Are We Expecting Too Much Of Our Political Leaders?

Written By: - Date published: 11:12 pm, April 8th, 2019 - 122 comments
Categories: accountability, Deep stuff, leadership, politicans, Politics - Tags: , , , , ,

We treat our political leaders as if they are some kind of super-humans and yet we seem to distrust and disrespect politicians. Regular reputational attacks from friend and foe alike are a professional hazard of being a political leader. The PM and Ministers often cop a lot of flak for not knowing the correct answer quickly enough to every single question or for allegedly floundering with (new) policies. The PM, for example, has been criticised by many for not being knowledgeable enough on the economy. The Leader of the Opposition is treated even worse in some aspects. Yet they are ordinary people like you and me.

It seems though we hold political leaders to a different standard than, say, CEOs of DHBs who are generally not medically qualified and wouldn’t have a clue of how to deliver a baby, administer an epidural, or have intimate knowledge of every single and detailed aspect of how the whole place is run.

Yes, people in charge need to have some base knowledge of their portfolios and they need to be able to explain it to the people and be held accountable. However, leadership comes in many styles and has to fit the circumstances. Micro management does not work in large complex organisations. These require teamwork, collegiality, collaboration, consultation, information gathering, communication, etc. A leader may articulate a shared mission or vision, to the (internal) team as well as to the (external) stakeholders, but in all likelihood they won’t have singlehandedly designed it. They may determine strategy, but this is usually also very much a team effort. Do we really believe that only 26 Ministers and 3 Under-Secretaries run the whole of our Government?

In our representative democracy, political leaders by default have to be inclusive and make decisions for and on behalf of many. However, it is impossible to please everyone all the time. There is always the team on the other side that is setting trickery traps and waiting for gotcha moments. The MSM too lives off controversy and scandal and their ‘star performers’ love nothing better than landing cheap shots on political leaders and catching them out on minutiae.

When a politician we are not rooting for is put on the back foot, we can savour the moment and briefly crack a smile. Perhaps it makes us feel superior when a leader is ridiculed and marginalised even ever so briefly. Over time, these cheap shots can erode our respect for politicians. Unreasonably, we may start to think less of them, hold them in lower esteem, we lose trust in them, and they lose authority. Authority is nothing but a mutual agreement, a contract, based on our trust and our expectation that they do what they say they’ll do, keep their promises, and generally deliver policy that ensures that our lives remain predictable, stable, safe and secure, and, above all, prosperous (AKA BAU or status quo). If we cannot trust the ones who have vowed to serve us whom can we trust? It is yet another symptom of our changing society where the individual reigns supreme as Margaret Thatcher once famously said:

They are casting their problems at society. And, you know, there’s no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look after themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then, also, to look after our neighbours.

In this era of hyper-individualism, self-interest, self-responsibility and so-called meritocracy it is not surprising that we focus on if not obsess about our leaders – it can lead to unhealthy and unrealistic derangement syndromes. However, I do find this ironic, contradictory even, that on the one hand, we put the individual at the centre of everything but, at the same time, we demand top-down hierarchical leadership to create the space and freedom for the individual. The collective has to bow to the whims of the individual – spot the incongruence.  A similar contradiction exists in the so-called ‘free market’ where the Government must regulate so that people can go unencumbered about their business, literally, in the knowledge and security that the Government (read: Taxpayer) will save them when the going gets tough, protect them from overly aggressive or hostile competitors, and safe their bacon when disaster strikes. This is an ideology based on outcomes, not on principles.

I think we should adjust our expectations of political leaders to reflect that in this day and age the old chain of command is outmoded. The best leaders are those people who can inspire, motivate, and support others to be their best, who are authentic and not afraid to show their emotions and who act with honesty and integrity. They are inclusive and make emotional connections with others – when was the last time you had an emotional connection with your boss or CEO? They build bridges based on trust, mutual respect, and the many things we have in common rather than magnifying the few minor differences that do not separate us unless we choose to. Such leaders shine without hogging the limelight and they treat others with respect and empathy. After all, we are all human and trying our best to make this world a better place, aren’t we? In a way, we are all leaders in our own right, each one of us.

So, what should we expect from our political leaders? Generally*, how far off the mark are they?

Postscript: Andrew Geddis in his most recent blog touched upon an interested aspect of this, which is that the House of Representatives has the power to punish those who they deem to hold the House and its MPs in contempt. I argued above that there is indeed a slow and creeping contempt occurring and that this near universal.

*Please do not take this as an invitation to rip into your ‘favourite’ politician or policy or, conversely, to propagandize your favourite political hobbyhorse.

122 comments on “Are We Expecting Too Much Of Our Political Leaders? ”

  1. Stuart Munro. 1

    “After all, we are all human and trying our best to make this world a better place, aren’t we?”

    Indeed we should be. But statistics like the Key Kleptocracy’s list of lies suggests to me that one of the essential elements of bona fide was absent from that group.

    Neo-liberalism also seems to be motivated by something other than the public good, and thus where its exponents act, they tend to act against the public interest.

    This is unfortunate because there are indeed many issues we urgently need to face as a society. Sustainability. The Anthropocene. Poverty and inequality. Community and connectivity. Even the economy.

    One cannot, unfortunately, readily make common cause with persons inclined to subvert or freeload off one’s efforts. While steps in the direction of a constructive consensus, as might be expected of a Burkean loyal opposition, would be welcome, the individuals involved had some responsibility and moreover expressed satisfaction with many phenomena, like housing, that seem to require substantial government action.

    • cleangreen 1.1

      Stuart & INCOGNITO
      Simply put;
      *Firstly now we need to place all the ‘pledges’ Labour leader put together in her pre-election speech when Jacinda said “let’s do this”.
      * with the actual ‘pledges’ actually provided to us now when Labour are over half their term of Government.
      * Then place those results alongside the term “transformational”as their ‘key founding policy and see if Labour actually are a transformational Government at all, or just another neoliberal penny pinching risk adverse Government.

      Voters aren’t fools and are looking for real transformation here, and the release of the “Zero Carbon Act” will be labour’s “Nuclear moment” – I believe.

      • Stuart Munro. 1.1.1

        For all that I seem harsh to lying irresponsible muppets like Wayne, I don’t want to lock governments entirely into their election promises. That only guarantees a less than ideal focus on issues perceived or contrived to be popular. That is not to say should not be abandoned as casually as the Greens appear to have abandoned their stance on water sales however.

