Asset sales petition to be launched

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, March 6th, 2012 - 149 comments
Categories: petition, privatisation, referendum - Tags:

Confirmation that a petition for a citizens initiated referendum is to be launched by a coalition led by Grey Power, the Greens and Labour.

The word is it has been very complex getting wording agreed by all the groups. There’s still going to be a  bit of a delay while the wording goes through an official process before they’ll begin collecting signatures.

They’ve got to get 307,000 signatures to force a referendum. I reckon that’ll be pretty straightforward . It’s only a fraction of the combined membership of Grey Power, the unions, and the parties. And, together, they can bring a hell of a lot of activists on to the streets. The key will be getting as many signatures as possible as quickly as possible.

If it was me, once the petition has jumped through the official hoops, I would kick off with getting every activist in Wellington to do blanket coverage of Ohariu. And again when Mighty River goes on the block.

This is going to be a massive thorn in the government’s side. While Key is trying to explain why he is selling these assets against the people’s will, Green and Labour MPs (who should have a target of personally collecting 1,000 signatures each) along with thousands of activists will be knocking on doors and giving people an avenue to express their opposition.

And then there’s the referendum itself. Under the law, it must be conducted with 12 months of the petition being completed and presented. So, some time late 2013 – a year out from an election – the Nats are going to get hammered in a referendum.

If I was Key, I would almost be praying Dunne decides to go against the legislation. It’ll save him a whole lot of pain in the long run.

149 comments on “Asset sales petition to be launched ”

  1. Jim Nald 1

    I would be happy to be standing at a busy corner on the main street every day for an hour during lunch to collect, as an initial target, 1000 signatures.
    Bring it on 🙂


  2. The word is it has been very complex getting wording agreed by all the groups.

    I’m not surprised that’s been difficult, it’s crucial that they get this right. The ‘smacking’ referendum was farcical due to the wording.

    Apart from getting agreement the big problem with wording is it has to serve two separate purposes:
    1. To attract signatures to a petition it needs to make a bold statement on one side of the argument
    2. To make a credible referendum it needs to be a balanced, clear and non contradictory.

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 2.1

      Yes Pete, it’s too hard. Better not get involved.

      • Lanthanide 2.1.1

        Pete is all for community engagement and a new way of doing politics and suchlike. I’m sure he’d be right out there on the front lines, engaging with his community to see what they think of his party’s championed policy.

        • Pete George 2.1.1.1

          Yep, I’m all for community engagement and in principle support referenda, but I’m very suspicious of party driven petitions.

          I’m interested to see if the settle on credible wording for the petition, and I’ll be interested to see how the petition goes (and the assocaited debate), and if it gets to a petition I’ll be interested to see the result of that, and then the subsequent response of Government to that.

          My main concern is that the referendum will end up being a binary question eg for or against asset sales. That won’t answer how strongly people are for or against, nor will it answer whether people may against asset sales but against the alternatives even more.

          There’s also a problem that the petition and possible referendum may not look at what is eventually actually proposed in legislation as opposed to all sorts of claims flying around at the moment.

          • Kotahi Tane Huna 2.1.1.1.1

            My main concern is that the referendum could drown in a shallow puddle of vacillating froth from United Future.

          • Ben Clark 2.1.1.1.2

            Pete, the law requires that it be a binary question, with a clear Yes or No answer. So if that’s your main concern you can be pretty sure it’ll be fulfilled.

            • Pete George 2.1.1.1.2.1

              I know, and that’s one deficiency of the process.

              The other major deficiency is the timeframe involved, it takes far too long.

              By the time the petition is done, confirmed, and then if successful the referendum is eventually held it wil be way down the track. There could even be assets sold by then.

              * Citizens’ Initiated Referendums require a petition signed by 10 per cent of enrolled voters – just over 307,000 signatures.

              * Organisers have 12 months to collect the signatures.

              * The Government then chooses when the referendum is held.

              * It is not bound by the result.

              http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10790076

              • McFlock

                it’s all so futile, why bother. Much better to get community engagement organised by people who have managed to sit through the last twenty years with no party affiliation whatsoever. There’ll be enough of them eager to futilely volunteer their time, surely! /sarc

              • Actually having a binary question is an advantage of the CIR process. The problem is that it’s still not good enough. You can get loaded questions, (like the one pushed by Family Fist) or “fluff questions”. (like the “should we give better support to firefighters?” question)

                Ideally what we should have is a draft bill that would be introduced by a CIR, and use a paraphrased question that independent lawyers write to sum up the draft bill.

                • It’s an advantage if used the way you suggest, associated with a binding referendum. That’s a form of process that could actually work, as compared to the current system designed to fob off. But I don’t see our parliament putting anything like that in place.

                  • No, I mean a binary question is ALWAYS better for the kinds of questions you’ll get from CIR. The only time I’d say you need non-binary questions is when you ask voters about electoral reform, and even then, the approach the latest one took where we have a binary “change or not?” and then our options works quite well.

  3. I agree with Jim that this petition needs to be circulated near and wide and will do my bit.  I thought the wording should be crowd sourced to see what could be agreed upon.
     
    For me something like the following could work:
     

    We the free people of New Zealand hereby declare that we oppose the assets built up by the blood sweat and tears of our forefathers being privatised for the benefit only of the wealthy and overseas corporate interests.

    • Gosman 3.1

      You are joking aren’t you?

      Otherwise this is one seriously funny unintentional post.

