Bunnings trying for end run around employment law

Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, March 18th, 2016 - 69 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, jobs, Unions, workers' rights - Tags: , ,

Oh this is “clever”:

In March last year a Bunnings’ Warehouse in Wellington put out a letter to community groups, asking for help with its six-monthly stocktake.

The company offered them $12.50 an hour for each person who signed up – payment worded as a donation, not a wage. The current minimum wage is $14.25 an hour, rising to $14.75 at the start of April.

The volunteers would start at 4pm and work into the night, and they all had to be over 18. One of those who received the invitation was Louise Blair. The offer gave Bunnings cheap labour and let it flout employment rules, she said. …

Naturally Bunnings has a spin to put on it – that it is a “goodwill gesture” and an opportunity for “community groups”. Which might even be believable if (1) they paid the “volunteers” the same as staff, and (2) they didn’t have such an appalling record of exploiting their workers. (Bunnings are currently suspending staff from 29 shops who removed their branded aprons in a “low level” industrial protest).

The piece quoted above notes from an employment lawyer that “it was unclear whether the practice was legal or not, he said”. Better get it clarified soon or no doubt the practice of using “volunteers” will spread.

69 comments on “Bunnings trying for end run around employment law ”

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  1. Sabine 1
    18 March 2016 at 10:14 am

    Stock take to volunteers.
    Funny in Germany all the large businesses employ people only for stock takes. Usually it is the over 16 years/student crowd that does these jobs, and they are all paid min. wage, it’s not a ‘volunteer’ service.

    But then why not, the NZ Fire only manages because of its ‘volunteer’ brigades. Without them NZ would burn. ( i spend 8 days over Christmas locked at home as the partner was on call 24 hours for 8 days starting 5 pm 25dec – 5 pm 1Jan – all volontary of course, cause paying times and half to a professional fire fighter would ruin the budget)
    St. John Ambulance Drivers are for the most part volunteer, tho i believe they get a few dollars for fuel etc.
    Marshalls at any of the racing events are volunteers, usually they get a really crappy sandwich/drink and a 10/15$ fuel voucher.
    And so on and so on and so on.

    Why should businesses not follow lead. I am sure Bunnings could run their business only with volonteers. Heck NZ is running many services with volunteers as the budget to employ people and the will to employ people is simply not there. Taxcuts, however are of utmost importance.

    • Jones 1.1
      18 March 2016 at 10:48 am

      I don’t think Bunnings and the NZ Fire Service are a fair comparison.

      The NZ Fire Service does not have the revenue to afford for all of its brigades to be full-time fire fighters. It’s revenue is restricted to what it receives by way of the fire and insurance levy (diminishing year on year) and whatever costs it is permitted to recover through legislation such as false alarms and hazardous substance call outs.

      Bunnings on the other hand is a large transnational profit-driven enterprise with considerably more revenue. They should at least be able to pay their stocktakers minimum wage.

      • Sabine 1.1.1
        18 March 2016 at 11:34 am

        NZ would burn without its Fire Service, and yet the large majority of them is not paid, does it in their own time, on their own dime, and the families ‘support their partners’ or leave. But in saying that, what I was trying to point out, that if it is ok for the Government to essentially refuse to pay for vital services as the Fire Services and hire enough professional fire fighters to have a full cover of the Holiday Period, and with that i mean a fully paid cover over the Holiday period, why would businesses not follow suit? Essentially the Stations over Christmas that were manned by ‘voluntary firefighters’ had staffed their stations very cheaply and did not have to pay wages, over time, night shifts and/or holiday pay.

        btw. i saw a call out for ‘voluntary police’ to patrol neighborhoods as obviously we don’t have enough paid cops anymore.

        Bunnings is quite right to point out that ‘its voluntary staff’ is still paid, and that it is an excellent cash resource for cash strapped ‘voluntary services’.
        What if we would pay our volontary services first, then maybe they don’t need to work for less then the minimum wage for Bunnings to find some cash to continue financing the services they voluntarily provide to the community.