        There are significant long term priorities that were inevitably neglected by the self-serving members of the Key Kleptocracy. Poverty is one, and the new measurements, one hopes, are a prelude to vigorous efforts in this sphere.

        I am less sanguine about a zero carbon regime driven by credit trading. The useless fire economy vermin lauded by scoundrels like Key routinely evade their taxes. There is no reason to suppose they will not also evade their carbon costs – we even saw that with mass purchases of fake carbon credits from former soviet sources.

        The big issue for NZ is poverty. If our people had an abundance of money they’d long since have resolved the housing crisis themselves. This poverty is the outcome of Wayne’s, and to their shame, Labour’s, dalliance with neoliberalism. A lizard cannot serve two masters, and the neoliberals have not served our people at all.

    • Wayne 1.2

      Apart from the fact the “Key Kleptocracy list of lies” were lies in themselves. A classic case of derangement syndrome.

      Yes, I get it you are are against “neo-liberalism”, but you are so deranged by it, you seem to barely recognise that the nearly half of New Zealanders who support the basic economic beliefs held by your opponents are in fact your fellow New Zealanders.

      Though most of the key tenets of neo-liberalism are adopted by the current government (fiscal responsibility rules).

      • vto 1.2.1

        Wayne, Key was known for his lies. I think his time as PM will go down in history as one of the most useless.

        Re neoliberalism and your claimed support from ‘nearly half of New Zealanders’, it is very amusing given that these ‘supporters’ always cry for the antithesis of neoliberalism as soon as their neoliberalism fails…

        … two examples;
        GFC bailout for useless south canterbury finance investors and banks.
        Cry from farmers and Qtn restaurantuers for foreign workers rather than pay supply and demand pay rates.

        Your ‘supporters’ have no credibility Wayne because they cry to nanny state as soon as their wondrous neoliberal world fails… or rather they are too scared to face their fails … cowards and weaklings

        • Wayne 1.2.1.1

          vto,

          You didn’t deal with the point about the fiscal responsibility rules. In essence these mean the current government accepts the basic tenets of the prevailing economic system.

          Obviously the coalition is going to do things a bit differently than the previous govt, but at least in my view the differences are not dramatic, broadly the same basic settings.

          On South Canterbury Finance. I well recall the discussions. At that point the economy was on a tipping point, right at the worst time of the GFC. The bailout of the investors was seen as an essential measure to maintain overall confidence. Canterbury Finance had the Crown guarantee that had been used to maintain confidence in 2008 and 2009. If the Crown had tried to wriggle out of it, it would have sent shockwaves across the economy, in short “could the government be relied on to keep its word?” Too great a risk to contemplate.

          The analogy was the failure of the US Federal Reserve to bailout Lehman Brothers. That is now seen as the event that made the GFC deeper and hugely more costly than it might have otherwise been.

          • vto 1.2.1.1.1

            Wayne, clearly your outline above about the GFC is full evidence that neoliberalism overshot its usefulness to society. Big time.

            That is the problem isn’t it. Neoliberalism has some worthy features, but its overarching philosophy is entirely inappropriate for human beings, being the intensely social creatures that we are, rather than the bunch of individuals that neoliberalism based itself on. That is its failure – the foundation stone is wrong.

            Wayne, the National Party will one day catch up with this, being the conservatives that you are

            • Drowsy M. Kram 1.2.1.1.1.1

              vto, I like that comment – what might neoliberalism morph into as its unsustainable nature is revealed?

              That is the problem isn’t it. Neoliberalism has some worthy features, but its overarching philosophy is entirely inappropriate for human beings, being the intensely social creatures that we are, rather than the bunch of individuals that neoliberalism based itself on. That is its failure – the foundation stone is wrong.

          • vto 1.2.1.1.2

            Wayne, here is another thing about neoliberalism and its outcomes….

            Bill English claimed that this younger generation is useless. Of course all his redneck followers jumped on board with that and have been getting stuck into young people ever since, like the wankers they are …..

            … but here is the funny thing…

            … that younger generation was born into Bill English’s policies and government, in the early 1990’s. That younger generation are the direct result of neoliberalism, Bill English and his actions ….

            … well done Bill, a home goal if ever I saw one …

            Has that ever crossed your mind Wayne?

            • Wayne 1.2.1.1.2.1

              vto,

              I am much less tribal than you seem to think. Governments in NZ almost never do more than 9 years, so the change in 2017 was not surprising. Given it was likely that Winston was the decider it was always unlikely he would choose National. And at one level I liked the idea of generation change which the PM represents.

              Ao as long as the government is reasonably sensible in policy terms (in my view) then I am reasonably relaxed. And for the last 35 years NZ governments have been. An important test for me was Labour signing up to the revised TPP. And the fiscal responsibility rules were an important moderator. Basically the current govt fits within a sensible paradigm. I don’t think much of their CGT, but I anticipate it will be substantially watered down, if it happens at all.

              And I think the PM could do something much more interesting on climate change that is not divisive. And also on peace building. Using her authority on both.

              • KJT

                So long as voters don’t get any real choice, about the continuation of your “unfortunate experiment”, eh?

              • vto

                Its good to be able to swap notes with you Wayne, appreciated

              • Ed1

                “reasonably sensible” is unfortunately a very low bar. I see the Key/English governments as being “occasionally sensible”; doubtless there are some who see the Clarke or Ardern governments in the same way, but I suspect there is some truth in the thought that 70% of government, and 70% of bills before parliament would be happily passed by either major party.

                Regarding “I don’t think much of their CGT”, all you have at present is recommendations for change (that happen to be wider than just CGT), and also the reality that we already have tax on capital gains – they have however been so watered down that many do not appreciate that many realised capital gains do form part of taxable income – for many the ideal is to make sufficient taxable losses to still avoid paying tax. Investors in Kiwisaver have no choice but having tax on realised capital gains (offset by any losses) paid on their behalf. The visible exemptions from paying CGT are however now so widespread as to cause the misunderstanding.

                The previous government recognised that avoiding paying tax on capital gains for a property bought and sold within a short period on the grounds that they had not bought with the intention of realising a gain was sufficiently laughable that they introduced a “bright line” test. Personally I think anyone purchasing a property which they do not live in themselves or rent or make income from, have bought or now manage the property to generate wealth – whether through rental income or capital gain on sale should be irrelevant to taxing that monetary gain.

