A MPI boondoggle subsidy for Wairarapa land speculators?

Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, September 21st, 2016 - 23 comments
Categories: benefits, Economy, farming - Tags: , , , , ,

You have to wonder about the quality of some of the economic process control that goes on for National’s politically important subsidies to the farming industry. Idling through the email this morning, I ran across an economic review of a Wairarapa Water application for second stage feasibility funding from the Irrigation Acceleration Fund for the “Black Creek” and “Tividale” irrigation schemes.

The review was commissioned by Fish & Game and came to me via Greenpeace.

It is a proposal to irrigate 10,000 hectare area, a process that would cause ecological and environmental damage to a significiant area and its waterways (something that this analysis doesn’t cover). I’m not particularly a conservationist, however any degradation in the environment, especially one funded by taxpayers should carry significiant and obvious economic returns. This one clearly does not, and never did. The executive summary states (the review authors bold)…

The economic assessment in WW’s IAF funding application is based on analysis from a 2014 report by Butcher Partners1 (the ‘Butcher Report’). This report assumed a long run farm gate milk price of $7.07 per kilogram of milk solids (kgMS), which leads to a further assumption that 55% of the irrigated area will be intensive dairy farms or dairy support. Whilst a long run milk price above $7.00 kgMS was questionable in 2014, given changes in international dairy markets it is a completely unrealistic basis for decision making in 2016.

fonterra-payout-aug-25-16Say what! They are planning this project on the basis of a sustained sale return that is far higher in real terms than any that has ever been attained by the international dairy industry. That is an assumption that can only be described as being crackpot!

A few years ago we had a couple of farmgate spikes in milk solid payouts (see graph from interest.co.nz) because of the drought and a later rapid uptake in China. But there has is hardly sustained growth over the last 15 years especially after you factor out the accumulated inflation and currency fluctuations.

The review author’s analysis is deadly accurate. It focuses on the dairy because even the WW’s analysis indicates that the irrigation for horticulture would be of minimal use in expanding horticulture in the region.

WW provide the following land use table showing approximate existing and prospective land uses in the absence and presence of irrigation.
landusetable

The crux of economic viability is in the milk solid prices, and the prospects for that are quite limited.

21. Over the past two years there has been significant turbulence in international dairy markets, with near record low prices. It is my view there has been a structural change in international dairy prices, driven the following:

a. The end of EU milk quotas, which means Europe is now an unconstrained dairy exporter with the intention to ‘grow with the market’

b. The emergence, over the past decade, of the US as a formidable dairy exporter – especially in terms of skim milk powder (SMP)

c. China promoting import substituting domestic production

d. Very low stock feed costs making feedlot production internationally competitive.

22. In terms of the long run farm gate milk price, an industry consensus on the ‘new normal’ is yet to emerge. My best professional estimate of a credible medium to long milk price assumption is $5.00 kgMS +/- $1.00. Whilst there is an exchange rate issue to consider, the intuition is a product mix price below $4.00 is unlikely to be economic for the majority of dairy producers internationally (so represents a market ‘bottom’) whereas prices in excess of $6.00 will attract ‘swing’ producers (such as the USA) into the market (thereby providing a ‘top’ – because at that price feedlots are internationally competitive and production can be quickly expanded).

23. Whilst prices will occur outside of this range, they are most likely to be examples of markets under or over shooting due to exogenous shocks (i.e. a drought in a pastorally-based supplier such as Australia or New Zealand). It is therefore foolhardy to assume sustained farm gate milk prices outside of the $4.00-$6.00 range.

24. The corollary is continuing to employ a 2013 milk price assumption of $7.07 kgMS in 2016 is simply not credible. This problem becomes even more pronounced as the entire proposal is critically dependent on that very assumption. The result is a highly misleading portrayal of the scheme’s economic feasibility.