        Or we raise taxes, and start funding on a governmental level our ‘voluntary services’ and hire enough man/women to do the jobs that are now being done unpaid by volunteers, and Bunnings would not have cash strapped community groups to work for less then the minimum wage in order to raise money.

        • Rosie 1.1.1.1
          18 March 2016 at 1:39 pm

          Sabine, I’ve always been baffled that our fire fighters aren’t highly paid permanent public service employee’s. Same with ambulance workers. Why does the group that our very lives depend upon do their work on an unpaid volunteer basis? I find it morally wrong.

          • weka 1.1.1.1.1
            18 March 2016 at 1:59 pm

            Some firefighters in NZ are employed and do get paid.

            Do the volunteer firefighters want to be paid? Are they taking jobs from people who would normally get paid? Is the service struggling because it doesn’t pay people? Does the service maintain a high level of integrity? Let’s weigh that up against the value of having such core people in small communities organise themselves to to critical work without needing to be employed to do it. Not all worthy things need paying for. Let’s not mess with something that is working.

            You can add SAR to the list too.

            I don’t think any of that has anything to do with Bunnings. Bunnings would be ripping off their employees no matter what anyone else was doing.

            • Rosie 1.1.1.1.1.1
              18 March 2016 at 3:10 pm

              Yes, thats right, there are paid fire fighters. What worries me is that we take volunteers that save lives for granted. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have volunteers, they will always be needed and would provide an excellent back up to permanent employees if there were ever to be any.

              I’ve simply always been puzzled about this reliance on free labour for something as critical as saving lives. We don’t expect doctors to be volunteer workers when we turn up with life threatening vehicle injuries at 3am.

              There will always be people that give because thats in their nature to do so, and that is right, as individuals who act selflessly bring a sense of cohesion to a community.

              • weka …
                18 March 2016 at 3:21 pm

                I guess I don’t understand your point. I live in a small community that relies on a volunteer fire brigade (and have been dependent on them) and I definitely don’t take them for granted. How does them not being paid employees equate them being taken for granted?

                • Molly …
                  18 March 2016 at 4:47 pm

                  “How does them not being paid employees equate them being taken for granted?”

                  Not really an answer to your question but it reminded me that not all community appreciates the value of volunteer fireservices.

                  Our local volunteer group is just down the road, and is called out five to six times a week.

                  For many years on Christmas morning, the volunteers get into their fire trucks – dress up a couple as Santa Claus, and deliver small bags of lollies to the local residents.

                  Due to the development of new subdivisions, this Christmas morning activity away from their families is taking longer and longer, and last year they decided to stop at the ends of the new culs de sac, and hand out the lollies at strategic points of the streets. (The number of houses in the community has more than doubled in the last five years).

                  The first week of January delivered a strongly worded complaint letter to the brigade about their failure to come to every residence, and how they would be writing about this disgrace to the local paper.

                  Another complaint letter was about the proximity of the fire station to the new houses, and how the alarm was too loud.

                  The football club then took umbrage at the decision to put Reserved signs on the three closest parking spaces (on council land), to allow volunteers to park and exit as quickly as possible during a callout, and then sent an invoice for a quarter share of resurfacing the 170 space council owned park.

                  I’m not one of those who think people only appreciate things they pay for, but I do think that some of these services should be reimbursed in some way. I haven’t really given this much thought, but do have a high regard for these and many other volunteers that provide the support services every community needs.

                  • weka …
                    18 March 2016 at 4:53 pm

                    Those are depressing stories Molly. They reflect the loss of community and the rise of overentitlement that’s come with neoliberalism. I think the solution to that is to rebuild community. Paying volunteer firefighters won’t increase respect from those people and it just reinforces the idea that everything worthwhile has to be paid for (another neoliberalism). But I can see a time coming when volunteers will want to be paid simply because the wider society is so selfish.