                Climate change and peace building are complex – Ardern has performed well on both, but in both real progress will require community effort and support.

              • cleangreen

                Wayne Fair comments, but the Labour Government today are far to risk adverse.

                National were not so risk adverse and often boldly went their own way.

                Pity that Labour are appearing to be progressing far to ‘timid’.

                Yes the ‘Climate issue’ is where Labour will have their ‘Nuclear moment’.

                See my coverage of this on 12.1.1.1 where the last Labour administration was more ‘robust’ on this issue.

          • KJT 1.2.1.1.3

            Of course the National cronies with money in SCF, had nothing to do with it.

            Other finance companies, that only had real mum and dad investors trusting in the famous figureheads, they used to advertise, were left to burn.
            Weren’t they, in combination, just as crucial?

            • Dukeofurl 1.2.1.1.3.1

              Most of them crashed before the govt guarantee came into effect.
              A few small others apart from SCF were also bailed out.

              The real person responsible was Dalziel who never did anything to reign in fiance companies. after problems in the 70s they were legally bound to report financial audits every 6 months. For the obvious reasons National wound that back in the late 90s, indeed some Mps let finance companies give seminars to their party electorate meetings, Im sure that wasnt done for nothing.
              Dalziel let the lax regulatory regime continue when she was minister responsible

              • KJT

                Another failure caused by de-regulation, I suppose.

                The people gleefully advising me to put money in SCF, before it crashed, because it was going to be a “steal”, apt words, thinking I was one of the “good ol boys” is one of the several reasons why I have no faith in the honesty of our “elite”.

                • alwyn

                  You claim that putting money into SCF before it crashed was going to be a “steal”, as you put it.
                  I have seen this claim made on a number of occasions on this site but nobody has ever explained how it was supposed to work.

                  The fact that SCF was state guaranteed would certainly mean that you weren’t going to lose your investment. So would leaving the money in a Bank Account. It didn’t mean that you were going to MAKE money though. After all, at the time, SCF wasn’t even paying anything much in the way of interest.

                  If your friends were warning you that investing in non-guaranteed companies was risky, whereas SCF was pretty well risk free because of the guarantee they were being very sensible and you should have taken heed of the advice. You couldn’t have found it to be a “steal” though as it wasn’t. They weren’t being “good ol boys” of course. They were just being rather more intelligent than people who invested in crazy schemes that weren’t guaranteed would appear to have been.

                  Now how did they expect to make above average returns from the dog, unless you consider average returns to be a loss of capital?

                  • KJT

                    SCF, paid out, plus interest, with the guarantee.

                    Actually, a very good return at the time. Especially considering it came from tax payers bailing it out, not from SCF.

                    Called “insider trading” in other countries.

                    Putting money into a company, knowing it was bankrupt and that your returns were going to come from a tax payer bail out, is, if not illegal, certainly unethical.

                    • alwyn

                      You don’t know what you are talking about.
                      It was NOT “a very good return at the time.”.
                      SCF were actually offering very low rates of interest at the time, even allowing for the guarantee.
                      You would have done better putting the money into a Bank TD.
                      It is also not “Insider trading”. That is knowing something, because of your privileged position, that is not common knowledge.
                      By the time SCF went bust everyone knew it was a dog and they couldn’t borrow from anyone with even a touch of sanity.

                      Did you, by any chance, put your money into the ones who went broke but didn’t have a Cullen supplied guarantee?
                      You should have taken your friends advice if you were going to invest in that sort of firm.

                    • KJT

                      No. I don’t have anything to do with dodgy finance outfits, of any sort.

                      And. You have NFI.

              • Stuart Munro.

                Curious criteria for blame – the Gnats soften regulation, and Dalziel is to blame for not tightening it again. The morons at kiwiblog no doubt lap it up, but the argument is substandard.

                • KJT

                  Saw the same thing from Nick Smith on the census. Tonight.

                  The “Party of personal responsibility” not taking responsibility for anything, as usual.

            • vto 1.2.1.1.3.2

              The Retail Deposit Guarantee Scheme terms were altered by Bill English and John Key to allow South Canterbury Finance to qualify (SCF didn’t qualify for the scheme),,, after the election of Bill English and John Key in 2008, and after John Key admitted they knew it was going to fail… so that Bill English could save his constituency (SI rural)…

              It was and remains NZ’s biggest ever rort – to the tune of approx $1.7billion..

      • KJT 1.2.2

        Wayne.

        The only party which is honest about continuing Neo-liberalism, ACT, has real voters who could fit in a mini.

        Brash or Rogers, I forget which one of those fruitcakes, said “hit them (voters) hard and fast before they figure out what is going on.
        Even the majority of National voters think, taxes for the wealthy should be increased. So hardly enthusiastic support for one of the basic Neo-liberal tenets. “Trickle down”. (I forgot, you don’t like to call it that. “Re-balancing” or some such other euphemism is preferred). Is obviously not working, as the state of our hospitals can attest.

        You lot set Neo-liberalism in concrete, making it almost impossibly expensive to escape. As you said yourself 13 billion tax rise, to raise the money available to increase the Government share of the economy by a moderate amount. Three decades of sales of income earning assets, preclude the Norwegian method of funding the country.

        Then the, so called “Free trade”agreements, which give foreign companies rights our own do not have, and expose us to ruinous legal action, if we try and rebuild our own capabilities.

        Now we have the totally bad faith lying and inaccurate campaign against a CGT, which will raise taxes for a few wealthy speculators by an average 7% of their total tax bill. Long overdue. Pretending it is going to affect normal people by any significant amount.
        But indicative if the pressure the coalition is up against.

        • Dennis Frank 1.2.2.1

          The coalition is now at a hinge-point. Pragamatic adherence to neoliberalism (without admitting it) has got them up in the polls. Now it has to finesse this position of strength so as to make itself seem progressive as well.

          A walk & chew gum thing. So the eventual tax recipe has to do both. It will require marketing expertise to shape perceptions so that the progressive half of the country feel progress is being achieved, while the conservative half gets reassured that nothing radical is happening, and doesn’t get spooked.

          • KJT 1.2.2.1.1

            You spout some vacuous shit.

            If Neo-Liberal policies got votes, ACT would be in power.

            Both National and Labour, before the election were promising more socialist, not Neo-Liberal policies, because, unlike you, they know that gets votes.