    • Lanthanide 3.2

      Not sure if you’re serious or not, but that’s terrible.

      • mickysavage 3.2.1

        It is off the top of my head and is intended to be a starter for discussion.

        • Pete George 3.2.1.1

          It’s a good starter for discussion then, as an example of the easiest sort of petition/referendum for a government to ignore – it would be simple to say that any proposed sale programme is not addressed by this.

        • Gosman 3.2.1.2

          Off the top of your head – really???

          The top of your head seems to be a mix of faux Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill pomposity.

          • Uturn 3.2.1.2.1

            Sneering is the lowest form of intelligence.

            • Gosman 3.2.1.2.1.1

              I personally think smashing your head repeatedly against the keyboard as a reply would probably qualify as indicating a level of intelligence lower than someone replying with a sneering comment. A couple of your posts today have come close to this level.

              • Uturn

                I haven’t smashed my head against a keyboard today. Have you? You want to play this game gosman? OK.

                Sneerers, sometimes intelligent in a knowledgeable way, but rarely in a self awareness way. They’re suffered some kind of continued humiliation, emotional abuse or oppression as children or young adults and now can’t make it past their own fear to express their pain and start to grow again. Their minds are prone to anxiety and panic and they are expert at predicting outcomes and finding patterns within information – it’s how they keep the inner hurt child safe. Sometimes it gets so bad they lose all control and try to humiliate others as they have been as a last ditch attempt to communicate their pain. They hide behind powerful people, their spouses, rules, duty, ideals and organisations. Their conscious identity is based almost enirely on the persona and is very is fragile.

                So who was it gosman? Your father? Your teachers? Your mother or siblings? Maybe just our sucky NZ culture? That’s why you come here. To demonstrate you are worth something by lazily pushing against the ideas you disagree with. Conflict is power and control, and control means not having the fear. Is that it gosman?

                The trouble is gosman, you won’t get what you need here. You have to look inside, meet your pain head on and learn to grow again. My sympathy for your predicament has run out because you reach for the easy psychological painkiller and sneer and abuse others. You’ll just end up banned and alone, trapped in your own pain.

                • Gosman

                  LOL!

                  Gotta love that pop psychology. Next you’ll be telling me that if only we thought positive thoughts then everything would be right with the world.

                  Now that you bring up self awareness, have you ever thought that some of the stuff you write about might in fact be complete rubbish?

                  • Uturn

                    Yeah yeah, bluster bluster, look at me, look at me… We know gosman. We know. You use the same recipe every time.

                    Expression reveals the person. That’s the rule, no one exempt. You’ve been rambling on here long enough to show us exactly who you are, all your little fears and ticks. How is the dissociative disorder going for you? Will you be here tomorrow, pushing – or should that be slouching – against ideas you disagree with? Or will you do the hard work and start your own blog of your ideas, from scratch? I think we all know the answer. Easier to disagree, eh. Less work. Sort of like an intellectual bludger. The thing is, not many people here will be interested in your ideas because the purpose of this blog is the complete opposite. Wrong market, old chap.

          • mickysavage 3.2.1.2.2

            You should develop a sense of humour Gossie.  It helps the long winter nights fly.

          • lprent 3.2.1.2.3

            Seems to be quite virulent. You seem to have almost as big a pomposity dose as PG…. 😈

        • Lanthanide 3.2.1.3

          Your question is so obviously biased and leading that any results would be ignored.

          That was a similar problem with the anti-smacking question.

    • alex 3.3

      “We the undersigned do not support the partial or complete sale of state owned power companies.”

      Job done.

      • Only not.

        The wording of CIR’s must be capable of a “yes” or “no” answer … that’s kind of the point of a referendum.

        • alex 3.3.1.1

          Should the government sell any stake in state owned power companies?

          Better? You legal eagle you.

      • Enough is Enough 3.3.2

        Alex,

        Specific and to the point. Turn that into a question and it will leave the recipient with no doubt as to what the undersigned are petitioning. Something that Key and his smarmy band of thieves cant ignore.

        That statement above from Savage is an example of the worst kind of emotive off this planet rambling possible. The government would laugh that off as meaningless drivel. Are you really a lawyer…this and your opinion on company directors duties has me wondering what law school you went to….

        • yeshe 3.3.2.1

          Why is it being limited to power stations ? Are we not intent upon opposing sales of any state owned assets ?

          • KJT 3.3.2.1.1

            Buying and selling of State assets occurs all the time.
             
            Strategic infrastructure which delivers an income stream and is essential for NZ should not be sold.
             

        • Uturn 3.3.2.2

          Well Enough is Enough, here’s the thing about yours and others comments to Savage. I’ll spell it out so we all catch the context:

          This is the internet. It’s a public forum for ideas and discussion. We all peruse this and other sites, we read the various comments, we know how thoughts translate into words and how discussions often stray from serious academic presentations to lighthearted comedy to passionate outbursts and back again. We should all have realised by now that words taken straight from thoughts and typed onto the page are not as inhibited as those we speak to each other in person. We are all smart people, are we not? All capable of understanding, of keeping one eye on the context as well as the material? Of not getting lazy and disappearing into cyberworld completely, like dreamy toddlers? Of bringing some real life awareness and perspective to the electronic medium? We are? Hmmm?

    • Link whore.

      That is just weird.  It does not way anything.  It is like saying “Lets make everything better” and not worrying about the details because they are too difficult.  Do you approve of inertia? 

