A detailed analysis of Simon Bridges’ state of the nation speech

Written By: - Date published: 4:59 pm, January 30th, 2019 - 88 comments
Categories: Economy, Politics, Simon Bridges, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

Tax cuts good.

That’s it.

88 comments on “A detailed analysis of Simon Bridges’ state of the nation speech ”

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  1. Nick 1
    30 January 2019 at 5:08 pm

    Blah blah blah… Vote for me

  2. Dv 2
    30 January 2019 at 5:24 pm

    Indexing Taxation to inflation is actually a good idea.

    • Formerly Ross 2.1
      30 January 2019 at 5:33 pm

      So is having a productive high-wage economy. I’m guessing Simon didn’t talk about that. Remember when Key talked about closing the wage gap with Aussie? Yeah it didn’t last long.

      Out of interest, will indexing tax to inflation benefit the poor more than the wealthy? If so, how?

      • Paul Campbell 2.1.1
        30 January 2019 at 6:26 pm

        Richer people will get more back, but for people earning from the start of the (new) top step all the way up to full on billionaires it will be a fixed amount – likely something vaguely in the $1000 range – really we need that top 38-39% tax rate back (I am in that bracket)

    • Paul Campbell 2.2
      30 January 2019 at 6:21 pm

      I agree – it’s been suggested by opposition parties since for about forever, but never implemented when those parties actually get into power.

      If you’re a minister of finance it gives you a few extra % each and every year, and then you can promise a “tax cut” which is really a reindexing of the current steps (as Labour did in 2008 and National did in 2009)

    • Rapunzel 2.3
      30 January 2019 at 7:55 pm

      Less than 10% of the work force will get anything at all.

    • McFlock 2.4
      31 January 2019 at 12:14 am

      I’d actually index it to income medians, not dollar value. Deciles 1-2 (lowest incomes) pay zero, deciles 3 4 & 5 pay low rates, 5 6 & 7 middle rate, and the highest income 30% pay the highest tax rates,

      That way if inflation is kept low because inequality is increasing, the people benefitting from that redistribution pay more..

  3. Fireblade 3
    30 January 2019 at 5:24 pm

    Vote for me. I’m gonna do tax cuts and stuff like this:

    Simon Bridges (Twitter)
    If National is elected in 2020 we will: ☑️ Repeal the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax ☑️ Ensure no increase in petrol taxes during our first term ☑️ Have no new taxes in our first term ☑️ Repeal a Capital Gains Tax

    Simon then asks “how the fuck are we going to pay for it?”

    • Sabine 3.1
      30 January 2019 at 7:33 pm

      by increasing GST and any other tax not mentioned in his tweet.

      Have a good look at what he promises and ask yourself where they main tax revenue comes from.

      also he is repealing a tax we are yet to have.

      • In Vino 3.1.1
        30 January 2019 at 7:52 pm

        Also – revert to deliberate underfunding of all socially important areas like Police, health, education, etc, etc. And then miraculously balance the budget books!

      • Ed1 3.1.2
        30 January 2019 at 9:21 pm

        We do have a capital gains tax – it is just that there are so many exemptions that many individual are not aware of it. If shares or property is bought for investment purposes and traded to realise gains, then prima facie that “income” from capital gains is taxable. I think there is a general exemption for an investors place of residence, or investments bought for long term benefits rather than investment gains – the “bright line” test introduced by National limited the exemption for properties sold soon after being bought – if you buy and sell a house days apart (as some real estate people have managed to do), then “capital gains” profits are taxable. Bridges appears to have promised to remove all capital gains taxes – it would be interesting to know what IRD’s estimate would be if that had applied in say the last year . . .
        (I am not a tax expert! – it would be good to know whether capital gains from share trading in a Kiwisaver Fund are treated the same as in an MPs “arms length” trust fund . . .)

    • mickysavage 3.2
      30 January 2019 at 7:54 pm

      I cannot begin to say how important the regional fuel tax is. Without it Auckland will grind to a halt.