            The BRR, was to anticipate the heavily financed kick back,they knew they will get with bullshit propaganda from moneyed interests. We can see that with CGT.

            • Dennis Frank 1.2.2.1.1.1

              Really? Nobody in the media said that, did they? National and Labour didn’t say that, did they? So you’re promoting something only you can see.

              Which is more likely to be viewed as vacuous by other readers. But hey, there’s one way you can demonstrate you’ve got an operational intellect: you can explain to readers why the government’s steadfast refusal to give the teachers more money is actually socialism. 🙄

              • KJT

                Obvious from my statements.

                Both parties pretend to be more socialist than they are, to get elected, and more democratic, then revert to type after the election is safely over.

                Said that many times.

                Making policy to suit their party funders, rather than the electorate.
                From the coalition, but Shane Jones watering down workers rights, on behalf of Talleys, is an egregious example.

                There are endless examples from the last nine years, of broken, anti neo-lib election promises. “No more asset sales”, remember.

            • marty mars 1.2.2.1.1.2

              I’d rate KJT well before you Dennis. You seem to make it up as you go and change on a whim – I prefer reasoned thinking BEFORE speaking but hey that’s just me.

              • Dennis Frank

                But he failed the test, Marty. He didn’t explain why refusing to give the teachers what they want is actually socialism. Reasoned thinking doesn’t impress whenever reality contradicts it.

                • KJT

                  Explained it perfectly adequately above.

                  The lack of action on Teachers salaries reflects what I said perfectly. Pretend to be socialist to get power. Then resile afterwards.

                  Sorry if it is beyond your comprehension level.

                  BTW. Nothing says I have to meet your standard of bullshit.

                  • Dennis Frank

                    No, no, I’m quite happy to see you adhering to your own standard of bullshit. Life’s difficult enough already, eh?

                    I’m surprised to see you agreeing that the coalition is doing neoliberalism, having initially claimed it isn’t. Well done! Such agile backflips do indeed demonstrate sufficient intellectual deceit. You’d make a good MP on that basis. Keep it up! 😎

                  • Dukeofurl

                    “The lack of action on Teachers salaries reflects what I said perfectly. Pretend to be socialist to get power. Then resile afterwards.”

                    Since when have paying ‘a lot more’ for one of the best paid groups in the country been ‘socialist’
                    Primary teachers $70k
                    Secondary teachers $78k

                    Look at the policy towards the lowest paid – ie minimum wage for what labour promised and delivered.

                    • patricia bremner

                      25 years ago I was on $326000 at the top of the Primary scale for class room teachers. At a high school I earned $39600. in 1996.
                      Just before I retired I was again a senior teacher on $42600′

                      My Government Super Fund Pension (Closed in the 90s) has risen by 43% since I started getting it 19 years ago. It had lost a third to tax on the way, so was never huge, but it is a useful marker.

                      So a primary teacher got $32600 aprox. and now gets $72000, very similar rises to the CPI, probably at least 10000 short of where it should be if it had kept up with the average wage rise.

                      To catch up they need a raise of 10+% $80000* followed by two of 3% for the following two years. and once upon a time there would have been a school house!!

                      An often forgotten fact is Boards sold off the school houses they owned for cash, instead of refurbishing them to get a reasonable rental income and to encourage teachers to apply for country positions.

                      Poor central policy let little fiefdoms develop as the past Government let schools compete their infrastructure. suffered over time and salaries slumped. Now it needs fixed.

                      This is the pattern for all government services, and to expect this coalition to correct all ills in one term of office is expecting them to be Wonder women and Supermen. By the way Incognito your Superman looks awfully like Brownlee eek!! Perhaps it should have been Wonder Woman? Cheers.

      • cleangreen 1.2.3

        Correct Wayne. – 1.2
        Wayne said;
        “most of the key tenets of neo-liberalism are adopted by the current government (fiscal responsibility rules).”

      • Stuart Munro. 1.2.4

        The Key Kleptocracy fell lamentably short of the standards of good governance. Even your own portfolio proved incapable of delivering justice for the casualties of Operation Burnham. This is what you and your colleagues deserve, Wayne:
        [Deleted for really bad taste and crossing the line with inciting violence. Please never do this again when commenting on one of my posts unless you want an immediate ban without a second warning – Incognito]

        It wasn’t just the lies either Wayne. I suppose you “don’t recall” how many questions Key answered with “I don’t recall” – breathtaking contempt for his democratic responsibilities. But we, your citizens, have not forgotten.

      • McFlock 1.2.5

        The fiscal responsibility rules are not the beliefs of the current government. They were a political expediency to silence the acusations of economic mismanagement from the party of the then government.

        This government chose to keep its promises. Strange days, indeed.

        True, it’s governing with one arm tied behind its back. But the question is whether people will trust an honest effort over nine years of lies. Once they get over the shock of seeing an honest effort from a politician, I think they might like it.

        • Shadrach 1.2.5.1

          “But the question is whether people will trust an honest effort over nine years of lies. ”
          Your a laugh a minute, McFlock. How many lies has the PM and her government told already? Remember when she claimed that NZ’s jails were full of “low-level criminals” (http://politik.co.nz/en/content/politics/1360/The-prison-dilemma-facing-Labour-Waikeria-prison-third-strike-NZ-First-Andrew-Little-justice-reform.htm), only to be shown up by one D Farrar (https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/06/prime_ministerial_porkies.html).

          Like some more?

          • Shadrach 1.2.5.1.1

            How about when she claimed that a committee of Parliament was formed to question climate change, when it was formed to review the ETS?
            https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/04/pm_lies_and_trash_talks_nz.html

            • McFlock 1.2.5.1.1.1

              kiwiblog links, huh.
              Good luck with them.

              • Shadrach

                I should have guessed you’d say that.

                Politicians lie, McFlock. They break promises. They use weasel words and deny doing things when there office actually did it for them. No side of politics is immune.

                • McFlock

                  ↑ no shades of grey, fifty flavours of moral vacuum.

                • Stuart Munro.

                  Key lied to parliament. Until his regime that was a career ender.

                  Democratic standards declined.

                  • Shadrach

                    Key had the highest personal ratings of any politician on record didn’t he? You still haven’t gotten over that?

                    • Stuart Munro.

                      Key debased the core principles of our democracy by lying to parliament, which represents his employers, us.

