Budget day
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- Date published:
9:55 am, May 18th, 2023 - 49 comments
Categories: budget 2023, grant robertson, labour -
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Today is budget day.
Grant Robertson has been busy promising that there will be no major surprises.
Clearly he will not want to spook the Reserve Bank into raising interest rates further. An increase before the election will not be politically helpful.
In a pre budget speech Robertson said that the themes of the budget would be:
- supporting New Zealanders with the cost of living,
- delivering the services New Zealanders rely on,
- recovery and resilience, including economic resilience and
- fiscal sustainability.
So I do not anticipate any major announcements except perhaps some form of return to citizens to alleviate hardship.
National will no doubt talk about excessive and wasteful Government spending.
Perhaps they should concentrate on the use of limos by their leader.
And it would help if their leader could get his figures right.
Wee fiscal confusion here from a Luxon, who says that crown spending last year was $129b. pic.twitter.com/6NqoNzsO6i
— Thomas Coughlan (@coughlthom) May 17, 2023
The fun kicks off at 2 pm. This post will be updated as announcements are made.
Update: The Herald has reported these headline policies:
- Extension of 20 hours Early Childhood Education to 2 year olds – $1.2b
- Abolition of $5 prescription co-payment – $619m
- Cheaper public transport for children – $327m
- $71m infrastructure spend
- Inflation stays higher for longer
- Net core Crown debt hits $181b
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- Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summonsTonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery fundingIt appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...2 weeks ago
- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...3 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...3 weeks ago
- Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...10 hours ago - $571 million for Defence pay and projectsDefence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...15 hours ago
- Climate change – mitigating the risks and costsNew Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...15 hours ago
- Getting new job seekers on the pathway to workJobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...2 days ago
- Accelerating Social InvestmentA new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...2 days ago
- Getting Back on TrackCheck against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...2 days ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than everYour Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...2 days ago
- Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...2 days ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...3 days ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...3 days ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...3 days ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...3 days ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...3 days ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...3 days ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...3 days ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...3 days ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...3 days ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...3 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...3 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...4 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...4 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...4 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...4 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...4 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...4 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...4 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...6 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...6 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...1 week ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...1 week ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...1 week ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...1 week ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...1 week ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...1 week ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...1 week ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Pacific journalists are world’s ‘eyes and ears’ on climate crisis, says EU envoy
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...3 hours ago - Why the Defence Force has been calling for a Budget boost
Failing accommodation, tarmac problems and a deteriorating naval base were all laid bare before a $571 million spend-up was unveiled today. ...3 hours ago - Back in Black: Aldora’s year gets even better
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...4 hours ago - ‘Who’s actually governing this city?’The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...4 hours ago
- The return of .. Raw PoliticsExhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...4 hours ago
- New Caledonia marks Armistice Day with new NZ war memorialBy Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...4 hours ago
- High Court dismisses key challenge to indefinite immigration detention. What does it mean?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...7 hours ago
- A brief history of found footage video art – and where Macklemore’s Hind’s Hall fits inSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...7 hours ago
- Transmission Gully could need new bulider – Infrastructure Commission reviewFailing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...7 hours ago
- Proposed repeal of Oranga Tamariki Act section 7AA breaches Treaty of Waitangi – TribunalThe government is planning to repeal Treaty obligations from the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...7 hours ago
- Committee Silences Majority Of Submitters On Fast-track Bill
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...7 hours ago - Sky-high vanity: constructing the world’s tallest buildings creates high emissionsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skyline AleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...8 hours ago
- How can we measure the size of Australia’s illegal cannabis market – and the billions in taxes t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Williams, Professor of Economics, The University of Melbourne Canna Obscura/Shutterstock At the end of this month, a senate inquiry by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee is due to hand down its report on a bill to legalise cannabis. ...8 hours ago
- Wearable devices can now harvest our brain data. Australia needs urgent privacy reformsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/Shutterstock Recent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...9 hours ago
- Labour Up, Greens Down But Centre-Right Remains AheadThis is the first time since February that voters have had a net positive view of the country direction. ...10 hours ago
