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Comment: Open mike 05/02/2025
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 10:35 am, February 5th, 2025
Comment: Open mike 06/09/2024
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 10:40 am, September 6th, 2024
Actually, most inflation was caused by covid related bottlenecks and delays not increased gvmt spending. Supply side caused not demand side. The idea it was all or mostly due to gvmt spending is a tired right wing myth. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ ...Comment: Open mike 06/05/2024
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 4:58 pm, May 6th, 2024
The DIA information paper where the one news article you cite obtained those estimates says that the $800 to $1640 increase is over 30 years. In other words what the increase is estimated to be in 30 years for the average household. McAnulty wasn't talking ...Comment: Chris Hipkins – Values Matter
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 6:16 pm, March 26th, 2024
Well said Vivie.Comment: Open mike 14/02/2024
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 1:51 pm, February 14th, 2024
Aka an almighty messComment: Open mike 31/10/2023
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 8:38 pm, October 31st, 2023
It seems to me you are either dreaming yourself (ironically) or trolling. Maybe you should go to Kiwiblog instead of here. Previous electoral successes are no guarantee of future as any student of political science would point out. National-Act party 2023 ...Comment: Daily review 25/10/2023
Written By: Chris76 - Date published: 10:15 am, October 26th, 2023
Maybe he's contacted Jacinda derangement syndrome, or is doing his bit to appeal to those who have it, many of whom would have voted for national, act or nz first. Maybe the more respect he has from the rabidly anti jacinda people, the more power he has in ...
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- A mini-hoon on the OCR cut & the housing market
Long story short, I spoke to Core Logic Head of Research Nick Goodall & Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) CEO Jen Baird for a 15 minute mini-Hoon last night after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced it had cut the Official Cash Rate 50 bps to 3.75% ...19 minutes ago - Peters’ developing Pacific crisis
There is a widening fear in Wellington that the Cook Islands – China deal is in danger of becoming a foreign policy crisis. Foreign Minister Winston Peters yesterday delivered a blunt assessment of the situation saying that New Zealand wanted to reset and restate the formal parameters of the relationship ...3 hours ago - Showing the Americans how to do it II
In 2022, Brazilian voters kicked president Jair Bolsonaro out of office. He responded with an attempted coup. And now, he's being prosecuted for it: Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president, was charged Tuesday with overseeing a vast scheme to hold on to power after he lost the 2022 election, including ...15 hours ago - I no longer believe that Aotearoa and Peter Thiel are compatible
Tomorrow afternoon, if things go really really badly, I may find myself down to one eye. People who used to sneer at me on Twitter will no doubt say So what's changed? Nothing, that's what, you one-eyed lefty.I don’t mean to be dramatic, it’s just a routine bit of cataract ...16 hours ago - Member’s Day
Today is the first Members Day of the year. First up is a local bill, the Auckland Council (Auckland Future Fund) Bill, which is pretty boring. And then we get some fireworks, with the Committee Stage of Camilla Belich's Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill. This made it past its ...20 hours ago
- Really?
22 hours ago - PM Under Pressure
All your life is Time magazineI read it tooWhat does it mean?PressureI'm sure you'll have some cosmic rationaleBut here you are with your faithAnd your Peter Pan adviceYou have no scars on your faceAnd you cannot handle pressureSongwriter: Billy Joel.Christopher Luxon is under pressure from all sides. The reviews are ...24 hours ago - ‘Where will your kids raise your grand-kids?’
After seeing yet-more-months of political debate and policy decisions to ‘go for growth’ by pulling the same old cheap migration and cheap tourism levers without nearly-enough infrastructure, or any attempt to address the same old lack of globally conventional tax incentives for investment, I thought it would be worth issuing ...24 hours ago
- Pūmanawa Downtown West
The plans for the buildings that will replace the downtown carpark have been publicly notified giving us the first detailed glance at what is proposed for one of the biggest and best development sites in the city centre. The council agreed to sell the site to Precinct Properties for $122 ...1 day ago - How the Reserve Bank is helping farmers and the Nats re-election chances
With the Reserve Bank expected today to return the Official Cash Rate to where it was in mid-2022 comes a measure of how much of a psychological impact the rate has. Federated Farmers has published its latest six-monthly farm confidence survey, which shows that profit expectations have fallen and risen ...1 day ago
- Hospitals now rejecting patients from waitlists due to BMI – after 80 year olds rejected due t...
