Back on Track?
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11:05 am, April 7th, 2024 - 71 comments
Categories: act, benefits, economy, greens, health, labour, Maori Issues, maori party, national, Politics, poverty, same old national, Te Reo Māori, treaty settlements, workers' rights -
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This was National’s campaign slogan last election and it is appropriate to consider how they are going in achieving what they promised.
They have been very busy, very very busy. With a 100 day plan and a recently announced three month plan they have been doing a lot of planning. But has it made the country a better place? And if so who for?
How about this list of the Government’s achievements so far. It has:
- Proposed that gang members be required to wear foundation when they go out into the public.
- Proposed more lung cancer so that landlords can get a tax cut.
- Planned to cut tobacco excise duty.
- Delayed changes to vape rules in a move that allowed Phillip Morris to get rid of its excess stock.
- Abandoned the promised Working for Families abatement adjustment so that landlords can get a tax cut.
- Cut fair pay agreements even though they were warned the removal would disproportionately impact women, Māori and Pasifika and young people.
- Ordered a pathetic increase in the minimum wage, well below the rate of inflation thereby giving minimum wage earners a wage cut. Brooke Van Velden wanted it to be even less than Cabinet agreed to.
- Attacked the use of Te Reo by the public service by europeanising Ministry names and stopping payments for Public Servants gaining proficiency in Te Reo.
- Scrapped the Māori Health Authority using urgency.
- Acted to remove references to Te Tiriti from laws including the Oranga Tamariki Act;
- Insulted Ratana.
- Cancelled Three Waters on spurious racist grounds and caused Councils to have to plan for significant rates increases to pay for necessary upgrades. And relaxed consultation and audit requirements for Councils so they basically do not have to talk about how much they may have to put rates.
- Implemented $7.4 billion of cuts and savings many affecting core services.
- Gleefully announced thousands of public service job cuts just before Christmas.
- Raised the prospect of hospitals and schools and roads being built using PPPs.
- Introduced 90 day fire at will legislation for all companies under urgency just in time for Christmas.
- Wound back RMA reforms and gave the Minister extraordinary powers to rewrite planning documents.
- Cut funding for cultural reports despite the important role they play in determining what is a just sentence for an offender.
- Repealed under urgency the Tax Principles Reporting Act so that IRD no longer had to report to us on how our tax system is functioning and if rich people are paying a fair amount of tax. Interestingly this urgent action did not appear in any of the coalition agreements or in the Government’s 100 day plan.
- Proposed making English an Official Language, as if it wasn’t.
- United Māori in a way not seen before while at the same time insulting Kiingi Tuuheitia.
- Increased congestion by starving Auckland of necessary funds through the Regional Fuel Tax.
- Increase unemployment by changing the Reserve Bank’s focus on inflation and employment to one of inflation only.
- Stopped blanket speed restrictions and decreased safety.
- Canned Auckland Light Rail and Let’s get Wellington moving.
- Suspended the preparartion of Regulatory Impact Analyses for some of its proposals so that proper analysis of its proposals did not happen.
- Advanced work on Act’s Dog Whistle Treaty Principles Bill.
- Had Shane Jones claim that the previous Government’s approach to climate change was hysterical, that mining of the DoC estate including Stewardship land would be fast tracked and that “if there is a mining opportunity and it’s impeded by a blind frog, goodbye, Freddy“.
- Made gas guzzling utes and large vehicles cheaper thereby undermining the previous Government’s attempt to make the country’s vehicle fleet more sustainable. The number of EVs entering the fleet has subsequently plummeted.
- Released a draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport that did not have climate change as a priority consideration.
- Stopped work on policies that would provide transport alternatives to private cars.
- Started work to justify the gutting of Kainga Ora and the wind back of the provision of social housing by the state.
- Planned to increase sanctions against beneficiaries despite there being no evidence that they work.
- Announced a review of gun laws which may increase the number of semi automatic weapons in the country.
- Required teachers to return to the halcyon days of the 1950s by requiring them to teach reading and writing, something they do anyway.
- Brought back Pseudoephedrine. The gangs are rejoicing.
- Gave Shane Jones a $1.2 billion slush fund also known as the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
- Offered the Police less than Labour had previously during wage negotiations, an offer described as an insult and a joke.
- Started work on resuming block offers for offshore oil drilling at a time where any serious climate scientist says we have to leave undiscovered oil in the ground.
- Stood by and did nothing as the media sector was decimated.
- Planned to cut significantly into the budget for free school lunches despite these being a very effective way of assisting families with cost of living pressures and positively contributing to attendance and academic performance.
- Proposed shutting the Suicide Prevention Office.
- Had the Minister walk back the proposed shutting of the Suicide Prevention Office. And I thought Ministers were going to go through Ministry budgets line by line to cut waste.
- Reversed the ten year bright line test. First home buyers will now have to fight more landlords to buy homes.
- Underestimated the cost of the Landlord Tax cut by $800 million.
- Overestimated the tax raised by the Offshore Gambling Tax by $500 million.
- Diverted money needed to address climate change into tax cuts for landlords.
- Scrapped the groundbreaking Living in Aotearoa study which collected important data needed to measure child poverty.
- Told Te Papa to take down the defaced Treaty of Waitangi display even though the Minister has no power to direct the Museum on what it should display.
- Scrapped the proposal for a Sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands a proposal that actually started with John Key. According to Jones “[t]here’s far too much misinformation, and I’ve had to put up with green muckery over this issue. There is already a host of protective measures there.”
- Announced brutal cuts to the Ministry of Pacific People which may see the numbers working there being slashed by 40%. I guess this is not surprising when you remember that before the election David Seymour threatened to blow the ministry up.
- Had an absolute melt down on the fact that Auckland University has a space for Māori and Pacific students. Winston Peters claimed rather bizarrely that having the spaces was comparable to the Klu Klux Klan. Not to be out done David Seymour claimed that the spaces were segregationist.