      • Tigger 4.1.1

        Pete, just give it up mate. Its embarrassing watching your pathetic attempts at misdirection

        Ohariu voter here. Will be volunteering to get signatures all over our beautiful electorate..

         

    • KJT 4.2

      Typical politician/PG answer. A lot of waffle that says nothing.
       
      And of course we want to bring down the bunch of lying thieves we have in Government.
      Before they have done so much damage we can never recover.
      Like the Right wing Government in Greece.

  4. fabregas4 5

    I would happily collect signatures here up North. In fact, I’d guess that the number of folk prepared to collect signatures would hit the referendum number required alone.

  5. Kotahi Tane Huna 6

    Q1. Do you support treason charges for politicians who propose asset sales? Yes or no. If “no” go to question 2.
    Q2. Do you support exile for politicians who propose asset sales? Yes or no. If “no” go to question 3.
    Q3. Do you support public flogging and head-shaving for politicians who propose asset sales? Yes or no. If “no” go to question 4.
    Q4. Do you support a namby pamby bleeding heart liberal holiday camp slap on the wrist for politicians who propose asset sales? Yes or no. If “no” go to question 5.
    Q5. You’re one of them, aren’t you?

    Too complicated?

    How about: “We the undersigned do not support the sale of publicly owned assets by this or any other New Zealand government”?

    • rosy 6.1

      Good, but…
      “We the undersigned do not support the sale of publicly owned assets, in their entirety or partially, by this or any other New Zealand government”?

      • Lanthanide 6.1.1

        I couldn’t sign such a petition, because it’s too much of a blanket. I would support (or at least not oppose) the sale of some SoEs, such as TVNZ, and it’s only this government’s current plans that I specifically object to because we aren’t in such a financial position where it is our only choice, as ably demonstrated by Labour at the election.

      • Gosman 6.1.2

        So you believe that if a School closes in a particular location because of falling class sizes and/or amalgamation with another school the Government can’t sell the land and use the funds to support other schools?

        If we take this to it’s logical conclusion the Government will be steadily accumulating more and more assets slowly crowding out the private sector as well as having an awful lot of useless assets that they will have to maintain for no benefit.

        • Kotahi Tane Huna 6.1.2.1

          Thanks Gos (and Lanth), good points both.

          “We the undersigned do not support the sale of publicly owned significant assets by this or any other New Zealand government”?

          or

          “We the undersigned do not support the current government’s policy of asset sales”?

          The devil is in the details as ever.

          • rosy 6.1.2.1.1

            Or it could be restricted to SoEs or require agreement with a given percentage of the opposition.

          • Gosman 6.1.2.1.2

            Stick with the wording about this Government and specify the policy of partial sale of SOE’s.

            Good luck with the petition. It is not going to make a blind bit of difference in my opinion but at least it will make you feel like you did something and that’s important.

            • Lanthanide 6.1.2.1.2.1

              It makes things difficult for National and will harm their chances at the next election because they will have ignored the clear will of the people (like they already did once with the anti-smacking referendum).

              • So it’s political campaigning rather than having and realistic attempt at changing the policy.

                • KJT

                  So what!
                   
                   

                • rosy

                  All it needs is one MP to realise there is no mandate for asset sales and cross the floor.

                • Kotahi Tane Huna

                  Pete are you deliberately obtuse or does it come naturally? Has it not occurred to you that a political campaign is a realistic way of changing policy?

                  • Of course it is an available political tactic, although parliament is the more common domain for parties to try and influence policies.

                    I just think it’s worth recognising that although called a Citizen Initiated Referendum this appears to be more of a political party/group initiated referendum.

                    It’s not clear how much of it is simply politically motivated and how much might be for the good of the people.

                    • Roger

                      “Of course it is an available political tactic, although parliament is the more common domain for parties to try and influence policies.”

                      The parties that have the power in parliament want to sell the assets. The people who do not want asset sales (the majority) are not MPs so it is just about the only real option.

                      “I just think it’s worth recognising that although called a Citizen Initiated Referendum this appears to be more of a political party/group initiated referendum.”

                      And I think it’s worth recognising that 307000 agreeing to support the call for a referrendum is significant regardless of the citizen’s party or group affiliations.

                      “It’s not clear how much of it is simply politically motivated and how much might be for the good of the people.”

                      It is for the good of the people that government owned companies operating in a natural monopoly markets, providing essential services and bringing in steady returns for the country are not sold down to the point where foreign investors can force the companies to remove any social or environmental objectives and charge us more for power so that they can line their own pockets.

                • felix

                  What’s the difference, Pete? I mean that quite seriously.

                  I’d happily support a National govt that enacted policies I agree with.

                  Wouldn’t you?

                  • See above for the answer to your first question.

                    I’d happily support any policies I agreed with no matter which party proposed them. I supported and took advantage of the Green initiated home heating and insulation policy. I support the Labour balloted Monday-ising bill.

                    And I’m reserving my support or otherwise for the asset sales petition, depending on how it’s worded. I think it’s probably too late and the process is far too slow to be much use though.

                    • felix

                      You may have missed my point, which was (intended to be) simply:

                      What’s wrong with putting pressure on any party to change their policies?

        • McFlock 6.1.2.2

          Actually, there’s no reason a defunct school can’t be turned into a community centre or demolished for state housing. It doesn’t need to be sold.

    • Gosman 6.2

      This thread is turning into classic comedy gold.

