Brownlee is dragging Canterbury down

Written By: - Date published: 11:34 am, April 8th, 2016 - 85 comments
Categories: accountability, christchurch earthquake, Gerry Brownlee, uncategorized - Tags: , , ,

Top work Gerry, top work – Christchurch rebuild gets worst rating from Treasury

A second fail grade for Gerry Brownlee on the Christchurch central city rebuild has Labour renewing calls for him to step aside.

Treasury has given the project the worst possible rating, which means it’s failing to meet schedule, budget, or quality targets.

It’s the second report in a row from Treasury to give the central city rebuild a red mark.

It’s a mess and people know it – Petition for inquiry into Christchurch earthquake repairs presented to Andrew Little

Oh and thanks to the wonders of our poorly regulated building supplies much of the rebuild work that has gone on has used reinforcing steel with fake certification, that fails tests. A building time-bomb along with our other frequently crap building and plumbing supplies.

85 comments on “Brownlee is dragging Canterbury down ”

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  1. Stuart Munro 1
    8 April 2016 at 11:43 am

    Time CERA had a forensic audit – Gerry isn’t intrinsically honest.

  2. Colonial Viper 2
    8 April 2016 at 11:49 am

    Why is all this substandard work getting Council consents.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      8 April 2016 at 12:08 pm

      Now that is a very good question.

    • BM 2.2
      8 April 2016 at 12:09 pm

      I blame Lianne Dalziel, she needs to be replaced.

      • Stuart Munro 2.2.1
        8 April 2016 at 12:19 pm

        You would – but she’s not the one handing out candy to useless sacks of ambulant dog-tucker like Shipley.

      • Sabine 2.2.2
        8 April 2016 at 12:23 pm

        and Gerry Brownlee? Does he need to be replaced?
        Or the National Government that overseas the re-build of CHCH? Needs replacing too?

        • Colonial Viper 2.2.2.1
          8 April 2016 at 12:25 pm

          Brownlee doesn’t issue Council consents or Council compliance certificates for the substandard work done.

          • Sabine 2.2.2.1.1
            8 April 2016 at 12:38 pm

            So essentially the Council is fucked either way, don’t issue Consents to build and compliance certificates because the work is not done properly, even when it is not clear that it is not done properly as with the Steel Mesh Certification, and be hung out to dry for ‘blocking housing getting build’
            or they are fucked because they are issuing compliance and then it comes to light that a company that issues ‘reinforced Steel Mesh’ is not up to task and is substandard and so on.

            Is the council also responsible for the companies that do carry out the substandard work? Or should the council refuse to sign of any and all houses that are substandard under any and all conditions?

            I have never build a house, and after years of following the leaky house syndrome and what not, would rather invite German or French builders to come and build my house here in NZ then ever use a local builder.

            What I would like to know, CV , instead again just your glib comment, is what do you want the Council to do to prevent substandard buildings and where does the government come into it? And does the Government carry any responsibility at all, and would you state the same if the Council of CHCH were run by a National Party Member Mayor?

            Again, just for clarification, i will never use a NZ builder, as they seem to be among the more dishonorable trades in NZ, cheap, cost cutting, often to the detriment of their customers.

            • BM 2.2.2.1.1.1
              8 April 2016 at 12:45 pm

              Sabine, you moan about NZ a lot, why do you stay?

              • Sabine …
                8 April 2016 at 1:03 pm

                I have a business, i pay taxes, i employ people. Why do you want me to leave after all I am the dream of the National Party, Mum and Pop business people, soul of NZ, hart working honest n stuff 🙂

                But really that thing with the substandard building works is something that i don’t understand, and please believe me, I am no builder.

                the leaky building syndrome, now the steel mesh that is re-inforced but not, the substandard work, the companies that do substandard work but can’t be held accountable. That is what I have been hearing from people that have build over the last twenty years in NZ and what I don’t get is why do people a. use these materials, why do tradesmen/women use these materials, why do councils sign up on them. And what is the responsibility of the Government if at all is has any?

                Care to comment on that. Rather then telling me to leave?

            • Lanthanide 2.2.2.1.1.2
              8 April 2016 at 12:55 pm

              Sabine, when it comes to things like the steel mesh, the only thing the council (and engineers) can do is rely on the certification to say it is a good product. If the certification is dodgy, that’s (generally) not the council’s fault.

              Garbage in, garbage out.

              I think CV was more talking about signing off residential repair jobs, where it’s possible to inspect the engineering paperwork, and the final completed work, and check that they match each other, and that the engineering paperwork is sufficient and correct for the repair necessary.

              • Sabine …
                8 April 2016 at 1:04 pm

                Ahhh, ok that makes sense.

