Building our future

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, March 10th, 2011 - 69 comments
Categories: disaster, Gerry Brownlee, housing, jobs, john key, Keynes - Tags: ,

Facing a housing shortage in Auckland now and a massive rebuilding programme in Christchurch to come, the Government has announced the biggest public building initiative since World War 2. Thousands of unemployed young people will be paid to train as apprentices in building trades and contribute to their country’s future.

The Building Our Future initiative will fund apprenticeships for several thousand young Kiwis who will get their training, first, in assisting with the construction of 5,000 new State Houses in Auckland and then in replacing and repairing the multitude of homes that have been ruined by the Christchurch earthquake.

Prime Minister John Key explained:

“Christchurch is going to be a massive rebuilding job, totally outside the capacity of New Zealand’s existing building industry workforce to complete in any reasonable timeframe on top of existing demand. We could go overseas to try to find builders but that carries with it additional complications and the wages would flow offshore. It just makes more sense to take some of the 67,000 unemployed people below 24 years of age in this country and not only give them something to do and a way to earn some money but valuable skills and work experience for the future, and a chance to be part of building that future.

It’s going to be about 18 months until rebuilding really gets underway in Christchurch, Gerry will talk more about that, but there’s a housing shortage in Auckland right now. Rents are shooting up because not enough houses are being built due to the recession. And, I’ll admit we didn’t help by canceling nearly all the funding for new State House construction in the last Budget. Only 5,000 new dwellings have been consented in the past two years in Auckland, which is about half the rate needed to keep up with population growth.

So, the government will step in with the apprentice programme and a joint operation with Fletchers to build 5,000 State Houses in Auckland by the middle of next year. Obviously, these houses will be built to get the best value for money now and in the future by being constructed to meet stringent health and energy-efficiency standards. With that training under the apprentices’ belts, the focus will turn to Christchurch where the Crown/Fletchers venture will lead the construction of new sub-divisions and replacement homes.

We’re setting aside some extra money for this project but with insurance payments, State House rents, and the money saved by not having these people on the dole, we think it will work out pretty revenue neutral.

It’s kind of appropriate that we’re working in partnership with Fletchers in this. Like every major Kiwi company, Fletchers got big thanks to the government. James Fletcher designed the State Housing plan with the First Labour Government and Fletchers built the houses. When Fletchers made a loss, the government underwrote its debt allowing it to grow to what it is today. Today, as then, Fletchers and the government stand side by side to build the homes of future generations and provide jobs to the young people of today.”

The ‘Building Our Future’ initiative is just part of the ‘Roadmap to Recovery’ announced today by Prime Minister John Key and Minister for Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee in Christchurch. The Roadmap also includes:

  • Neighbourhood by neighbourhood target dates for the restoration of utilities.
  • A target date for when announcements will be made on any houses or areas that need to be abandoned because of quake damage. This comes with a check-list that geo-engineers will be working off to assess the viability of land and a guarantee that announcements will be made to affected communities in person by the Minister.
  • A step by step flowchart sent to each household in the quake-zone showing how, depending on their house’s circumstances, they will be restored to normality – whether that’s minor repairs, total reconstruction, or relocation to a new house and property, and in what approximate timeframe they can expect these steps to take place. This will give families a chance to trace out their future.

Brownlee said:

“We can only give a rough set of dates for the time being and dates may move around but we feel it is very important that people know there is light at the end of the tunnel and that they have some idea of how long it will take to get there. Knowledge is power. It simply wouldn’t be good enough for me to make ominous and vague pronouncements from afar like ‘you might not know for three months whether we’re tearing down your house’. Look, there’s bad news on the way for a lot of families out there that but we want you to know that these are all steps to a brighter future and the government will walk that path beside you. We have a plan and we are sharing that plan with you.”

In other news, Prince William has canceled his visit to Christchurch and, instead, bought 200 Portaloos and sent them by plane. “I just thought the people would appreciate something that would actually make a difference in their lives” said the second in line to the throne.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Nah. Not really.

As Phil Goff revealed yesterday, Christchurch building companies are currently laying off staff and over 3,400 building industry workers leaving the country in the past year, including 350 just in January. Yet Key says the market will take care of providing all the building trades people – they’ll magically appear when demand picks up and he has no intention of increasing training or working to make sure we hold on to our skilled workers. And English defends cutting apprenticeships funding.