- Simeon Brown extending his tacky little culture war on cycleways by extending the attack to public transport with proposals that will increase the cost of living for all users of public transport.
- Imposed retrospectively compulsory referenda on Councils that had exercised their right to decide what shape their electoral system took but only if they established Māori wards.
- Announced savage cuts to disability payments that sent the sector into turmoil and then walking back the news because the Ministry had done an “inadequate job in conveying changes to disabled people’s funding”.
- Introduced legislation that would give Shane Jones, Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop unprecedented powers to grant consents for things such as mining in Doc land and not including the list of projects in the draft bill released for consultation.
- Suffered a number of leaks of sensitive Cabinet Papers.
Is that enough? Let me know if I have missed anything in the comments.
And if you have had enough get involved. Join your union. Join Labour. Join the Greens or Te Pati Māori .
71 comments on “Back on Track? ”
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The Government’s fast-track list is another example of its reckless approach to the environment and disregard for due process. ...11 hours ago - Release: Fast track list reveals Govt’s backroom deals
The coalition Government’s backroom deals with coal and ironsands mining companies have finally been revealed – and it’s not pretty. ...16 hours ago
- Release: Nicole McKee unfit for firearms portfolio
Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings. ...16 hours ago
- Release: The question remains… will schools get their classrooms?
Education Minister Erica Stanford still can’t confirm when the Government will deliver the $2 billion worth school upgrades she cut earlier this year. ...3 days ago
- Release: Govt failing NZ’s manufacturing sector
Labour acknowledges the hundreds of workers today losing their jobs as the Winstone Pulp mill closes and what it will mean for their families and community. ...4 days ago
- Tell National what their $216m tobacco tax cut could have funded instead
In Budget '24, the National Government put aside $216 million to pay for a tax cut which mainly benefitted one company: global tobacco giant Philip Morris. Instead of giving hundreds of millions to big tobacco, National could have spent the money sensibly, on New Zealand. ...4 days ago
- Release: Govt has made up a cost crisis to justify cuts
Te Whatu Ora’s financials from the last year show the Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify making cuts that are already affecting patient care. ...4 days ago
- Speech: Why Kiwi businesses are the best in the world
The New Zealand business community is unique. It has always punched well above its weight on the world stage. ...5 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori Statement on Israel & Iran
Over 41,000 Palestinian’s have been murdered by Israel in the last 12 months. At the same time, Israel have launched attacks against at least four other countries in the Middle East including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. “You cannot play the aggressor and the victim at the same time,” said ...5 days ago
- Release: Costello makes a fool of the PM
Associate health minister Casey Costello has made a fool of the Prime Minister, because the product she’s been fighting to get a tax cut for and he’s been backing her on is now illegal – and he doesn’t seem to know it. ...6 days ago
- Work to do on climate adaptation
The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into climate adaptation is something that must be built on for an enduring framework to manage climate risk. ...7 days ago
- End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus
The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19. ...1 week ago
- Release: Government breaks promise on ferry plan
Time has run out for Nicola Willis who has failed to keep her promise to deliver a solution to replace the Interislander ferries by today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour supports marches for better health
Labour supports Buller and Dunedin communities who are marching today and calling on the Government to act urgently to fix the health crisis. ...1 week ago
- Raising speed limits will cost our communities
The Government’s move to disregard all evidence and increase speed limits will result in serious harm. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Buller community
The Green Party stands in solidarity with the Buller community in its silent protest for better healthcare. ...1 week ago
- Release: Proposed job losses devastating for Timaru
News that the Smithfield meatworks could close is devastating for the hundreds of people who work there, Timaru and the wider region. ...1 week ago
- Release: Question mark over financial sustainability of Polytechs
The Government is taking tertiary education down a worrying path with new reporting finding that fourteen of the country’s sixteen polytechnics couldn’t survive on their own,” Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson Dr Deborah Russell says. ...1 week ago
- TPM issues warning to Govt: Back down or prepare for the wrath of the million Māori
Today the government announced a $30m cut to Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori- a programme that develops te reo Māori among our kaiako. “This announcement is just the latest in an onslaught of attacks on te iwi Māori,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt set to break promise on Dunedin Hospital
The Green Party is calling on the Government to honour its promise to Dunedin and build its new hospital to full capacity. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Dunedin Hospital d-listed by Government
The non-announcement in Dunedin today had Ministers leaving broken promises and a likely severely diluted hospital build in their wake. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes UAE trade deal
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Hundreds more jobs cuts on housing frontline
The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt not addressing health workforce crisis
The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts fair pay for bus drivers
The Government has cut funding for bus drivers to get paid fairly for the work they do, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown Minerals Bill Advances Colonisation
Today, the Crown Mineral Amendment Bill was read for the first time, reversing the ban on oil exploration off the coast of Taranaki. It was no accident that this proposed law change was read directly after the Government started to unravel the ability of iwi and hapū Māori to have ...2 weeks ago
- Landlord govt finds new way to undermine public housing
Proposed cuts to Kāinga Ora reflect a failure to fully commit to fixing the housing crisis. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown should prove their rights to Foreshore & Seabed – Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Justice, Tākuta Ferris, has hit out at the Government, demanding the Crown prove its rights to the foreshore, following the Marine and Coastal Area Amendment Bill, passing its first reading. "Māori rights to the foreshore pre-exist the Declaration of Independence, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must urgently help whanau in Lebanon
The Government must immediately help evacuate New Zealanders and Lebanese whanau caught up in the current conflict unfolding across south Lebanon. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Government will revoke oil and gas permits
The Green Party vows to reinstate the oil and gas ban and revoke permits when it returns to government following the coalition’s introduction of legislation to reopen offshore oil and gas exploration this afternoon. ...2 weeks ago
- Government introduces controversial MACA legislation
The Government’s introduction of its interventions in the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act threatens to throw relations between Māori and Crown into deeper disharmony. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gun lobby bill removes regulation at ranges
