1938 1

Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, May 19th, 2013 - 75 comments
Categories: 1938 - Tags: ,

A while ago a copy of The Standard (version 1.0 – the old newspaper) from 1938 crossed my (r0b’s) desk. Down through the years, lining a shelf in an old wardrobe. It wasn’t in perfect condition, but still perfectly legible.

In 1938 Europe is on the brink of war and Neville Chamberlain declares “peace in our time”. A minimum wage law is announced in America, and Du Pont names its new synthetic yarn “nylon”. Benny Goodman plays the first jazz concert at Carnegie Hall, and Pete Seeger drops out of college to begin his career as a folk singer.

In NZ Labour was in power, after a resounding victory in 1935. Two Ratana-aligned MPs had merged into the Labour Party (giving Labour a total of 55 seats), the beginning of a long association between these two organisations. Our copy of The Standard is from September 15th, 1938. Exactly one month later Labour, led by Michael Joseph Savage, went on to win the 1938 election (with 53 seats). One year after that NZ declared war on Germany at the start of WWII.

It’s a fascinating document, this 1938 copy. The Standard of old was a significant and powerful newspaper, very much more so than the minor amateur blog which now bears its name. I’d like to post (weekly on a Sunday) a section scanned from 1938. Just stuff, sometimes significant articles, sometimes advertisements or whatever, random voices from the past. I hope you’ll enjoy the wander. Some things change, some stay the same.

1938-header
Big version.

1938-audit
Big version.

“I see no reason why the government should apologise for helping the poor, and I am not going to apologise” — Michael Joseph Savage, September 15, 1938.

75 comments on “1938 1 ”

  1. Enough is Enough 1

    A true Labour party that stood for the workers and poor of New Zealand and didn’t cuddle up to business.

    If only that wonderful party hadn’t been hijacked in a corporate takeover which continues to this day.

    • Rhinocrates 1.1

      Oh my God, it’s Banquo’s ghost!

      I see no reason why the government should apologise for helping the poor, and I am not going to apologise.

      Michael Joseph Savage, September 15, 1938.

      Labour makes no apology for stepping in to fix problems in the electricity sector. But this is not a signal that Labour is going to intervene elsewhere in the economy. As we said on the day we launched NZ Power, we have no plans to intervene in any other markets.

      Grant Robertson, Deputy-Leader of the Labour Opposition, 24 April 2013.

      One waves a red flag, the other waves a white flag. Neither apologises. One doesn’t need to.

    • Yes 1.2

      How can this be random story when it is all about labour? Why not the sports page

  2. Dv 2

    It would be good to get a bigger version, so easier to read.

    • r0b 2.1

      See the link “Big version” under each image. Open it in a new window or tab, and magnify if necessary.

      • Dv 2.1.1

        OOps
        Far to easy.
        Sorry!!

        • r0b 2.1.1.1

          No problem. I’ll look in to better ways of doing this.

          Update: OK, never noticed that before, but there is a way to link the image itself to the big version. In future posts in this series just clicking on the image will do the trick (updated this post with the fix too).

    • Clockie 2.2

      Hi Dv. Click on “Big Version” under the pic of the paper and then after it’s loaded use the zoom function of your cursor when you hover over the image. It expands up to a nice clear readable size.

  3. Frankie and Benjy Mouse 3

    I agree a more direct approach to some policies would be better. Even just pointing out lack of “skill” in the current government. For example; sell an asset returning 15% to avoid borrowing at 3%. RONs with poor cost benefits.
    I find I can learn a lot from old papers.
    for more below are links to other papers from the same date 15 Sept 1938 (I think I read that right).
    Auckland Star
    Evening Post

    Niupepa can teach you a lot as well.

  4. ianmac 4

    Good one Clockie. A single mouse click on my Mac on the Biog version. Thanks.

  5. Hilary 5

    That must be about the time the Social Security Act was passed which established the welfare state. It has its 75th anniversary this year but is not being marked by any conference or even a seminar series as far as I can tell – certainly nothing official. Such as pity.