Eastern Suburbs residents say its not the conditions that they’re living in that is the problem but not knowing when it will end or how they will move forward. Brownlee says ‘I’ll tell you what’s going to happen to your houses in a few weeks, or a few months’

Meanwhile, Key’s trying to work out how to smile and wave behind a visor with cricket gloves on. Don’t get me wrong. I love cricket and I’ll be at the Basin on Sunday chucking some extra money into Hadlee’s bucket. I just don’t get why Key thinks he should be making it all about him. Or why he thinks clowning around is the best way the PM can help Christchurch.

At least there’s the Royal visit to look forward to. I wonder if Wills will bring Kate! I can hardly wait!

69 comments on “Building our future ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. lprent 1
    10 March 2011 at 12:24 pm

    I put the appropriate image in as a thumbnail – a old plan of a state house 🙂

    • Marty G 1.1
      10 March 2011 at 12:37 pm

      cheers. had forgotten to put in the pic of the strapping young apprentice.

      • lprent 1.1.1
        10 March 2011 at 12:57 pm

        That is better….

      • Lanthanide 1.1.2
        10 March 2011 at 1:08 pm

        Mmm, eyecandy.

      • Blondie 1.1.3
        10 March 2011 at 10:09 pm

        Uh, this is probably terribly inappropriate of me, but who’s the hot builder?

        Is he single? Can you send him my direction?

        • felix 1.1.3.1
          10 March 2011 at 10:39 pm

          That’s a pic of the author.

        • Lanthanide 1.1.3.2
          10 March 2011 at 11:17 pm

          I already called dibs.

        • Marty G 1.1.3.3
          10 March 2011 at 11:34 pm

          he’s the first good pic that shows up when you type “apprentice builder” into google images.

          Ah, now I’ve clicked through to the website, http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2009/12/16/143021_sport-news.html

          he’s an Aussie Rules player who is, ironically, giving up being an apprentice builder to play in the AFL.

          “Dream come true: tenacious midfielder Andrew Hooper, from the North Ballarat Rebels, will give up his job as an apprentice builder to join the Western Bulldogs.”

          • Rex Widerstrom 1.1.3.3.1
            10 March 2011 at 11:41 pm

            he’s an Aussie Rules player

            Ah, a real charmer with an abiding respect for the female sex then. The AFL’s sexual harrassment policy: “Hey, at least we’re not the NRL“. 😀

            Still keen ladies? If not, I should point out, apropos of nothing in particular, that I own a hammer…

            • Marty G 1.1.3.3.1.1
              11 March 2011 at 12:16 am

              “If not, I should point out, apropos of nothing in particular, that I own a hammer…”

              if this wasn’t a family blog, I would make a pun about nails.

              • Lanthanide …
                11 March 2011 at 11:10 am

                I’m not sure it really is a family blog, since swearing is completely uncensored and allowed. We’ve had people saying ‘cocksnot’ and ‘cocktwat’ and other such things, calling people cunts. I asked for “sex” to be removed from the captcha because it’s NSFW and was laughed at.

                These ‘talented’ guys http://www.hotchippies.com.au/site/team.php show up 8th on the google search, and appear to be actual builders.

                • lprent …
                  11 March 2011 at 11:27 am

                  I wouldn’t say that it was a “family blog” either. But I when I read it, I thought that Marty was being as ironic as Rex was.

                  We don’t really care too much about what language is used. We do care if there isn’t a point to go with the language or if the point made doesn’t justify the language. In other words we’re interested in the behavior not if people are ‘polite’.

                  Quite simply there really isn’t a broad enough standard of politeness that covers the whole range of society. You’d have to exclude some groups to impose one. Since we have limited effort available we impose it on what we consider to be bad behavior for a forum like this – people who can’t argue.

                  BTW: I’d also care if the words used caused access issues into ISP’s or organisations through blocking border censorship. In that case I’d be more likely to work on whomever is imposing the border issues. McDonalds comes to mind.

                  • Lanthanide …
                    11 March 2011 at 11:44 am

                    Yeah, I appreciate he was being ironic (since he made it clear was his joke was anyway).

                    My post was actually mainly to coax you into posting the rationale that you just did. And also to link to some hotties (literally, it says it right there on their shirts).

  2. Colonial Viper 2
    10 March 2011 at 12:24 pm

    You had me going there for a moment. All I can say now is: the stagflation ninja is going to kill the economy.

    • LynW 2.1
      10 March 2011 at 4:11 pm

      Me too! Just for a brief moment I felt some hopeful excitement! Trying to get used to your style Marty G!