      • Sabine 3.2.1
        30 January 2019 at 9:28 pm

        what labour could do is offer a refund of costs for public transport.

        in the same sense as a business/sole trader etc can claim fuel costs as costs of doing business so could a category be established that allowed public transport users that buy a monthly/annual bus pass and at the end of the year to claim a partial refund.

        it would be fair, and it would be feasable.

        i fully expect labour to not do anything even remotely to encourage people out of the car into the busses, but one reason the car is still the more attractive option is the cost of public transport and all of the other stuff like late buses, over crowded buses, rude drivers, not enough point of sales for bus passes, hop cards etc.

        the fuel tax is literally just bleeding dry those that least can afford it, all the other write it of at the end of the year as an expense of doing business.

        • Nic181 3.2.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 9:07 am

          Labour could counter by introducing a tax cut, if one is required, at the BOTTOM of the tax brackets. Ie, remove tax from the first ten or fifteen thousand. National consistently gives any tax cuts to those at the top of the heap. This could be a real point of difference.

          • Sabine 3.2.1.1.1
            31 January 2019 at 11:23 am

            .

            I think the first $ 25.000 should be earned tax free as that is literally the rent a person has to pay if they would like to live in a house costing 450$ per week.

            But then who would pay the taxes lost? Certainly not our rich tax avoiders.

            Also we could then possibly remove any and all accommodation benefits. 🙂

            But it seems that not one party in NZ, not one will argue for that.

    • SARAH 3.3
      30 January 2019 at 10:16 pm

      Well he’s going to scrap my winter heating payment so any gain I might have made will be gone.

  4. rod 4
    30 January 2019 at 5:27 pm

    The latest Muppet Show . See it on all TV news networks tonight .

  5. Ad 5
    30 January 2019 at 5:35 pm

    Tax is his right angle, but it’s his only rational angle.

    But he doesn’t have a spokesperson with the competence to front it to camera.

  6. Formerly Ross 6
    30 January 2019 at 5:40 pm

    Simon has of course made a huge faux pas. He says he will repeal a CGT. The trouble is we don’t have a CGT. The only way we will have a CGT is if Labour is re-elected in 2020. But that would mean National is defeated. So, Simon, the big reveal from today’s speech is that you’re expecting to be defeated in 2020? Looks like it.

    • Ed1 6.1
      30 January 2019 at 9:23 pm

      See 3.1.2 above – I believe we do have some tax raised on capital gains . . . if it as much as I think it is removing CGT may be a bigger tax cut than any changed to income tax rates. Guess who would benefit from removing CGT?

  7. Daniel Jones 7
    30 January 2019 at 5:50 pm

    That’s unfair. He also floated the radical idea of favouring law abiding citizens over criminals. Perhaps this idea will be fleshed out into some system of punishing criminals using some kind of just legal framework.. I’ll call it the “Criminal Justice System”.

    To be honest, I just don’t know how we’ve managed without these wonderful, radical insights.

  8. te reo putake 8
    30 January 2019 at 6:10 pm

    Worth less than block of cheese to the average worker and easily gazumped by Labour pre-election. Fail.

    • Fireblade 8.1
      30 January 2019 at 7:37 pm

      $8 per week to the average earner in 2021. For someone on $40,000 a year it’s $1 per week.

  9. Tuppence Shrewsbury 9
    30 January 2019 at 6:20 pm

    tax creeps affect the average workers take home pay. Not the top end. The standard should be supporting the abolition of bracket creep and imploring the government to adopt it as policy.

    But what’s important is that any mention of tax cuts gets dismissed so that new taxes can’t be criticized. can’t wait for a CGT announcement.

    and the poll numbers after that

    • Robert Guyton 9.1
      30 January 2019 at 6:23 pm

      When you say, “tax creep”, do you mean … Simon?

      • te reo putake 9.1.1
        30 January 2019 at 6:35 pm

        If MS hadn’t beaten me to it, that was going to be the title of my post on Simon’s idea, Robert. Campaigning on tax is a loser, because you get associated with a perceived negative. And, when you tie yourself to a specific tax change 2 years out from an election, you make yourself a hostage to fortune. As I’ve already commented, it will be easy for Labour to make Simon look unambitious by simply lifting the brackets slightly higher.