    • RedBaronCV 5.1

      Around about here – leading to MP Mabel Howard’s campaign to extend the unemployment benefits to women who were required to pay social security tax (it was separate from Income Tax) but could not claim the unemployment benefit if out of work. Wealth transfers from females to males nothing much changes.

  6. mac1 6

    Such a record must have been a dream to defend as a politician. It reflects in the 1938 election results. An absolute majority for Labour in seats and votes from a 92% voter turnout.

    A government of high ethical standards with a voice in the community via papers such as the Standard and the newfangled radio was very re-electable. A party of candidates of high ethical standards with a large and active membership base which saw its economic and social betterment very much tied into political activism and awareness was very re-electable. A party which actually produced results for the common good as promised was very re-electable.

    I wonder whether lessons of history are still re-learnable?

    • ghostrider888 6.1

      sorry mac 1, my view on the last line, A Brave New World (consider the machinations of the C.I.A and Feds in Venezuela). Big money trumps Big Labour.

      • mac1 6.1.1

        Yeah, as one interested in history, the view that we are all going down the gurgler, that humanity is on the great decline, that there is no return does not fit with history. There are periods of social recession and periods of social advancement. Big Money was around in the time of the Greeks, Romans, Normans et al. Yet, we have advanced from then- considerably.

        I don’t buy the gloom and doom, but by cripes I’d keep a box of matches handy with some spare kindling, all the same, for any Dark Ages and my powder dry for any Dark Knights that might return.

        • ghostrider888 6.1.1.1

          ah, but the speed of the conveyed electron was not around them thar times.

        • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.2

          mac1, the sustainable long term carrying capacity of this planet is somewhere around 1B population, give or take. 2B if you are being very generous and humanity gets its house in order.

          Whether it is in 25 years time or in 125 years time, that is the way that the numbers will begin to head. The fading away of economically available oil and phosphorus (phosphate rock) absolutely guarantees it. You spoke of history and the Greeks, Romans, Normans – look at what the population of the Earth was during each of those reigns. For 99% of human history, we numbered less than 500M total.

          It is only in the last 300 years that the human population has exceeded the long term carrying capacity of the planet. This is a brand new phenomenon in the 100,000 year history of modern humans, in other words. There is no comforting long term historical trend beyond that because what we are experiencing now is a one-off fossil fueled energy-intense blip on the long time line of the planet.

          Also you spoke of “social advancement” and “social recession”. Actually you need to speak of the creation and destruction of civilisations. Which happens to all civilisations. Do some people survive such an event – of course. But sometimes, not very many at all, and usually under unimaginably changed circumstances.

          • ghostrider888 6.1.1.2.1

            The Vandals, initially, then The Goths. 😀

              • ghostrider888

                only “seems such a Long Time Ago
                (better than ‘church’; the real ‘sacred and profane’)

                • Colonial Viper

                  was just hanging out at a local mall, sadly that’s the real church of the modern day

                  • prism

                    There was a piece on Chris Laidlaw Radionz this a.m. on Christian principles and drive in businesses. They talked about Sanitarium and then got onto the Quakers and Cadbury, Frys etc. They built strong flourishing businesses and found time to give Sundays off for church and family. As you say CV the mall – buy oneself heaven on earth.

                    I read a series by Jean Stubbs on the Howarth family with Quakers in the vanguard steel foundries etc. Wikipedia heading –
                    Ebbw Vale Steelworks was an integrated steel mill located in Ebbw Vale, South Wales. … 4 Richard Thomas & Baldwins; 5 British Steel … In 1793 Homfray bought out his partners with help from the Bristol-based Quaker family the Harfords, who in 1796 … Pulled by teams of horses, in 1829 Chief Engineer Thomas Ellis was …
                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebbw_Vale_Steelworks.

                    • mac1

                      A fascinating piece of radio, especially for a Quaker.