Gun lobbyist Nicole McKee and her conflict of interest has struck again, this time removing safety regulations from shooting clubs and ranges in New Zealand. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt forgetting the 6000 jobs they’ve cut
The real problem in the public sector is ongoing job losses and cuts to the front line. ...2 weeks ago
- Government undermines public service with WFH crackdown
The Green Party says the Government’s retrograde move to tighten up on Work from Home arrangements is the latest in a series of blows to the Public Service. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Ministers oblivious to cuts’ effect on families
The National Government is oblivious to the impact cuts to services will have on New Zealanders who are doing the hard yards caring for mentally ill family members. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Public service set up to fail under National
Nicola Willis has set up the public service to fail to pay for reckless tax cuts for landlords and the tobacco industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Coalition cooking up costly RMA replacement
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National red-faced as benefit numbers skyrocket
The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...3 weeks ago
- Unlocking the potential of ethnic businesses
This week’s inaugural Ethnic Xchange Symposium will explore the role that ethnic communities and businesses can play in rebuilding New Zealand’s economy, Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee says. “One of my top priorities as Minister is unlocking the economic potential of New Zealand’s ethnic businesses,” says Ms Lee. “Ethnic communities ...13 hours ago - New Zealand marks anniversary of 7 October
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters are renewing New Zealand’s calls for restraint and de-escalation, on the first anniversary of the 7 October terrorist attacks on Israel. “New Zealand was horrified by the monstrous actions of Hamas against Israel a year ago today,” Mr Luxon says. ...19 hours ago
- Iwi-led and partnered projects among those referred for Fast Track approval
Kia uru kahikatea te tū. Projects referred for Fast-Track approval will help supercharge the Māori economy and realise the huge potential of Iwi and Māori assets, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. Following robust and independent review, the Government has today announced 149 projects that have significant regional or national ...1 day ago
- Fast-track to boost renewable electricity
The Fast-track Approvals Bill will list 22 renewable electricity projects with a combined capacity of 3 Gigawatts, which will help secure a clean, reliable and affordable supply of electricity across New Zealand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government has a goal of doubling New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation. The 22 ...1 day ago
- Fast-track to drive transport projects forward
The Government has enabled fast-track consenting for 29 critical road, rail, and port projects across New Zealand to deliver these priority projects faster and boost economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit, and our Government is working to fix it. Delivering the transport infrastructure Kiwis ...1 day ago
- Fast-track projects released
The 149 projects released today for inclusion in the Government’s one-stop-shop Fast Track Approvals Bill will help rebuild the economy and fix our housing crisis, improve energy security, and address our infrastructure deficit, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop says. “The 149 projects selected by the Government have significant regional or ...1 day ago
- Ruakākā recreation centre opened
A new multi-purpose recreation centre will provide a valuable wellbeing hub for residents and visitors to Ruakākā in Northland, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Ruakākā Recreation Centre, officially opened today, includes separate areas for a gymnasium, a community health space and meeting rooms made possible with support of ...3 days ago
- Extra Government support for farmers and growers in Southland and parts of Otago
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson announced up to $50,000 in additional Government support for farmers and growers across Southland and parts of Otago as challenging spring weather conditions have been classified a medium-scale adverse event. “The relentless wet weather has been tough on farmers and ...3 days ago
- Government welcomes move to delay EU Deforestation Regulation
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today welcomed a move by the European Commission to delay the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months, describing the proposal as a pragmatic step that will provide much-needed certainty for New Zealand exporters and ensure over $200 million in ...3 days ago
- Response to Ministerial Inquiry into School Property
The Government is taking decisive action in response to the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property, which concludes the way school property is delivered is not fit for purpose. “The school property portfolio is worth $30 billion, and it’s critically important it’s managed properly. This Government is taking a series of immediate actions ...4 days ago
- New Government support for residential construction market announced
The Government has announced a new support programme for the residential construction market while the economy recovers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “We know the residential development sector is vulnerable to economic downturns. The lead time for building houses is typically 18 ...4 days ago
- New appointment to the EPA board
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has confirmed the final appointee to the refreshed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board. “I am pleased to welcome Brett O’Riley to the EPA board,” Ms Simmonds says. “Brett is a seasoned business advisor with a long and distinguished career across the technology, tourism, and sustainable business ...4 days ago
- Strengthening resilience with critical road improvement projects
The Government has approved a $226.2 million package of resilience improvement projects for state highways and local roads across the country that will reduce the impact of severe weather events and create a more resilient and efficient road network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Our Government is committed to delivering ...4 days ago
- Doubling road rehabilitation this summer to prevent potholes
Kiwis will see fewer potholes on our roads with road rehabilitation set to more than double through the summer road maintenance programme to ensure that our roads are maintained to a safe and reliable standard, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key ...4 days ago
- Sir Jerry Mateparae appointed in Bougainville post-referendum moderator role
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the announcement of Sir Jerry Mateparae as an independent moderator, to work with the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government in resolving outstanding issues on Bougainville’s future. “New Zealand is an enduring friend to Papua New Guinea and the ...4 days ago
- Latest census data highlights New Zealand’s growing ethnic diversity
The latest 2023 Census results released today further highlight New Zealand’s growing ethnic and cultural diversity, says Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee. “Today’s census results are further evidence of the increasingly diverse nature of our population. It’s something that should be celebrated and also serve as a reminder of the ...4 days ago
- FamilyBoost payments make ECE more affordable
Parents and caregivers are now able to claim for FamilyBoost, which provides low-to-middle-income families with young children payments to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we are supporting families with young children who are struggling with the cost of living, by helping ...4 days ago
- South Pacific defence meeting fosters collaboration
