Another DHB in trouble

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, August 22nd, 2017 - 45 comments
Categories: health, national, useless - Tags: , , ,

Add Canterbury to the list of DHBs in trouble:

Cantabrians could face health service cuts ‘of unprecedented scale’

The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) has warned “significant service cuts of unprecedented scale” will be needed if the Government does not approve its planned deficit.

Documents obtained under the Official Information Act show the Ministry of Health (MOH) is at loggerheads with the CDHB over a $54 million deficit blowout in its draft annual plan for this financial year.

DHBs are required to get ministry approval for deficits but director general of health Chai Chuah told the CDHB in March that a $61m deficit (the CDHB has since said the correct figure was $54m) was “unlikely to be acceptable”. …

Here’s some context for this mess:
Southern hospitals bear the brunt of Government underfunding
Southern DHB in a ‘slow motion train crash’
700 surgeries postponed as Auckland hospitals struggle to cope
Hardware store tools used in surgeries
Doctors say a crisis looms due to funding and GP shortage
Release of ‘damning’ Ministry of Health review delayed
Frustration, disappointment over health funding in Budget 2017
$2.3 billion shortfall in health
Leaked document shows 10 District Health Boards face budget cuts: King
New Zealand’s declining health care system is slipping behind other countries
and so on, and so on…

Meanwhile National found $10b down the back of the sofa for roads roads roads. Don’t for goodness sake have an accident while driving, because at this rate there will be no one there to patch you up afterwards.

45 comments on “Another DHB in trouble ”

  1. Cinny 1

    National appears to have crippled many hospitals, causing mass suffering for many.

    Here is another link to add to the list above, news from last week. When 500 people turn out to a protest in westport to hold hands around their current hospital, it’s a big deal. Government wants to replace it with less beds and probably less services.

    ” The peaceful protest, led by the Buller Action Health Group, was the first united public stand after concerned Westport residents Phyl Phipps and Steve White presented a 16-page document to the Parliamentary Health Committee calling for a stop to the planned Buller Integrated Family Health Centre (IFHC).

    The submission followed a petition started by Phibbs, which was signed by 2500 locals – more than half the population of Westport – and presented to Parliament.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/national/95927756/West-Coast-residents-unite-against-new-hospital-plans-in-Westport

    • mac1 1.1

      The Buller Hospital is to be replaced by an “Integrated Family Health Centre.” When I heard this ten days ago, my immediate reaction was to ask what safeguards or services can be lost or put at risk if an institution is no longer a hospital? Does a hospital have to supply certain services to be named that? Is there, in other words, ‘a cunning plan’ to downgrade health services in Westport?

      • NZJon 1.1.1

        The “Integrated Family Health Centre” in Golden Bay hasn’t been a resounding success. Numerous sentinel events. About 6 GMs used up and spat out over 4 years, and staff morale hitting rock bottom. I guess it’s all par for the course when Health funding is continually cut, but the West Coast should not be suckered by fancy sounding names.

  2. greywarshark 2

    The National government is applying business practices to government service provision. The top down result of imposing impossible targets coupled with the idea that efficiency can constantly be heightened so that costs can be forced down is something that follows from the ugly predatory business world.

    And what is being done to our hospitals reflects the above approach. National has no attachment to hospitals as worthy government services to the people because National’s forward movement is to privatise anything possible that is now government provision to the people.

    We cannot change this and get a practical, working system while we have National Party and any of those infested with the neo-liberal economic worms in charge of our country. Change or die in discomfort of mind and body. Stark reality. You want the truth? Can you handle the truth or are you just a bit of wet cardboard?

    • Molly 2.1

      “. National has no attachment to hospitals as worthy government services to the people because National’s forward movement is to privatise anything possible that is now government provision to the people. “

      And that is why this information about another DHB is expected. Run down government provided services until the public comes to expect inefficiency, low quality and bad services. Only then, bring in the private companies – because – well, obviously the state is inefficient.

      A public who has already been conditioned to be let down by a service, will not be as attached to that service when it is let go into the private domain.

      • miravox 2.1.1

        I wholeheartedly agree Molly.

        and in the words of Milton Friedman:

        Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.”

        Currently these ideas have a neo-liberal flavour. In health, running down public health services provides that crisis. The gains for private sector providers is mind-boggling.

        And if this is done surreptitiously no-one even notices for awhile – then the poor working conditions and gaps in care stories begin and its all too late.