Kiwis Disallowed From Waiting Lists Based on Arbitrary MeasuresWellington hospital are now rejecting patients from specialist waiting lists due to BMI (body mass index).This article from Rachel Thomas for The Post says it all (emphasis mine):A group of Porirua GPs are sounding alarm bells after patients with body mass indexes ...1 day ago - Police want to ban protests
The "Independent" Police Conduct Authority issued a radical report today, a Review of the policing of public protests in New Zealand, in which they propose a complete rewrite of protest law, to restrict public protests and enable the police to ban them at a whim. Protest organisers would be forced ...2 days ago
- Sabin 33 #20 – Is offshore wind development harmful to whales and other marine life?
On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...2 days ago - Just give me a moment to slap on some more possum grease
The Prime Minister says he's really comfortable with us not knowing the reoffending rate for his boot camp programme.They asked him for it at yesterday’s press conference, and he said, nah, not telling, have to respect people's privacy.Okay I'll bite. Let's say they release this information to us:The rate of ...2 days ago - What Can We Do?
2 days ago - A presidential crypto pump-and-dump.
This may be rhetorical but here goes: did any of you invest in the $Libra memecoin endorsed and backed by Argentine president and darling of the global Right Javier Milei (who admitted to being paid a fee for his promotion of the token)? You know, the one that soared above ...2 days ago - Willis and Rennie speaking
Last week various of the great and good of New Zealand economics and public policy trooped off to Hamilton (of all places) for the annual Waikato Economics Forum, one of the successful marketing drives of university’s Vice-Chancellor. My interest was in the speeches delivered by the Minister of Finance and ...2 days ago
- Tuesday 18 February
The Prime Minister says the Government would be open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine if a ceasefire was reached. The government has announced a $30 million spend on tourism infrastructure and biodiversity projects, including $11m spent to improve popular visitor sites and further $19m towards biodiversity efforts. A New Zealand-born ...2 days ago - No, renewables don’t need expensive backup power on today’s grids
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler “But what about when the sun doesn't shine?!” Ah yes, the energy debate’s equivalent of “The Earth is flat!” Every time someone mentions solar or wind power, some self-proclaimed energy expert emerges from the woodwork to drop this supposedly devastating truth bomb: ...2 days ago
- Does the New Zealand rail network actually serve New Zealanders?
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. In this article I look into data on how well the rail network serve New Zealanders, and how many people might be able to travel by train… if we ran more than a ...2 days ago
- I’ve Seen Enough: Donald Trump is the Antichrist
Hi,Before we get into Hayden Donnell’s new column about how yes, Donald Trump is definitely the Antichrist, I wanted to touch on something feral that happened in New Zealand last week.Members of Destiny Church pushed and punched their way into an Auckland library, apparently angry it was part of Pride ...2 days ago
- The ambulances at the bottom of our cliffs are full
Despite delays, logjams and overcrowding in our emergency departments, funding constraints are limiting the numbers of nurses and doctors being trained. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, February 18 are:A NZ Herald investigation ...2 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On Why Europe Is Being Made To Go It Alone
Now that the US has ripped up the Atlantic alliance, Europe is more vulnerable now than at any time since the mid-1930s. Apparently, Europe and Ukraine itself will not have a seat at the table in the talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin that will ...2 days ago - Hugo’s Rainbow and the Church of Angry Brian
Olivia and Noah and Hana are going to the library!It is fun to go to the library. It has books and songs and mat time and people who smile at you and say, Hello Olivia, what have you been doing this morning?The library is more fun than the mall. At ...3 days ago - Adapting To Trump’s Changing Climate.