    • Lanthanide 6.3

      I couldn’t sign such a petition, because it’s too much of a blanket. I would support (or at least not oppose) the sale of some SoEs, such as TVNZ, and it’s only this government’s current plans that I specifically object to because we aren’t in such a financial position where it is our only choice, as ably demonstrated by Labour at the election.

  6. Striker9 7

    Mighty River Power are first on the block. Along with petition, could boycott and mass movement of customers away from Mercury and Bosco, both owned by Mighty River, throw a spanner in the works too. Just a thought.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_electricity_market

  7. Roy 8

    Put a copy online that people can print out, sign and mail in.

  8. vto 9

    Why is a petition even needed?

    The majority of New Zealanders voted for parties that stated no asset sales. The biggest referendum, the general election, has already sorted this out.

    • lcmortensen 9.1

      We’d be struggling to say so: we’re 0.13% short.

      National + ACT + United Future = 48.98% of the party vote
      Labour + Green + NZ First + Mana + Conservatives = 48.86% of the party vote

      Then again, election results on a particular policy can be confounded by other policies. What other policies could make someone vote National or ACT despite the threat of privatisation?

      • Pete George 9.1.1

        I don’t think the election was won so much on policies but rather the perception of ability to manage the economy.

        Labour betting virtually their whole campaign on anti asset sales and bumping up the minimum wage (many workers as well as small business employers weren’t happy with this) suggested a narrow lack of vision.

        They did dabble with a CGT that might have a bit of a positive benefit some time late in the decade (or not) but didn’t seem to fully back this. Voters wanted the economy sorted sooner.

        Not promoting or backing their leader didn’t help either.

        • McFlock 9.1.1.1

          Don’t forget rotten boroughs creating a tory overhang. That helped the nats get in. Embarrassing for them, though, that their majority has been whittled down so far that they need the support of nematode parties.

          • alwyn 9.1.1.1.1

            That comment has absoltely zero connection with reality.
            The number of MPs is determined by the nation-wide party vote and any party that has even one list MP must have votes for more members than they have won electorates.
            National has got list MPs. They therefore did not get an overhang from “rotten boroughs”.
            It would be possible to claim that the Maori electorates are close to being the equivalent of the old rotten boroughs (because of the way they count the children in determining the number of people in the electorate) but none of the other electorates come close.

            • McFlock 9.1.1.1.1.1

              Nope.
                   
              Firstly, if National had not run Clayton’s campaigns in Epsom and Ohariu then National would still have <50% of the parliamentary party vote. By having candidates tearing down their own election hoardings National got two electorate seats from different parties, i.e. in addition to their party vote. This is the only reason they can sell assets (depending on Maori Party decision – haven’t followed whether they’ve completely sold out or not).
                       
              Then there is the question of the Maori Party: at least nobody can accuse them of having faced patsy campaigns.

              • alwyn

                There are a couple of things on this.
                These seats are nothing like “rotten boroughs”. Rotten boroughs existed in Britain prior to the 1832 reforms. They were electorates that had basically lost almost all their constituents but continued to elect MPs. Some of them had less than 10 voters. One of them had fallen into the sea from erosion. Both Ohariu and Epsom are essentially the same size as any other electorate and the use of the term “rotten borough” is not realistic.
                If Banks had not been elected in Epsom, and National had won the seat the absence of an ACT MP would have, I understand, led to National getting 60 rather than 59 MPs. This is due to the vagaries of allocating the final seats. I cannot give you a reference to this on-line but I saw the calculation just after the election.
                You also suggest that National would have got less than 50% of the party vote and imply that this does not give them a mandate. It is quite likely that a party could get less than 50% but get more than half the seats in the house. This is because a party, such as the Conservatives in 2011, or NZF in 2008 get less than 5% but do not win an electorate. So what? The only real way around it would be to reduce the party vote threshold down to zero.
                In terms of Clayton’s campaigns of course all the Green candidates in 2008 ran such things. All the Green MPs were saying “don’t vote for me, vote for the Labour candidate”. On the West Coast the Green candidate even announced that he had voted for the Labour person.

                • McFlock

                  check it out from the election results website
                  It looks to me like National still get under 50% of the votes that parties which reach the threshold or get an electorate receive.
                      
                  60 seats is still not a majority, even without an overhang.
                     
                      
                  And I was using the term “rotten borough” in the context of an electorate that becomes essentially a gifted seat for a patron to provide undemocratic, excessive and undeserved influence in parliament, rather than strictly by their size.
                   

                  • alwyn

                    My last comment on this.
                    You are right on the total. If you add up the Labour, Greens, New Zealand First, Maori and Mana party votes thay come to 1,066,003. National got 1,058,636. Bloody close though wasn’t it?
                    Somehow, though, I cannot see anyone putting together a coalition from hell like that one and holding it together for three years.
                    Both Russell and Winstone would demand that they were deputy PM and Minister of Finance and that the other was relegated to posts outside cabinet.
                    I have excluded ACT and UF as you regard them as not going to be in Parliament without National giving them an electorate seat. Thus there would only be six parties.
                    Your classing Ohariu as being an electorate that is within National’s ability to assign is going to upset Charles Chauvel though. Champagne Charlie likes to think that it is really his.

        • mickysavage 9.1.1.2

          Petey

          I don’t think the election was won so much on policies but rather the perception of ability to manage the economy.

          It was actually won because the turnout was crap.  Feel free to deny and I will then bombard you with a plethora of statistics and analysis.