    • mickysavage 2.2
      10 March 2011 at 7:22 pm

      Me too. I was ready to rip up my Labour Membership card and give these guys a chance then thwack, back to reality …

      • Jum 2.2.1
        10 March 2011 at 9:07 pm

        Me too, and if we can get taken in so easily, and we don’t even trust the guy!…

  3. tc 3
    10 March 2011 at 12:49 pm

    ‘I just don’t get why Key thinks he should be making it all about him’ yes that a fair question if he was a leader who focused on issues and outcomes but being a PR seeking media whore type it’s all about him as usual.

    Remember this is a bloke who made his millions speculating on currencies and financial devices such as the ones that fueled the GFC so cause and effect or taking responsibility is not really something he cares about just show him the PR opp and he’s happy like most kiddies are when given a treat.

    Paraphrasing a line from a TVNZ7 doco about bottled water summed up sideshow John ‘ a classic late 20/early 21st century product that you don’t need but everyones convinced they do even though it didn’t exist before and everyone got along just fine’ Great work CT, Bravo.

  4. BLiP 4
    10 March 2011 at 12:51 pm

    Heh!! Yep, got me too. Ya bugger. Wouldn’t it be good, though? Everyone would benefit sooner and not just the foreign-owned banks now.

  5. fermionic_interference 5
    10 March 2011 at 12:56 pm

    Thanks Marty
    Just the scare I needed. Instantly I thought “a plan oh shit there goes the damned election and we’re going to lose all our public assets next term”
    Thank goodness for satire.

  6. Lanthanide 6
    10 March 2011 at 1:07 pm

    “At least there’s the Royal visit to look forward to. I wonder if Wills will bring Kate! I can hardly wait!”

    You don’t need to wonder, because he isn’t and this has already been publicly confirmed.

    I think that visiting CHCH should be their first official function together after their marriage.

  8. felix 8
    10 March 2011 at 1:23 pm

    Well done Marty. For about a paragraph I was thinking “Crikey, they’ve actually seen sense – or at the very least been dragged grudgingly to sense by their internal polling”.

    You know what the sad part is? Clowning around at the cricket really is the best way for Key to help Christchurch.

    And that sucks. We need a leader who will actually make things happen, instead we have one who plays cricket and leaves the rest to the market. Sad state of affairs, but clowning is all he’s good for.

    In Parliament yesterday he referred to the hardships in Christchurch affecting both “businesses and consumers”. No John, it’s PEOPLE you fucking useless cunt. PEOPLE.

  9. Zaphod Beeblebrox 9
    10 March 2011 at 1:40 pm

    The free market! The free market! The free market will save us!

    • billy fish 9.1
      10 March 2011 at 3:36 pm

      baaaaa baaaaaaaa baaaaaaaa maaaaaaaket mmmmmmaaaaaaaaket

      [lprent: Do I have a policy excluding goats? I’m sure I have a policy excluding goats! No goats allowed…. ]

      • mcflock 9.1.1
        10 March 2011 at 6:29 pm

        lprent – no need to be so gruff

      • mickysavage 9.1.2
        10 March 2011 at 7:24 pm

        What about fish? Or do you discriminate?

      • Uncle Helen 9.1.3
        10 March 2011 at 9:30 pm

        [lprent: Do I have a policy excluding goats? I’m sure I have a policy excluding goats! No goats allowed…. ]

        Have you yet been able to distinguish between the Linux Operating System the BASH Shell and the Fortune application? Lynn Prentise, you are a joke.
        take a week off – Marty

        • lprent 9.1.3.1
          10 March 2011 at 10:36 pm

          Sigh. Apart from the fortune application (which I think is a total waste of time), I get paid to write c++ code that uses the others. I wind up writing configurations and shell scripts all of time for this site.

          BTW: The goat stuff was a joke, one that appears to have \e\s\c\a\p\e\d you. Just like the spelling of my last name.

          Adding an extra week because you are foolish enough to waste cpu using fortune utility.

    • Colonial Viper 9.2
      10 March 2011 at 3:38 pm

      Technically, it’s the invisible hand of the free market which will make everything alright in Christchurch again. A few waves of the capitalist wand is all it requires.

      Just you wait.

  10. neoleftie 10
    10 March 2011 at 1:42 pm

    Damn it, what a cruel post – i read it with increasing relief then the bombshell at the end.
    The ‘Building Our Future’ initiative is just part of the ‘Roadmap to Recovery’ give this to Phil Goff and Co.
    We need decisive leadership right now – bring us someone who can grasp the big pcture and provide the resolve to get things done…..inaction is killing this country.

    • Rex Widerstrom 10.1
      10 March 2011 at 8:50 pm

      give this to Phil Goff and Co

      Why bother? If Goff and co were worth the effort, they’d have announced precisely this as their policy and be sitting back smugly taunting Key to call an election right now to get to decide who rebuilds the country.