New World Orders: The challenge facing Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins is how to keep their small and vulnerable nation safe and stable in a world whose economic and political climate the forty-seventh American president is changing so profoundly.IT IS, SURELY, the ultimate Millennial revenge fantasy. Calling senior Baby-Boomer and Gen-X ...3 days ago - The First Twenty-Four Days: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
“This might surprise you, Laurie, but I reckon Trump’s putting on a bloody impressive performance.”“GOODNESS ME, HANNAH, just look at all those Valentine’s Day cards!”“Occupational hazard, Laurie, the more beer I serve, the more my customers declare their undying love!”“Crikey! I had no idea business was so good.” Laurie squinted ...3 days ago
- Restore birthright citizenship
In 2005, Labour repealed the long-standing principle of birthright citizenship in Aotearoa. Why? As with everything else Labour does, it all came down to austerity: "foreign mothers" were supposedly "coming to this country to give birth", and this was "put[ting] pressure on hospitals". Then-Immigration Minister George Hawkins explicitly gave this ...3 days ago
- Everyone Must Go
And I just hope that you can forgive usBut everything must goAnd if you need an explanation, nationThen everything must goSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Today, I’d like to talk about a couple of things that happened over the weekend:Brian Tamaki’s Library Invasion and ...3 days ago - Monday 17 February
New reporting highlights how Brooke van Velden refuses to meet with the CTU but is happy to meet with fringe Australian-based unions. Van Velden is pursuing reckless changes to undermine the personal grievance system against the advice of her own officials. Engineering New Zealand are saying that hundreds of engineers ...3 days ago
- Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill
The NZCTU strongly supports the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill. This Bill represents a positive step towards addressing serious issues around unlawful disparities in pay by protecting workers’ rights to discuss their pay and conditions. This Bill also provides welcome support for helping tackle the prevalent gender and ...3 days ago
- CRL Testing begins
Years of hard work finally paid off last week as the country’s biggest and most important transport project, the City Rail Link reached a major milestone with the first test train making its way slowly though the tunnels for the first time. This is a fantastic achievement and it is ...3 days ago
- ‘The funds for infrastructure projects need to be prioritised and released’
Engineers are pleading for the Government to free up funds to restart stalled projects. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, February 17 are:Engineering New Zealand CEO Richard Templer said yesterday hundreds of ...3 days ago - McCully resurfaces; “don’t subcontract our foreign policy to Australia”
It’s one of New Zealand’s great sustaining myths: the spirit of ANZAC, our mates across the ditch, the spirit of Earl’s Court, Antipodeans united against the world. It is also a myth; it is not reality. That much was clear from a series of speakers, including a former Australian Prime ...3 days ago
- Chaos Incorporated: from America to Aotearoa, the hits seem to keep coming harder and faster…
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...3 days ago - 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #07
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...3 days ago
- Recession & local protests drag National below Labour
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...4 days ago
- Death and The Maiden
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...4 days ago - Destiny Church
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...4 days ago
- Fact brief – Is sea level rise exaggerated?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...4 days ago
- Why Does Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church Terrorise With Impunity in New Zealand?
White nationalist groups in the US have been terrorising LGBTQ communities for years.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.And across Australia, there has been a marked and violent increase in anti-LGBTQ activity from neo-Nazis.Neo-nazis protest transgender ...4 days ago - The limits of over-reach.
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...5 days ago
- Rennie, Roche & Willis want faster GDP growth, smaller Govt, lower debt, more competition & ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...5 days ago
- Simeon Brown Ruthlessly Executes Health Privatisation
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”. “It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...6 days ago
- Preparing for the Next Financial Earthquake
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...6 days ago - Nobody puts Davey in a corner
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a. Ill-advisedb. A perfect letterc. A letter that will live in infamyd. He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a. What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...6 days ago - PPPs are still a rort
On Thursday, infrastructure minister Chris Bishop was wanking in the House about the benefits of Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs). So how do they work out in practice? We all know Transmission Gully is a complete shitshow which ultimately had to be completely restructured after the contractor simply refused to complete the work. ...6 days ago
- OJI needs to work with government and unions before closure
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...6 days ago
- Brooke van Velden completely undermines personal grievance system
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...6 days ago
- These Men & Their Dead Animals
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...6 days ago - So Smooth
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...6 days ago - Chris Trotter: Visitors with votes
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...6 days ago - Weekly Roundup 14-February-2025
Already halfway through February, but welcome to another Friday! Some exciting news this week in Auckland. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt took an in-depth look into Auckland’s 2024 bus ridership numbers. On Wednesday Matt highlighted a few points on Thursday’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee ...6 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to Feb 14
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...6 days ago
- Roche says public service has lost its way and needs to get out of Wellington
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #7 2025
Open access notables A year above 1.5 °C signals that Earth is most probably within the 20-year period that will reach the Paris Agreement limit, Bevacqua et al., Nature Climate Change: The temperature goals of the Paris Agreement are measured as 20-year averages exceeding a pre-industrial baseline. The calendar year of ...6 days ago
- Join us at 5pm for this week’s Hoon
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and ...7 days ago - A small wine tasting with a petroleum finish
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...7 days ago - United States of betrayal
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...7 days ago
- Drawn
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...7 days ago
- Book review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton Book review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...7 days ago
- How big insurance’s investment in fossil fuels came back to bite it
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...7 days ago
- As it Was
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...7 days ago - Unserious People.
