Be Like Dad, Keep Mum (in fear).

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, July 10th, 2016 - 62 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, child abuse, child welfare, class war, crime, domestic violence, employment, families, Politics, poverty, Social issues, welfare - Tags: , ,

Women’s Refuge are holding their annual appeal. The organisation is criminally underfunded by the NZ Government at a time when our domestic violence statistics are among the worst in the first world.

John Key won’t help, but you can.

Donate here.

 

 

Women’s Refuge chief executive Ang Jury notes how easily stereotypes like ‘Jake the Muss’ can attach to the reality of domestic violence.

“The image portrayed on the screen is something that’s incredibly real. He (Morrison)talks about how that image of Jake has dogged him, that he’s been seen as being that person, and he talks in the video of how he almost became that person.

“It was just a movie and it became a reality.”

“We think that is how it is and will always be but we have to keep to the front of our minds that things can change and people can change.”

Things can change and people can change. Too right. That change must come from men first and foremost.

Domestic violence is a male problem. It’s men that can make the difference, both personally and politically. Are Kiwi men strong enough yet to stand up for our women and children?

Women’s Refuge can be contacted on their free Crisis line:

0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843

62 comments on “Be Like Dad, Keep Mum (in fear). ”

  1. vto 1

    “Domestic violence is a male problem”

    No it is not.

    The longitudinal Dunedin study has found that women assault men as often as men assault women..

    given that women are more often the lead parent of children perhaps they need to re-assess their own approach to physical assault in light of the role models mothers are to their sons and daughters

    line up with the evidence rather than blow off with your out-of-date and bigoted one-liners trp… simplistic nonsense

    • Even if that were true, the damage done by men far outweighs the damage done by women. That’s both in a physical sense and in the power balance which strongly favours men. It’s only men that can effect change.

      • vto 1.1.1

        It is true

        You need to change your approach to this issue.

        Claiming it is only a male problem when the evidence describes otherwise, and doing such other things as loading up bullshit headlines (be like dad keep mum in fear), simply places you beyond the visible spectrum. Nutter.

        Women need to stop the assaults as well.
        That is something only women can do

        get some balance

        • save nz 1.1.1.1

          @Vto – The studies that draw those conclusions (woman just as violent) are based on instances when man punches women in face, woman pushes man away to defend herself. In the court records and police reports, they are both recorded as violent. Pushing is the same as punching.

          In the school of real life, they are not the same thing. In terms of injury and deaths of women verses men they are not the same thing.

          Anyway, +100 to Woman’s refugee and to men like David Cunliffe who speak up for woman.

          • vto 1.1.1.1.1

            That’s not correct savenz, see the longitudinal Dunedin study.

            [Enough diversions, vto. This post isn’t about you. TRP]

            • vto 1.1.1.1.1.1

              No diversion trp – the point addresses exactly an accusation that you make. Nothing more.

              But its your post so will leave you to it. Btw, it was good to not get the typical heavy blasting response from you that seemed so frequent in the past. Thanks.

              Now – off to play in the ocean where there are no daft humans in conflict….

              • Cheers, vto. I disagree with you as I imagine do the overwhelmingly female victims of domestic violence. However, I hope you have a good surf/swim/fish or whatever you’re up to. We live in a lucky country. Mostly.

                • Xanthe

                  Absolutly with vto here
                  TRP while you promote “its a male problem” You are part of the problem !

                  So sad, so misguided.

                  • ropata

                    Jesus wept.

                    This evidence does not dispute the fact that some women are violent and some men are harmed by violence. Any gender symmetry in violence however, is unlikely to take fear or control issues into account, and can be said to be mostly at the lower-end of the scale of physical violence. One of the authors of the original CTS research has stated that ‘it is categorically false to imply that there are the same numbers of ‘battered’ men as battered women’

                    https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/factsheet-gender-1.pdf

                    Do some homework before “enlightening” us with your opinion.

                    • Xanthe

                      I am not seeing any evidence that “its a male problem” is a useful or effective strategy that is reducing the level of violence in our society.