This is pretty much what informed observer looking at the economics on the international dairy trade tends to think (with the probable exception of sustaining cheap feedlot feed costs). NZ is unusual in that we produce a very large exported surplus of milk based largely on cheap grass. That is why Fonterra tends to dominate the international dairy trade. However

As the review points out, for the soil types in the region this means that for most of the price range, even if the irrigation water was free, dairy would simply not be profitable.

profit1

Applying even minimal costs to water just make that far worse.

40. Given a water price of 25 cents per m3 is uneconomic, it is instructive to undertake
sensitivity analysis by discounting the water to 10 cents per m3; thereby changing the
midpoint water cost from $1,000 per hectare to only $400.

profit2

As the author of the review points out, it is damn hard to see why the Ministry for Primary Industries are even considering this request (or any previous ones).

This scheme just looks to me like a boondoggle because it is there to cause the creation or expansion of a dairy industry in the Wairarapa. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the Irrigation Acceleration Fund

Nathan Guy, the Minister for Primary Industries explained it in a press release for Budget 2015:-

“The need for more water storage projects is obvious given that nearly every part of the country has suffered through drought at some stage over the past three years.

“Providing a reliable water supply for farmers and growers has massive potential to boost growth, creating jobs and exports in provincial regions.”

Around 100,000 hectares of new irrigated areas are expected from IAF-funded projects to date, with around 36,000 hectares of that commissioned or currently being constructed.

The IAF helps support the development of irrigation infrastructure proposals to the stage where they are investment ready, which means they must be commercially robust and demonstrate a high level of community support.

The Government also supports these projects through the Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd (CIIL), which acts as a bridging investor for regional water infrastructure development. $120 million has been allocated to CIIL over the last two years with the potential to provide a further 125,000 hectares of new irrigation.

But with the ridiculous inflated assumptions for milk solid prices in this case that isn’t the case. Firstly because there isn’t a large dairy farming there in the first place, and most of that is on river flats. And to make it profitable at even moderate water prices, you’d have to assume grossly inflated returns. At those prices the resulting dairy farms will be competing directly with feedlots which don’t have the setup costs of irrigation.

This particular scheme looks to me to be a subsidy being pushed into the Minister’s neighbouring electorate, and the only benefit will be to land speculation and a few consultants hired by Wairarapa Water. It hardly fulfils the stated economic intentions of the irrigation fund. It just looks like ineffective and uneconomic boondoggle pork by National.

23 comments on “A MPI boondoggle subsidy for Wairarapa land speculators? ”

  1. RedLogix 1

    The Wairarapa could use a reliable source of water for all manner of valuable purposes; the place could be transformed. We lived there for five years and I often imagined all the possibilities this scheme could be put to.

    But literally siphoning it off into more dairy is just plain bone-headed.

    • lprent 1.1

      Scattered topography and varied soils mean that micro-schemes make a whole lot more sense. Target local exiting dairy areas for security of water supply and areas capable of doing horticulture. Charge for the water to let local owners make a realistic choice. Use the state to put the schemes in without significant operational subsidy.

      That looks viable. This 10k ha (and further 20k Ha later) looks pretty useless

    • Draco T Bastard 1.2

      Looking at the report the best thing we could do is re-plant the whole lot as native forest and leaving it as wilderness. In a few hundred years we’d have a great supply of native timber.

  2. ropata 3

    All of NZ’s careful water management and saving for a not rainy day, subverted by the usual suspects.

    if prosperity for a few farmers = death for ecosystems and communities, it's not worth it https://t.co/bZj0vDUyrz— ɥɔsǝdɐd qoɹ (@ropata) September 19, 2016

    An abandoned rope swing next to a polluted river shd be new logo of Fed @FedFarmers #Selwyn https://t.co/sqnrKvDQAA pic.twitter.com/h3s52rAxb2— Russel Norman (@RusselNorman) September 19, 2016

    • RedLogix 3.1

      Yes … like many kiwis my age I can recall summers swimming in our creeks and streams. You’d be in and out like an eel for hours, and that night your hair and skin would be soft and smooth like a baby’s. A few years back as we drove past one spot, I got out of the car, sneaked across the paddock and took a look.

      I probably should have known better.