- RNZAF Hercules, NZDF Personnel Arrive In Papua New Guinea To Help Distribute Relief SuppliesPapua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...10 hours ago
- Sleep wrinkles are real. Here’s how they leave their markSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...10 hours ago
- Week in Politics: Triumph and disaster, but no austerityAnalysis - A big announcement about Auckland's water woes was overshadowed by a chaotic press conference about prisons, Peter Wilson writes. ...10 hours ago
- Community Groups Furious That Government Silencing Hundreds In Fast-Track HearingsThe Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...11 hours ago
- Review: Swan Lake is a reminder of how much work it takes to look effortless
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell? Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...11 hours ago - The Friday Poem: ‘High Tide at Local Maxima’ by Eamonn TeeA new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...11 hours ago
- The plastic-heavy drinks industry is in for a shake-upThe New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...11 hours ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending May 10The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...11 hours ago
- Puna calls for Pacific ‘journalistic vigilance’ in face of climate crisisBy Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...12 hours ago
- Downsizing Of ERO Inconsistent With Govt Priority Of Lifting Student AchievementThe PSA is concerned that Government spending cuts have forced ERO to downsize at a time when student achievement is a significant challenge. ...12 hours ago
- Education Review Office set to cut 13 jobs, union saysThe Education Review Office is set to cut 13 jobs, the Public Service Association says. ...12 hours ago
- Judith Collins announces $571 million Defence spend-upAn extra half a billion dollars is going to Defence in this year's Budget for pay and equipment upgrades, the Defence Minister has announced. ...13 hours ago
- This new TVNZ anthology is Motherhood as you’ve never seen it beforeTara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...13 hours ago
- LGNZ Supportive Of Cross-party Approach To Climate AdaptationLocal Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...13 hours ago
- SBC And CLC Welcome Bipartisan Climate Adaptation InquiryThe Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...13 hours ago
- Another Victory For Free Speech: DIA Abandons Proposals For Online CensorshipThe Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...14 hours ago
- Confused or playing for time? 3 possible reasons NZ is taking so long to make a call on AUKUSSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand governments have been actively exploring the option of joining pillar two of AUKUS for over a year now. But according to foreign minister Winston Peters, the government ...14 hours ago
- Archives NZ says it has enough space – for nowIts new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...14 hours ago
- Consensus WelcomedBusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...14 hours ago
- How many lives is that tax cut worth?Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...15 hours ago
- How the Phoenix went from wooden spoon favourites to title contendersThe club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors. “There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...15 hours ago
- Ministry cuts will harm Pacific health, wellbeing – unionThe PSA is warning cuts at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples will have severe consequences for the health and wellbeing of Pasifika families. ...15 hours ago
- Power shortages: What's being done to keep the lights on?Officials are looking at better ways of choosing who gets the power during shortages amid relentlessly growing demands. ...15 hours ago
- No more bad accents, stereotypes or cringe: why the rise of multilingual TV is good news for everyon...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...16 hours ago
- It’s time to ditch Berhampore Golf CourseThe under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...16 hours ago
- Women in rich countries are having fewer kids, or none at all. What’s going on?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...17 hours ago
- We looked at over 166,000 psychiatric records. Over half showed people were admitted against their w...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...17 hours ago
- Feral horses in Australia’s high country are damaging peatlands, decreasing carbon storesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...17 hours ago
- Andrew Tate’s extreme views about women are infiltrating Australian schools. We need a zero-tolera...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Wescott, Lecturer in Education, Monash University RDNE Stock Project/ Pexels , CC BY Earlier this week, two students were expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in creating a spreadsheet that ranked girls using sexist and violent categories ...17 hours ago
- Yes, spending on health is growing, but new research shows we’re getting more for itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...17 hours ago
- Govt must regulate to smooth EVs and data centres' demand on power grids – VectorNew Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...17 hours ago
- Could you be about to lose your power?New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...18 hours ago
- What actually are the Ockhams?Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams? The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...20 hours ago
- Selling Wellington Airport would be colossally carelessWellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...20 hours ago
- Two senior publishers axed at Penguin Random House amid major restructureNew Zealand’s largest book publisher has undergone drastic changes this week, leaving its future role in local publishing uncertain. Two of the most recognisable local publishers in New Zealand are among those restructured out of Penguin Random House, it was announced this week. Head of publishing Claire Murdoch will leave ...20 hours ago
- Black Ferns Sevens: The greatest team of allThe Black Ferns Sevens appeared to be a mile behind Australia at the halfway point of the 2023-24 SVNS international circuit. Winless in three tournaments, a cup quarter-final exit in Perth was one of their worst results. To add insult to injury, talismanic skipper Sarah Hirini had been ruled out ...20 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 10 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 10 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...20 hours ago
- Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drillingAnalysis: Solar power is the cheapest form of energy in the Pacific but the Government says NZ’s only choice is gas or coal The post Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drilling appeared first on Newsroom. ...20 hours ago
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They've dampened expectations down so much I'm irrationally excited.