                I just sometimes don’t get how building in NZ works. Fact, i think there is nothing scarier in NZ then building a house.

              • pat …
                8 April 2016 at 7:47 pm

                The Fletchers EQR repairs performed for EQC were never inspected by the CCC inspectors….Fletchers and EQC received a global exemption from the govt appointed chief building officer appointed to the CCC.
                The CCC can be said to be complicit on that basis but not for the inspections (not done) per se.

              • Foreigne waka …
                9 April 2016 at 12:53 pm

                is it steel…hmmm made in china? You do know that the NZ steel is used around the world to avoid just that…

                • Lanthanide …
                  9 April 2016 at 3:29 pm

                  Most of it is imported from China in one way or another, either completed products or steel that is then processed into finished goods in NZ. But not all of it is Chinese.

                  Also in principal there’s nothing wrong with Chinese building products in general; they can be just as good as German or Japanese products (for instance). It’s just that a lot of the *cheap* Chinese stuff isn’t – that’s why it’s cheap.

            • r0b 2.2.2.1.1.3
              8 April 2016 at 11:24 pm

              I understand the nervousness about working with a builder, but just for the record, there are good ones out there. I have been very fortunate in this respect, worked with a great builder (and a great guy) on my 2 projects.

              • vto …
                9 April 2016 at 7:16 am

                We work in this large realm.

                The number of shonky builders in Chch is sky-high.

                These issues will continue for years.

                • vto …
                  9 April 2016 at 7:31 am

                  and when I say “shonky builders” that means from the top down i.e. Fletchers and the like. . . not restricted to the newbie in town with a new ute with a sticker on the side

            • JonL 2.2.2.1.1.4
              11 April 2016 at 9:17 pm

              When I was working as an inspector, if it complied with building code, and I couldn’t find a legitimate reason to fail poor workmanship, I had to pass it. But, I made damn sure the owner and the builder knew my opinions on the workmanship and I also noted it on file – and so did about half the other inspectors. As for the rest………? And NZ builders were better than most – those from the sub continent were usually the shonkiest…….

        • BM 2.2.2.2
          8 April 2016 at 12:34 pm

          I think Dalziel and Brownlee are doing the best they can and should be left to get on with it.

          Last thing the rebuild needs is no nothing numpties like Andrew Little sticking his oar in.

          • Stuart Munro 2.2.2.2.1
            8 April 2016 at 12:41 pm

            I’m sure that Brownlee is doing the best he can – the man would be challenged by a job as a doorstop.

          • Stuff the Politicians 2.2.2.2.2
            8 April 2016 at 12:41 pm

            And you, the ignoramus one.

            What is your claim to fame ?
            Andrew Little would be more clued up than you will ever be.

            • BM 2.2.2.2.2.1
              8 April 2016 at 12:48 pm

              Andrew Little couldn’t find his arse with both hands and a arse map.
              Worst Labour Leader ever, even makes Cunliffe look good and that takes some beating.

              • Stuart Munro …
                8 April 2016 at 12:52 pm

                That’s an endorsement; the vile and slavering sycophantic trolls of the far right hate and fear him.

                $120 billion better than Key without lifting a finger.

                • Sabine …
                  8 April 2016 at 1:07 pm

                  oh they really don’t like Andrew Little now?

                  • Stuart Munro …
                    8 April 2016 at 1:19 pm

                    Can’t fault his policy or his actions – so they go to smeary stuff. It’s natural to the likes of BM – trying to conflate the issues of Brownlee’s corruption, his non-performance, and his obstructionism with their projected fears of whomsoever leads a party that offers a better alternative – even Colin Craig or that muppet Seymour would do a better job than Gerry.

              • gnomic …
                8 April 2016 at 7:53 pm

                Does BM stand for bowel movement? Get help from a qualified medical professional. You are unbalanced.

                • David H …
                  8 April 2016 at 9:29 pm

                  I thought it was more like Bullshit Man. Because he sure does spread a lot of it around when talking about Andrew Little.

    • Sabine 2.3
      8 April 2016 at 12:27 pm

      question:
      Do the consent come before or after the work is done?

      • Roflcopter 2.3.1
        8 April 2016 at 1:27 pm

        1) Consent is required to start the work.

        2) Dependent on extent of work, generally a few interim inspections / sign-offs / remedial orders given during the work process.

        3) Code of Compliance Certificate issued after the job is “supposedly” completed “properly”

        All 3 are local council responsibilities.