          But the turnout was even lower than 2008 because people thought it was a foregone conclusion.  Shame really, it was a razor edge seat of the pants win for the Nats and this will show in the next couple of years. 

          • Pete George 9.1.1.2.1

            Non-voters didn’t think Labour were worthy of a vote.

            • rosy 9.1.1.2.1.1

              You have evidence to support that, Pete? Without evidence, at best you could only say that voting for any party was not their priority on election day.

            • McFlock 9.1.1.2.1.2

              By that logic, the percentage of the population who thought UF was worthy of a vote indicates that you have no idea what voters think.
               

  9. If realistic the petition will need wording something like this:

    Do you oppose the National party asset sales programme that you don’t have the final details of yet and that will be under way by the time any possible resulting non binding referendum might be held but you want to kick their arse next election regardless?

    • fender 10.1

      It’s good to have input from a flake who has had the “kick up the ass”, tnx PG, and tnx Dunedin North.

    • lprent 10.2

      Solution to that is obvious. National should have had the details available about how the sales would be made before the last election. Hell they should have the details out now… Where are they? Stuck up Peter Dunne’s fundement as far as I’m aware.

      National didn’t campaign on the details of the policy for good tactical reasons — they wanted to win the election. For similar tactical reasons those details will probably become available about the time that the legislation is passed and the assets sold. Guess what, it is hard to retroactively nationalize those assets, although that is what I think should happen based on the sneaking around that National, Act, United Future, and even the Maori party have been doing.

      So you’re actually whining that the government is being secretive about the details of the asset sales. Bitch to them.

      • Pete George 10.2.1

        No. I think there was enough detail during the election to be fairly clear about National’s intentions.

        They are currently going through a consultation process with coalition partners (and possibly other parties) to put together a package that will get sufficient support to get through the first reading and on to the next (committee) stage where more discussion and consultation will take place.

        We won’t know the final details until the end of this whole process. That’s fairly normal.

        • lprent 10.2.1.1

          Nope. The primary benefit that National and its partners were touting for the partial privatization was the 6 billion in debt repayment (ie paying for the taxcut hole). Turns out that the best advice they had for an expected return was a little less than half of that and that National were touting a fantasy figure. And based on treasuries track record with predicting returns on asset sales in the past, I’d expect that the actual return would be about half of that.

          Almost everyone who looked closely at what National said came up with the same thing. It was almost impossible to restrict or even retain a significant fraction of the 49% ownership within NZ. National said that was possible, and are now saying that it is not.

          National were saying before the election that the 51% that the government retained would be sufficient to control the physical assets and prevent their on-sale. Now they are saying that they wouldn’t want to prevent that. It doesn’t look to me like they are planning to even restrict the listing to the local stockmarket – so much for widening the base.

          In short there appears to be no part of National’s statements prior to the election that appears to bear any relationship to what they are planning on doing apart from their determination to sell them. In short – National were lying their arse off. The vacillating parties like United Future appear to have been sucked in by the bullshit and now have a hook solidly placed for National to reel them in…

          I could go on. But lets take the much smaller task. Tell me what parts of the policy you think have remained the same…

        • mickysavage 10.2.1.2

          Petey so you think that the asset sale proposal is vague and lacking in detail.

          Fair enough.

          Then why did the Government (coiffured one included) include the sale figures in the books?  This Government not only needs the sale to go ahead but will have a big hole in the books if they are not sold.  And if, gasp, they are not sold for enough then severe cuts are going to have to be made in some really important areas.

          Kinda irresponsible doncha think? 

  10. Hey guys … can’t help but note you missed a fairly major opposition party from your list!

  11. felix 12

    Interesting, Pete.

    People who get involved in the political process are often criticised on the basis that there’s no point opposing something that hasn’t happened yet, then when it does happen they’re criticised because there’s no point opposing something that’s already happened.

    You’ve managed to simultaneously voice those objections to participation in one comment. Well done.

    How’s the new type of politics going btw?

    • McFlock 12.1

      Someone uses Yes Minister as their playbook, in lieu of actual policy and principle.

    • felix, that illustrates the shortcomings of our petition/referenda process, doesn’t it. Too slow and cumbersome and ineffectual to be much use within our democratic system. Designed by politicians to be that way.

      How do you think we could have a more effective public feedback and lobby system?

      • Blighty 12.2.1

        the sales will be happening as this petition is being signed and by the time the referendum is held.

      • felix 12.2.2

        That’s a good question Pete, and over the medium to long term an important one.

        However right now I’m a bit more concerned about our energy infrastructure being flogged off so I’ll be focusing on using whatever tools I have available in the present to stop that from happening.

        • Pete George 12.2.2.1

          I don’t see how a petition/referendum system designed to have some semblance of democratic process but more effecient at fobbing off long term public policy initiatives can be very useful for dealing with government priority legislation on the go.

          I doubt National will mind that so much time and attention is going into a futile sideshow while they proceed.

          Stopping it proceeding may be harder than trying to change Dunne’s mind, the Maori Party are sounding like they may be on board the asset sale train as well.

          • Matthew Whitehead 12.2.2.1.1

            Honestly, this issue is going to be a deathblow for either of the more centrist support parties of the government. If the Maori Party gets on board, I don’t see how they retain their seats next election.