How's the excitement levels today..?
More a case of one nite stand regrets…?
I hope allocations from previous budgets will still be honoured. Those services that have not so far been delivered will be asap. As someone who has been to far too many funerals of friends and family that died too early there is a need out there TODAY, not some election promise to deliver next term. You have already had 2 terms and 5 budgets 🤬 that tactic has worn too thin for those that have experienced near loss or tragic loss.
They'll subsidize child care so we can keep destroying the family until while enriching the child care owners and the parents using it will be no better off.
They'll continue to subsidize rents thereby underpinning everything that's wrong with housing.
Bang on the money:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/490162/cost-of-living-budget-centres-on-cheaper-childcare
It has the bonus that it will help keep both parents in fulltime employment. /s
Those who put their children into childcare are destroying the family unit? Should we legislate then that parents must stay home with their kids until school age? (But looked after by grandparents is okay as that’s the family?
Implies one parent must not work out of the home if there is a less than 5 year old there.
No a system that has it so that both parents must work to survive while sending there kids to baby farms is ,
Wot bwaghorn said….
They are funding more places and better pay for staff and extending the 20 hour subsidy to 2-3 year olds.
Most ECE's are non profit.
It improves the after home pay of those with children in care now 2-3 without subsidy.
Whether some parents (sole and partner) struggling with mortgage and or rent payments, choose to return to work with children at 2 rather than 3 because of this, is their call.
PS I would have applied a rent freeze through to the end of 2024 (and started it last year).
Having raised my now adult son on a dpb….so I could give him all that time…and being so glad I did…(not many men have had that experience/privilege..)
It saddens me to think of parking a two year old in a daycare…as a work imperative..
It's too young…
And it puzzles me that labour people think this is a good thing..
Doom and Gloom…Robbo still hammering that ridiculous 30% net debt limit.
He has a hat..
He has rabbits…
Why wouldn't he..?
He seems to have left both his hat and his rabbits in the ministerial limo…
An epic disappointment..
Nothing for those doing it the hardest..
Some more middle-class welfare ( childcare)..
No ending of the lower benefit rates for the young…
Nothing to address the galloping cost of food/the gouging parasitical landlord class..
And nothing much in the way of action on the environmental threats fast bearing down on us..(..ev car recharging roll out is at this stage just more for the middle-class..
Like I said…nothing for those doing it the hardest..
Just another fucken exercise in neoliberal-incrementalist/fuck-the-poor politics…
The ghosts of douglas/richardson/shipley still stalk those halls… laughing..
That's my boy
Not fine.
https://thenib.com/this-is-not-fine/
SPC just checking this isn't a personal comment. You are fine?
Just recovering from Luxon's repetition of the phrase – not fine.
Apparently we are being directed to feel/believe/reckon that things are not fine until National is elected.
Some sort of National blue skies gaslighting, it's a rip off of the GOP attack on the Capitol Hill as a swamp – when Democrats are in charge.
Oh phew, I hadn't picked up on todays Luxon Lies and Sky is Falling Theatrics. Haha. 👍
Shame on GR…
Hipkins gave him Michael Cullen's old tie and it looks like he didn't wear it.
If someone gave me Michael Cullen's old tie, I'd frame it. He put NZ back on a sound footing, then the opposition/incoming government used him/his fund for political put-downs, so he never got true credit for what he did, and then he had the misfortune to die relatively young. Yet, you rarely saw him complain.