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...7 days ago
- Concrete production slumps to 2014 levels
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...7 days ago - Gordon Campbell On Why “Golden Visas” Are A Losing Bet On Growth
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...1 week ago
- The late Winston Peters
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...1 week ago - Its almost as if there’s a pattern here…
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...1 week ago
- 13 signs you may be living in a fascist state
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...1 week ago - Transforming New Zealand:Brian Easton
Transforming New Zealand: Brian Easton Brian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington The sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...1 week ago - Wednesday 12 February
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...1 week ago
- I Am Woke
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...1 week ago - Council’s February 2025 TRIC
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...1 week ago
- Deputy Dave
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...1 week ago - My Unaired Interview with a Hero
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...1 week ago - Business doubts about National’s growth tactics growing
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confident Nicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...1 week ago
- Release: Rate cuts highlight Willis’ economic blunders
Today’s Official Cash Rate cut is good news for borrowers, but also a symptom of rising unemployment and an economy in recession. ...16 hours ago - NZers didn’t need this much pain to reduce OCR
Today’s OCR cut will fail to soothe the long-term pain Christopher Luxon’s Government is inflicting upon our communities. ...18 hours ago - Release: ACT taps out of Treaty Principles Bill submission process
“The ACT Party can’t be bothered putting an MP on one of the Justice subcommittees hearing submissions on their own Treaty Principles Bill,” Labour Justice Spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 days ago
- Govt funding for biodiversity an embarrassment
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...3 days ago
- Release: University cuts on the cards under National
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...3 days ago
- Release: Transparency needed on boot camps
The Government is stonewalling requests for information about its boot camps experiment, while pushing ahead with a Bill to enshrine them into law. ...5 days ago
- Release: Disabled people languishing in psych wards due to Govt cuts
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...6 days ago
- Release: Nicola Willis tone deaf as 230 jobs lost
Nicola Willis thought it was the perfect time to celebrate today, while 230 people lost their jobs. ...6 days ago
- Release: Students misled on halal school lunches
It’s been revealed that Muslim students have been misled on the Government’s school lunches, which were claimed to be halal. ...6 days ago
- Job losses from Kinleith Mill closure devastating
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...6 days ago
- Mariameno Kapa-Kingi Enters Members Bill to Establish Mokopuna Māori Authority
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...6 days ago
- Release: Bloodbath continues for health leadership
The Government continues to tear apart New Zealand’s health leadership, sacking or forcing the resignation of our top medical experts. ...6 days ago
- Release: Paper mill closure adds to growing job losses
The Government has no plan to support workers as 230 more jobs are lost today with the closure of the Kinleith paper mill. ...6 days ago
- Democracy Matters
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...7 days ago - Release: Willis’ supermarket announcement all talk, no plan
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...7 days ago
- Release: Homelessness growing under National
Housing is going in the wrong direction under National, despite promises to build more houses and reduce the social housing waitlist. ...7 days ago
- Release: More Kiwis are hungry, homeless and out of work
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...1 week ago
- Fisheries consultation must put sustainability before profit
The Green Party is urgently calling on the Government to prioritise long-term prosperity of our oceans in its consultation on the Fisheries Act. ...1 week ago
- Benefit levels fail to keep families out of poverty
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...1 week ago
- NZ First Introduces Fluoridation Referendum Bill
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...1 week ago
- Release: Health system will suffer from ‘let it fail’ strategy
National’s cutting of digital staff in our health system will put patients at risk and leave hospitals vulnerable to cyber-attack. ...1 week ago
- Release: Cuts to school bus routes put Northland kids at risk