                      In those cases where it is not a “male problem” this stance will make matters worse.

                    • ropata

                      I think the phrase is deliberately used to challenge us. It’s an opportunity for men to step up and help womens refuge.

                    • Xanthe

                      Well I agree with you there.
                      I do have some misgivings tho
                      I am concerned that this approach (and the data used) leads to the idea that
                      Violence==physical violence

                      To sucessfully approach this issue i believe we need to take a much broader definition of violence

      • billmurray 1.1.2

        I believe the use of words ‘warriors’ ‘cook’ ‘awesome’ ‘wicked”haka’
        ‘pakeha’ etc, these and other words in common usage by many Maori are a factor in the abuse and killing of children in the Maori peoples. The Maori people are not special, nor are they particularly good at anything which other peoples practice as part of their culture, unfortunately many Maori leaders tell Maori that they are special and that the have a superior culture, they don’t.

        Most child abuse and child killings are in the Maori culture, addressing the culture may solve a blight in our society.

        • ropata 1.1.2.1

          Your “belief” has no basis in reality. Please post evidence that Te Reo causes violence.

          No culture is perfect or superior. Some things in Maori culture are great, others maybe not. Pakeha culture is not perfect either, the driver for the British Empire colonising the world was not exactly altruism.

        • marty mars 1.1.2.2

          billmurray you are a classic – simultaneously channeling the fool and the hill.

          Keep perfectly still – it will all go away soon.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 1.1.2.2.1

            …the fool and the hill…

            Oh that’s lovely. He never gives an answer 🙂

  2. Peter Swift 2

    Good luck with the campaign. Something certainly needs to change in the male kiwi psyche, and fast.

  3. Anne 3

    The psychological violence associated with all forms of violence and bullying was recently well illustrated online by an enterprising British teacher. This story is aimed at children but the lesson is just as valid for adult victims of violence:

    http://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/teacher-used-apples-to-explain-how-bad-bullying-is-her-post-is-now-viral-1422889

    The physical effects can be healed but, in my view, the psychological effects are much more important and can last a lifetime. I know from some personal experience how it can affect a person’s future and their relationships with other people. Just because it can’t be seen doesn’t make it any less real, and family/friends/workmates need to learn to understand how victims can struggle for years trying to overcome these psychological effects.

    • vto 3.1

      Agree completely Anne

      “The physical effects can be healed but, in my view, the psychological effects are much more important and can last a lifetime”

      And this aspect is genderless

    • miravox 3.2

      “in my view, the psychological effects are much more important and can last a lifetime”

      However, for those killed the physical effects are rather important. On a lesser note, my mother’s nose will always look like she’s gone one round too many in the boxer’s ring. The lifelong psychological effects of the beating she endured are important, but not more important than the fact than she’ll always have the lasting physical effects of multiple broken noses and broken and damaged other parts of her body that we can’t see. I’m pretty sure multiple head injuries have caused her as much damage as the psychological effects of those injuries.

      I’m sorry, but I just don’t get how physical effects get underplayed by people who have not had them. The variations in severity of the physical/psychological violence may vary with the individual and the outcome of a violent event, but it’s not a competition! One doesn’t have to be downplayed so the other can be emphasised.

      It’s like when people say waiting for a beating is ‘worse’ that the beating. This may be true, but only in the sense that waiting for torture might be worse than the torture (or it might not, you might get lucky).

      • Anne 3.2.1

        No-one is “under-playing” the physical effects. That is your interpretation of what I was saying and it is incorrect. The psychological effect of physical violence – no matter what form it takes – can last for many years. It is an indisputable fact.

        • miravox 3.2.1.1

          “The psychological effect of physical violence – no matter what form it takes – can last for many years. It is an indisputable fact.”

          Definitely. But saying “psychological effects are much more important” seem to me to be saying physical effects are less important. Maybe I’m being pedantic, but the comparative “much more” in that sentence matters to me.