Cullen was an ok finance minister who inherited a surplus from the previous government, a small surplus but a surplus and then Cullen rode a global economic boom that enabled 8 more consecutive surpluses.
I hated how national claimed labour stuffed up the economy when there was a global economic downturn and I hated how labour refused to admit that they inherited surpluses in 99 and 2017.
The reality is both are ok economic managers, if not extremely visionless.
Though no new Zealander should ever forgive national for getting rid of the super in the 70s or Ruth Richardsons mother of all budgets decimating NZ quality of life and wealth.
Cullen did s.f.a. for those most damaged by the neoliberal-revolution of douglas…
He rolled back none of that shit…
And was treasurer in clarks fuck-the-poor government..
So dunno where from/why your deifying of him..
Body language of Nat MPs for Luxon's speech … oh dear.
He's toast.
OCR of at least 6.5% here we come.
Renters will be wearing the cost of this.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=ocr+forecast+after+budget
In the 2023 budget Treasury forecast 3% inflation by the end of 2024.
Loved the precision targeting.
Blunts so many attack lines.
Interesting the crossover areas in GP and TPM speeches. Similar destination, different paths to.
May only qualify as a downturn, not a recession.
Marama Davidson's budget speech by far the best of all the party leaders! (IMHO)
What speech is that.
There doesn't seem to be any speech by Davidson in Hansard from this afternoon.
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=233062
Thank you. When I looked at Hansard the debate seemed to have been adjourned after Seymour's speech. The later speeches are there now so I guess I was just a bit early for the Hansard reporter to have posted it.
ACT could honestly claim that they could save 46 billion dollars a year on projected government expenditure.
That is social security/welfare spending.
Because under an ACT government there will be no social security and no welfare.
Just mild hyperbole.
Welfare: A Hand Up (act.org.nz)
"Honestly Claim" that's a big call, there is nothing honest about David Seymour and his cronies ???
It's surprising that various commentators (e.g. TV3) are suggesting it's not much of an election-year budget.
It's a politically savvy budget that must change National's plans. For example …
Before today, National would not have gone into the election promising to abolish prescription charges. But now they have to promise to keep prescriptions free. Or, promise to reinstate them, which would be electoral suicide (so they won't do it).
ACT love user-pays so they will probably propose to dump Labour's policy. Then Luxon (Willis?) gets asked "Will you rule out bringing back prescription charges?".
Cue waffle ("no current plans, in terms of, at the end of the day, it depends …").
It's not about the $5, so much as the trust issue. Luxon is so hopeless at definitive answers that National will issue a "clarification" after he's put his foot in it.
Politically, it's a master stroke.
Willis is now being reported (Stuff, Herald) as wanting to bring the prescription charges back. So, Grants gets his win. Silly Nicola, snookered already.
It's a knee-jerk reaction from Willis and it's a fair bet that after they've done some polling or held a few focus groups, National won't go into the election promising prescription charges.
Which is going to be real fun if Nicola ends up leader, she'll be asked about it all the time.
So to stress out most of NZ with the current cost of living crisis the reaction of the govt is a master stroke, time for many to get out into the real world and see (obviously not experience).
How does someone living within what was Manukau City benefit from the bus subsidy? I note the PM mischievously uses the term "Eligible" and "could" Within my local community Botany, Orminston, Tangaroa do NOT use buses, so how will this assist those who do not use this ??? “.. with 774,000 additional children and young people now eligible for the Community Connect discount scheme. Free fares for kids under 13 could see savings of $30 a week for families with two children." How to look like you care and then give nothing 🤬. And loyal Labour communities pay the price and suffer.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/budget-helps-ease-cost-living-pressures
https://stats.govt.nz/news/annual-inflation-6-7-percent/#:~:text=The%20consumers%20price%20index%20increased,12%20months%20to%20December%202022.
why don't people in those communities use buses?