                      If he’s not in prison, it is not for want of wrongdoing.

                    • Shadrach

                      So take a case against him. If he broke any laws, go to the police. Seriously it would appear Key Derangement Syndrome is alive and well long after he left politics. Did it really hurt that much?

                    • alwyn

                      It really isn’t worth trying to debate the subject with old Stuart here I’m afraid Shadrach.
                      He is totally and incurably suffering from a terminal case of KDS. Poor old chap. It must be very hard for his nearest and dearest to have to put up with his drivel.

                    • Muttonbird

                      Weeeell. John Key was minister in charge of the two spy agencies who should have been doing better for the people of New Zealand and particularly the 50 victims of Christchurch.

                      Key’s GCSB and SIS will be his legacy. A very very poor one at that.

                    • Stuart Munro.

                      “So take a case against him. If he broke any laws”

                      All you demonstrate is ignorance of the cabinet manual. Cabinet ministers are to uphold the highest standards of behavior, not merely avoid criminality.

                      Lying to parliament is to end a parliamentary career because it cannot contribute to good governance. Ministers are to curb their partisanship short of outright untruth. Untruth being the only thing that could allow the Key Kleptocracy to shamble on from day to day, Key broke that rule with great frequency, and Carter, festering pile of faeces that he is, normalized the practice.

                      ‘if he broke any laws’ He broke plenty, including lying to police with respect to his involvement in the Elders/Equiticorp collapse. It is however the job of police to unravel his extensive frauds and insider trades, not mine.

                    • Shadrach

                      “‘if he broke any laws’ He broke plenty,”
                      So go the cops with you evidence. Or get over yourself.

                  • alwyn

                    @Muttonbird.
                    You really didn’t keep up with things did you my little diesel sodden sea gull?
                    During the 2014-2017 term of Parliament the Minister in charge of the GCSB and the SIS was Chris Finlayson.
                    Please take your memory pills. They may also help with your KDS.

                    You really are showing symptoms that are nearly as severe as those of that poor fellow Stuart.

            • KJT 1.2.5.1.1.2

              Kiwiblog as a reference.

              Bottom of the barrel, much.

      • Gabby 1.2.6

        I don’t find you persnilly credibull waynee.

  2. SPC 2

    Government needs to be accountable, expecting less of those who lead it, or seek to lead it, is inconvenient. While humane, it’s not going to result in a better leviathon.

    In our age, expecting less of govenment has huge global risk.

    And it’s symptomatic of our circumstance. Labour and the Greens bowed down to the idol of mammon – small government, to be seen as fiscally prudent (with their 30% GDP spending cap and debt targets), so we have to be patient over glacial progress … .

    • cleangreen 2.1

      SPC

      “Labour and the Greens bowed down to the idol of mammon”

      Yes so where is Jacinda’s pledge to be a ‘transformational government then?

      • SPC 2.1.1

        In the direction taken, as this is affordable (a multi-term work).

        Doing more now and have the budget back in balance by the end of three terms was the alternative (debt looks cheap for awhile).

  3. vto 3

    Until the aggregation of power to government slows and reverses then the point is moot.

    For example, reversing the burden of proof in several areas of the law to require a person to establish their innocence. … The politicians have stepped right inside people’s lives with just this one example.

    Your posit is rejected.

    Get the politicians to stop stepping further into our lives first eh.

  4. Gristle 4

    With many politicians willing to describe themselves as technocrats, and then canvass on the basis of their expertise and competence (eg Key and English and Brash), voters are lead to expect that these passionless experts will effortlessly spout data and knowledge. Renouncing the technocratic mantle leaves politicians exposed in a environment that to a greater or lesser extent is still infused with Neo-liberalism.

  5. Chris T 5

    Pretty simple really

    If a politician doesn’t know enough about something, don’t comment on it.

    It isn’t up to the questioners to work out what questions they are allowed to ask, and how clued up people are.

    If a reporter for example talks about GDP and a certain PM doesn’t have a clue, say …. No comment.

    • cleangreen 5.1

      Chris T;

      Is that why National PM’s so often said “no comment”? – Brilliant

    • KJT 5.2

      Expecting one person to know everything is a stupid requirement.

      As is expecting a quick answer to a random question, even if their mind is elsewhere.

      Key’s ability to deflect was exceptional. Honest people find it more difficult.

  6. Dennis Frank 6

    A political leader ought to be able to demonstrate ability in team-management, delegation, guidance, exercise of a moral compass, a sense of timing to make tactics effective, a sense of trajectory to make strategy effective. You could throw in a sense of democracy as it ought to be (idealism) to complement actual representative democracy (the mechanics of the process).

    • cleangreen 6.1

      So Dennis – A ‘political leader’ needs to be a ‘leader’to be frank.

      Pretty simple eh?

      • Dennis Frank 6.1.1

        Yeah, they need to demonstrate that they’ve got what it takes. Like when the All Blacks are staring down the barrel of defeat, late in the game, the captain has to rally them to retain the ball, get down the other end of the field, and keep piling on the pressure until the defense of the opposing team cracks.

        That only happens when the team knows their captain has got the overview of the situation, knows what has to happen, and organises the team to do just that, fast.

        • woodart 6.1.1.1

          if you study All Black leadership in the last few years, you will find they have changed from having one leader to having a leadership group, and this has paid huge dividends. evenin a team of fifteen, having more than one leader pays off.

          • Dennis Frank 6.1.1.1.1

            Yeah, I made that point onsite here last week. In permaculture, it’s called designing for redundancy. Multiple sources of water in case one falls over, etc. I think the All Black’s coaching staff got there somewhat by accident (injury insurance policy) but they’ve been designing for it specifically in recent years.

        • KJT 6.1.1.2

          That is not how high stakes leadership actually works.

          In the elite military, well run aircraft, and ships, the bloke barking orders is almost redundant.

          An extremely high level of training, ensures they know what to do, almost seamlessly.

          There are extensive courses on making the best use of the whole team. They person in charge at any point, may not even be the overall leader.

          Very unusual for a ships Captain, for one, to give any orders. They just inform and co-ordinate. Stepping back, monitoring and keeping an overview is most effective.
          In a fire, for example, they trust the team on the spot, to know what to do. The bosses job is to ensure they have what they need, and the support is in place.

          Much less lonely than the old days, of one old man, ordering every action in detail.
          One person decisions, under pressure, are a well known cause of stuffups.