This week’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) has concluded with a renewed commitment to regional security of all types, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. Defence Ministers and senior civilian and military officials from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga gathered in Auckland to discuss defence and security cooperation in the ...4 days ago
- Minister welcomes larger Police recruitment wings
Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has welcomed the Police announcement that recruitment wings at the Police College will be expanded to 100 recruits next year. “This is good news on two fronts – it reflects the fact that more and more New Zealanders are valuing policing and seeing it as ...5 days ago
- Speech to the Minerals West Coast Forum
Introduction Good morning! What a pleasure to be back in the stunning West Coast at one of my favourite events in the calendar. Every time I come back here, I’m reminded of the Coast’s natural beauty, valuable resources, and great people. Yet, every time I come back here, I’m also ...5 days ago
- Positive progress on Government health targets
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti welcomes new data from Health New Zealand, saying it demonstrates encouraging progress against the Government’s health targets. Health New Zealand’s quarterly report for the quarter to 30 June will be used as the baseline for reporting against the Government’s five health targets, which came into ...5 days ago
- Supporting better access to data for Kiwis
The launch of a new data tool will provide Kiwis with better access to important data, Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly says. “To grow our economy and improve productivity we must adopt smarter ways of working, which means taking a more data driven approach to decision-making. “As Statistics Minister one of ...5 days ago
- Progressing remote building inspections
The Government is progressing plans to increase the use of remote inspections to make the building and consenting process more efficient and affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “We know that the building and construction sector suffers from a lack of innovation. According to a recent report, productivity ...5 days ago
- PPTA accepts charter schools
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes the PPTA putting a proposal to members at its annual conference to change its constitution and allow membership of teachers who work in charter schools. “The PPTA has had a come to Jesus moment on charter schools. This is a major departure from the ...6 days ago
- New TAIC Chief Commissioner appointed
David Clarke has been announced as the Chief Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). David Clarke is a barrister specialising in corporate and commercial law and he has over 20 years experience in governance roles in commercial, public and charitable sectors. He also is a current TAIC Commissioner. ...6 days ago
- Government secures market access for blueberries to Korea
The Government has secured market access for New Zealand blueberries to Korea, unlocking an estimated $5 million in annual export opportunities for Kiwi growers Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced. “This is a win for our exporters and builds on our successful removal of $190 million in ...6 days ago
- South Pacific Defence Ministers meet in Auckland
Partnership and looking to the future are key themes as Defence Ministers from across the South Pacific discuss regional security challenges in Auckland today, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. The South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) brings together Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence and Secretaries of Defence from New Zealand, ...6 days ago
- Keytruda, CGMs, and FamilyBoost welcomed
In a triple whammy of good news, 1 October heralds the beginning of the funding of two major health products and a welcome contribution to early childhood fees, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Keytruda is the first drug to be funded and made available from the $604 million boost we ...6 days ago
- Children’s Unit opens at Rotorua Hospital
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti today opened the refurbished Children’s Unit at Rotorua Hospital, which will provide young patients and their families in the Lakes District with a safe, comfortable and private space to receive care. “The opening of this unit is a significant milestone in our commitment to improving ...7 days ago
- Minor variations no longer major problem
It is now easier to make small changes to building plans without having to apply for a building consent amendment, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Previously builders who wanted to make a minor change, for example substituting one type of product for another, or changing the layout of ...7 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced seven diplomatic appointments. “Protecting and advancing New Zealand’s interests abroad is an extremely important role for our diplomats,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to announce the appointment of seven senior diplomats to these overseas missions.” The appointments are: Andrew ...7 days ago
- SuperGold Information Hub live
The first iteration of the SuperGold Information Hub is now on-line, Minister for Seniors Casey Costello announced today. “The SuperGold Hub is an online portal offering up-to-date information on all of the offers available to SuperGold cardholders. “We know the SuperGold card is valued, and most people know its use ...7 days ago
- New fund to clean up old landfill and dump sites
A new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund will help councils and landowners clean up historic landfills and other contaminated sites that are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. "This $30 million fund, part of our Q4 Action Plan, increases the Government’s investment in ...7 days ago
- Increased medicines access welcomed following budget boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...7 days ago
- Foreign Minister completes successful week of international engagements
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia. “Our visit to New York was about demonstrating New Zealand’s unwavering support for an international system based on rules and respect for the UN Charter, as ...1 week ago
- Final 2024 Action Plan focused on infrastructure
The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “My Government has been working at pace to get the country back on ...1 week ago
- Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3
New Zealanders will be safer as a result of the Government’s crackdown on crime which includes tougher laws for offenders and gangs delivered as part of the Quarter Three (Q3) Action Plan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “I’m proud to say we have delivered on 39 of the 40 actions ...1 week ago
- Government partnership boosting vineyard productivity
The Government is backing a new world-leading programme set to boost vineyard productivity and inject an additional $295 million into New Zealand’s economy by 2045, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today announced. The Next Generation Viticulture programme will transform traditional vineyard systems, increasing profitability by $22,060 per hectare by 2045 without ...1 week ago
- Strong support for NZ minerals strategy
Over 90 per cent of submissions have expressed broad support for a New Zealand minerals strategy, indicating a strong appetite for a considered, enduring approach to minerals development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. A summary of the 102 submissions on the draft strategy has been published today by the Ministry ...1 week ago
- Snapper catch limits up, orange roughy down
Catch limits for several fisheries will be increased following a review that shows stocks of those species are healthy and abundant. The changes are being made as part of Fisheries New Zealand’s biannual sustainability review, which considers catch limits and management settings across New Zealand’s fisheries. “Scientific evidence and information ...1 week ago
- Fast-track approvals: Wellington housing developments Silverstream Forest and Plimmerton Farm given ...