          Aside from that, it’s a damned shame that psychological services are not as readily available for people who suffer psychological injury as health services (albeit at times inadequate) for bodily damage, regardless of whether physical violence was involved. Psychological services are just as essential for recovery and moving forward as other health, social security, legal and other services for victims of domestic violence.

          • Anne 3.2.1.1.1

            …“psychological effects are much more important” seem to me to be saying physical effects are less important. Maybe I’m being pedantic,…

            I can see why you thought the way you did miravox. What I was saying (not very clearly) is that the physical manifestations usually heal within a reasonable time span whereas the psychological effects can continue for many years (a lifetime in some cases) and take much longer to treat and heal. There are always exceptions of course and your mother’s injuries was one of them.

            • miravox 3.2.1.1.1.1

              Thanks Anne. I appreciate the clarification and recognition.

              I do understand where you are coming from and psychological abuse even without the physical component can be devastating (and this blog, every time this topic comes up, provides a bit of an example of how the long term personal impacts play out).

              I think its clear NZ has a poor record dealing with mental and emotional recovery from abuse, specifically domestic abuse (in the health system and community, even when the will is there the resources often are not). The familiar attitudes of ‘get over it’, ‘harden up’ etc are strong on this one!

          • reason 3.2.1.1.2

            2012 …….” Jan Logie addressed the Manawatu issue, saying “there is a funding crisis in the sexual violence support sector”.

            “Social Development Minister Paula Bennett confirmed that the $20 million Community Response Fund, which had ensured many of these services could stay afloat, had been cut as it was only ‘temporary’. She said it was ‘tight times’.”

            2015…”A committee of MPs from across parliament has called for better, and more sustainable funding for specialist sexual violence services.

            It follows findings that current funding is not enough to keep people safe.

            Green Party women’s spokesperson, Jan Logie, says the review was prompted by information that multiple services were under threat, including the 24 hour helpline in Auckland, and the closure of several kaupapa Maori services.”

            And lots of general attacks on poor family s and their children from the nats ……

            “problems started when Housing NZ staff were told in August 2011 to “stop delivering social services”, ….

            “The link between housing and health is well established……Children living in deprived circumstances are more likely to have poor health. ” …

            “Budgeting service funding to be slashed — 6:29 pm on 7 June 2016

            “He said hospital wards were now full of poor, sick children every month of the year – not just in winter. There was no longer a “summer lull” in diseases.”

  4. BM 4

    Women’s Refuge chief executive Ang Jury notes how easily stereotypes like ‘Jake the Muss’ can attach to the reality of domestic violence.

    Which is hardly surprising when you’ve got statistics like this

    1. Half of all children killed by caregivers were Māori

    2. 7 young Māori women and 4 Māori children were hospitalised from an assault for every 1 Pakeha woman and child hospitalised from an assault

    3. 49% of Māori women experienced partner abuse at some time in their life compared with 24% of Pakeha women and 32% of Pacific women

    https://www.familyservices.govt.nz/about-programmes/whanau-ora/e-tu-whanau-ora-programme-of-action.html

    • save nz 4.1

      @BM – that’s because white men get off, like a certain prominent New Zealander recently on family abuse or like in the Susan Cochrane case involving her husband, they get away with it for a long time before they are bought to justice and only because the grown up children were witnesses and his arson (which he tried to blame on Maori).

      • BM 4.1.1

        Ridiculous comment, stop making excuses for Maori men.

        If Maori domestic violence rates drop back in line with Pakeha domestic violence rates, domestic violence would drop by 25%.

        There’s that much of a distortion, especially when you take into consideration that Maori only account for 14% of the population.

        This is the elephant in the room.

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1

          ” If Maori domestic violence rates drop back in line with Pakeha domestic violence rates, domestic violence would drop by 25%.”

          maybe its time to get Maori levels of income, employment and imprisonment in line with privileged Pakeha rates too.

          • BM 4.1.1.1.1

            maybe its time to get Maori levels of income, employment and imprisonment in line with privileged Pakeha rates too.