          In many ways management, and leadership, in corporates, teaching and Government has gone backwards, from what we know is best practice.
          http://kjt-kt.blogspot.com/2011/04/kia-ora-corporatism-and-neo-liberalism.html
          “Many corporations and State or private enterprises run despite management, not because of them. In fact the constant parade of new brooms trying to make a name for themselves, with rapid changes and cost cutting, cause competent staff to resign and demoralise the rest”.

          If you want to find a really effective leader, don’t look at them, look at how everyone around them, is doing.

          • Dennis Frank 6.1.1.2.1

            Quite right. However, the essay was about political leadership in our current system, so my comment was directed at that context. Fluid organisations, thus the All Blacks fits better than the military.

            An interesting comparison would be guerilla warfare: to what extent does teamwork produce crowd-sourced leadership in that context? I suspect to a considerable extent. Where command is distributed, and information flow severely restricted, we would expect operational autonomy in small groups.

            I gather that the online social ecosystem inhabited by the Chch shooter worked in this self-organising manner. He just up & decided to lead from the front…

        • cleangreen 6.1.1.3

          Dennis good point there.
          “they need to demonstrate that they’ve got what it takes”

  7. Cinny 7

    Have always thought that the PM should be akin to a parent of a nation, they should genuinely care about the people they represent and their well being.

    I deeply struggled with john key as PM, as his focus appeared to always be about money, power, self and profit over the people.

    Jacinda on the other hand genuinely cares, personally to me this is one of the most important values a person, especially a leader can have.

  8. patricia bremner 8

    How do we perceive our parliamentarians? A fair and reasonable person would admire their efforts, as often their hopes and plans get waylaid by events beyond their control.

    We, swayed by political tribalism blame the other team(s), when plans go awry. Real leadership is owning an event or failure, fronting up and putting plans and actions in place to mitigate the situation.

    People who lead hopefully showing humanity strength and depth of vision give us hope and belief in the future. This task is monumental when in the background lurks the constant fear of the damage done to our eco system.

    At times grown adults want their leaders to switch a “night light on” and smooth away fears. Like fractious four year olds who can’t pass the gratification test, solutions must be instant, or the voters fly into a name calling rage.

    These are difficult global times, where excesses of the past intrude sharply on the present, as global powers jockey for position using or swamping smaller states.

    Personally I believe we have great good fortune to have this Government at this juncture. We have had to self examine at a time of tragedy, and find our humanity grace and strength, and that coupled with a sense of purpose will see us through.

    For every action there is a reaction, and let us hope it is to strengthen the current mandate for good and not a swing back over the abyss of hopelessness.

    This current government is working for the greater good imo.

    • cleangreen 8.1

      Patricia; said “This current government is working for the greater good”.

      We hope so very deeply for this, – as we have much invested in this Government.

      But to not even stop the sale of our assets still going on under their noses, for instance the sale of our asset we see now called the ‘Napier Port’ is being half sold off by HB Regional Council while this Government sits back and watches it happen.

      WTF!!!!

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=12203472

      • Dukeofurl 8.1.1

        Good point . But not government owned so nothing thay can do, apart from the ‘sensitive land’ provisions.

        • Stuart Munro. 8.1.1.1

          This is just baked in neoliberalism – the privatization and then offshoring of public assets. If the government ‘can do nothing’ it’s time it changed the rules.

    • Rosemary McDonald 8.2

      “How do we perceive our parliamentarians? A fair and reasonable person would admire their efforts, as often their hopes and plans get waylaid by events beyond their control.”

      Much better have have zero expectations of our elected representatives and those being paid from the Public Purse, the other direction leads to bitter disappointment.

      This administration is little different from the last despite Ardern’s profile. Behind the scenes its pretty much SSDD.

    • KJT 8.3

      So many things have deliberately been put outside the power of Government, or voters, to change.
      Part of the Neo-liberal”unfortunate experiment”.

  9. KJT 9

    There is the problem in a nutshell.

    We elect “representatives”, then we allow them the delusion that they are “Leaders”.

    Instead of being the representative administrators, of our wishes, we elect them to be, they are allowed this fantasy that they are super humans who can decide policy, “because they think it is a good idea”.

    Expecting the Messiah has never worked.

    The excess of power is too much for most human beings. Placing too much responsibility on politicians, is not fair on anyone, even when they seek it.

    • SPC 9.1

      I would have thought most policy came from the party members, and representatives are at their service – based on their electoral mandate and related coalition arrangements (an exception the TINA “period” between 1984-1993 led to MMP).

      • cleangreen 9.1.1

        SPC Good comment there.

        “policy came from the party members, and representatives are at their service – based on their electoral mandate”

        We voted for local MP to change things and now when you go to the MP’s office you often get a ‘caution that MP’s cant intervene in Government agencies’

        WTF is wrong here; – so the agencies and boards and others hold all power over our elected politicians now?

        I posted an article no this issue on Scoop about Government being stymied by Bureaucrats and it is true, – so government now needs to take the reins and lead again not follow.’

        http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1902/S00113/government-is-being-stymied-by-bureaucrats.htm

        • woodart 9.1.1.1

          once local and central government was corporatised, and CEOs came into power, the voters, citizens, ratepayers etc, became powerless, and our elected members also ended up with a watching brief. some of this was deliberate as certain MPs were keen on having the buck stop short of there office, now its the CEO (in theory) but as with “the junior staffer”, the buck usually stops well down the line…..

      • KJT 9.1.2

        You would think so.

        But in reality the Greens are the only party that tries to democratically develop policy, from the ground up.

        Labour, to give them credit, appear to be getting better.

        • Dukeofurl 9.1.2.1

          When you arent in government thats how its done.

          Governing has far more issues come up than party activists can possibly deal with .
          As well you forget we have ‘representative’ government, ie MPs are elected to represent the voters , not a direct democracy where the voters themselves decide.

    • Politicans are employees and servants of the State however the Press portray them with God Like Status ?

    • Brigid 9.3

      Exactly.
      I have never regarded any head of state my leader. I don’t need leading. Do any of us?
      What I need is for the elected representatives to run the country in line with good governance.
      Ministers of the state are our employees; we are not their servants.

  10. Siobhan 10

    Yet they are ordinary people like you and me“…if that’s the case maybe we should just have a lucky draw system of picking our leader..names in a hat maybe.