    • Tracey 2.2

      Except business fail if they fail their customers…. ask SKY… sadly nats treat the customers the same way SKY does

      • greywarshark 2.2.1

        Funny you mention that about Sky. I have turned down all their alluring offers over the phone, as I got disenchanted with TV and spending all my life looking at other people doing things.

        But is Skype part of Sky? Lately every time I listen to RadioNZ and they are trying to conduct an interview with some overseas person, it breaks up. It isn’t working well for RadioNZ otherwise known as RNZ. Has it got the cheap version, being short of government funding, so that you are only guaranteed to hear one word out of three.

        Presumably the gummint is trying to reduce all its services down to 3 alphabet letters such as RNZ and DHB. As all parents know if you have a set of wooden alphabet blocks, they start to get lost and soon all that’s left are disjointed bits and pieces. So I guess all we’ll have soon is R and D and not much else. The old R & D meant research and development but that will lose its R soon with less research except where there is guaranteed return in the areas chosen as stars by the self-considered elite, and we just have to sit and watch the development of a failed state.

  3. Ad 3

    I almost feel sorry for National.

    ….. nah

  4. greywarshark 4

    This is a relevant as it relates to something that is a big expense to the health system, and that is the aged. The last years of life are the most expensive, if the money could be spent on enabling aged people to have bed care where needed but with less hospital work, the standard could be kept up but th length of time of decline lowered. (And not mentioning how managed demise, a milder term for euthanasia, would allow happy release when people are most adjusted to the idea of death and wanting to plan the trip!)

    The government couldn’t stop the pay rise to elderly care workers, and then refused to fund what they had passed into law. Now rest homes are struggling, some manging okay but others may have to close. The chirpy cheepcheep who always pops up to feed us positive lines about uncertain futures was starting to allude to community again, and not mentioning family bearing all the weight but that would be inevitable.

    Radionz health
    Mounting challenges for resthomes
    From Nine To Noon, 9:08 am today
    Listen duration 23′ :00″

    The challenges facing resthomes, and why some have an uncertain future. Kathryn Ryan talks to Esther Perriam from Eldernet – which is a leading information provider about services relating to older people, and also to David Hanna from Wesley Community Action in Wellington about by the Wesleyhaven Village in Naenae has just closed.

    This is at a time when there is assistance to living longer than ever before with the help of medical and pharmaceutical aids. In other words interfering in the ageing and dying process. But when this happens with people who are old who become helpless, also with alzheimers where people become uncontrolled and have to be fenced in and watched, how can we manage the care for such conditions and growing numbers.

    It seems that there needs to be a treatment program with limited medicines and hospitalisation, the person declining naturally and given the help needed to be comfortable, eventually going to a retirement home and being cared for over a few months until death. Sounds reasonable, being cared for kindly and assured of concern and not extended time of pain or neglect before death. I must see what the present prescribed way of treatment for the over 75s is expressed. Once unable to act to fully live ones life then that is a case for entering an elderly care to demise treatment. I am 75 and feeling fine and active and bright, but would like to plan what I am going to do. I don’t want to be an invalid, don’t want to go to a retirement home as frail, and don’t want to live on in a demented state still active but doolally up top.

  5. adam 5

    It’s worse than this, there is allbut a cabal of POME management who have wreaked the NHS – now working in NZ. Hired by this national government.

    No wonder there is no money, the same plonkers who sucked the life out of the NHS are doing the same here. With over the top salaries, coupled with a explosion of expensive, and indeed wasteful bureaucracy across the whole of the health sector.

    Time to get rid of this government and have a long hard look at this policy of destroying the public health sector, to effectively privatise it.

  6. savenz 6

    500,000 new residents, 0 new hospitals, under National.

  7. patricia bremner 7

    Why are we surprised? This has always been the pattern.

    Labour fixes public services,

    National strips everything back to basics, including maintenance budgets and staff.

    National say they are good managers, but fail to build resilience in all public services, so the money making aspects can be sold to their mates.

    Finally they say, “Gosh, that’s not working, let’s do a public/ private partnership.”

    If the venture works the funds go private. If it fails the debts go public.

    We are going to have to pick up endless situations where planning and budgets are failing. The hospitals are the tip of the iceberg caused in part by stresses in the system.

  8. Bill 8

    “Mercy Hospital” in Dunedin is shit hot. Everything about it, from the decor to the tech. The public hospital by comparison is tired, shabby and old. (My experience was around MRI.)