Many live within the school zones, close enough physically that they do not need public transport (Many around the country would be in the same situation ) Think how many live within walking distance of their school- I am sure some cannot afford should they desire to use that option should they wish and others public transport is not workable. So for these families how does this announcement do anything to diminish the impacts of inflation and the cost of living situation ? And the vague language used displays to me that the Politicians know this-BUT it gives the impression that they care !!! Pity about the reality !!
https://www.ormiston.school.nz/Downloads/Assets/3302/1
We all hope it's going to get better, but in Auckland, at least, buses (including school buses) are increasingly unreliable. Any bad weather (and ATM that seems to be every second week), sees a raft of buses delayed or cancelled.
Kids have been late so often for school, that parents are finding other alternatives (driving them). I'm sure it contributes to the absentee rate as well (kid waits for school bus, bus doesn't arrive, kid slopes off to the mall or home)
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/03/auckland-s-unreliable-buses-causing-risky-journeys-for-students-staff-and-women-travelling-alone.html
The only other times that kids are realistically going to be using buses is weekends. When services are infrequent, unreliable, and don't go where you want them to: e.g. bus from my suburb to Takapuna beach (about 10 mins drive), runs once an hour (if that) on weekends, and takes about 45 minutes (roundabout route stopping everywhere). Not much use in the height of summer. Most bus routes still go into the city on weekends. Not many kids or teens want to go to the CBD on the weekends. Bus routes to family attractions (zoo, museum, beaches, etc) are poor (infrequent, bad routes).
The other major barrier to bus usage is the cost of the HOP card (which I'm assuming that the kids will still need to use to tag on and off – certainly the seniors do, for their free travel). It costs $15 to buy. Each time. Anyone who's had kids knows that school bus tickets/passes are one of the most lost items – not to mention bent, spindled and mutilated. When my kid was in primary, it was rare for a term to go by, without needing to buy a new HOP card – when you have 2 or more kids – the cost becomes significant.
The alternative is parents literally driving their kids everywhere, all the time.
Not a concept actual parents want to consider.
You haven't seen the parents in Wellington.
The point raised was what are the barriers to bus use (in Auckland)
I don't believe that cost is a significant one (at least for school kids).
Actual parents spend a heck of a lot of time driving kids around in Auckland – simply because the bus service is inadequate (unreliable, doesn't go where people need it to, when they need to get there) and (increasingly) considered to be unsafe (kids having to wait at dodgy hubs, or for buses that don't turn up, let alone the bullying and intimidation both on the buses and waiting for them). School buses are (more or less) trusted – to be safe; and parents are inclined to trust major bus routes during peak hours to be safe. But out of hours? Or multi-stop trips? Not many would think it's a great idea for younger kids to do solo.
Do you find that cost is the reason that your family does or does not use buses?
I would have liked to see some, even limited, provision of free dental treatment but I really only dared to hope.
Never has the expectation in every aspect of New Zealand life (health, education, law and order, economy etc) been set so excessively low. Depressingly unambitious budget.
So I finally got to read the budget.
It's fine… I guess.
The targeting half priced public transport to under 25s is weird, whenever I catch a bus it's like 30s-60s and I don't think labours gonna be thanked by many of it's voters for doubling their transport costs in the middle of winter, in an election year in a cost of living crisis.
.Theyll rue the day they reverse that fuel subsidy, again in winter, in a cost of living crisis in an election year, they should have scrapped it in January rather than getting rid of it in WINTER.
Crikey.
Grant hasnt stuck to a budget in 5 years though, I guarantee you, when the subsidies end and labour drops 5% in the polls (which they absolutely will over this) labour will freak out and find some magic money and extend it to the end of the election.
Half priced buses should have been made permeant for everyone.
Other than that it's. .. a meh… Tory lite budget
I am increasingly thinking, labour wants to lose 2023 so it doesn't have to work with the Maori party … Cos Jesus Christ if this is the best labour has in an election year with a full majority….
God save us.
Well it seems that the now defunct Jenny Craig is not the only scam that persuades people they must wait.
'You must forego a social life until you're thinner' was the implicit message of the company to its victims, whereas Labour's is, 'You must not expect a modest prosperity until we achieve some unstated growth number, which none of our policies are directed to achieving'.
Austerity always comes down to hunger.
Nothing to see here, move along…