                      The bit that interested me most was the businessman turned Christian who refused to open on a Sunday, allowing all his workers at least one day off in the week, even though it cost him, as a mall lessee. At the end of quite some period, despite his closing one day in the week, he outlasted all his competitors.

                      There is something to be said for being ethical in business. The Quakers discovered that. People prefer to do business with people who are known to be honest, or ethical.

                      I haven’t drunk a Moa’s beer since their anti-homosexual advertising spree. Haven’t suffered much, he said, finishing his glass of another’s fine product.

                  • ghostrider888

                    thats Od, I was thinking of Malls the other day; used to visit them and observe when I lived in, Ak, Palmy, and Christchurch in particular; little ‘worlds’ in themselves, with very clever human-management principles utilised; we don’t have them here, and I do not miss them at all; consider the prices in the food-halls, everything is inflated, $4-6 for a muffin etc; of course we do have the up-market cafe at the local New World…

              • mac1

                I read Shelley’s Ozymandias to my wife on Friday night. The poem is about, of course, the death of civilisations and how we remember them not; nor, as you’ve agreed below, do we talk much about the political leaders of his time.

                Though we do know the type that Shelley described-
                “


. whose frown,
                and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command
.”

                But the thought occurred to me, as we toss ideas about, and lists of Babylonian Kings appear, that Shelley did write a poem about Ozymandias. Mankind survived and flourished after the death of Ozymandias, King of kings. And an Englishman was able to travel, with the leisure of his class, to write a sonnet, a form borrowed from another country and another age, upon a figure of antiquity, and have it published and read by a person in 2013 who had studied it in a university in two small islands in the South Pacific which had barely known man’s footfall for more than a thousand years.

                ” ‘Look upon my works, ye Mighty,and despair!’
                Nothing besides remains. Round the decay
                Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
                The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

                Except for Shelley’s footprints etc etc etc.

                And doubtless, in a few thousand years, they’ll be saying. “Shelley?”

                Reminds me of the poem by RAK Mason.”Latter Day Geography Lesson”

                “This, quoth the Eskimo master
                was London in English times:”

          • mac1 6.1.1.2.2

            Ghostrider888 was talking about Brave New World, corporations and the CIA, and I replied on that basis.

            Global Warming was not part of that discussion, as I saw it.

            Civilisations can sometimes collapse but not necessarily have a huge impact on the ordinary citizens. Who cared if it were the Romans, the Brits or the invading Angles, Saxons, Jutes and their brethren, as rulers who impacted just as much as one or the other upon the locals.

            Civilisations can collapse, dynasties fall, rulers change, but the sum knowledge of humanity is not lost, especially now with widespread disemination of knowledge as a result of GR888’s conveyed electron, nor the science etc, or the basic human beliefs.

            And of course, it can also be disastrous. Where are the Anasazi, the Minoans, the Trojans?

            If I were a woman, a child, a member of other than the majority race, creed, religion, etc., I bet I’d be better off now than in other times in history. As a human race, we have improved.

            But, as you point out, we have another challenge in Global warming. But I did not address that, in my earlier comments- and you are absolutely right. Our present world population and energy consumption both put our civilisation at risk. But, as you say, ordinary folks will still remain.

            The historian in me tells me that humanity actually thrived after the Great Plague. Much more land for every one, wages were better, resources made more available.

            And The Standard debates upon the worth of our political leaders will be much less urgent. 🙂

            • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.2.2.1

              The historian in me tells me that humanity actually thrived after the Great Plague. Much more land for every one, wages were better, resources made more available.

              Oh, I agree things never look that bleak…from the standpoint of individual survivors. (i.e. survivorship bias).

              but the sum knowledge of humanity is not lost

              I tend to think of that as a conceit of modernity. How were the hanging gardens of babylon built? How do you construct a pyramid in the desert? How did the mesopotamians treat infected wounds? We might believe that we know how something was done in theory, but that’s a far different quality and thoroughness of knowledge to actually being able to do it in real life.