  12. Kevin 13

    It may be to late to mount an electoral challenge to the Governments asset sale programme. Legislation is well down the track to pave the way for asset sales, the Maori Party have offered the only real opposition by insisting on the Section 9 inclusion in legislation to protect the “Kiwi” share of assets from being sold off.
    The National Party campaigned on asset sales prior to the election and their reappointment as government is seen by them as endorsement of an asset sales programme.
    If a petition is not successful, the New Zealand public will have to adopt a different tactic and that is to buy into the assets, putting your money where your mouth is. In the case of power co’s this may prove to be a lucrative decision, however buying into Air New Zealand may prove to be more challenging, as would buying into Television New Zealand which is facing an uncertain future technology wise.

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 13.1

      Or not. Another way would be to support re-nationalisation, either without compensation (my preferred option) or at the original price without interest.

      Enough support in the electorate for these policies will ruin the sale, scaring off investors and making it clear to those foolish enough to collaborate with the bought party that they will lose their shirts.

      Seriously, we’ve had enough of this kleptocrat and his half-wit hangers-on. It’s time the gloves came off.

      • Te Reo Putake 13.1.1

        Without compensation is definitely the preferred option if we are going to recoup lost investment for the country. Imagine how much better Kiwrail would be if we didn’t have pay a ridiculous price to buy it back.
         
        In the alternative, nationalisation with compensation set at either purchase price or the market price, whichever is the lower.
         
        As the warning says; share prices go down as well as up and your experience may differ from the advertisement.

        • insider 13.1.1.1

          That’s a nonsense. NZ Rail had something like $1b in debt written off in the 80s. that was debt accrued under govt ownership. Imagine if it had not had that burden removed. It has always lost money no matter who owns it.

          • McFlock 13.1.1.1.1

            Amazing how effectively trucking companies can compete with rail when they don’t have to absorb 100% of the cost of road maintenance.
                 
            Oh, that and when rail companies suddenly switch from being an unemployment sump into a profit-seeking enterprise all at once, it sets them up for a fail. 

            • insider 13.1.1.1.1.1

              Where does this trucks don’t pay the costs come from? Highway costs are fully funded by fuel taxes. Plus those taxes fund a bunch of other things too. Local roads get about 50%

              • McFlock

                Because the NLTF is the sole source of funding for NZ highways?
                     
                No other government funds whatsoever?

              • KJT

                We had this one out several years ago.
                 
                The shipping federation conclusively proved that trucking is heavily subsidised.
                 
                By: Light vehicle petrol and road taxes, council rates used for roading, oil import hidden costs, among others, and soon, carbon charges.
                 
                Not to mention noise, congestion and parking.

          • Kotahi Tane Huna 13.1.1.1.2

            I suspect the biggest problem for NZ rail (outside of predatory wingnuts) is an engineering issue: our narrow gauge, and consequent speed limitations.

  13. johnm 14

    My Opinion which others are free to refute if they wish:

    Shonkey, Dunny Paper, and the Baubles and Bangles party plus the Axe party known as Act are far far worse than Doug Graham and the rest’s constructive fraud at Lombard. The former through a corrupt gamed system, not representing the majority are committing daylight robbery of extremely important strategic assets owned by the totality of New Zealanders, whether they be rich, middle, poor, deserving or undeserving i.e. in the common good, in the name of a criminally selfish ideology of the rich get richer the poor get screwed known as neoliberalism :which is the common good is rubbish market advantage is everything which is concentrated in the 1%s hands, the result of this being debt slavery and the neofeudalism of the working poor. The ultimate aim is to 100% privatise all wealth into private hands in a grab what you can and the devil take the losers. The losers lose as the common good is relentlessly incrementally dismantled.

    Take the U$$$$$$ You have the rich there living in their own cocoons having bought and sold the Repubs and Dems presiding over a shit pile of ordinary sheople americans living in miserable poverty. Example? 47,000,000 Yanks exist on food handouts.

    • johnm 14.1

      I forgot to add if you’re illiterate in the U$$$$ and can’t fill out the Bull Shit paperwork for foodstamps have no fixed abode and can’t pay someone to help you you end up hungry on the streets. Your best option then is to access the U$$$$$’s major growth sector Privatised prisons by committing an offence. Then you get a warm cosy cell and three meals a day and you don’t have to fill in all that BS paperwork booklets! Plus all that attention you never had before! From a nobody to a somebody in an easy action. Also you helping the economy by creating more GDP. creating employment for prison builders and guards and the tech weapons to control inmates.

  14. DH 15

    I think the best approach to wording it is to take a leaf out of the justice system. Make it a simple blanket coverage question with option of an exception.

    Example;

    “Should any state asset with a value greater than $x million be sold without a public referendum”

    That would ban all sales subject to us approving it. Simple, effective and with little chance of misinterpretation.

    (the value part would be a bit subjective & possibly some other wording might be more appropriate but it would probably suffice)

    • Make “that without a binding public referendum”.

      The obvious problem being that this referendum wouldn’t be binding.

    • Lanthanide 15.2

      But it doesn’t actually address the issue at hand: whether we should sell the SoEs that National is preparing to sell.

      Someone who supports asset sales can just as equally answer Yes to the question you’ve proposed as someone who opposes asset sales. That test tells you that you aren’t asking the correct question.

      • DH 15.2.1

        Sure it does. You include each asset as separate questions in the same referendum.

        Should assets be sold without a referendum yes/no

        If no should the following be sold

        1/ Sold Energy yes/no
        2/ AirNZ yes/no
        3/ etc etc yes/no

        Would be bloody hard for any Govt to go against a referendum like that without risking a public flogging.