The Government is putting cost-cutting ahead of kids’ safety with its decision to cut rural school bus routes in Northland. ...1 week ago
- NZ First Introduces Bill To Fight ‘Woke Banks’
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...1 week ago
- Release: Watered down investor visa will fail economy
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...1 week ago
- Release: Craven silence on ICC conveys consent
New Zealand has long been a member of the International Criminal Court, which impartially prosecutes serious war criminals for atrocities. ...1 week ago
- MP Views: Waitangi Day 2025
Our originating document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Health leadership in disarray while Kiwis miss out
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- PM must condemn Trump’s ethnic cleansing plan
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...2 weeks ago
- Public Works Act overhaul fails to protect Māori land
The Government’s so-called overhaul of the Public Works Act will fail to prevent further injustices around the confiscation of Māori land. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Māori and Pacific people hit hardest by lack of jobs
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt’s lack of a plan shows in soaring unemployment stats
The latest labour market figures confirm unemployment has risen to levels not seen since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Unemployment soars as Government fails Kiwis
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Kiwis hard, with unemployment reaching 5.1%—a four-year high. ...2 weeks ago
- Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven – Shane Jones
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Still no commitment to build more public houses
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...2 weeks ago
- Government plan fails on growing public housing stock
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...2 weeks ago
- MP Views: Tough on crime, water storage, Easter trading laws, and vocational training
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...3 weeks ago
- Marama Davidson to mark return to politics at Waitangi
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...3 weeks ago
- Our Tamariki Deserve Better than Seymour’s Slop
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Mining plan offers false promises with real damage
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Dunedin wins, hospital build continues
The people of Dunedin have won in an almost year-long battle to have their hospital confirmed, but National’s delays have cost dearly. ...3 weeks ago
- 98 per cent of potholes repaired within 24 hours
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...3 weeks ago - Decision reached on Dunedin Hospital
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...3 weeks ago
- First Plunket site begins delivering childhood immunisations
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...3 weeks ago
- Government confirms international commitment to disability community
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...3 weeks ago
- Major milestone reached with launch of Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...3 weeks ago
- A new direction for the minerals sector to grow the economy
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...3 weeks ago
- Tax policy proposal would boost NZ racing
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...3 weeks ago
- Reserve Bank says healthy OCR cut signals better days ahead
The bank has forecast more cuts in 2025, saying retail inflation is fully under control, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A substantial cut, with more to come Chalk it up as a win for the economists. ...1 hour ago - The ‘bulldozer’ of a bill set to change gene editing laws
Changes are coming to gene editing laws. Whether they'll help future-proof our economy or ruin New Zealand's international reputation is up for debate. ...3 hours ago - Public agencies ‘finding it unaffordable to increase pay ranges’
Automatic pay rises are under threat in the public service, after chief executives were sent a warning the current remuneration structure was unaffordable. ...3 hours ago
- The ‘bulldozer’ of a bill set to change gene-editing laws
The Government is promising that a relaxation of gene technology regulations will provide economic growth for the country, but critics fear the new bill is too loose and a step too far.“It is using a bulldozer to crack a nut,” Jack Heinemann, professor of genetics at the University of Canterbury, ...3 hours ago - AI isn’t a tool, it’s a competitive battlefield
Comment: At the end of 2024, OpenAI disrupted the search landscape by making SearchGPT available to all users, offering real-time, AI-generated answers instead of traditional link-based results. Google’s search and ad revenue model is showing cracks, with reports of declining search traffic as users shift to AI-driven alternatives, including Google’s own ...3 hours ago
- Patenting the Poké Ball – could it happen here?