            Only Maori can do that, the ball is in their court.

            • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1.1.1

              I see, you demand things of people but then go all hands off in being involved in changing things?

        • ropata 4.1.1.2

          Nobody is denying that BM, why else was Tem Morrison chosen to front the campaign?

          Honestly sometimes grumpy dudes like you and vto make me ashamed to be a man.

        • mauī 4.1.1.3

          If your culture had it assets (land) stolen and was thrown into poverty and prison the violence stats would look pretty bad too.

          • BM 4.1.1.3.1

            It was only a small percentage of Maori land that was confiscated.

            Most of the land back then was lawfully sold to white settlers by the different tribes.

            • ropata 4.1.1.3.1.1

              Bull. Shit.
              http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/land-ownership/page-1

              Early settlers such as missionaries, whalers and traders were hungry for land. Often a Māori chief would allow Europeans to settle on a piece of land in exchange for goods, but did not imagine that this meant granting them absolute ownership. Instead Māori saw it as a transfer of particular rights, while their own rights remained untouched. Māori were keen to attract Europeans for trade, and land transactions were common.

              In the late 1830s some Māori realised that, to the settlers, these transactions meant absolute and sole ownership. During this period the number of ‘sales’ rapidly increased because settlers and investors feared that such purchases might no longer be available once New Zealand became a British colony. By early 1840, on the eve of the Treaty of Waitangi, Europeans claimed to own more than 66 million acres (27 million hectares) – more than the total area of the country.

              Not to mention the mass confiscations in the wake of the Land Wars…

              • RedLogix

                Often a Māori chief would allow Europeans to settle on a piece of land in exchange for goods, but did not imagine that this meant granting them absolute ownership. Instead Māori saw it as a transfer of particular rights, while their own rights remained untouched

                And therein lies the core misunderstanding. Maori saw land as something you occupied by right of conquest. It was yours more or less as long as you could defend it against the next war party. Maori had absolutely no concept of legal freehold or leasehold title. Certainly nothing that equated to individual property rights as we currently think of them.

                So when they entered into these land deals each party had a quite different idea of what was being exchanged. Not to mention the usual duplicity and deviousness that was going on … it’s a wonder it wasn’t more fucked up than it was.

    • Heather Grimwood 4.2

      To BM at 4: You obviously don’t realise that the desperation of poverty must be more likely to drive people over the edge, and that Maori families have sadly found themselves to be well-overrepresented in the more disadvantaged.
      I knew a professional woman living in a cold house supplied for her work in the country, who at the end of her tether felt like picking up her 7mth old son by the feet and swinging his head against the wall. This woman had the advantage of being well educated and had a car to drive to her doctor which is what she realised must happen. That was a huge shock to me, her friend, but proved to me that these things can easily happen when parents under duress.
      In short, those who have nannies, home help, live-in housekeepers,own transport have no idea of the difficulties of those in real poverty.

      • Chuck 4.2.1

        “To BM at 4: You obviously don’t realise that the desperation of poverty must be more likely to drive people over the edge, and that Maori families have sadly found themselves to be well-overrepresented in the more disadvantaged.”

        With all due respect Heather that’s a cop out. I also know families (includes Maori) that have it hard ($ tight etc). None of them beat up their wife’s or kids…they love them. Poverty is no excuse to harm your family members…It is up to each individual to make the decision…do I beat the shit out of my miss’s / kids or not??

        Maori leadership needs to tackle the horrible stats head on. The warrior spirit / aggression is fine on the sports field, not in the home.

        Tem’s video is a start.

        • BM 4.2.1.1

          Maori leadership needs to tackle the horrible stats head on. The warrior spirit / aggression is fine on the sports field, not in the home

          I think that’s the crux of the issue there.

          Maori culture tends to celebrate that whole warrior thing, toughness and aggression are celebrated qualities.

          150 years ago, these attributes are what kept Maori alive, in the present day it’s what’s keeping them down.

          Think it’s time for that Maori mindset to evolve and move into the modern age.