      • Foreigne waka 2.3.2
        9 April 2016 at 1:05 pm

        Sabine, consent might not be the issue but material most likely is. For a person unfamiliar with any difference, a pipe looks like a pipe. But it could be from 2nd tier plastics or even just sheer cheep rubbish – an average person would not know.
        I belief that the homeowner should be able to work like those large companies currently do, keep a retention for a set period of time that would under normal use or weather conditions show its worth. In fact I would go that far as to say it should be 50% retention, paid ahead by insurers and kept in an account accessible to the home owner once all works are signed off as now being the liability of the building owner with his/her consent.
        As it is at the moment, the large companies are keeping the small contractor waiting which forces them to work fast and cheep to get their money to pay their tradies and feed their children. A rort really. But ALL politician s so far have chickened out on that important point.
        You wouldn’t get away with this in a regulated environment like many European countries and what more with a work ethic that is ingrained to deliver A1 work.
        The houses here are mere sheds in comparison what builders in other countries are able to deliver.

    • Roflcopter 2.4
      8 April 2016 at 1:35 pm

      It’s not the consent that’s the issue, it’s the interim inspections, and final code of compliance checking.

  3. ianmac 3
    8 April 2016 at 12:26 pm

    My nephew discovered that there was no audit of the repairs done to his Mum’s house. And no audit for purchase of materials.

    • Sabine 3.1
      8 April 2016 at 12:40 pm

      can you clarify this for me, why would anyone audit the materials purchased?

      • Roflcopter 3.1.1
        8 April 2016 at 1:29 pm

        To ensure the products are to NZ Standards…. certificates of certain products have to also be supplied to local council as part of the final sign-off before code of compliance is given.

        • Sabine 3.1.1.1
          8 April 2016 at 1:38 pm

          so who does the audit? The council? And how does that effect the person building?

          If I buy concrete or wood or any other building materials at any of hte hardware stores i would have to assume that it is certified and audited before entering NZ, or being made available for sale to the public (if the product is NZ produced)? That is what you are saying? Then how can it not be certified?

      • Stuart Munro 3.1.2
        8 April 2016 at 1:57 pm

        There is also the issue of padding bills – invoicing for materials never used is one of the easiest rorts around.

      • ianmac 3.1.3
        8 April 2016 at 3:41 pm

        Example Sabine. House holder will pay for wall insulation while gib board is off. Contractor purchase Batts at trade price but charges retail price plus 15%. Householder queries this only to find that no audit is done on any of the materials purchased. Householder then buys own batts at retail price in protest.

        • sabine 3.1.3.1
          8 April 2016 at 5:33 pm

          Hang on, trying to understand this.

          The contractor skims a profit of the wholesale price.
          householder goes to query the price, and then finds out that the materials purchased by the builders is not NZ Standard?
          then Houeholder goes and buys batts at retail price at lets say Mitre 10 (or something like that) but they then are NZ Standard?

          How can the builder buy non NZ Standard. should the certification of NZ Standard not done before importing the product or before offering the product for sale in NZ?

          I can understand the skimming of a profit, while not smart certainly not illegal. But would the purchasing of Non standard batts not be illegal and in itself be a criminal activity?

          • ianmac 3.1.3.1.1
            8 April 2016 at 8:00 pm

            I said nothing about the standard. Just ordinary pink batts. It was an example of how the contractors ripped off the customers. Illegal? Buyer beware though customers would not normally be aware.

  4. Bob 4
    8 April 2016 at 12:37 pm

    I am not based in Christchurch, and only really get my information around the goings-on down there from the MSM, but there seems to be a massive disconnect between the reports that come out, the coverage from the area, and (based on the last election results) the felling amongst the people.

    The vast majority of stories I seem to hear are around the incompetence of National and Gerry Brownlee in the re-build, can anyone give me an insight as to how or why National increased both their Party and Electorate votes in Chch from 2011 – 2014?

    • Simple Simon 4.1
      8 April 2016 at 12:46 pm

      Bribes Bob.

      Don’t you remember the promise before the last election ?
      Tax Cuts.
      And just who got the benefit if that, oh yea, that’s right.

      The rich.

      • Bob 4.1.1
        8 April 2016 at 1:06 pm

        “Don’t you remember the promise before the last election ? Tax Cuts.”
        I remember them saying they will look to cut taxes in 2016/17 if they can afford it, but there were no details of tax cuts at the last election.
        Plus, surely if the Chch rebuild was so bad, the offer of maybe getting a tax cut possibly in three years time would not be enough to sway voters.

        “And just who got the benefit if that, oh yea, that’s right. The rich.”
        Not sure how you can say that, when details of potential future tax cuts haven’t been released yet. Unless you are talking about the 2010 tax cuts, in which case that has no bearing on the 2014 election as that was before the earthquakes even happened.