In 2016, the world was enthralled by Pokémon Go. Glued to their phones, hunting for the unique monsters in their own neighbourhoods, players found themselves trespassing on private property, falling into the ocean and slipping down ditches. In a cringe-inducing moment, Hillary Clinton – then a presidential nominee – urged ...3 hours ago
- Books of the Week: Barbara, heartbreakingly
It’s a sad fact that short story collections, especially, it seems, the intriguing and quirky ones, often struggle to make it into the bestseller charts which are often clogged with badly written, woefully under-researched and frankly not very clever novels. I find this surprising at a time when our concentration ...3 hours ago
- I spent two years searching for a job. Here’s what I learnt
One man’s epic and frustrating adventures in the Wellington job market. I was informed my job was going to be cut in July 2022, and did not get a full-time role again until August 2024. During that period, I was on the dole for 10 months and did odd jobs ...3 hours ago
- Echo Chamber: Beware! The immigrant Marxists have invaded parliament!
Yet again, Winston Peters has Green MPs who weren’t born in Aotearoa – oh, New Zealand, sorry – in his crosshairs. Echo Chamber is The Spinoff’s dispatch from the press gallery, recapping sessions in the House. Columns are written by politics reporter Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Wellington editor Joel MacManus. Straight ...3 hours ago
- US sponsorship of Pacific disinformation workshop ends after dispute
An NZ-run programme has been caught in the crossfire of the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity The post US sponsorship of Pacific disinformation workshop ends after dispute appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- NZ Coastal Seafoods cops public shaming from Australian Stock Exchange
Co-founded by former Nelson mayor Aldo Miccio, NZ Coastal Seafood liquidated its NZ operations last year The post NZ Coastal Seafoods cops public shaming from Australian Stock Exchange appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Labour will profit from National’s failure to improve health system
Comment: Labour’s ill thought-out 2021 health reforms timebomb may end up costing National the 2026 election The post Labour will profit from National’s failure to improve health system appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 20 February
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 20 February appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Local govt clashes may lead to new code of conduct
With mayors under the microscope and Crown observers at councils, change may be on the way The post Local govt clashes may lead to new code of conduct appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Ministers’ fast-track favourites withheld from public
Ministry for the Environment said no list of potential fast-track projects existed, but later revealed 97 ministerial nominations The post Ministers’ fast-track favourites withheld from public appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 20 February
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 20 February appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Tribe backs contamination charges to improve lake, court told
Ngāi Tahu wants to introduce contamination charges to address contamination in Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, the High Court has been told.In the second week of the two-month case against the Attorney-General over wai māori (freshwater), Dr Elizabeth Brown, the Rangatira of Taumutu, which sits on the lake’s edge, told Justice Melanie ...8 hours ago
- ASIO boss expects more communal violence in worsening security environment in Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra ASIO chief Mike Burgess has warned that over the next five years Australia’s security environment will become more dynamic, diverse and degraded, with “more security surprises” in the second half of the decade than in ...9 hours ago - High court rules 2023 Minister’s decision on crayfish catch limits “unlawful”
Fisheries NZ says it is still considering the Court's findings and next steps. ...10 hours ago
- Independent Police Complaints Authority’s Proposals For New Protest Laws Are Dangerous
There is certainly plenty of room for better police training for dealing with protest activity that starts with a rights-based approach to ensuring people can fully exercise their human rights. ...11 hours ago - NZCTU Welcomes Passage Of Wage Theft Bill
“We are thrilled that this Bill is making its way through the House and looks set to become law,” said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. ...11 hours ago
- What is ‘double pneumonia’, the condition that’s put Pope Francis in hospital?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brian Oliver, Professor, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Marco Iaccobucci Epp/Shutterstock Pope Francis has been in hospital for more than a week with what some media reports are now calling “double pneumonia”. The Vatican released a statement on ...12 hours ago
- Insider threat: cyber security experts on giving Elon Musk and DOGE the keys to US government IT sys...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank den Hartog, Professor of Information Systems, Research Chair in Critical Infrastructure, University of Canberra A few weeks ago, word started to come out that the newly minted United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had acquired unprecedented access to multiple US ...13 hours ago
- Official interest rates have been cut, but not everyone is a winner