      • ianmac 9.1.2
        30 January 2019 at 7:05 pm

        Clever pup you are Robert! Ha.

    • Psycho Milt 9.2
      30 January 2019 at 6:39 pm

      The standard should be supporting the abolition of bracket creep…

      Leaving aside the fact that The Standard isn’t a person, a lot of us on the left do support pinning the tax brackets to inflation. We also remember how Michael Cullen had a go at it and the media had such fun with National’s “chewing-gum tax cut” propaganda that he cancelled it. And how National spent 9 years in government enjoying the benefits of the bracket creep before suddenly realising it was a Bad Thing once it was no longer in power.

      • Shadrach 9.2.1
        30 January 2019 at 6:45 pm

        You’re far to generous to Cullen. He had the ability to give meaningful tax cuts that would have staved off some of the impacts of the GFC and he failed. It simply wasn’t in his DNA. In the event, the recession in NZ came earlier and was deeper than it needed to be.

        • mickysavage 9.2.1.1
          30 January 2019 at 7:57 pm

          Wow so Cullen could have solved America’s problems. He is even more talented than I thought.

          NZ had a pretty benign time during the GFC. Thanks to Helen and Michael. I suspect that you won’t agree …

          • Shadrach 9.2.1.1.1
            31 January 2019 at 12:11 am

            No, I don’t. The reason NZ fared better than others was the strength of our major banks, and the underlying structure of our economy. Of course Cullen played a part in preserving that, by what I’m sure you would call neoliberal policies. However he missed an opportunity to make the recession shallower.

        • Psycho Milt 9.2.1.2
          30 January 2019 at 8:36 pm

          You could give Robert Harris a run for his money when it comes to alternative history fiction. Cullen did indeed protect us from some of the potential effects of the GFC – by using the surpluses to pay down public debt rather than blowing it on tax cuts so the already-wealthy could inflate the property bubble even higher while enjoying more overseas trips. As usual, it’s only historians who’ll give credit where it’s due.

          • Shadrach 9.2.1.2.1
            31 January 2019 at 12:12 am

            Tax cuts are not ‘blowing’ anything. They are a way of stimulating an economy, which is mainstream economics. And btw all taxpayers received tax cuts when they finally came.

            • R.P Mcmurphy 9.2.1.2.1.1
              2 February 2019 at 12:43 pm

              that is bullshine voodoo economics instigated by ronny raygun and his claque back in the eighties last century. It has the same veracity as trickle down economics when the rich pee all over the poor.

          • Nic the NZer 9.2.1.2.2
            31 January 2019 at 7:57 am

            Surpluses don’t protect the govt from anything. The NZ govt literally operates the institution where all the tax and govt spending transactions occur and the only institution able to create the funds they occur in.

            The problem with Cullens record here is that the Finance company sector remained unregulated and was overheating through out and this almost certainly drove the property bubble in several regions. This drove spending up and increased the tax take generating a surplus, however had this been regulated driving fraud and speculation out of the NZ economy the surpluses would likely have evapourated.

  10. Robert Guyton 10
    30 January 2019 at 6:42 pm

    “This is a huge and great announcement.”
    David Farrar Hurrah!

  11. Chris T 11
    30 January 2019 at 7:00 pm

    Of all the Nat policy ideas they could have come up with, I am surprised the left would pick this one to criticise.

    • Sacha 11.1
      30 January 2019 at 7:36 pm

      Deliberately starving govt of funds seems like a basic policy to oppose.

      • Chris T 11.1.1
        30 January 2019 at 7:44 pm

        It is 690 mill’

        In the grand scheme of things it is naff all.

        Just ditch the one years free uni or making it loan and get a year wiped off only if you actually finish the degree would probably do it.

        And or cut Winston’s regional bribery money down a bit.

        There are also massive surpluses at the mo’

    • Michelle 11.2
      31 January 2019 at 10:05 am

      chris they are criticising because there is only enough money for a small burger what about the chips

  12. Andrea 12
    30 January 2019 at 7:01 pm

    To all those who bravely listened/watched – thanks.