                • Rosie …
                  18 March 2016 at 4:59 pm

                  I was just flowing on from Sabines point about fire fighters in comment 1.1.1. My point is why do we value life savers differently in terms of payment and non payment, eg, Dr’s Vs. fire fighters. Your view of valuing fire fighters might be different in a smaller community to what I see in a city too. Even in our suburb the fire station siren is a frequent sound, so volunteers seem to be working around the clock. In a larger community there is less personal connection with fire fighters, so there is more opportunity for them to be taken for granted. (I’ve seen it first hand with some of the idiot behaviour on my street)

                  Fire fighters aside. I am thinking more broadly about the growing community volunteer sector. Theres increasing competition for donations from the public to fund their work – work that could arguably be governments responsibility. I’m thinking of Kids Can as an example. (Also look at the growing number of give a little type campaigns for medical care – that should be govt responsibility).

                  If theres an opportunity to exploit the needs of an organisation in a competitive community sector then Bunnings have seized upon that.

            • Sabine 1.1.1.1.1.2
              18 March 2016 at 5:43 pm

              Weka, the queston is not do the volunteer firefighter want to get paid.
              The question is should the volunteer firefighter (after putting in an 8 hour workday to pay the bills) replace paid firefighter to keep costs down.
              The question is, is it fair on the families of the volunteer firefighters to have their partners, fathers, mothers do a job in their own time (cutting short family time) and run the risk of getting injured on the job, or heaven forbid die on the job. Who will look after the families if that happens, or are we happy to send them to deal with WINZ?

              The question is, is it fair for a volunteer firefighter to be ON CALL, 24 hours for 8 days straight over a holiday period covering Christmas Eve, Christmas Day,New Years Eve and New Years Day, while not getting paid, nor even getting a dinner at the station.
              I am not sure you know what it means to be ON CALL, it means that you have to be within a certain time frame from the station, something like 2 – 3 min from the time the beeper goes off. That means, not going anywhere unless it is situated next to the station.

              The question is, why do we not have a paid force that is capable of covering a normal business period, and have volunteers for back up in case a to large fire is happening.

              My partner, and the partner of a fellow ‘spouse’ spend a full week of their holiday period sitting at home waiting for a beeper to go off, while the paid force was on holdiay i guess. We did not get to spend time with our families, we did not get to have a glass of wine on Xmas eve, or New Years eve, and we did not get a thank you card.

              What i am alluding to, if you care to re-read my comment is that i am referring to a certain mindset. Namely why pay for a service if you can have someone do it for free.
              Fact is that there are Cities in NZ that depend wholesale on a volunteer force to cover basic emergency services.
              Fact is that there is a large part in NZ that would vote for a Tax Cut anytime, and refuse to pay for certain services cause they don’t use them, or they ‘could’ pay for it in an emergency.
              Fact is that there is a large part in NZ that has no issues with Bunnings undercutting standard wages in order to get something for free.

              Maybe in the future the voluntary emergency personel will do Stock Take at Bunnings at cut price to ‘fundraise’ for a new Fire Truck or Ambulance. And guess what, fundraising for these things is already done, as the Government does not pay fully for it.
              I am talking about a mindset, and I use an example that i am familiar with.

              BTw. My partner will give up another week of his life, and mine 🙂 to make sure that no ones house will burn down, he will happily run into a burning house to make sure no ones comes to harm, and he will do so for the next full week.

              Its the mindset Weka. Why pay, when you can have it for free or cut throat price.

              • weka …
                19 March 2016 at 12:17 am

                “The question is should the volunteer firefighter (after putting in an 8 hour workday to pay the bills) replace paid firefighter to keep costs down.”

                Are you saying that there is a move to replace paid firefighters with volunteer ones?

  2. dv 2
    18 March 2016 at 10:42 am

    So what is the tax situation?

    • te reo putake 2.1
      18 March 2016 at 11:53 am

      Excellent question! I assume that Bunnings will make a bulk payment to the charities concerned, rather than pay the workers individually. Which I guess may have tax benefits for them as well.