      No, Goff’s too busy slithering round after the handful of voters who don’t have a champion now David Garrett has gone, as reported by none other than Whaleoil, who quotes the Leader of the Opposition as saying on BFM, vis-a-viz looters:

      I saw the army out in the street. I thought, okay, court mar­tial, fir­ing squad.

      Then he weakly says he was joking. Just like… you guessed it… “Crusher” Collins!!.

      Could Labour get any more frackin useless?

      [Apologies, LP, for the links which no doubt mean you’ll have to fish this out of moderation. But the posts have the original audio, links to the Herald story, etc etc… just more convenient that way]

      • Pascal's bookie 10.1.1
        10 March 2011 at 9:34 pm

        Oh for fucks sake. Nice ‘joke’ there too from a former Minster of Defence. Dick.

        Not that I’m giving dpf much credit for this post either:

        http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2011/03/why_we_shouldnt_give_into_our_primal_instincts.html

        It can’t have been easy for him to write, but:

        A number of people commented about how they were disappointed Mr Wilson-Carver had not fallen down any flights of steps. And to be honest on a primal level, that was pretty much my response also.

        But then we had another “looter” appear in court, and it looked like indeed he had fallen down many flights of steps. He was Cornelius Arie Smith-Voorkamp.

        Well, no actually, “to be honest” when people were commenting about their disappointment re Mr Wilson-Carver not being assaulted, dpf cracked a joke about Arie Smith, which he later deleted.

        http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-08032011/#comment-305833

        Then a day or so later he wrote this post which makes the generous acknowledgment that umm, ‘the rule of law’ trumps ‘vigilante cops’. Why? Because sometimes the perp might have a mental health issue.

        From his post:

        But it seems very clear [Arie Smith] was not someone who was in the same category as Mr Wilson-Carver. He wasn’t really a looter, seeking to inflict misery and make illegal monetary gain from the earthquake.

        And so this is a good reminder about why we shouldn’t give into our primal instincts. Why punishments should be meted out by a Judge and/or jury after a trial – not by the Police or vigilantes based on what we think are the facts.

        How about we don’t give in to our primal instincts because it’s fricken barbaric? But I guess it’s progress of a sort, right?

        Phill Goff however? Hang your fucking head mate.

        • just saying 10.1.1.1
          11 March 2011 at 12:12 am

          Is there anything Goff could do, along with his big fat nothing postive, that could get him kicked off the Labour leadership. The guy is beyond parody. The word pathetic is too damn sympathetic.

          Can anyone, ANYONE please explain what the hell he is doing there as the leader of the purported opposition. Is this about him knowing where the bodies are buried or what?
          Hell he has shown his true colours time and time again. And it’s all blue with a very red neck folks. No-one, other possibly than Annette King, (god help us, number 2) could possibly be worse.

      • Rosy 10.1.2
        10 March 2011 at 9:55 pm

        jeez, some times it’s a relief that Goff gets no media coverage.

      • felix 10.1.3
        10 March 2011 at 10:16 pm

        Fuck me.

        Can someone from Labour (mickey?) confirm whether you’re still interested in having ANY liberals at all vote for you?

        • Colonial Viper 10.1.3.1
          10 March 2011 at 10:40 pm

          **Sigh**

          At this time I am just too tired to make any more of a remark than that.

        • mickysavage 10.1.3.2
          11 March 2011 at 11:19 am

          Ummmmm

          I can explain and minimise the statement but not justify it. It was said shortly after the earthquake during an informal BFM chat that Phil has and he was obviously talking about a feeling and not a thought. He was not advocating the shooting of looters and I believe he was joking.

          BUT …

          Phil must do better. This sort of stuff sends the wingnuts into raptures and allows the Nats to continue pillaging and looting under the smoke screen that gets thrown up.

          • Rex Widerstrom 10.1.3.2.1
            11 March 2011 at 1:19 pm

            It’s worse than that micky, and I suspect you know it.

            Remarks like that coming from the “Opposition” validate the comments of Collins, Garrett et al.

            Just as does, sometimes, saying nothing – like Labour essentially did (bar one weak blog post) when the government attacked the Chief Justice.

            Resorting to “Shucks, I was just kidding” rather than “Sorry, I don’t know WTF I was thinking” is a calculated validation of the sentiment regardless whether or not the first outburst was “accidental” – which personally I don’t think it was.

            If “all it takes for evil to flourish is that good men do nothing”, then evil will certainly prosper when the people who are meant to be good go about repeating it.