    I couldn’t have faced it myself.

    Now. How well are his loyal people carrying the word out to the faithful? Who is hearing it first? Who is being flattered?

    Who is listening for feedback? (Not the razzz. Real words.) And what happens next? Does it live? Or does it die like cycle tracks?

    Who is getting creative with The Leader’s words and offering a different jam for tomorrow?

    Will they have a coup? What if no one turns up? Or offers to be the sacrificial mutton?

    Such fun…

    And – thanks again.

  13. mary_a 13
    30 January 2019 at 7:15 pm

    Natz via Simon, in usual predictable form. Appealing to greed, what it does best! Now where was health, education, infrastructure, social justice etc? Did I miss it?

    IMO, nothing there to address the needs of ordinary Kiwis!

  14. Pete George 14
    30 January 2019 at 7:24 pm

    It could be a smart move by National indexing tax brackets to inflation, especially if Labour go ahead as predicted and apply CGT to increases to assets as a result of inflation (another form of tax increase by stealth).

    But Labour have plenty of time to digest this and review the Tax Working Group report, and then decide on how to implement fair tax reform.

    • Paul Campbell 14.1
      30 January 2019 at 7:46 pm

      we already don’t index tax on interest income to inflation so to be fair we’d have to do the same for a CGT.

      On the other hand I do think it would be fair to discount both by the inflation rate, it would make actually paying tax accurately harder

      I’m also a fan of allowing CGT carryover against real (emphasis on the ‘real’) losses – if you lose money on a CGT-type investment you can write off the tax on future gains, if you actually make gains within a related business activity within a year or two – (business income already works this way, the US taxes capital gains this way) – if you allow this though an inflation rate discount (in multiple years) would be really really difficult to apply

    • Psycho Milt 14.2
      30 January 2019 at 8:42 pm

      It could be a smart move by National indexing tax brackets to inflation…

      Er, National don’t get to index tax brackets to inflation. That’s the whole point of proposing it now they’re in opposition, rather than actually doing it when they were in government and taking the resulting financial hit.

      On the plus side, having shot that bolt now, they’re fucked. Labour can spend the next 18 months examining it, then implement a slightly more generous version just in time for the 2020 election.

      • Pete George 14.2.1
        30 January 2019 at 9:50 pm

        I hope Labour inflation adjust thresholds every year rather than every three years, in response. If they don’t make more reformative adjustments to income tax. A few large range thresholds is an outdated way top do it.

        • Robert Guyton 14.2.1.1
          30 January 2019 at 9:57 pm

          “The amount in tax breaks that National Party leader Simon Bridges plans to leave in the pockets of Kiwi families is equivalent to what that party ridiculed former Labour Finance Minister Michael Cullen for, with his “chewing gum” tax package.

          The hypocrisy of that shouldn’t go unchecked”

        • lprent 14.2.1.2
          30 January 2019 at 10:13 pm

          Think of the implementation.

          There is really fuckall any government can do much that is significiant with the tax system until the IRD finishes upgrading the pile of antique shit that they are currently running.

          As far as I’m aware that isn’t likely to be completed before 2 elections away.

          See here is the approval in 2013 (about 5 years after it was approved in pinciple by the Labour cabinet – those lazy Nats…) when it was expected to take about 10 years.

          http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8619006/IRD-computer-systems-1-5b-overhaul

          They finally managed to get a supplier in 2015 and at that point it was expected to take between 8 and 10 years. So basically significiant tax changes with high CPU and disk loads should be planned to start about 2025…

      • Chris T 14.2.2
        30 January 2019 at 10:09 pm

        Except it just makes them look like they have to be reactionary and can’t work this out for themselves

  15. Sacha 15
    30 January 2019 at 7:34 pm

    Faithful hack Stacey Kirk dons those kneepads and praises the Nats for boldly boxing the govt into a corner using their flush coffers. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/110272126/stacey-kirk-politics-not-tax-the-point-of-simon-bridges-attack-on-income-bracket-creep

  16. SPC 16
    30 January 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Labour should respond by indicating that they were looking at increasing the income at which the current top rate of tax applies from 70,000 to 100,000 (30 cents 48 to 100,000) and finance this with a new top rate of 35 cents. Both the level and rate 70,000 and 33 cents are too low.