      • joe90 3.1.1

        A few weeks ago I stopped at the Moutoa sluice gates and had a squiz at the Manawatu. Admittedly it was in flood but the water was absolutely putrid.

  3. Lanthanide 4

    I suspect that the milk and beef markets are going to be decimated inside of 10 years with lab-grown milk and beef anyway.

    • dukeofurl 4.1

      Oh really ! This takes the cake for blue sky dreaming

      • Andre 4.1.1

        Jeez I hope Lanth is right. I love me my burgers and sausages, and I’d prefer they came from something a bit better than e.coli ridden abbatoir floor sweepings and the bits of animal that can’t be sold any other way. Plus, for my dairy I’d rather it was a bit more hygienic than something squeezed out of of a cow just downhill from the sewage outfalls. Steaks and roasts will be quite a trick, tho.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.1.2

        http://gizmodo.com/the-future-will-be-full-of-lab-grown-meat-1720874704

        In 2013, the world’s first lab-grown burger was unveiled to the world. It carried a $330,000 price tag, and apparently, it wasn’t all that tasty. But the scientists behind the idea have been hard at work, and artificial meat that’s both cost-effective and palatable may arrive sooner than we think.

  4. Richard Rawshark 5

    Were talking Nathan Guy here, Mr Business.

    never mind the fishing rules, nothing applies to Nathan when he’s in charge. Banana republic minister?. No offence to some corrupt African country, but even they wouldn’t hire him.

  5. b waghorn 6

    All irrigation should owned and run by the government so they can dictate what the water is used for.
    When the greens and others come at irrigation from a 100% no way perspective they completely cut themselves out of having any positive input into how schemes can be run, they may win a few battles but in the long run they will lose the war with their attitude .

  6. gsays 7

    It is not that long ago that lots of the wairarapa was considered ‘summer safe’.

    Perhaps the felling of the trees in the district is coming back to bite farmers in the bum.

    However if you have a once-ler attitude and must keep on biggering then dam away.

  7. DH 8

    I can recall reading some similar data on the Canterbury irrigation scheme. If I recall correctly the irrigation cost per hectare was only viable for dairy and only at the high prices they were getting for milk solids at the time. Sheep & beef weren’t economic.

    I haven’t been able to find any recent costings, would be interesting to see if the figures have changed or been massaged.

  8. save nz 9

    Great post.

  9. Esoteric Pineapples 10

    Almost the entire population of the Wairarapa is asleep on this, especially the three councils. Masterton councillors questions to Bob Francis, head of the project when he asked for $20,000 toward a report to show how good the dam would be for the region were banal. There is a general acceptance in the comnunity that the dam is a good thing and while there is a lot of talk from everyone about wanting to improve the health of the rivers, there is not the slightest awareness or acknowledgement of the harm more dairy will do.

    Aside from that,Greater Wellington has had a practice for the past 10 years of cross blading all the major rivers in the Wairarapa for erosion control and flood management. This involves bulldozing the rivers which removes all the pools and eddies fish need to rest and survive in. The two likely contenders for the Wairarapa seat on Greater Wellington -Adrienne Staples and David Holmes – both support the dam. Staples says she would consider a review of cross blading. The media in the Wairarapa have been almost asleep on both issues.

  10. Ad 11

    Outstanding post Lyn.

    You might want to have a look at Proifessor Paul Spoonley’s new book on

  11. Ad 12

    Outstanding post Lyn.

    You might want to have a look at Proifessor Paul Spoonley’s new book on

  12. Ad 13

    Outstanding post Lyn.

    You might want to have a look at Proifessor Paul Spoonley’s new book on

  13. Ad 14

    Outstanding post Lyn.
    Kinda have to wonder why Horizons Regional Council still exists.

    You might want to have a look at Proifessor Paul Spoonley’s new book on New Zealand rural centre depopulation and depopulation.

    Getting to accept that in many rural places, economic stasis is there to stay and so are its related social dynamics.

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    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    5 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    5 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    5 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    5 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    5 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    6 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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