              And today massive amounts of knowledge is stored digitally. Books from 500 years ago can still be read today. A book doesn’t care about a power cut, loss of connectivity or hardware failure. On the other hand, digital storage media may not even last 10 years, depending on changes in formats and deterioration of materials. How do you get information off an old 8″ floppy disk from the 1970’s? The basic answer – you can’t.

              If I were a woman, a child, a member of other than the majority race, creed, religion, etc., I bet I’d be better off now than in other times in history. As a human race, we have improved.

              Yes, life today is in general far better than 1000 years ago, but you also have to selectively skip periods of 20th century history to keep to this view. Every generation views itself as smarter and better than the one which came before it. Is it justifiable? Not always.

              And The Standard debates upon the worth of our political leaders will be much less urgent.

              Indeed

              • mac1

                “I tend to think of that as a conceit of modernity.”

                Time for me to say, Yes, that’s true.

              • Draco T Bastard

                A book doesn’t care about a power cut, loss of connectivity or hardware failure.

                Don’t kid yourself. Fire, building collapse, or any of another 1001 things can all happen to books. Ancient Rome and Greece had books – how many from that time survived?

                How do you get information off an old 8″ floppy disk from the 1970â€Čs? The basic answer – you can’t.

                Actually, you probably could depending upon how well it had been stored.

                That latter part is what it really comes down to. How well has something been stored, what backups there are and continuing maintenance up to and including replacement of the original storage media. Get that right and information will last forever. Digital storage has a massive advantage in that it takes up far less room than paper.

                • ghostrider888

                  well I prefer them. 😀

                • Colonial Viper

                  You like complex technological systems and seem convinced that they will be maintainable going forwards. I tend to see them as fragile and breakable.

                  Digital storage has a massive advantage in that it takes up far less room than paper.

                  I notice the USAF is going to iPads for it’s flight manuals. A friend of mine asked – what will they burn for heat when they crash.

  7. Jimmie 7

    Interesting to read that Labour in 1938 resolved much of the unemployment by instigating a major road building policy. Now a days building new roads is considered anathema by the same party.

    Shows how much influence is wielded by the Greens over Labour currently.

    It must be getting claustrophobic in the far left corner with Labour/Greens/Mana all fighting for the same spot to stake their political claim.

    Also how anyone from the left can see Winne First getting into bed with the same have got to be kidding.

    At best Lab/Greens are good for 45% in 2014 – so where is the other 5% coming from??

    Whereas if Lab pitched more to the middle they might steal 5% off the Nats but hmm not looking likely at the moment.

    • Draco T Bastard 7.1

      Shows how much influence is wielded by the Greens over Labour currently.

      No, it shows that Labour have at least been learning about the limits of the world which National is ignoring because it proves them wrong.

      • ghostrider888 7.1.1

        Yep (and no, not sure how much Labour, collectively, have learned, at all).

    • Frankie and Benjy Mouse 7.2

      But building roads doesn’t need as many people today compared to 1938. The cost benefit of the RONS is NOT good. The money is better spent where there WILL be more jobs. Or feeding hungry kids.
      Bill English seems to think it is a SEP (“somebody else’s problem”).
      These are good for hiding your space ship behind a sight screen at Lords Cricket ground but will history show that it is better for the country. I think the future will be better (for everybody) if these hungry kids are fed at school (even if it is the government who feeds them).

    • Colonial Viper 7.3

      Roads made sense 70 years before peak conventional oil. Now, it’s rail which makes sense, and it’s time to start leaving personal road vehicles parked up.

    • Lanthanide 7.4

      “Interesting to read that Labour in 1938 resolved much of the unemployment by instigating a major road building policy. Now a days building new roads is considered anathema by the same party.”

      Isn’t it funny how things change over time? In the 1950’s, it would have been insane for the government to spend money buying computers. Now in the 2010’s it would be insane for them not to spend money buying computers.

      See how time works? How things in one time period make sense, and the same things in a different time period don’t?

    • Chrissy 7.5

      They were probably building a NEW road. NOt rerouting and renovating the old.

