Auckland.

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    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    15 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    16 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    19 hours ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    19 hours ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    19 hours 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
    20 hours ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    21 hours ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    22 hours ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    23 hours ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 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
    9 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours 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
    22 hours ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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