    Yet, the public hospital “contracts out” to the private hospital because it’s snowed under or whatever. And I believe a number of the same highly skilled health professionals (eg – surgeons) work in both.

    Even such routine stuff as physio is “contracted out” to the physio school.

    See, I’ve got no kind of business head, so maybe it’s not surprising that the financial advantage of such presumably expensive arrangements for the public health system are beyond me.

    Likewise, it’s no surprise I can’t get my head around a friend who had just been to have a couple of stitches removed showing me the surgical stainless steel scissors and tweezers she had been given because, apparently, if she didn’t take them, they’d be for the bin.

    So the ‘idea’ seems to be to use expensive equipment once and dispose of it because….what? Inadequate or no sterilisation capacity in a public hospital?

    And then I might reflect on poverty and housing and education and general infrastructure and conclude that changing the guard, as we’re being encouraged to do with this upcoming election, is a blue million miles short of what we need to be doing/demanding.

    • dukeofurl 8.1

      The private hospitals are cheaper because theres a constant shuttle of ambulances taking their sickest patients to the public hospital.
      Complications ? Send them elsewhere

      They charge for treating public patients, dont get charged for treating the sickest private patients

      • Bill 8.1.1

        The private hospitals are cheaper because… Jeez. And I thought I was cynical 🙂

        (Not saying you’re wrong btw)

      • miravox 8.1.2

        Like a family member who had a simple day procedure at a Mercy hospital. The resulting Sepsis meant 3 weeks of public hospital care, including Emergency and Intensive care services. Then 6 weeks of public nursing services followed.

        The private hospital should have been billed for it. Better still, the public health system should have been resourced well enough to perform the simple day procedure in the first place.

    • Tamati Tautuhi 8.2

      Plenty of $’s for new Bitumen Highways ?

    • Tracey 8.3

      Private hospitals are also partly subsidised by taxpayers in the sense described here. We need to start treating all beneficiaries of tax payer money the same way. Businesses would never vote National again.

    • Tricledrown 8.4

      Mercy hospital could not open if t weren’t for the public hospital providing income and the ability of surgeons and specialists to double dip.
      Not to mention the back up for emergency and intensive care.

    • CLEANGREEN 8.5

      Thanks Bill ( Mr English.)

  9. weka 9

    I’m kind of surprised that Health isn’t a bigger issue in this election given how dire things are.

    • tc 9.1

      Exactly wtf is the opposition on this ?

      • Tamati Tautuhi 9.1.1

        MSM are not allowed to publish Opposition Party Views, look what happened to John Campbell ?

        • tc 9.1.1.1

          Campbell was removed because he pissed off the man child JK over his GCSB indescretions.

          Nothing stops opposition using it in their messaging which has been very soft on nationals wrecking job in health, education, innovation, housing etc so far.

    • Adrian 9.2

      Claire Robinson of Massey Uni said on Q and A that Masseys survey of I think 7500 had 40% say health was the biggest concern.
      Private hospitals are a lot dearer BTW.

    • miravox 9.3

      I think there are a lot of people who don’t fully appreciate how the inequitable rationing-by waiting-system works until they need it. Not just for a first specialist assessment, but throughout the course of a disease… and if that’s a chronic disease they’d be shocked to realise the difference.

      In a field I’m familiar with, private patients are seen every 3 months, public patients every 6 months, if demand and staffing issues doesn’t push that back to 9 months. The doctors are the same people in both public and private, but the scheduling delays only occur in the public system, for some reason.

      • The private health system actually prevents good health care as the people working in it are often the same people as who are working in the public system. This is, quite literally, removing the resource from one system and putting it in another. It’s not increasing the resources which is what is actually needed.

    • Ian 9.4

      more votes in bashing farmers

      • One Anonymous Bloke 9.4.1

        Poor Ian playing the victim. Better stick to farming Ian; you’ve got no chance as an actor.

  10. Tamati Tautuhi 10

    Why do me employ these useless Pommies in our bureaucratic system ?

    Neoliberal Economics = Zombie Economics

    Absolutely Hopeless Situation here in NZ ?

  11. CLEANGREEN 11

    I am 72 and still waiting for surgery for a hernia and now a knee operation, since 2008.

    Our hospitals in HB/Gisborne are also now showing the stress of running low on funding.