        • Macro 4.1.1.1
          8 April 2016 at 5:31 pm

          No worries Bob – Bill has just got $350 mill from the sale of Kiwi Bank – so you can have a tax cut. 🙂

    • Lanthanide 4.2
      8 April 2016 at 12:59 pm

      It’s a complete mystery to me why National did as well as they did at the 2014 election in Christchurch.

      • Bob 4.2.1
        8 April 2016 at 1:08 pm

        Thanks Lanth, I’m glad I’m not the only one.

        The closest thing I had been given to an answer was the change in electoral boundaries, but that would only affect the Electorate votes, it would not explain the increase in party support.

      • Sabine 4.2.2
        8 April 2016 at 1:11 pm

        two things: a. not rattle the boat and change the captain mid – direction.
        b. greed. those that had their payouts, homes etc etc literally voted to keep taxes low and houseprices high as this is were their ‘rich’ very coming from.

        One of my customers has three mortgages, two kids, and is stressed beyond believe. IF she or her husband falls ill, looses a job, or if a kid falls ill, any big repairs on any of the houses and they are underwater.
        She voted National to not have to deal with a Capital Gains tax.

        If anything changes economically or financially world wide, she and her family is in a world of hurt should she not be able to flip her properties for a profit. That is almost 2 – 3 millions in Mortgage debt.

      • Drum 4.2.3
        8 April 2016 at 6:13 pm

        Unfortunately Labour wasn’t seen as a viable alternative. At the time of the election many Christchurch people were experiencing high levels of anxiety. ..so change was a step too far.

  5. Xanthe 5
    8 April 2016 at 1:20 pm

    The christchurch council was directly responsible for the cctv deaths. No one should have been in that building at the time of second earthquake. This was the responsibility of council. How have they avoided accountability.

  6. greywarshark 6
    8 April 2016 at 1:21 pm

    George Carlin has something to say about politicians and voting – or not.
    It’s wonderful how he can dump on everyone and they will still clap and cheer for him, because I guess they think they are exceptions. Does he speak to you?
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxsQ7jJJcEA&nohtml5=False

  7. AB 7
    8 April 2016 at 1:29 pm

    Scams, shortcuts, ripping others off and then laughing at them behind their backs, looking after number one ahead of the public good – these are an ingrained part of kiwi culture.
    Neoliberalism’s 30+ year grip on the nation’s psyche, and a typically corrupt National government give licence to these predilections and they flourish. But they were always there.

    Scott Hamilton:
    “New Zealand is a country founded by dodgy property speculators from some of England’s second-rate public schools on land seized from Maori by Celtic and Yorkshire soldier-settlers who were pushed out of their own whenua by enclosures and poverty, and who soon found themselves in hock to the same landlords and bankers that had bothered them back home.” (From http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/search?q=lazy+maori+idle)

    • Roflcopter 7.1
      8 April 2016 at 1:37 pm

      Typical blah blah blah neo this, neo that, which has nothing to do with the subject at hand.

      • AB 7.1.1
        8 April 2016 at 3:04 pm

        Really? You don’t think a people’s history and culture might give some clue as to how they’ll behave in the present?

        • Roflcopter 7.1.1.1
          8 April 2016 at 4:31 pm

          No.

          What’s your point?

          • Stuart Munro 7.1.1.1.1
            8 April 2016 at 4:51 pm

            In fact there are strong cultural correlations with different kinds of crimes.

            The Russian mafia, both at home and in the US have a preference for petrocrimes – perfected in the days of ripping off state oil companies and recreated abroad.

            Japanese football criminals disproportionately indulge in ticket scalping, whereas their German counterparts lean more to brawling and vandalism.

            The Gnats predilections are well known – land thefts, asset theft, abuse of government powers, fraud, tax-evasion and of course the usual ritual cannibalism, cattle mutilation and unspeakable acts that are normal with reptilian alien doppelgangers.

    • greywarshark 7.2
      8 April 2016 at 3:02 pm

      @AB
      I think that your points have everything to do with the subject at hand AB. You may know that Roflcopter is a RW and their m.o. is to scoff at anything they –
      1 Don’t understand,
      2 They do, but it makes them look bad, or
      3 Which don’t conform to the rosy PR picture they have of themselves and their offsiders.

      And Brownlee conforms to the actively upwardly mobile colonial-times-type, prepared to push ahead in his role in the most personally advantageous way he can, whether that means the people lower down get their fair share in a way that is timely for them, or not.