        • Heather Grimwood 4.2.1.2

          to Chuck: 4.2.1. If you read carefully my first sentence, and understood it, I can only think you are deliberately trying to promote a distortion of your own.
          Perhaps I should have said that the professional woman I used as an example of one whom one would not ordinarily thought of as likely to harm a child was European as was her husband, and reasonably well off, albeit living in cold house with limited facilities etc.
          I was, I thought, showing empathy with all those in trying circumstances, and remarking that Maori families at present are more likely to be in stats which reflect repercussions of this fact.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 4.2.1.3

          Ethnicity has nothing to do with it, unless you can account for the fact that every country has inequality and most have poverty.

          Scotland is poorer than England (so I’m told). By “your”* “hypothesis”** that’s because being Scottish has something to do with it.

          *it isn’t yours, you stupid parrot.

          **hypotheses are supposed to explain facts.

    • reason 4.3

      Bm go have a glass of john keys sick river water and put on your white disco pants … go spray your shit around your own crowd.

      Your posting up of the symptoms of colonialism is a taste of the racism, law & order ( dirt & dishonesty from the nats) , and probably fear of terrorism that national will be using in the coming election…. we know this because everything the Nats have actually done in government has been a disaster, so the can’t talk about that.

      Regarding crime stats National have kept these high by subverting the Alcohol law reviews ……….. keeping the number of victims and crime high.

      Womans refuge needs funds as National has starved money to groups like them and rape crisis, Life-line etc etc .

      • Chuck 4.3.1

        reason – National just gave Woman’s refuge an extra $40 million funding the other month.

        I know of many people and companies that gladly donate to Woman’s refuge, life-line, Sweet Louise etc…its does not need to all come via the state. In fact some charities don’t accept funding via the state as they want to spend it as they see fit.

      • reason 4.3.2

        Regarding Bm’s and nationals racism…..

        It’s exactly what the racist Aussies would say about the aboriginals ….

        And racist Canadians would say it against their indigenous populations …..

        And racist Americans would say about their native Indians ….

        Disposes and suppress a culture ………. then blame the results on the people of that culture.

        Throw large amounts of booze at their misery …… fill the private prisons.

        The Alcohol industry should be paying the money that Hospitals are having to spend on security guards to protect nurses and doctors from violent drunk patients and their friends ……..” One New Zealand study reported that 50% of ED staff were assaulted by an intoxicated patient
        at work”

        They should have to pay for the extra ambulance and emergency service call outs that the Alcohol industry causes ………….

        All the extra surgery and operation theater costs …………… “Alcohol was involved in almost half of all facial fracture presentations; males
        accounted for the majority of cases and violence was the leading cause of presentation”

        All the extra Cyf costs ………….. “Alcohol use and abuse by a parent(s) or caregiver(s) increases the risk of violence against children”

        All the extra court staff, rehab staff, prison staff etc ….. “A significant body of evidence has established the correlation between alcohol and partner violence”
        “Homicide mortality rates are significantly higher for Māori than they are for non-Māori…. Over a five year period, alcohol and drug abuse featured in about two-thirds of homicides within New Zealand families”
        “Alcohol is the most common ‘date rape’ drug. Alcohol is implicated in half of all sexual assaults”

        And how do you put a cost on kids who have their childhoods ruined through abuse and violence to them or between their parents ???????

        National are returning some some of the funds they have starved to services working hard to clean up their mess ……. $40 million is election dressing.

        Do the booze companies use the tax haven structures that people like john key builds I wonder ????….

        $75 million per week is spent of the drug Alcohol ……..

        • Xanthe 4.3.2.1

          Hmm your argument naturally extends to sexist femenists ?

        • reason 4.3.2.2

          $75 million per week is spent ON the drug Alcohol ……..

          • ropata 4.3.2.2.1

            Certainly alcohol plays a part, successive governments kept lowering the drinking age and deregulating booze shops and pubs all over the country.

            What was up with the Gnats bypassing local bylaws and allowing pubs to stay open all night for the RWC?