  17. DJ Ward 17
    30 January 2019 at 8:20 pm

    All Labour needs to do now is adjust the tax brackets to inflation.

    It is a reasonable idea to do that. If you don’t then the poorest in NZ begin paying more tax as a proportion of there real inflation affected income. IE the average tax on total income increases.

    I think Trump should react in the same way to the left in the US. Introduce a tippy top tax bracket but only a small amount like 10% above present rates.

    Ruin the oppositions proposal by doing similar as your own policy.

    The downside is governments that hold brackets have ever increasing tax take that makes them look good. False in reality. So by holding brackets they get more options for election spending bribes.

    • millsy 17.1
      30 January 2019 at 8:55 pm

      Increasing funding for health, education and other services are not bribes.

      Obviously you want to impose US style health care in this country.

      • DJ Ward 17.1.1
        30 January 2019 at 9:36 pm

        I never said that about health and never will. I think our settings are no to bad. The system is affordable to the government and wealthier NZers have health insurance. Obviously a system permanently in a level of chaos that drives its management towards efficiency.

        I think the US health system is ridiculous. Both from Obamas version and the ideology of insurance supported by Republicans. In effect insurance companies hold Americans hostage.

        The thing about unlimited healthcare is it has no limits.

        • Sacha 17.1.1.1
          30 January 2019 at 10:19 pm

          “a system permanently in a level of chaos that drives its management towards efficiency”

          Fanciful interpretation of how humans actually function.

        • millsy 17.1.1.2
          31 January 2019 at 12:04 am

          From 1990-99 National closed down scores of hospitals to pay for tax cuts. Bill English as health minister cared more about closing down hospitals than about giveing NZers health care.

          • DJ Ward 17.1.1.2.1
            31 January 2019 at 9:16 am

            You can see what your talking about on this graph.

            https://goo.gl/images/TjeEok

            As you can see drastic rebalancing occurred resulting in National balancing the books. This occurred around 93,94. Did they get everything correct, absolutely not. If we did nothing to modernise our ecomony we would be a failed state. You can also see Clarke and Curren switch policy to a private debt, immigration, housing driven economy. The GFC blip and the earthquake spend.
            So with hospitals there is many reasons for the closing of hospitals. Age of the hospitals. The cost per patient of those hospitals. The increased mobility of patients. The catering of the real need at a much lower cost, like 24hr emergency clinic, vs full hospital. Maintenance costs of the hospitals etc.

            The result is greater delivery of healthcare for the dollars spent. If the inefficient spend was continued, if modernisation costs was spent, etc then policy like free doctors visits for kids would not have happened.

    • Ad 17.2
      30 January 2019 at 9:19 pm

      you are not dumb

    • Chris T 17.3
      30 January 2019 at 10:12 pm

      “All Labour needs to do now is adjust the tax brackets to inflation.”

      Again the danger of just looking like they need the Nat’s to tell them what to do after an expensive working group.

      Go of it though. I am sure no one will notice

      It is actually quite a clever preemptive move by the Nats

      • DJ Ward 17.3.1
        31 January 2019 at 8:38 am

        Not really in my mind. It shows a lack of inventiveness. It’s just tweaking of settings rather than a marked difference in policy.

        National would be better focussed on industry and resulting job creation. Similar to Trump, support its base, buisinesses as well as undermining the lefts base of the lower income worker. It can’t win the tertiary student base due to election bribes and indoctrination.

        Plus it needs to seperate conversation from housing as it failed to address private housing debt and immigration as economic drivers, that begun with Clake and Cullen. The narrative and blame has fell on them, and they deserve it, so the voters won’t trust policy from them in that area.

  18. R.P Mcmurphy 18
    31 January 2019 at 12:44 am

    I am still perplexed as to how one can analyse nothing.
    there was nothing in bridges oration of any substance whatsoever and flapping gums and pretending to say something when you are not saying anything is clever enough I suppose but the fact of the matter is the people of New Zealand had a gutsful of key and english and another dose from bridges and his forty thieves is more than the public of New Zealand can stomach.