  8. Sacha 8
    8 April 2016 at 2:35 pm

    And not only does Treasury have CERA’s projects on red, but they haven’t even managed to spend all their budget: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1604/S00143/106-million-underspent-on-canterbury.htm

    Clownery led by a blustering nincompoop.

  9. Keith 9
    8 April 2016 at 7:49 pm

    Selling assets cos we are broke, fake certifications, dodgy steel reinforcing, failing to meet schedule, budget, or quality targets, tax havens, money laundering. Yep, just another week in Nationals brighter future.

  10. gristle 10
    8 April 2016 at 8:35 pm

    The other day I saw an invoice from an electrical company. It showed the retail price of materials used on the job and then a ten percent discount applied because they were a good customer. After just one phone call I found that the trade price for this item was 15% of the retail price and they pocketed 75% of the materials charged as profit. Not bad when the materials bill came to $5500.

    Some situations builders and tradesmen make too much on specific items. The Fletcher empire and Winston are some of the real culprits as to why it costs so much to build here. We have a limited range of suppliers providing a limited range of products with the attitude that they are doing the country a favour.

    • ropata 10.1
      8 April 2016 at 10:37 pm

      +1 the government has too much invested in election bribes for the propertied class to allow anything resembling a free market in kiwi houses.

  11. pat 11
    8 April 2016 at 9:17 pm

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/301013/'we-suspect-there-are-systemic-failings‘

    The discussion around tradesmen skill level and charging practices while worthy are not the focus of the petition….rather the systemic disenfranchising of a substantial portion of Canterbury residents…the “losers” in the government’s quoted winners and losers….a misguided and often corrupt policy of this administration that will ultimately end up costing the taxpayers of NZ more than if they had acted with integrity from the start.

  12. weka 12
    9 April 2016 at 8:12 am

    So is the wire mesh substandard, or is it ok but the certificate is false?

    • pat 12.1
      9 April 2016 at 8:18 am

      still to be determined….the stuff that has failed has failed to meet the certified standard ,i.e. the certification is false but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is not fit for purpose, or at least in some applications

      • weka 12.1.1
        9 April 2016 at 8:31 am

        Ok, so basically they don’t know without reviewing each job?

        • pat 12.1.1.1
          9 April 2016 at 8:38 am

          not exactly…it has failed a stretch test, by what margin I don’t know, but there is a safety factor in the engineers calculations with regard to SLS (service limit state) so it may well fall within that , also it is a question of risk..if its used in say the slab of a single level dwelling it is not a life threatening reduction in performance whereas in the structural element of a multi level structure it may be.

          It also raises uncomfortable questions about the certification of other reinforcing products

    • Lanthanide 12.2
      9 April 2016 at 3:33 pm

      RNZ had a news report I think 2 weeks ago now, where they said that the mesh had been tested under the appropriate standard and failed.

      Steel and Tube have this week put out a stop-ship order to all of their distributors.

      So it sounds like:
      1. The mesh has had an invalid certificate for a number of years
      2. Mesh of recent manufacture that was tested failed to comply with the standard that the invalid certificate said that it did

      Whether or not the steel mesh products from 3-4 years ago also fail to comply with the standard is not publicly known at this point.

  13. Steve Withers 13
    9 April 2016 at 8:44 am

    All that “too expensive” regulation and compliance looks like value for money after wasting a few billion on dubious construction materials (never mind the cowboy shonky building work that is at least a part of almost everything built in any case).

    National…..home of the $11B leaky homes problem, too…never learns. NZ just can’t afford to have them in government.

    • Paul 13.1
      9 April 2016 at 8:56 am

      red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…red tape…political correctness gone mad…bureaucracy…

      And naive New Zealanders fell for those right wing memes.

      • weka 13.1.1
        9 April 2016 at 12:50 pm

        The sad irony is that the regulations brought in after leaky homes has made it harder for people to build houses. It’s all paranoia, butt covering and money grubbing now.

  14. saveNZ 14
    9 April 2016 at 10:11 am

    Gerry wasn’t good at being a woodwork teacher, that is why he went into politics….

    His own personal vanity project, a city rebuilt to his specifications and ideology…

    Unfortunately shows how neoliberalism and cronyism really works in practise….. it doesn’t.

    Key and Brown, are lucky because they do all their frauds and magical projections on paper, therefore they can pretend it is all working, but poor Gerry, building is something anyone can see if it is there or not.

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    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 KƍreroBy 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 KƍreroBy 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 KƍreroBy 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    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 KƍreroBy 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 KƍreroBy 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 ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    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 KƍreroBy 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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 PokapĆ« 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 kƍrero, he kƍrero, he kƍrero. 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 kƍrero 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 Manawatƫ 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

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
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    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
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    7 days ago
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    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
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