    Also tooth repair subsidies have been taken away from us all by this ‘ NATIONAL’ government that labour had PUT THERE for us all for fillings and extractions.

    This government ‘NATIONAL’ have savagely cut all medical services now!!!

    While at the same time they want us to pay for another $10 billion to subsidise another 10 roads for truck freight companies???

    GET RID OF THIS GOVERNMENT BEFORE THEY KILL US ALL.

  12. Don’t for goodness sake have an accident while driving, because at this rate there will be no one there to patch you up afterwards.

    All, apparently, part of the plan to privatise health in NZ and thus make the citizens an even bigger source of profits for the rich.

    • CLEANGREEN 12.1

      Yes Draco T Bastard,; – I believe that.

      Then if you are retirement age Government now see us as a financial drag on their purse with paying us pension so they try to speed up our demise?

      • Retirement is a tricky beast ATM. We really do have a lot of people retiring and not enough people to replace them (the Baby Boomer Bulge) which means that there’s a very real possibility that the volume of real wealth created by the country will decline as the Baby Boomers retire. On top of that people really are living a lot longer.

        There’s a few ways that this bulge can be catered for:

        1. Increase population so that there’s enough young people in work to cover the loss of the retirees
        2. Increase productivity enough so that there’s enough young people in work to cover the loss of the retirees
        3. Stop people retiring so that the economy isn’t so dependent upon a declining proportion of young people

        National and Labour before them worked heavily on 1 and 3 but failed miserably on 2. Our productivity has remained flat which, IMO, is because of our reliance upon commodity exports rather than developing our economy to produce higher value goods and greater diversity.

        • CLEANGREEN 12.1.1.1

          Good points .Draco

          There was another way I saw while living in Canada/US in the 1990’s as a Kiwi.

          US/CANADA have a retirement at 55 and use a sliding scale so that when a baby boomer decides to retire early they get about 12% drop in pension for retiring at 55 rather than 60 then.

          I recall a political party here also floated this policy during the 2014 election.

          I met lots that did this.

          The early retirement policy was found to free up quite a lot of jobs for job seekers also.

          • greywarshark 12.1.1.1.1

            Who are the job seekers? I have a bad feeling about the gentleman who is
            the director general of health Chai Chuah as in the link of the post. He may be a very long standing NZr but so many Chinese I have met are into self-advancement with little social welfare thought.

            With the habit of bringing in change agents and high flyers from all over the world, Brit, USA, Canada – mostly from our 5-Eyes English-speaking friends – who will fly over here for the great salaries we offer, there is no surety that NZrs will get any jobs freed up and our social mobility will continue at a risible level for most.

  13. NZJester 13

    One of Nationals many lies is that they have increased the health budget to higher levels than what they received under Labour. But when you adjust the increases for inflation they have not really been keeping up. Then there is the fact we have had an increase in population over their years in government so the per person spend on health has drastically dropped at a time when a lot of their other policies are increasing the need for more health services.

  14. CLEANGREEN 14

    National wont spend on health but;
    National want to spent another $10 Billion on roads!!!

    So I had already written to Minister of Transport on the effects of truck road gridlock and health impacts, so we were asking him to re-open our rail service instead of spending on roads last month, and he ignored our plea below, so see what we have now with truck roads of mania in Napier now, it is a public health disaster about to explode folks.

    TO; Minister of Transport Simon Bridges,
    6th July 2017.

    Dear Simon.

    We send you (below) a copy of this transport minuted meeting held in Napier last week as evidence of the environmental freight trucking disaster your administration are setting our community up for in Napier as trucking volumes are steadily increasing.

    As you choose to wind down rail; when TRUCK FREIGHT IS TAKING ALL FREIGHT FROM WELLINGTON following the closed Centre Port facility in Wellington is now being shipped by road to Napier and other regions also placing another 500 truck trips a day onto our already gridlocked roads in HB/Gisborne now.

    Read the minutes of the meeting and the previous meeting held in Napier in 2014 between NZTA and residents groups.

    We have formerly requested the National Party candidate David Elliott at a meeting with him last week to invite you to meet with us this month in Napier at this venue we held last Thursdays meeting at and now request formerly that you attend a meeting with us all this month at your convenience with David Elliott also.

    Please take this opportunity to respect our community wishes for the health & safety of our families in our communities by attending our requested meeting with you as soon as possible.

    Your written response is respectfully requested.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T10:16:50+00:00