The government's Fast-track Approvals Bill could see a much-needed boost to the capital's housing supply, but some of the projects are not without controversy. ...5 hours ago - Why TVNZ is right to shut down 1news.co.nz (with one major caveat)
It’s possible to view TVNZ shutting its news website as a retrenchment from digital. In fact, it’s the opposite, argues Duncan Greive. Has there ever been a year like 2024 for news about the news? First Newshub fell, then TVNZ killed two of its most popular current affairs shows, then ...6 hours ago - SBS’s Four Years Later is an immigrant love story that pushes the boundaries of onscreen represent...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney SBS’s new romantic drama Four Years Later comes in the middle of an eventful week for cultural diversity in the Australian media. On one hand, there was ...6 hours ago - Aotearoa New Zealand’s Record On Women’s Rights Before The United Nations
As the country’s national human rights institution, Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission has prepared a ‘shadow report’ for the UN CEDAW Committee. As an A-status national human rights institution the Commission will also be speaking ...7 hours ago - Trans-Tasman Resources: Taranaki seabed mining included in fast-track projects list
Trans-Tasman Resources wants to mine 50 million tonnes of sea bed a year for 30 years, and it's just been included on the fast-track projects list. ...7 hours ago
- Cuts To The National Public Health Service Shortsighted – College Of Public
...8 hours ago
- Could anyone but Luxon lose the CGT fight for National?
If the Labour Party was to dream up its ideal opponent in a fight to implement capital gains tax, they’d probably sketch the current prime minister. First published in Henry Cooke’s politics newsletter, Museum Street. One of the many shibboleths in NZ politics is the impossibility of diversifying our tax ...8 hours ago
- Is there anything good about menopause? Yep, here are 4 things to look forward to
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yvonne Middlewick, Nurse, Lecturer & Director of Post-graduate Studies in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University Insta_Photos/Shutterstock Menopause is having a bit of a moment, with less stigma and more awareness about the changes it can bring. ...9 hours ago
- TVNZ plans to end its 1News website in February
That's just one item on a list of proposed changes it presented to staff today as it aims to find $30 million in savings. ...9 hours ago
- Independent Reviewer Appointed For Oversight Of The Oranga Tamariki System
The Minister for Social Development and Employment, Louise Upston, has already announced plans to strengthen the oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system by increasing the independence of the Monitor of children’s system and re-creating a stand-alone ...9 hours ago
- The crowd at Listen In sucked – why are New Zealand fans so unruly?
Evidence suggests New Zealanders are particularly bad when it comes to basic concert etiquette. 21 Savage is a rapper in his prime, deftly dropping Instagram quotables over a slick Brazilian sample. He sounds crisp, but while he’s about to take the stage at Auckland’s Listen In music festival, I’ve already ...9 hours ago
- The crowd at Listen In sucked – why are New Zealand fans so unruly?
Evidence suggests New Zealanders are particularly bad when it comes to basic concert etiquette. 21 Savage is a rapper in his prime, deftly dropping Instagram quotables over a slick Brazilian sample. He sounds crisp, but while he’s about to take the stage at Auckland’s Listen In music festival, I’ve already ...9 hours ago
- PM side-steps questions on declined Dunedin flood risk mitigation plan
Otago floods destruction is "devastating", the PM says, with 11 homes now red-stickered, but he was unaware of a government-declined plan to reduce risk to residents. ...9 hours ago
- PM side-steps questions on declined Dunedin flood risk mitigation plan
Otago floods destruction is "devastating", the PM says, with 11 homes now red-stickered, but he was unaware of a government-declined plan to reduce risk to residents. ...9 hours ago
- ERANZ Members Are Fast-Tracking New Zealand’s Renewable Electricity Future
These projects will help New Zealand increase electricity generation and secure a supply of renewable energy sources to power Kiwi homes, businesses, and transportation infrastructure. ...10 hours ago
- People don’t like a ‘white saviour’, but does it affect how they donate to charity?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hoffmann, Professor of Economics, Tasmanian Behavioural Lab, University of Tasmania Shutterstock Efforts to redress global inequality are facing an unexpected adversary: the white saviour. It’s the idea that people of colour, whether in the Global South or North, need “saving” ...10 hours ago
- People don’t like a ‘white saviour’, but does it affect how they donate to charity?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hoffmann, Professor of Economics, Tasmanian Behavioural Lab, University of Tasmania Shutterstock Efforts to redress global inequality are facing an unexpected adversary: the white saviour. It’s the idea that people of colour, whether in the Global South or North, need “saving” ...10 hours ago
- New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week
FeaturWe round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you like local fish-out-of-water dramedy: Camp Be Better (TVNZ+, October 10) Following a group of delinquents sent to a special 100-day camp to put themselves on the ...10 hours ago
- New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week
FeaturWe round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you like local fish-out-of-water dramedy: Camp Be Better (TVNZ+, October 10) Following a group of delinquents sent to a special 100-day camp to put themselves on the ...10 hours ago
- Locals fear damage, report smell after HMNZS Manawanui sinking
Residents in Samoa are concerned about what potential environmental damage from the disaster might mean for tourism and fishing businesses. ...10 hours ago
- Remembering One Year Ago Today
We remember the victims of that day, the 1200 massacred in unimaginably barbaric ways, the thousands more mutilated, and the hundreds abducted to Gaza, of whom 101 remain there. ...10 hours ago
- Kamala Harris maintains narrow lead in key states in US presidential race
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The United States presidential election will be held on November 5. In analyst Nate Silver’s aggregate of national polls, Democrat Kamala Harris ...11 hours ago
- Why a portrait of a former NRL great could spark greater concussion awareness in Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Townsend, Research Fellow, UQ School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland A new portrait of NRL legend Wally Lewis conveys a striking message about the consequences of brain trauma in sport. The portrait, created by visual artist ...11 hours ago
- ‘Essentially been allocated nothing’: Road funding snub frustrates mayor
"Rotorua seems to keep missing out," Tania Tapsell mayor says. ...11 hours ago
- NASA is launching a major mission to look for habitable spots on Jupiter’s moon Europa
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Lloyd, Research Fellow, ARC CoE Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia Illustration of the spacecraft above Europa’s icy surface. NASA/JPL-Caltech On October 10, NASA is launching a hotly anticipated new mission to Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon, ...11 hours ago