            • Armchair Critic 10.1.3.2.1.1
              11 March 2011 at 1:38 pm

              True enough, Rex.
              I read the comment (10.1.3.2) and thought it was quite harsh, considering who wrote it.
              Let’s hope the message gets through, otherwise I’ll be forced to waste my electorate vote on the Greens.

  11. ianmac 11
    10 March 2011 at 1:46 pm

    Brilliant Marty. And oddly your plan is exactly what Labour should be trumpeting, loudly. But there is little sign of a clear dynamic coming from Labour leadership. You could just hand this to Phil Goff and give him a swift kick to get him started.

  12. Tel 12
    10 March 2011 at 1:48 pm

    Marty, that is hilariously funny. 😆

    Nearly as funny was the huge gob of spit sliding down the cover of a M2 magazine with “Man of the Year” on the cover I saw this lunchtime in a magazine rack. Clearly not everyone is in agreement?!

  13. tc 13
    10 March 2011 at 2:34 pm

    I dunno if you look at typical M2 target audience …..gadget fixated, style over substance 21st century urban males who think Top Gear is the pinnacle of TV then they’ve nailed it.

  14. Irascible 14
    10 March 2011 at 3:05 pm

    Anti-spam- Misled.
    A brilliant piece of satirical writing with a kicker at the end that gave relevance to the royal family.

    The anti-spam word also sums up the whole NACToid govt – a party that has misled NZ for the past 2 & a bit years in every way possible.

  15. JonL 15
    10 March 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Barstard! Just for a minute I thought the Gov. had pulled 2 rabbits out of the hat!!!!
    I should have known better…
    Business as usual – run the country into the ground……

    • Jim Nald 15.1
      10 March 2011 at 8:54 pm

      I thought ‘Wow! National Party! I lurve you!’
      But started to get a bit suspicious when the sentences seemed a bit too long and made too much sense to be coming from John Key and Brownlee.

      Roadmap from Nat rats? Got my hopes up there.
      Try talking to Bill English when the microphones are off. He will give you a Rortmap.

  16. Mac1 16
    10 March 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Capcha ‘false”! Well done Marty G. Fooled me. Read it thinking what’s the catch, there’s got to be an angle here, can’t be this good.

    The sad part (well, part of the sad part) is the energy and talent of unemployed youth being lost, the run down of the apprenticeship scheme, the bloodletting to Australia, the sheer dearth of positive thinking shown.

  17. adriank 17
    10 March 2011 at 4:40 pm

    Urgh… I’m passing on the cricket because he’s there… will just make another donation of $50 or so instead.

    Unless, of course, they decide to replace Shane Warne with Shane Bond? And take away Key’s pads?? I’d take a out loan to make large donation to see that!

  18. Adrian 18
    10 March 2011 at 5:20 pm

    Like I said a few days ago. What’s our chances of ressurecting Harold Larwood. I think he was even workin’ class from oop norf!

    • Mac1 18.1
      10 March 2011 at 8:54 pm

      A Nottinghamshire lad, he used cricket to get away from an early death to black lung disease down t’ mine. Poor enough to have to walk miles to and from work, games and practice which kept him in very good shape.

      He was staked for six months’s hotel accommodation personally by the Australian Labour leader Curtin when he emigrated to Australia, with no future in England. His biography was a bloody good read, but never mentioned his politics, as I remember.

      Harold Larwood was a private, loyal and principled man who was sorely abused by the English cricketing establishment. He kept in deference to and some fear of his mother her adherence to truth and honesty – that alone would have put John Key in the opposite team.

  19. pollywog 19
    10 March 2011 at 5:42 pm

    Damn…that would have got me voting for the shifty bugger

    as is, i’ll be doing whatever to make sure he doesn’t get an easy look in this time round

  20. Kevyn Miller 20
    10 March 2011 at 6:30 pm

    Politicians setting target dates for engineers to meet! That insane bit of the plan had me believing that this was a real plan, especially since the road map begins with targets for fixing the damage. Since a road map is meant to show you how to get from here to there and stay on track along the way, the logical first step is to find out where you are and what’s actually in the way of getting from here to there. Picking a few dates at random and giving them to affected home owners/renters might be psychologicly bneficial in the short term, especially in an election year but in the end it’s just a cruel deception.

    But then, this government doesn’t seem to have even bothered asking the engineers for even a broad timeline for the investigation phase which would at least give some sense of control to those whose lives are currently in limbo.

    • Marty G 20.1
      10 March 2011 at 6:34 pm

      Yeah. If it were real the dates would be estimates from the engineers, as you describe in the last paragraph, not political targets.