    Or we could simply pick the most likable, seemingly relatable person who happens to want to be the most visibly powerful person in the country…or is that the system we already have?

    The biggest danger we have is portraying our Leaders as being beyond criticism…Key’s fans did this while he was in power.
    His ability to meet and greet at a barbeque seemingly out weighing his dismal financial and social stewardship…and now Jacinda Ardern fans, endlessly obsessing over her ability to deal with one or two issues..while ignoring the wider picture of her leadership and delivery of a supposedly transformative Government.

    We can only blame Key for absolutely everything thats wrong for so long…or we risk turning him into some sort of blandly Satanic demiGod..and after all…he simply took NZ’s journey further along the path already set by previous Governments…

    We should in fact expect MORE from our Leaders.
    We need to stop picking salespeople and start looking for visionaries.
    Whatever our Political allegiance .

    • Skunk Weed 10.1

      Key’s ego was something else however 54% of New Zealanders fell head over heals over him and loved him to bits.

      Richie McCaw and Dan Carter were his best buddies and Obama thought he was just the “ducks nuts ?”.

      NZ MSM had a love affair with John Key and the National Government, it just goes to show how politically naive most New Zealanders are ?

    • KJT 10.2

      There is good reason to believe that a “Citizens jury” picked at random, and expertly informed, would do just as well as our present system, of picking the person best able to bullshit, in TV sound bites.

      I like the system some Polynesian cultures had. The “Chief” was the most competent in whatever the tribe needed at the time. Whether it was crop growing, Navigation or warfare. The orator, “talking chief” was simply the one best at talking. Subject to the eye rolling from the back.
      Not dissimilar from the most effective, modern leadership processes.

  11. Sacha 11

    I expect good leaders to be moral people – not to know everything but to know what is important and what is right.

    • Skunk Weed 11.1

      Agree Like +100%

    • alwyn 11.2

      I fear that anyone who allows Shane Jones to continue to be in the Cabinet has not the slightest idea of right and wrong.
      Our current PM has forfeited all authority in the moral field by her ignoring his behaviour.
      Sack the man and sack him now.

      • Stuart Munro. 11.2.1

        “I fear that anyone who allows (insert your own joke here) to continue to be in the Cabinet has not the slightest idea of right and wrong.”

        There might be something in what you say about Jones, but you don’t have the standing to say it – after all, you supported Key, Brownlee, Sabin, Smith and Collins.

        • alwyn 11.2.1.1

          The only even remotely comparable people in a Key Cabinet were Williamson and Collins.
          Key fired them both from the Cabinet, although after a prolonged period of penance Collins was chosen again at a later date.
          Neither of their misdeeds was anything like the scale of Shane Jone’s breach of the Cabinet Manual rules.
          Sabin of course was dumped from Parliament.
          But facts never bothered you did they?
          Saying that Helen Clark’s driver was part of the Diplomatic Protection detail for example. I expected an apology for that little effort.

          • Stuart Munro. 11.2.1.1.1

            It seemed appropriate – you having created this tremendous myth about Clark’s zeal for rugby out of whole cloth – a myth you have yet to substantiate.
            You really must try harder, Alwyn, if you want to reach your full trolling potential.

            • alwyn 11.2.1.1.1.1

              Oh dear, you really are in a bad way Stuart.
              I never claimed that H1 had any particular interest in Rugby. Helen’s only real interest was in the promotion of Helen. You are just trying to change the subject because you are to embarrassed to admit that she had you completely and utterly conned.
              What I demonstrated was that your claims that it wasn’t Helen who wanted to get to the game but her driver, who you thought was in the DPS, was simply some crazy figment of your deranged imagination.
              Very sad of course.
              Give up laddie. As I suggested on the other discussion why don’t you give up digging your own grave with your b*s and spend the energy helping an old pensioner with her vegetable garden?

              Anyway when is your current flame going to follow John Key’s example and fire old sad-sack Jones from the Cabinet?
              Is she really so terrified by the antics of Tsar Winston that she will ignore anything from his mob?
              Or does he have a whole lot of extremely embarrassing information about her and her friends?

              • Stuart Munro.

                No, you were just trying to make a major case out of the speeding cavalcade, rather like the over-egged ‘fake painting scandal’. You have no knowledge of who motivated the speeding, and assigned it to Clark as an expression of your demonstrable ill-nature. I merely pointed out that cops notoriously enjoy both speeding and rugby more than the average pol studs lecturer.

                As the perpetrator of this particular slander, the onus of proof lies with you, to validate your assertion that it was Clark that made those decisions. Not that anyone really cares, though I like the exhortation to give up — the only way I am sure, that you could ever conceivably win an argument.

                I’m sure I don’t know who you might assume is my current ‘flame’, Winston lacks the qualifying attributes to fall within the ambit of my desire. Jones to be sure is a dodgy character, but infinitely straighter than Key, which is no achievement whatsoever, but readily explains why that reptile disposed of him – misdeeds being counted a virtue within the inner circle of the Kleptocracy, your explanation fails.

                • alwyn

                  I suggest you have a nice cup of Milo and a chocolate biscuit and then get yourself off to bed.
                  Your KDS is clearly beyond control. Sad, very sad.
                  The only thing you talk about that appears to fall within the realm of reality is your belief that the only person who has any power to decide who will be in Cabinet is Tsar Winston.
                  The PM is obviously, and accurately, only a figurehead with no actual power in the operations of Government as far as you can see.
                  Have a good nights sleep and try and relax in the morning. John Key really isn’t the incarnation of Beelzebub as you obviously believe.

    • patricia bremner 11.3

      Sacha, 11, Excellent point.

  12. Ad 12

    On the contrary: we don’t expect enough.

    90% of Cabinet decisions are approved according to the recommendations.

    The public service machinery is uneven in execution. See: MBIE, MoE, MPI, SIS, MoH, NZTA, Stats, Corrections, and more. And yet it’s operating near 40% of our economy.

    We have not seen the improvement in government services that we should have expected. Even with a strong economy, and plenty of taxes.

    We should demand much, much more.

    • On the contrary: we don’t expect enough.

      Agreed. If you want to run the place, you’d better be a cut above the average when it comes to intelligence, integrity, work ethic, strategic thinking and organisational skills, or why should we grant you that level of authority?

      • Skunk Weed 12.1.1

        Agree +100% we appear to have career Public Servants who appear to be absolutely hopeless hopping from one Department to the next ?