- Is owning a dog good for your health?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tania Signal, Professor of Psychology, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia Pogodina Natalia/Shutterstock Australia loves dogs. We have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and one in two households has at least one ...11 hours ago
- Could NZ foreign policy be Trumped? Why the government will be hoping Kamala Harris wins the US elec...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Getty Images One of the political ironies of the race for the White House is that the foreign policy interests of New Zealand’s centre-right government are probably best served by Democratic ...12 hours ago
- Incinerator Will Put NZ On The Wrong Track
“We are concerned that including the Incinerator in the Fast Track project list will mean this process gets short circuited,” says Sue Coutts from the Zero Waste Network. ...12 hours ago
- Approval For 35-Year Sand Mining In Bream Bay: A Devastating Decision For Our Precious Coastlines
Approving sand mining here is not only environmentally destructive but a betrayal of the communities who have fought to protect these areas for decades. ...12 hours ago
- TVNZ staff called into meeting amid search for $30m
TVNZ in August said it needed to save $30m amid a "constrained economy, market disruption and a difficult advertising market". ...12 hours ago
- The problem with prison double bunking
As a prisoner at Mount Eden is charged with his cellmate’s murder, criminologist Emilie Rākete of People Against Prisons Aotearoa explains why double bunking is an improvised, dangerous response to prison overcrowding. What happened? On the morning of September 27, staff at Mount Eden Corrections Facility found Andrew Chan Chui ...12 hours ago
- Simple ACC Survey Costs More Than $250,000
ACC wasting over a quarter of a million dollars on a run-of-the-mill survey shows what happens when you give bureaucrats bottomless budgets to work with. There’s not a chance waste like this would be signed off in the private sector. ...12 hours ago
- ‘It’s my ship and I’m gutted’: Former minister Ron Mark on Manawanui sinking
Ron Mark says the project to convert the vessel had "astonished our partners": "No one anticipated that she'd hit a reef." ...13 hours ago
- Traffic is made of cars
Please listen. Today is my last day as a fill-in Spinoff staff writer. These five weeks have been filled with incisive storytelling, literary achievement, and most of all, men with eels in their bums. Sadly now it’s over. But if I had to leave you with one message, it would ...14 hours ago
- Shane Jones calls Fast Track Bill conflict fears politically motivated
The law is 'economically necessary', the Regional Development minister says. ...14 hours ago
- Stop Weaponising Te Tiriti O Waitangi To Divide New Zealanders From Each Other
“The Treaty was created to bring people together. Everyone has a place under Te Tiriti,” says Modlik. “But it is often weaponised to divide New Zealanders from each other.” ...14 hours ago
- Repeat Dunedin flood victims counting the cost again, call on council for solution
A resident hopes the floods will put a buyout of flood-prone homes back on the agenda, but the council says the scheme didn't find favour with government. ...15 hours ago
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National, after years of being that conservative yet quite respectable relative at family gatherings, have become the xenophobic drunk waxing lyrical about things most are horrified by.
Here might be something better to wax lyrical about instead.
For more on the proposal to shut the Suicide Prevention Office, see yesterday evening's one news – first item:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/one-news-at-6pm/episodes/s2024-e97
So the ministries are being forced to take all the blame for the “confusion” around decision making? I smell a smokescreen around ministerial bungling and incompetency in carrying out their functions.
They tried to do the same with the Disability cuts. This is a pattern.
Yes and there will be more of them. That is inevitable. Someone needs to start a list of them as they happen for future use.
They don't know what they're doing.
Right. And the previous government did know what they were doing? What did they touch that didn't turn to cack? They handled the pandemic OK, but apart from that … How many ministers did they lose in embarrassing circumstances during their last year in office?
You mean they had the decency to resign for their errors of judgement, as opposed to the current administration which places no value on competence or integrity, and does not punish malfeasance but seeks to cover it up.
"They handled the pandemic OK, but apart from that …"
Hilarious!
That wee pandemic thingy; they done okay…I suppose…if I have to give them anything, BUT!!!
One of the things they are doing..is something the left should also do..
That is tell the punters what they will achieve/do in the upcoming quarter/three months…and into the future..and then having to deliver on those pledges..
(This is something the last gummint failed at)
..they didn't explain to us what they were doing..and so didn't take us with them…
In fact this could be taken to the degree of the left parties going into the next election campaign not only with a unified/coherent voice/policy-planks…but with a timetable for those policies to be enacted..
For the left to win they must do this…so the voters know exactly what they are voting for..and when they can expect those promised changes to happen…
Its not so much they didn't explain, but rather their explanations were too long and too academic in nature. Labour governments going back decades have tended to over estimate the ability of the average voter to absorb complex policy proposals.
Helen Clark understood this, and she boiled down her election pledges at one election to 5 or 6 simple one liners that hit the bullseye. Think it was the 2002 election. That was going to the other extreme of course but it worked.
I agree totally with this. I am not sure who was doing their Comms around Three Waters in particular I suspect those in the policy management mould. With the greatest respect to my former fellow colleagues Policy people are not skilled communicators. They are two different disciplines.
I know when I mentioned, on here, my experience in the nexus between Policy & Communication and the advice we were given to aim for the comprehension of a pre secondary school reader I was slammed a little.
The other good way is to listen to how someone who knows the topic explains it verbally to say pre secondary schoolers. Often these explanations can be worked up into press releases/explanations.
Another thing to do is to pretend that you are at a public meeting, what questions are asked? Then go through any material to make sure these questions are answered within the release.
Looking at the huge rises in our rates (16.4% in Wgtn) because of water related issues, I rue the fact we don't have 3 Waters and that Labour did not seem to follow basic best practice comms in getting buy-in on this flagship work.
One possible approach is to meet somewhere in the middle where top-down and bottom-up deliberation through extensive consultation synthesises explanations and policy proposals that can be understood by most people if they want to.
Here’s just one illustrative example of what might be achieved: https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/04/05/chosen-aucklanders-change-minds-in-favour-of-time-of-use-charging/
Yes we did similar many moons ago when I was in one of the better iterations of the health reforms.
We found that we needed time so staff in time-,staff- and cost- cut depts may not be able to do this.
We also found that we needed to confidence build in those that we wanted bottom up from.