  21. RedLogix 21
    10 March 2011 at 8:14 pm

    I started reading this out to my partner, but had to stop after a couple of paras… too cruel.

  22. B 22
    10 March 2011 at 9:36 pm

    WHAAAAT… just got whiplash from coming back to reality so fast…

  23. KJT 23
    10 March 2011 at 9:58 pm

    And they will pay skilled builders enough wages to attract them back from Australia to train the apprentices. Yeah right.

  24. Jenny 24
    10 March 2011 at 10:41 pm

    This sounded like such good news, I wanted to skip to the end and rush to make a comment “Hooray!!!” I wanted to say.

    I honestly thought good sense and decency had broken out in parliament.

    How dumb can you be?

    I felt as annoyed as professor stickman looks like here, when I finally realised I’d been had.

    captcha – “misleads” (Lynne you gotta be kidding me?)

  25. vto 25
    11 March 2011 at 7:06 am

    Quite why no party has suggested such a type of plan is a bit bizarre. Do they not think?

    I guess the next best thing would be to repeal that legislation which now requires all housing to be built by certified builders. I mean, everybody says “oh they don’t build houses like they used to blah blah rant”, so lets build them like they used to then i.e. non-certified builders and non-certified home owners.

    Worked then, will work now. In fact, requiring certified builders solves NOTHING of the leaky home scenario. Just a pander to the noise by Clark et al to be seen doing something (adding another layer to the complexity of buildling – typical useless political response).

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    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Street architecture adjustment, KolkataShare Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • 48 seconds on a plan that would reverberate for a million years

    Despite fears that Trump presidency would be disastrous for progress on climate change, the topic barely rated a mention in the Presidential debate. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Using blunt instruments and magical thinking to ignore evidence of harm

    The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Is This A Dagger Which I See Before Me: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power Episode 5 (Seaso...

    Another week of The Rings of Power, season two, and another confirmation that things are definitely coming together for the show. The fifth Episode of season one represented the nadir of the series. Now? Amid the firmer footing of 2024, Episode Five represents further a further step towards excellent Tolkien ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago
  • In Open Seas; A Book

    The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 13

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Do or do not. There is no try

    1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Dangerous ground

    The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: National wants to cheat on Paris

    In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’

    Treasury’s advice to Cabinet was that the new Government could actually prudently carry net core Crown debt of up to 50% of GDP. But Luxon and Willis instead chose to portray the Government’s finances as in such a mess they had no choice but to carve 6.5% to 7.5% off ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Is the Media Complicit?

    This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Black Friday

    It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 13-September-2024

    Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37 2024

    Open access notables Early knowledge but delays in climate actions: An ecocide case against both transnational oil corporations and national governments, Hauser et al., Environmental Science & Policy: Cast within the wide context of investigating the collusion at play between powerful political-economic actors and decision-makers as monopolists and debates about ‘the modern ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • What it is

    I liked what Kieran McAnulty had to say about the Treaty Principles bill this morning so much I've written it down and copied it out for you. He was saying that rather than let this piece of ordure spend six months in Select Committee, the Prime Minister could stop making such ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • A government-funded hate campaign

    Cabinet discussed National's constitutionally and historically illiterate "Treaty Principles Bill" this week, and decided to push on with it. The bill will apparently receive a full six month select committee process - unlike practically every other policy this government has pushed, and despite the fact that if the government is ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • How Substack works to take (some) craziness out of America’s elections

    I spoke with Substack co-founder yesterday, just before the Trump-Harris debate, about how Substack is doing its thing during the US elections. He talks in particular about how Substack’s focus on paid subscriptions rather than ads has made political debate on the platform calmer, simpler, deeper and more satisfying ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable

    Hi,Yesterday me and a bunch of friends gathered in front of the TV, ate tortillas, drank wine, and watched the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.Some of you may have joined in on the live Webworm chat where we shared thoughts, jokes and memes — and a basic glee ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • David Seymour is such a loser

    For paid subscribersNot content with siphoning off $230,000,000 of taxpayers money for his hobby projects - and telling everyone his passion is education and early childcare - an intersection painfully coincidental to the interests of wealthy private families like Sean Plunkett’s1 backers, the Wright Family, Seymour is back in the ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Cross-party consensus: there’s no pipeline without good faith

    There’s been a lot of talk recently about a cross-party agreement to develop a pipeline for infrastructure, including transport. Last month, outgoing CRL boss Sean Sweeney talked about the importance of securing an enduring infrastructure programme. He outlined the high costs of the relentless political flip-flopping of priorities, which drives ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    3 days ago
  • Voters love this climate policy they’ve never heard of