    • Tim 7.6

      Actually there was a helluva lot of rail development too http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/21378/new-zealands-rail-network-1880-1940

      And today we seem to make such a big deal about double tracking 10k of rail, or electrification, or building a few tunnels.

    • QoT 7.7

      Now a days building new roads is considered anathema by the same party.

      Totally off the top of my head, but maybe roads don’t vanish into thin air after a year and a day and we kind of have enough at this point? Because, you know, Labour built them when they were needed? Radical notion, I know.

    • millsy 7.8

      In 1938 the roads in this country were shit compared with today. If you wanted to get from Auckland to Whangarei you had a allow a whole day. Now it can be done in a couple of hours.

  8. mac1 8

    I recall hearing John A Lee, Minister of Housing in that Labour Government, speak at Canterbury University in the late sixties, strongly advocating for house building as a major way to boost the economy.

    I note that the population in 1938 was 1.6 million, 40% of today’s population. Savage’s government was building houses at the rate of 4000 a year according to the 1938 Standard, the equivalent of 10,000 a year in 2013 terms. This accords very close parallels to the modern Labour proposal to build 100,000 homes over 10 years.

    Do-able in 1938. Do-able in 2015. Lessons from History, part 2.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1

      The difference being that Lee was advocating the creation of social housing for every NZer, not cheaper homes for the otherwise comfortably off middle class able to pay off a $350,000 mortgage.

      • mac1 8.1.1

        My point still stands, CV. If social housing was possible at this rate in 1938, it’s surely possible now.

        Remember, too, though, and this is an important point, that the state housing of the 1930s and 1940s was housing for the average NZer- not housing just for the poor. The National government of the 1950s changed state housing into housing only for the poor. The state housing of the First Labour Govt was comfortable enough for average state civil servants to enjoy, and was provided for them as well.

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1

          Yes, true.

        • ghostrider888 8.1.1.2

          saw commentary on tele that a proposal by Industry / developers to address cost of building materials is to permit greater imports of affordable (cheap) materials, likely ex South East Asia; up go the climatic risks, down go the building standards.

          • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.2.1

            Home buyers will get a small fraction of the short term materials savings, the corporates will collect the rest for themselves thank you very much.

  9. prism 9

    Please do show the 1938 items. And some things remain the same, so we are faced with the variety of problems as then. One difference though we here now are living and breathing but some economic terrorists cut out the heart of Labour and ate it.

  10. Pete 10

    There are runs of The Standard held by the Turnbull Library and Victoria University in Wellington, Auckland University, and the Hocken Library in Dunedin. It’s a pity it’s not on Papers Past. In terms of contemporary newspapers, if there’s any need for context, there’s a run of the Auckland Star online to the end of 1945.

  11. Ad 11

    See if your local library has “The New Deal: a 75 anniversary celebration”, by Kathryn A. Flynn. A seriously beautiful homage, full of rich murals, epoch-making architecture, and orchestrated social combustion. The book emphasizes that revival was not only within hard infrastructure, but also within culture, and conservation, and basic civic-mindedness. Under the guidance of President Roosevelt, the New Deal:

    – Oversaw the planting of 3 billion trees, the construction of over 46,000 bridges, and the restoration of 360 Civil War battlefields
    – Created or nurtured over 30 symphonic orchestras, including those in San Francisco, Cleveland, and Chicago
    – Provided new homes and towns for thousands of impoverished Americans
    -Offered support and encouragement to such writers as John Steinbeck, Studs Terkel, John Cheever, and Stetson Kennedy
    – Provided work for thousands of artists whose creations grace many of American buildings today
    – Launched the photographic careers of Dorothea Lage, Gordon Parks, and ben Shahn

    I still have the Savage portrait in my study. His like may never appear again here. But if there were ever to be another New Deal type effort in New Zealand, it would need to be about more than utility and poverty alleviation and hard infrastructure. It would have to inspire movements beyond itself. It would be not only a legacy of personal elevation, it would have left a legacy within the imagination.