It worked.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/labour-to-campaign-with-pledge-cards/MYXBAG2DO7QB7Y2WR264J5VUXQ/
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/national-launch-campaign-eight-point-pledge-card
Its not so much they didn't explain, but rather their explanations were too long and too academic in nature.
This is Labour's problem in a nutshell.
There is a level of intellectual snobbery in the top ranks. And they want 5 page discussion documents instead of three bullet points.
Absolutely. Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene II is a perfect demonstration. Brutus gives a closely-reasoned academic analysis of why he and his band believed it necessary to assassinate JC. Antony responds with a shameless appeal to the emotions and baser instincts of his audience. And who wins out?
Intellectual snobbery? Then you get "Labour didn't explain it well enough". I hope you are taking your point to the policy discussions going on. If you can three dot points out of members having a say, well done.
What I hope our lot don't do when they get back in in 2026 is to embark on the tiresome refrain of 'we're doing this because they did it'.
I hope we don't have 3 monthly or 100 days of nasty creepy OTT stuff over innovations that may have been good for NZ, their constituencies, included
What I hope they will do is to look carefully at whatever has been put in place from the point of view that it may not have been exactly what we would have done but it does benefit the wider group of people of NZ. (I know hard to imagine but I am sure over the next few years by luck there may be something) This concept is called 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'.
What I hope they will do is to get some quick hit runs on the board of innovative/creative ideas.
These ideas are put forward on the basis that not everything done by a group or person is bad
We should not be bad mouthing those who went before, especially as they were elected by NZers. This based on comms theory that it is a reputational loss making venture to do what the Nats are doing and bad mouthing those who went before all the time. It makes them look petty.
The comms theory is that we shouldn't do this as these people were responding to a different set of drivers ie the beat of a different drum.
We should be concentrating on signalling a way forward and then giving priority to the actions that will effect positive change.
Taking to the Nats I know, don't know any ACT followers, there is a sort of sighing at the level of pettiness of some of the actions (like the Maori names for Depts, the allowance for translator type expertise in Te Reo, the bald slashing of PS budgets like the sinking lids of old)
The Nats seem to think the cuts are like a household budget where some use the mantra of 'look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves'. We are a million miles away from running a country as if it was a household budget or we should be.
"That is tell the punters what they will achieve/do in the upcoming quarter/three months…and into the future..and then having to deliver on those pledges.."
Nah. They're bullshi**ing.
The Left shouldn't adopt the Right's cynical, misleading strategies, or they'll become … the Right!
Agree with this.
I find it OTT and creepy and worrying at the same time. Worrying because in many cases they've ruled by fiat without genuine select committee submissions /hearings etc.
The excuse for doing this is that it was in the manifesto or the coalition agreement.
This fact has never stopped Govts in the past from seeking submissions etc on the basis of democracy etc. Also the reason the one that depts found great, and that was that some submissions would present a new way of thinking about legislation or a better way of expressing it. Thus reinforcing that Govt, Ministers & departments are not the sole repositories of knowledge
Most of which, while arousing hatred in the political opposition, goes down rather well with their core constituency.
What will be interesting is to see if/when their policies start to impact on their voters.
"It's the economy, stupid" – is just as important between elections as it is in an election year.
Whose economy?
The one the individual concerned is experiencing…..
"It is the economy stupid" if you believe all these destructive Policies and unexpected moves are to improve the economy then I have a bridge to sell you.
"It is about power and wealth, not the country's health.
Agree with both Belladonna and Patricia.
Also lowering farmers' methane target by end of year, completely sidelining the Climate Commission despite its statutory role.
Announcement yesterday.
Could they do this to other departments with a statutory role?
Can the Govt/Ministers be taken to court?
Well firstly it's not illegal for a government to go advice shopping. Climate Commission advice isn't binding.
Even if they'd done something illegal, there's no that many NGOs would have the capacity. Maybe: Lawyers for Climate Action, Greenpeace, and Forest and Bird's legal team. It would need a good coalition to win that's for sure.
Pretty impressive list… at least if you were a Nat NZ1st or Act voter / donor.
Cant say they havent been effective.
Yea, if you want to see who they owe their allegiance and funding too, then it's pretty clear.
Effective for the top 5% Crickle, and negative for the rest of us. Except even the top 5% will be affected as the planet burns.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/06/simply-mind-boggling-world-record-temperature-jump-in-antarctic-raises-fears-of-catastrophe
Micky’s excellent post illustrates that this Coalition of Cuts is trying to do too much too quickly, and many of the things it is doing are not widely popular. This is a recipe for disaster and for a one term government.
Dunno, i'm thinking theyre moving fast with the unpopular stuff so it'll be forgotten by the time the next election rolls around. Helped by a bunch of populist policy and lollies targeted at the middle class and gold card holders.
I don't think people will have forgotten the 352 school building projects being put on hold by this government. For instance this one in Alexandra.
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/%E2%80%98devastated%E2%80%99-after-build-paused
"Devastated." That is how Alexandra Primary School principal Fi Mackley described the school community’s reaction to the decision to put two property projects under review — just weeks before they were due to start……Data released by the Ministry of Education to RNZ last week shows 352 building projects across 305 schools around the country are on hold as they are reviewed for "value for money".
What those schools / hospitals / ferry terminals need is a canny landLord
What I’m learning from this CoC is when Labour/Green/TPM get back in power just go for it. Make sure policy is in place, and ram it through.
And David Spendmore running around moaning about government spending whilst wasting tax payers & rate payers money left right and centre
What annoys the hell out of me is that the Minister for Regulation hasn't taken a knife to the costs of Parliament.
He could:
Reduce MPs/Ministers salaries to the living wage.
Reduce Parliamentary services by 10%
Make Parliament sit 40 hours a week
Have Members pay for their own transport/accommodation
Why stop at Ministers' and MPs' salaries? Reduce the number of MPs! (Wasn't there a referendum one time, with a thumping majority in favour of doing just that?) And why don't we forget the absurd fiction that Cabinet has to number 20-odd? Everyone knows there's never any more than about 5-7 ministers who really matter.