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The Inflation Reduction Act is the Biden administration’s signature climate law and the largest U.S. government investment in reducing climate pollution to date. Among climate advocates, the policy is well-known and celebrated, but beyond that, only a minority of Americans ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • ACC wants to administer inflation at more than double the RBNZ’s target rate

    ACC levies are set to rise at more than double the inflation rate targeted by the RBNZ. Photo: Lynn GrievesonKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 12:The state-owned monopoly for accident insurance wants ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Harris vs Trump

    We’ve been selected to rock your asses 'til midnightThis is my term, I've shaved off my perm, but it's alrightI solemnly swear to uphold the ConstitutionGot a rock 'n' roll problem? Well we got a solutionLet us be who we am, and let us kick out the jams, yeahKick out ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Treaty Bill “a political stunt”

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears to have given ACT Leader David Seymour more than he has been admitting in the proposals to go forward with a Treaty Principles Bill.All along, Luxon has maintained that the Government is proceeding with the Bill to honour the coalition agreement.But that is quite specific.It ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • An average 219 NZers migrated each day in July

    Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 11:Annual migration of New Zealanders rose to a record-high 80,963 in the year to the end of July, which is more than double its pre-Covid levels.Two ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • What you’re wanting to win more than anything is The Narrative

    Hubris is sitting down on election day 2016 to watch that pig Trump get his ass handed to him, and watching the New York Times needle hover for a while over Hillary and then move across to Trump where it remains all night to your gathering horror and dismay. You're ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • National’s automated lie machine

    The government has a problem: lots of people want information from it all the time. Information about benefits, about superannuation, ACC coverage and healthcare, taxes, jury service, immigration - and that's just the routine stuff. Responding to all of those queries takes a lot of time and costs a lot ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Christopher Luxon: A Man of “Faith” and “Compassion” Speaks on the Treaty Pr...

    Synopsis: Today - we explore two different realities. One where National lost. And another - which is the one we are living with here. Note: the footnote on increased fees/taxes may be of interest to some readers.Article open.Subscribe nowIt’s an alternate timeline.Yesterday as news broke that the central North Island ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Member’s Day

    Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Dan Bidois' Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill. This will be followed by the second readings of Katie ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Northern Expressway Boondoggle

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago
  • Never Enough

    However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Question Two of The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)

    Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Why is God Obsessed with Spanking?

    Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Inside the public service

    In 2023, there were 63,117 full-time public servants earning, on average, $97,200 a year each. All up, that is a cost to the Government of $6.1 billion a year. It’s little wonder, then, that the public service has become a political whipping boy castigated by the Prime Minister and members ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • New Models Show Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes, and More of Them

    This is a re-post from This is Not Cool Here’s an example of some of the best kind of climate reporting, especially in that it relates to impacts that will directly affect the audience. WFLA in Tampa conducted a study in collaboration with the Department of Energy, analyzing trends in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago
  • Where ever do they find these people?

    A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, is how Winston Churchill described the Soviet Union in 1939.  How might the great man have described the 2024 government of New Zealand, do we think? I can't imagine he would have thought them all that mysterious or enigmatic. I think ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Motorway madness

    How mad is National's obsession with roads? One of their pet projects - a truck highway to Whangārei - is going to eat 10% of our total infrastructure budget for the next 25 years: Official advice from the Infrastructure Commission shows the government could be set to spend 10 ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Our transport planning system is fundamentally broken

    Ever since Wayne Brown became mayor (nearly two years ago now) he’s been wanting to progress an “integrated transport plan” with the government – which sounded a lot like the previous Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) with just a different name. It seems like a fair bit of work progressed ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago
  • Thou Shalt Not Steal

    And they taught usWhoa-oh, black woman, thou shalt not stealI said, hey, yeah, black man, thou shalt not stealWe're gonna civilise your black barbaric livesAnd we teach you how to kneelBut your history couldn't hide the genocideThe hypocrisy to us was realFor your Jesus said you're supposed to giveThe oppressed ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • How mismanagement, not wind and solar energy, causes blackouts

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections In February 2021, several severe storms swept across the United States, culminating with one that the Weather Channel unofficially named Winter Storm Uri. In Texas, Uri knocked out power to over 4.5 million homes and 10 million people. Hundreds of Texans died as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago
  • The ‘Infra Boys’ Highway to Budget Hell

    Chris Bishop has enthusiastically dubbed himself and Simeon Brown “the Infra Boys”, but they need to take note of the sums around their roading dreams. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Media Link: “AVFA” on the politics of desperation.