        • insider 15.2.1.1

          “Sold Energy” – snigger

          Why do we own a coal miner? When was the last time anyone put coal on a fire?

          • McFlock 15.2.1.1.1

            Down south we do. I believe that coal-fired stations also provide extra grid generation when required.

            • insider 15.2.1.1.1.1

              But coal is not ‘vital’, in that you could use electricity or wood. Should we nationalise firewood suppliers?

              Huntly is the main coal power station – it’s more than just a backup and a lot of its coal comes from Indonesia. Much of our domestic coal goes to Fonterra for process heat to make milkpowder.

              • McFlock

                You mean the electricity producers that they’re looking to sell (and don’t give me that 49% bs), and the forests that the Crown is getting out of?
                   
                I credit you lot for consistency in the believe that no strategic asset is worth the protection and public benefit of public ownership, but ffs. Every single one? 

                • Colonial Viper

                  But coal is not ‘vital’, in that you could use electricity or wood.

                  LOL

                  • insider

                    Why is that funny? How do you heat your house? Do you have an aga?

                    • McFlock

                      I do. Lots of people do. It’s called “Shit that can’t get cut off or have lines come down in winter”

                    • insider

                      I use wood as the primary heat. Even if I had a multiburner I don’t think I’d use coal as its so messy. I don’t understand why cv thinks substituting coal with wood or an electric heat pump is funny

                    • McFlock

                      Same reason steam engines ran on coal when they could.
                            
                      Now imagine a limited budget. Which is better?

                    • insider

                      I don’t know the cost and heat value of coal – but I’ll assume it’s better cos you’ve asked the question 🙂 It costs me about 250 a cord and I use 2.5 each winter usually.

                    • McFlock

                      Depends on the coal – I only know that after buying the cheapest coal that seemed to be 90% rocks 🙂
                         
                      But of course the big example is the transport that has to carry its own fuel – ships were on coal, not carrying holds full of wood for fuel.
                         
                      No idea on usage though – I do coal, spare wood and electricity, and all of them also heat the water  🙂
                        
                       

                    • Colonial Viper

                      FFS you burn shit low grade coal for heat, you use good metallurgical coal to make steel.

                      Anyone driven a car this week? Or gone inside a tall building? Or crossed a bridge? Steel more than any other material marks the first two thirds of the 20th century.

                    • insider

                      What’s that got to do with home heating, which is what we were talking about.

                    • Colonial Viper

                      Rubbish.

                      You asked why anyone would own a coal miner.

                      And then you ran your entire bullshit argument on the use of shitty crap cheap heating coal, ignoring all the high value uses of quality coal.

                    • insider

                      No.if you follow the order of the thread The vital reference was clearly in response to mcflock’s comment that he still put coal on his fire. Try to keep up.

                • insider

                  Id primarily ask what options are available in deciding. So ports are a natural monopoly in their area but there are plenty of port options in nz, so no need for the state. but in say western Australia or a pacific island you might reach a different conclusion.

                  So I’m happy with transpower being govt owned, but Id like to see it challenged a bit more on its investments. It’s currently a cosy cartel with the powercos and we end up paying a lot often for their benefit, and they shriek crisis and the govt panics and tend to chuck money at them. There is almost an incentive to fail occasionally. You could perhaps drive efficiency through a 10 year operating contract. You could even separate out north and south networks as they pretty much run independently and the hvdc as a discrete asset. Might not be worth the hassle though.

                  I think a reasonable case could be made for the core phone network too but there are (limited) alternatives like wireless and fibre like Telstra has in some places. Given its already private you could just control it like lines companies. Roads and rail similar. You can contract out rail if you wanted but road might be a bit harder cause we don’t track cars individually – though we do contact it out to a large extent as all the thinking and design build and maintenance is done by consultants – nzta is pretty much a project manager and purse holder, and policy shop.

          • DH 15.2.1.1.2

            Well for starters because coal brings in good export earnings, and since we own it the income stays in the country & broadens the tax base. Solid Energy also have the institutionalised knowledge & experience necessary for NZ to mine & export our own mineral resources instead of giving them away to foreigners for a pittance.

  15. FairnessAtWork 16

    http://union.org.nz/news/2012/campaign-calls-referendum-asset-sales

    here’s the question the campaign’s going with:

    Do you support the Government selling up to 49% of Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, Solid Energy and Air NZ?

    • Bruce 16.1

      In my opinion, keep it simple and keep it straight to the point:

      “Do you support the Government selling up to 49% of Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, Solid Energy and Air NZ?”

      Yes/No to this question sounds good.

      Lets not dither, lets make a decision and get on with it. The left has some real ammunition with this issue and it seems supported by people of all political persuasions.

  16. Roy 17

    John Key on a referendum: “I don’t care, nyeah nyeah nyeah”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6530777/Key-No-referendum-on-asset-sales

    • muzza 17.1

      “He (JK) said National had openly campaigned on the issue and won the election decisively.”

      delusional at all!

    • taxicab 17.2

      Intersting link Roy , I see Shonkey say’s any New Zealander is going to be able to buy shares NO !! Anyone on a benefit will not be as an annual declaration to WINZ if filled out honestly will invoke the wrath of Paula ie you will be required to sell your shares and live off the proceeds until you are asset srtipped before being eligable to get a benefit . So how many Mum and Dads and others are effectively disenfranchised from this process .