            I don’t mind a drink now and then but in light of the prevalence of alcohol abuse we need to re-think the current open slather approach.

            • reason 4.3.2.2.1.1

              Hi ropata …..Yes we have unbridled commercialization at the moment….

              but relatively mild actions would change things

              Put it back in bottle shops ………. stop pushing /advertising …… and stop taxpayers subsidizing the price.

              The heavy abusive drinkers give the largest ‘super’ profits for Alcohol sellers …….

              Having it in supermarkets combined with constant advertising is almost like an attack on the rehab efforts by alcoholics or other problem drinkers.

              Thats my impression ……

              Regarding Act ….this pseudo pretend party were exploiting New Zealands indoctrination and love affair with the drug alcohol ……… they even dissed the green party for questioning using Parliaments urgency laws to loosen Alcohol regs …

              You don’t lose votes supporting Alcohol in NZ ….

              The Nact party did the same thing ( urgency ) when the previous world rugby cup also ambushed them …… requiring ‘urgent’ response.

              Finally ….there’s nothing wrong with social or reasonable drinking … you probably set a good example of this … and that’s good in itself.

              I doubt you line up 21 shots of tequila in a session to teach your kids to drink :0 😉 .

  5. Heather Grimwood 5

    To TRP
    I have and continue to applaud all who help the victims or stand up against the desolation of women across our society subjected to abuse…crushed expectations and great financial struggles often not acknowledged in the greater disaster of gross physical harm.

    In lighter vein TRP, where did you find the WW2 poster ? As children we thought them hilarious and I’ve been trying to locate one to include in memories I’m writing for family.

    • Thanks, Heather. The phrase ‘keep mum’ popped into my head, but I couldn’t quite remember the dad bit. I searched it and came up with a link to the Imperial War Museum. There is also another version; “keep mum, she’s not so dumb”. Different times, huh?

      • Heather Grimwood 5.1.1

        To TRP at 5.1: Thanks for info! I will follow it up.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.2

        The walls have ears.

        • Heather Grimwood 5.1.2.1

          Yes that was the message….we children knew that no-one talked about imminent sailing to war of folk in district.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.2.1.1

            I’m thinking of the ways criminals react to public mention of their crimes, and how that can lead to avoidance behaviour, and not just at an individual level.

  6. ropata 6

    My Mum was a volunteer at a Womens Refuge in South Auckland for years, I’m a big guy and when I popped in to visit her for some reason, the looks of fear on the faces of the women and kids were heart breaking. Also one time Mum roped me in to playing Santa Claus and a few of the kids were scared of me. Men are supposed to be the protectors not the oppressors. How damaging is it for a small child when their own father who they love and trust is self-absorbed violent and angry all the time?

    We need womens refuge and other services to break the destructive cycle as early as possible. That’s why National’s cutbacks are so vicious and immoral.

    Wahakura – bassinet of woven harakeke (flax). To carry (waha) what is precious (kura). pic.twitter.com/HFmnTPxzTw— Kupu Hou (@KupuHou) July 8, 2016

    Look at this beautiful child and ask yourself if NZ should let kids like this suffer for no reason other than the greed of the 1% ?

    • RedLogix 6.1

      How damaging is it for a small child when their own father who they love and trust is self-absorbed violent and angry all the time?

      Next question … why? Because while we are all capable of this anger and violence; it is not the normal state for most humans.

      And again the Dunedin Longitudinal Study uncovers some fascinating facts around the damage family abuse causes.

      Very early in the study they identified five different personality types ( or behavioral styles) that can be conceptually placed on a spectrum: Under-Controlled, Confident, Well-Adjusted, Reserved and Withdrawn. It is the two extreme types, the Under-Controlled and Withdrawn who demonstrably suffer the worst life outcomes.

      But critically they also showed that for children with a particular genotype that predisposed them to be Under-Controlled …. the presence of abuse during a critical window of childhood was crucial to the expression of lifelong criminal violence as an adult.

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    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

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