        • cleangreen 12.1.1.1

          Are We Expecting Too Much Of Our Political Leaders?

          Jacinda needs to read what her educator Helen Clark had planned in 2007 to combat climate change, as it appears Helen was more ‘active’ than jacinda has been to date.

          Particularly when it came to targeting transport by reducing the carbon emissions 40% by 2040.

          Today we have increased air travel and increased truck freight 200% since then; – so we are going the wrong way now.

          We need all regional rail back again Jacinda.

          Thursday, 20 September 2007,
          “Govt takes next steps to fight climate change a goal to reduce per capita emissions from the transport sector by half by 2040”
          http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0709/S00339.htm

          Govt takes next steps to fight climate change
          Thursday, 20 September 2007, 11:34 am
          Press Release: New Zealand Government
          Rt. Hon Helen Clark
          20/09/2007
          Government takes next steps to fight climate change
          Prime Minister Helen Clark and other ministers today outlined plans for an emissions trading scheme and for new forestry and environmentally friendly land management initiatives.
          “There is strong public sentiment for measures to reduce New Zealand’s impact on climate change. The Labour-led Government has carried out extensive consultation with many sectors of the economy. Today we are focusing on the solutions,” Helen Clark said.
          “Climate change is one of the most important global issues facing us. It affects us all, and our way of life. Taking action against it is not only the right thing to do; it is also the smart thing to do. Sustainability is a key competitive advantage. To protect our markets and our nation’s reputation, we need to act pre-emptively.
          “Our plans have been driven by the need to be fair to all sectors of the economy, while ensuring that our nation as a whole reduces pollution from greenhouse gases.
          “An emissions trading scheme is a significant part of our plan. It is important that we put a price on greenhouse gas pollution to encourage businesses and households to become more energy efficient.
          “We recognise however, that some sectors and groups in society are less able to adapt quickly. For that reason we are proposing that sectors of the economy are brought into the scheme gradually. It is also our intention to compensate low and modest income earners for the increased cost of electricity, and to encourage all New Zealanders to change their energy use patterns.

          The Labour-led Government’s policies to fight climate change include:
          · the establishment of an emissions trading scheme to put a price on greenhouse gas pollution
          · measures to encourage forestry and more sustainable land use
          · a goal to increase renewable electricity generation to ninety per cent of New Zealand’s total electricity generation by 2025
          · improving fuel and energy efficiency in buildings, homes and business
          · a goal to reduce per capita emissions from the transport sector by half by 2040, and to be one of the first nations to widely introduce electric vehicles
          · making the public sector carbon neutral
          “Reducing greenhouse gas pollution also offers us the opportunity to have a healthier environment and a more efficient economy.
          “Already some businesses, such as those in the tourism and wine sectors, have reduced greenhouse gas pollution and are marketing themselves credibly as carbon neutral and/or sustainable. There are opportunities across the economy for innovation and investment in low-emission, energy efficient products and services.
          “The announcements we are making today will protect New Zealand’s clean and green reputation, and support our economy moving further along the path to sustainability,” Helen Clark said.
          NOTE:
          Copies of the reports – New Zealand’s Climate Change Solutions – an overview, The Framework for a New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, Forestry in a New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change: Plan of Action, and emissions trading factsheets – can be accessed from the website http://www.climatechange.govt.nz.

      • KJT 12.1.2

        Being silly enough to want to be a politician, is probably grounds for disqualification, alone.

        • cleangreen 12.1.2.1

          Yes KJT;

          I would never want to be a ‘politician’ as I enjoy being free to speak my mind and know I am not deceiving anyone as politicians do often.

          Today watching the parliament channel the politicians in Q+A at 2pm they all looked tired and stressed and not comfortable in their own skins, so perhaps you are right as some look lost and confused.

  13. CHCoff 13

    Leadership in politics is of lobbying or rorting nature, whether situationally to public or private sector.

    Political leaders talk then, without some understanding, or on some level recognition, to that is misplaced, which comes back to the divide in the sensible application of the collective democratic principle between that of intention and knowledge.

  14. Ridiculous topic,… we expect integrity and adherence to common decency and as elected officials to carry out their duty’s for the public good to the best of their ability’s.

    In that they must be beyond reproach , not double dealing, not there to promote self interest , not there to further their ideology’s , … in short ,… a person of sound and honest character .

    Is this so hard to grasp?

    Im sure even Micky Joseph Savage or Norman Kirk made some mistakes. Does this mean we would come down hard on them for that? Contrast that with the John Keys and Roger Douglas’s of this world , – the compulsive liars. The neo liberals.

    The far Left and far Right are the same wings of the same bow , which , when twisted round so far that they meet in the middle become totalitarianism. Whether overt or in more subtle forms.

    Jimi Hendrix – Hear My Train A Comin’ (Lyric Video) – YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX5phFmbrU8

  15. WeTheBleeple 15

    Leadership aka Herding Cats.

    A good leader understands their true value is their team. They are not micro managers or control freaks. Their job is to make it as easy as possible for their team to do their job.

    A good leader encourages individuals to shine, while communicating clearly and honestly the goals and expectations for each individual, and the team entire. These expectations are checked for understanding aka safety inductions, certification, asking questions, etc.

    A team becomes more than the sum of its parts when it works in sync. A good leader actively discourages anti-social behavior and encourages team participation. A good leader is interested in the ideas of all the team.

    A good leader does not participate in idle gossip. A good leader laughs at themselves. A good leader admits when they’re wrong.

    A good leader acknowledges everyone else in the room.

    A good leader is a servant to the team.

    • cleangreen 15.1

      A good leader inspires the community group it represents to get involved and that begins with ‘inclusion’.

      Most MP’s now will not participate with communities, for fear of being given the task to advocate for the community.

      That is where the breakdown begins between community and Government.

  16. Pat 16

    the main problem politicians of western lib democracies have is ‘explaining’ the lack of representation of the majority interest….and increasingly that is becoming untenable.

    It is not possible to serve the interests of a narrow section of society ad infinitum without push back

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      Bryce Edwards writes – 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 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    4 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    4 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    4 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    5 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    6 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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. ...
    6 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 ...
    6 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
    6 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
    6 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
    7 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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
    1 week ago

  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours 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
    1 day 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    6 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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
    2 weeks 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 ...
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    2 weeks ago
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