    • Colonial Viper 11.1

      This.

    • ghostrider888 11.2

      Two.

    • Puddleglum 11.3

      Three.

      It is a right-wing and middle-class conceit that working class people have no need for, or capacity to appreciate the best music, literature, poetry and art that our culture has to offer. It’s the same kind of thinking that justifies charter schools – that will basically be secondary school trade colleges – for Aranui children.

      One of my pet hates is the unctuous criticisms by right-wing politicians of state-funding of the arts – they call it intellectual and cultural elitism.

      The real elitism and snobbery, though, is the implication that working people have no inclinations or desire to enjoy what those same right-wing critics spend their time enjoying. Hypocrites.

        • ghostrider888 11.3.1.1

          wonderful movie; I’m as downbeat as they blow. 😀

        • mac1 11.3.1.2

          Or something like the Ros Valley Miners’ Choir singing “Ave Verum”. Music was what made working in a stinking, dirty and dangerous colliery possible since it offered an absolute contrast to the pit. This gave us Welsh choirs and colliery brass bands.

          It was one of the joys of my theatrical life to play the part of the euphonium player, Harry, in Brassed Off along with our local A grade brass band and to finish the play by ‘conducting’ them (whilst they ignored me, since I couldn’t conduct properly) as they played Rossini’s William Tell Overture. Their playing was superb and based as it was on the Grimesthorpe Colliery band, it was music at its best, played by working class folk. Most of our local band were, too. The conductor’s an engineer, the players were civil servants, Air Force, or working folk.

          I got to sit in the middle of this band as they played the Florentiner March, slow hymn airs, and ‘Orange juice’ by Rodrigo; it was thrilling, spine-chilling magic, transcendant of class, background or educational achievement.

      • ghostrider888 11.3.2

        I’ve observed the “manufactured” tastes of the middle-classes and above; we discussed this topic today, deconstructing the chattels in television advertisements set in and around the homes of the ‘target’ demographic / s.

    • xtasy 11.4

      WOW, and that could all be physically, mentally and financially “done” then, while English serves us up a half baked, crap budget? Times have changed, since Chicago Boys gangsters took over the reign!

  12. Jenny 12

    I see no reason why the government should apologise for helping the poor, and I am not going to apologise. Michael Joseph Savage, circa 1938

    I see no reason why the Government should apologise for helping the rich, and I am not going to apologise. John Key, circa 2013.

  13. Chrissy 13

    I wonder how long johnkeys mother stayed in her state house?

  14. Chrissy 14

    I would love to see that article taken out as a full page ad in the Herald. And it is so right that national ARE just reactionaries.NO policies of their own but react to anything that Labour/Greens bring. Such a sad little bunch of losers.Even if they win the next election national will always be losers.

    • Puddleglum 14.1

      Good idea about the ad in the paper.

      I also noticed that, when referring to the National Party as reactionaries, the article pointed out that they (the reactionary opposition National Party) could never leave Labour’s achievements in place because that would upset their moneyed backers.

  15. North 15

    Oh Goodness…….12 years and one month before the day of my birth. Not a very long time in the scheme of things. I feel the essence of what he said. Get fucked selfish people. These rules still apply !

  16. xtasy 16

    Amazing stuff, thanks for presenting this publication from 1938. I have a strong interest in history, and that encompasses all parts of the world, certainly also New Zealand. I wish more people would learn and understand the history of social and worker’s rights policies in NZ, and we would the “there” to win in 2014. Maybe show this to Shearer and co also, just to “remind” them?!

  17. Macro 17

    And that is all that is needed today… But you tell that to the young Labourite of today – and they will Never Believe You!

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  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    3 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    3 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    4 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    4 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    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 ...
    5 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    5 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    5 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    5 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    5 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins
 but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    6 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid

    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ƍ rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapĆ« o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapƫ o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tƫ ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupƍ Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te WaikoropupĆ« Springs (also known as PupĆ« Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te WaikoropupĆ« Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
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