    In this podcast Selwyn Manning and I talk about what appears to be a particular type of end-game in the long transition to systemic realignment in international affairs, in which the move to a new multipolar order with different characteristics … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • The cost of flying blind

    Just over two years ago, when worries about immediate mass-death from covid had waned, and people started to talk about covid becoming "endemic", I asked various government agencies what work they'd done on the costs of that - and particularly, on the cost of Long Covid. The answer was that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Seymour vs The Clergy

    For paid subscribers“Aotearoa is not as malleable as they think,” Lynette wrote last week on Homage to Simeon Brown:In my heart/mind, that phrase ricocheted over the next days, translating out to “We are not so malleable.”It gave me comfort. I always felt that we were given an advantage in New ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Unstoppable Minister McKee

    All smiles, I know what it takes to fool this townI'll do it 'til the sun goes downAnd all through the nighttimeOh, yeahOh, yeah, I'll tell you what you wanna hearLeave my sunglasses on while I shed a tearIt's never the right timeYeah, yeahSong by SiaLast night there was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Could outdoor dining revitalise Queen Street?

    This is a guest post by Ben van Bruggen of The Urban Room,.An earlier version of this post appeared on LinkedIn. All images are by Ben. Have you noticed that there’s almost nowhere on Queen Street that invites you to stop, sit outside and enjoy a coffee, let alone ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • Hipkins challenges long-held Labour view Government must stay below 30% of GDP

    Hipkins says when considering tax settings and the size of government, the big question mark is over what happens with the balance between the size of the working-age population and the growing number of Kiwis over the age of 65. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Your invite to Webworm Chat (a bit like Reddit)

    Hi,One of the things I love the most about Webworm is, well, you. The community that’s gathered around this lil’ newsletter isn’t something I ever expected when I started writing it four years ago — now the comments section is one of my favourite places on the internet. The comments ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Seymour’s Treaty bill making Nats nervous

    A delay in reappointing a top civil servant may indicate a growing nervousness within the National Party about the potential consequences of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill. Dave Samuels is waiting for reappointment as the Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri, but POLITIK understands that what should have been a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36

    A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 1, 2024 thru Sat, September 7, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is about how peopele are not born stupid but can be fooled ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • Time for a Change

    You act as thoughYou are a blind manWho's crying, crying 'boutAll the virgins that are dyingIn your habitual dreams, you knowSeems you need more sleepBut like a parrot in a flaming treeI know it's pretty hard to seeI'm beginning to wonderIf it's time for a changeSong: Phil JuddThe next line ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Six.

    The “double shocks” in post Cold War international affairs. The end of the Cold War fundamentally altered the global geostrategic context. In particular, the end of the nuclear “balance of terror” between the USA and USSR, coupled with the relaxation … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Buried deep

    Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 7

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?

    An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • Councils reject racism

    Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Homage to Simeon Brown

    Open to all - happy weekend ahead, friends.Today I just want to be petty. It’s the way I imagine this chap is -Not only as a political persona. But his real-deal inner personality, in all its glory - appears to be pure pettiness & populist driven.Sometimes I wonder if Simeon ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Government of deceit

    When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all

    Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024

    Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago

  • Government eliminates $190 million in trade barriers to boost the economy

    The Government has successfully removed trade barriers affecting nearly $190 million worth of exports to help grow the economy, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced.  “In the past year, we have resolved 14 Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs), returning significant value to kiwi exporters. These efforts directly boost our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Reo Māori the ‘beating heart’ of Aotearoa New Zealand

    From private business to the Paris Olympics, reo Māori is growing with the success of New Zealanders, says Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka. “I’m joining New Zealanders across the country in celebrating this year’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week, which has a big range ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Need and value at forefront of public service delivery

    New Cabinet policy directives will ensure public agencies prioritise public services on the basis of need and award Government contracts on the basis of public value, Minister for the Public Service Nicola Willis says. “Cabinet Office has today issued a circular to central government organisations setting out the Government’s expectations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister to attend Police Ministers Council Meeting

    Police Minister Mark Mitchell will join with Australian Police Ministers and Commissioners at the Police Ministers Council meeting (PMC) today in Melbourne. “The council is an opportunity to come together to discuss a range of issues, gain valuable insights on areas of common interest, and different approaches towards law enforcement ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Bill to crack down on youth vaping

    The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping.  “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed

    Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups

    Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it

    The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Targeted supports to accelerate reading

    The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology

    With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final

    Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Driving structured literacy in schools

    The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s misleading information is disappointing

    Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.   “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine

    The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill

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