      • Roy 17.2.1

        Shonkey probably only counts wealthy people as people. Beneficiaries are not real people and therefore can’t be New Zealanders, in his eyes.

  17. Fortran 18

    I have resigned from Grey Power, whose intents are not to be Political.
    Silly old buggers should keep word and refrain.

    • Colonial Viper 18.1

      LOL

      Do you reckon issues like Super are not political? Did you ever notice all the political meetings Grey Power organises with candidates up and down the country? Winston always draws a big Grey Power crowd lol

      Good on them for being a community group who is politically interested!

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 18.2

      Grey Power used to be apolitical back in the day. I can remember when they took all us “silvers” on a lovely trip to Waitomo Caves, and Meryl left her sunglasses on the bus, but that was ok, because it’s dark in the caves.

      But then a group of radical “progressive” silvers infiltrated the group I used to love, and started exercising their right to freedom of speech and getting involved in “issues”

      It’s so hard to find a decent herd of sheep these days!

    • mac1 18.3

      Fortan,
      Here is a link to the Grey Power website. http://www.greypower.co.nz/policies/

      The policies of Grey Power are spelled out there.

      It has a long-standing policy on opposition to asset sales. “To ensure that there is no further privatization of water and public state assets and to resist any sales of SOEs.

      This policy was reiterated before the last election. Here is the link. powershop.scoop.co.nz/2011/11/11/grey-power-any-asset-sales-must-remain-in-nz-ownership/#more-784

      Thirdly Grey Power is political, of course, but not party political. The press release I have read mentions a coalition of community groups led by Grey Power, and also the Unions and at least two political parties are involved.

      Grey Power has to be political in the general sense in order to get its policies enacted.

      This from one of those ‘silly old buggers’ (and proud to be) you mentioned so disparagingly.

  18. tc 19

    Noble though this idea is, the hollowmen are a few steps ahead, got the maori div of the nat party on board and have urgency in the event this looks like it may become an invonvenience to their asset stripping plans.

    They’ve waited more than 10 years for this and IMO the only saviour is for them to not have the numbers to pass the blagging.

  19. we all need to support ONE petition and this should be it. please make it printable so those without the luxury of internet can be counted.

  20. Reagan Cline 21

    I’ll be voting with my wallet. Not interested in buying shares in more NZ power companies (already have some in Contact Energy). The market will be skewed by a rush of inexperienced retail investors with a quick buck in mind, the Government will have a controlling interest, so my vote and anything I might say at the Annual Meeting will be kiboshed from the start, the vagaries of rainfall and demand in NZ (4.4 million energy consumers and plenty of power companies to choose from – supply might well exceed demand and they will try to artificially raise demand – unsustainable), finally environmental and maori interests are always going to be lurking in the background. Coal mines are a different story altogether – if they float coalcorp I might come calling.
    Meanwhile, aren’t we seeing a smoke screen with the State “asset” sale furore ? How are the various interest groups making use of this ?

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 21.1

      Do you honestly believe people are paying attention to your weasel words? We need better wingnuts.

  21. Reagan Cline 22

    Thanks for responding KTH. Yes I believe some people are paying attention and I agree we need better wingnuts. I looked it up and it is American slang for extreme right wing – why do we import even our slang terms ? By the way – where was your bus to Waitomo made and where did the capital come from to build that road through the King Country ?

  22. Reagan Cline 23

    Thanks again. And enjoy that laugh !!!

  23. Jim Nald 24

    Has Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia sold their souls? To John Key? How much? And for what end?

    http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/iwi-leader-calls-maori-party-leave-coalition-4761842

    Gee, Pita, can you really hear yourself these days? And actually even believe in what you say?

    http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/mnr/mnr-20120306-0812-harawira_urges_maori_party_to_quit_government_over_asset_sales-048.mp3

  24. If key and co can ignore the opinion of the masses over assets sales,i really dont think
    a petition is going to be a game changer,it wasn’t with the anti-smacking bill,so consideration
    should be given to take a more direct action and that is a mass protest ending on the steps
    of parliament,similar to the protest with mining on precious land some time ago.
    There is a ground swell out there against asset sales about 70+%.
    Surely the maori party can see that key and english went away from the hui’s with
    an idea that they could engineer and twist what the meetings really wanted and they
    did that,however their devious ways will come back to haunt them because some
    maori are not happy at all that the section 9 did not cover both crown and private.
    there will be tears before bedtime,the storm is brewing.
    Petitions are fine also when you have an acceptable party to listen and take notice,this
    crowd is simply not interested in what the public think,arrogance abound by key when
    he said ‘thats what we have elections for’ but a slim majority of 1 does not give him
    the consent to ride roughshod over majority public opinion and he needs to be made
    to see and understand kiwi’s are just not happy about their precious,strategic assets
    getting hocked off partially or fully to overseas interests,because that is what will happen and we all know it, these assets are not an airport or a television station etc,they are assets that
    have been built using men’s blood,sweat,tears and bloody hard work,they are our life
    blood,our security,our future,somehow there needs to be a strong message sent to key and co.

  25. RedBaron 26

    If enough of us slap our name on the petition quickly then the other parties can just say, “Sorry John we have community support to renationalise” and then buy back at the lower of cost or market value less 10% per day for every day in private ownership.

    That should frighten off any buyers.

  26. TJ Martin 27

    where do we sign this petiton. I live in Christchurch – how can I help get signatures for this petition.

    Regards TJ

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    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    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:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Government lowering building costs
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