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University Gumbariya/Shutterstock The Reserve Bank’s decision to cut interest rates for the first time in four years has triggered a round of celebration. Mortgage holders are cheering the fact their monthly repayments are now ...13 hours ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Danielle Wood on how to trim back housing regulations
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Housing supply in Australia will be a key battleground in the election campaign. With home ownership more and more out of reach for young and not so young Australians, red tape and low productivity are ...14 hours ago
- Party MPs’ first look at member’s bills this year
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- Trump wants to do a deal for Ukraine’s critical minerals. Will Zelensky give him what he wants –...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Korolev, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, UNSW Sydney The United States and Russia agreed to work on a plan to end the war in Ukraine at high-level talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Ukrainian and European representatives were pointedly ...15 hours ago
- Civics education is at an all-time low in Australia. Mapping our ‘civic journeys’ may help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Prosser, Professor of Public Policy and Leadership, UNSW Sydney Although Australia has a strong and proud democracy, it nonetheless faces important challenges. Among these, youth democratic engagement and civics education have been matters of national concern for more than two ...15 hours ago
- Winston Peters, Shane Jones again attack migrant Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March
Rather than apologise to Ricardo Menéndez March, the deputy prime minister has indicated he will seek to update Parliament's standing orders. ...16 hours ago
- Feeding your baby butter won’t help them sleep through the night, whatever TikTok says
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University BaLL LunLa/Shutterstock Sleep is the holy grail for new parents. So no wonder many tired parents are looking for something to help their babies sleep. A TikTok trend claims ...16 hours ago
- With billions in ‘profit’ exempt from tax, changes to NZ’s charity rules are long overdue
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjana Gupta, Senior Lecturer, Accounting Department, Auckland University of Technology Jirsak/Shutterstock The profit made on every breakfast bowl of weet-bix is tax exempt, giving Sanitarium Health Food Company, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, an advantage over other breakfast food companies. ...17 hours ago
- Have there ever been so many New Zealanders in big international TV shows?
A closer look at some of the homegrown talent currently commanding television screens around the globe. The new season of The White Lotus hit our screens this week, and with it a familiar face in New Zealand actor Morgana O’Reilly. To secure a role in one of the world’s most ...17 hours ago
- New Crisis Working Group A Sign Of Desperation By Health Minister
"This is a crisis of the Government’s own making and the unit is another sign of desperation," said PSA acting national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons. ...18 hours ago
- Yes, Australia needs new homes – but they must be built to withstand disasters in a warmer world
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francesca Perugia, Senior Lecturer, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University Australia’s housing crisis has created a push for fast-tracked construction. Federal, state and territory governments have set a target of 1.2 million new homes over five years. Increasing housing ...18 hours ago
- Vibes are something we feel but can’t quite explain. Now researchers want to study them
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ash Watson, Scientia Fellow and Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock When we’re uncomfortable we say the “vibe is off”. When we’re having a good time we’re “vibing”. To assess the mood we do a “vibe check”. And when the atmosphere in ...18 hours ago
- Gone By Lunchtime: David Seymour and his Prince Hal epoch
What’s up with the man from Epsom? The leader of the Act Party has been in plenty of headlines in the last two weeks, ranging from a controversial letter to police on behalf of constituent Philip Polkinghorne (written before David Seymour was a minister) to an attempt to drive ...18 hours ago
- Coalition defends return of pay cuts for partial strikes
The government says it's the public at large that bear the brunt. ...19 hours ago
- $2 million to honour unmarked graves of state children
The fund is part of the government's ongoing response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. ...20 hours ago
- Australian LGBTIQ+ politicians were hit with vile online abuse at the last federal election. The com...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Australian National University Newly published research has found clear evidence that openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer+ (LGBTIQ+) Australian politicians were disproportionately targeted with personal abuse on social media at the ...20 hours ago
- ‘It’s a great achievement. To read it, I mean’: Antony Elworthy’s literary Everest
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Antony Elworthy, illustrator, animator (Isle of Dogs, Kiri & Lou) and children’s book author of The Strange and Unlikely Tale of Montgomery, the Mysterious Bird of Mystery. The ...20 hours ago
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