Minimum wage etc always sounds good, but you do know it means only the well off could ever become MPs? If you want the rich dominating, that's the way to go about it. And perhaps you don't realise, but Parliamentary Services includes cleaners who get the living wage, thanks to Labour. More importantly, did you realise that Ministerial positions are now up to 25% of our entire parliament – with multiple associate ministers and new Ministries/Ministers in things such as Guns, Space Minister, Hunting and Fishing Minister? And a whole new Ministry for Mr Seymou's baby for Regulations?
I'm curious. How many hours do you think MPs work now?
That's not what I said. We all know that they claim to put in many many hours "work" outside sitting time but their sole focus should be in the House
Why?
Select committee is where the most important work is completed
"Reduce MPs/Ministers salaries to the living wage."
100% in my opinion our MP's get paid far too much. I think it's gotten so high that you start to get people attracted to the job for the high pay as a major consideration.
I would make it equivalent to the median wage though. That way it is clearly transparent to everybody and it also gives MP's a great helpful incentive for increasing the median wage.
This may also help in starting to get parliament looking more representative of the population it is supposed to represent.
This government is proceeding exactly how we knew it would.
Luxon is the public smile and wave front man, the power behind the scenes is Seymour and Peters.
A weak National Party bereft of ideas and solutions themselves, but beholden to the directions of rich urban yuppy corporates and ranting conspiracy theorists.
If Seymour had as much power as you're suggesting, and if Luxon were merely a frontman, we would be facing a referendum on treaty principles, and the demographic ministries would be gone – not just trimmed. What we're seeing is the result of agreements negotiated between the three parties in government. Peters has pandered to the anti-vax lobby, but the current government is hardly "beholden" to covid conspiracy theorists.
No, they're not. They're beholden to life-destroying industries.
Much better, I'm sure you'll agree.
Time will tell. A national MP once wanted to ban water.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mp-tries-to-ban-water/XM4GJ7XG3WC4ANBIFP2IVFNANE/
And there's lots of conspiracy theories other than COVID-19.
Taking our guns, handing the country over to Maori, 15 minutes cities, cashless society, government surveillance through facial recognition, chemtrails, flat earth, child sex rings, earth is only 6,000 years old, the rapture is coming…..
Help me, Jesus!
The algorithms are at it again. Mention the rapture in this post and what appears in my feed.
Fuck didn't realise it was tomorrow. I haven't even packed.
I haven't finished that netflix series..
Now I'll never know..
(ahem..!)..
I put the 'ure' into 'rapture'..
https://theoatmeal.com/comics/rapture
An oldie, but a goodie.
And so? You have evidence that Luxon, Seymour and/or Peters believe in "chemtrails, flat earth, child sex rings, earth is only 6,000 years old, the rapture is coming….."?
Forgot to mention trickle down economics.
@dolo.. correct me if I am wrong..
But my understanding is that luxon is part of a fundamentalist religion..
..that pretty much has bags permanently packed..
…in anticipation of the rapture..
…and that believe that earth has had a much truncated existence…(which flies in the face of accepted sciences…)
N'est ce pas…?
It is indeed so, Phil.
Ad reminded me of Luxon's attendance at *The Upper Room.
*Not a place to which Gaia has been invited
In the tangled web of National politics and favours another member of his congregation is Ian Grant's daughter.
They of the 2.4 million dollars largesse for parenting courses. Still haven't seen an evaluation of them.
Paula Bennett’s Ministry of Social Development will pay $2.4 million to Parents Inc for “parenting courses for the caregivers of vulnerable children”. This contract was untendered and previously unknown.
https://thestandard.org.nz/parents-inc-its-peda-redux/
That doesn't smell…much..
They should ban protium hydroxide – it's well known to be capable of dissolving more stuff than any other solvent.
FWICS, the Nactzis are delivering to the people who matter to them – the very rich. Unlike Labour, the Nats and ACT don't even pretend to care about people outside their base. They do need votes from people who are not rich but that's what the culture wars are all about – a distraction and a diversion. NZ First is slightly different because their voters are getting shafted by the government their Party is propping up. But that's where the culture wars apply – it's easy to ignore the fact you're getting shafted if another group (Maori, Pasifika, people with disabilities) are getting a good kicking. So I think the Natczis are pretty safe where they are, not least because Labour is totally unfit for office and isn't taken seriously.
The thing is National isn't fit for office either.
I guess another thing is the back-breaking bureaucracy of getting the ECE rebate. If anything gives away that they have no idea about scale and still have small business mindsets then that is it.
They cancelled the much needed Interislander Ferry upgrades, when the project was already half completed, thereby burning a couple of billion, just for spite.
Our Minister of Regulation is planning to relax the rules for building materials, because he thinks another leaky homes disaster would be a laugh.
We can’t afford another leaky homes crisis | The Spinoff
Leaky homes was a design issue not a materials issue.
We’ve been getting absolutely ripped off in building materials prices and availability for decades so anything that may help to change this is welcome
Not entirely correct. 'Underdone' (treatment/drying-wise) framing materials were also part along with the no eaves design, no adequate sub flooring/ventilation/drainage.
They are getting rid of free vaccinations and Seymour wants more sick children to take their germs to school
Changes to free flu vaccine eligibility are a missed opportunity to close NZ’s health equity gap
Some long overdue upgrades to schools just got shitcanned too.
Rotting classrooms as Govt hits pause on school rebuilds (1news.co.nz)
Onslow Lake hydro project, future-proofing the nation's electricity supply – canned.
Back on Track
In a Cadillac
Passing urgent legislation, I'm a power pack
Yes, I'm in the NATs
With some twats
Helping landlords put cash in their vats
'Cause I'm back on track
Not just a management hack
Gonna hurt the poor, gonna give them a whack
So look at me now
Making the bottom half pay
Don't try to push your luck, just get out of my way