  19. Craig H 19
    31 January 2019 at 1:11 am

    0% up to $10,000
    15% up to $50,000
    30% up to $80,000
    50% above

    The same income tax raised as currently according to the Treasury Calculator (with the caveat that effects of large changes aren’t easy to forecast accurately), with lower taxes for people earning up to $81,000, and higher for people earning more than that.

    • Stunned Mullet 19.1
      31 January 2019 at 7:06 am

      50% tax rate for salary and wage earners over 80k – tax avoidance advisors would be pleased as would overseas employment agencies for professionals.

      • DJ Ward 19.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 8:49 am

        The affect of the 50% rate is huge. The revenue is small as the numbers are small. A single person who relocates Taxes to Singapore at 22% top rate destroys the gain from probably 10 people. You loose GDP, GST, economic activity from trickle down discretionary spending, and waste education investment.

        I think the self employed might have to buy a new car. It’s 50% off the ticket price. It’s well known tax take drops at some point.

        • millsy 19.1.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 8:53 am

          You cannot cut taxes without cutting services and benefits. Nationals mass closure of hospitals in the 1990’s underlines that.

          What services do you want to see cut Ward? Bearing in mind that services avalible to people now are a lot less than they were 35 years ago.

        • Craig H 19.1.1.2
          31 January 2019 at 10:04 pm

          1. Wage earners have no way of avoiding income tax, and if they relocate to avoid it, the job is still available, and the next person will be paid the same wage, and pay the same tax.

          2. IRD has a high wealth unit, and more than half of the people they monitor report annual income below the top rate so increasing the top rates won’t make them leave.

          3. Self-employed people buy cars, utes etc and claim them as work vehicles all the time – the tax rate makes no difference. GST and a top rate of 33% is already sufficient incentive. The Laffer curve is debatable, but the middle range of estimates for the top rate at which revenue decreases when the rate is increased is 70% – 50% is very unlikely to have that effect.

          • DJ Ward 19.1.1.2.1
            31 January 2019 at 10:34 pm

            Yep there’s definately a very seperate set of rules for the two groups. I think there was some move on the things like cars with fringe benifit taxes but I don’t know how that works.

            When a sole trader, Buisiness spends to increase expenditure, lowering profit they in effect get a discount at the tax rate. For many it is a decision driven by the accountant. We were told to buy new 4 wheelers one year. They hadn’t broken down and unusable but propably only had a few years left. We were told to buy a tractor last year as we needed a new one and we were making too much money.

            So yes people run there buisinesses just making profits while increasing assets. However in some ways it can be false. The person still needs to spend that money in the Buisiness. If they let it be profit, yes they loose the taxes but get absolute freedom on how that after tax profit is spent.

            Obviously the vehicle thing can be taking the piss. Wage earners pay for the vehicle to get to work plus petrol while a buisness person can cliam it all as expenses getting the tax discount. That is clearly unfair.

            That’s the error in people’s thinking regard super high taxes on earnings. Virtually all are able to shift earnings into expenditure. Hence you can encourage avoidance and get less tax.

            • Craig H 19.1.1.2.1.1
              1 February 2019 at 10:41 pm

              FBT has been around a while, and in theory applies to personal use of a business motor vehicle (and other assets above a threshold), but in practice that is ignored by most small business owners.

              Throw in the flash business phone with big mobile plan and laptop (all of which are largely exempt from FBT) and possibly home office expenses, and it’s quite easy to load a decent amount of personal expenditure into business expenditure and lower tax burdens significantly.

              High or low tax rates don’t change this behaviour because when GST is included, it’s always high enough to be worth it, and the specific rates don’t matter. Basically, I agree with you that it doesn’t affect the business owners much because they often don’t pay the top rate anyway. A common plan with higher rates is to run the business as a company, pay company tax, and then leave the cash in the company until National gets in and lowers the rates, then take it out as a windfall.

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    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

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