      It is still getting actual work, that should be done by staff members, done on the cheap.

      • Lanthanide 2.1.1
        18 March 2016 at 2:35 pm

        They won’t be paying PAYE or ACC, and any other relevant taxes, either.

      • alwyn 2.1.2
        18 March 2016 at 3:27 pm

        An organisation my wife belongs to used to do this, although not for Bunnings.
        The organisation gets all the money which is paid. The people doing the work don’t get anything. It is a very easy way to raise money for the organisation. The people doing the work aren’t liable for any PAYE, so the charity, community organisation or whatever gets to keep the lot.
        That is probably why it is classed as a donation rather than pay.

        People are saying that the employees get out of doing it. They don’t. They will all be there during the count and working. The mass of other people are there so that the count can be done in a reasonable length of time. I don’t know how many people a store employs normally but I doubt if it is as many as 100 in even the biggest. Imagine how long it would take to do a count in something as large as a Bunnings store. They want to get the count done in a day, not a fortnight.

        I can’t see how it would have any particular tax implications for Bunnings. Whether they pay people or give a donation to an organisation it would still be an expense which is deductible from their income wouldn’t it?

        This is supposition on my part of course. I have absolutely nothing to do with Bunnings.

        • weka 2.1.2.1
          18 March 2016 at 3:44 pm

          “The people doing the work aren’t liable for any PAYE, so the charity, community organisation or whatever gets to keep the lot.”

          Not quite. Bunnings are paying less than they would if they were employing people. They could have paid the same hourly rate as they pay their employees and given the lot to the community group. But they chose a lesser rate. This could all be circumvented if they weren’t calculating it on an hourly basis. Because they are, it looks like cheap labour.

          • alwyn 2.1.2.1.1
            18 March 2016 at 4:08 pm

            I’m not trying to justify the quoted rate weka.
            I am just pointing out that there could be good reasons, other than trying to get round minimum wage rates, for wording it the way they do.
            There was also someone suggesting that the permanent staff would get out of the job and they certainly won’t.

            • Lanthanide 2.1.2.1.1.1
              18 March 2016 at 8:34 pm

              “I am just pointing out that there could be good reasons, other than trying to get round minimum wage rates, for wording it the way they do.”

              That might be the case, but the fact is they ARE getting around the minimum wage rates.

              So surely, whatever those “good reasons” are, like helping out a community group, would be even further enhanced if they paid the minimum wage rate.

        • vto 2.1.2.2
          18 March 2016 at 3:45 pm

          “I have absolutely nothing to do with Bunnings”

          besides buying your brain from the Bunnings bargain bin

          with 15% off

      • NZJester 2.1.3
        20 March 2016 at 12:37 pm

        Can they use that to claim money back from the government on the so called donations?

  3. maui 3
    18 March 2016 at 10:45 am

    Had a couple of jobs in recent years where the contract was a verbal lump sum for a set piece of work. In each case it ended up in me mostly working for well below the minimum wage.

    If they could find stats on how many kiwis (I’m not even talking about migrants here) are working for below the min wage, I think it would be frightening.

    • adam 3.1
      18 March 2016 at 11:31 am

      It seems back to the situation with contract work that the Clark lead government dealt with.

      This is why I loath Tory governments, they always changing the laws back to the stupid ones that did not work in the first place.

      Like the changes to the RMA they are spouting, utter fail.

      This government is perpetually stupid when it comes to employment, and workers rights.

      They have made a mockery of minimum wage laws, in essence they have become a sick joke.

      • maui 3.1.1
        18 March 2016 at 1:14 pm

        Yeah man, we know how this Gov works, exploit workers for profit. That’s the religion many of their rich business owning funders follow.

        Some people would say well you have choice on who you work for. But employers have a lot of control and power over their workers, in effect if they control the money flow to a person then they control their lives in lots of ways. We need to explore more aspects of a sharing economy I reckon to remove that power dynamic.

        • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.1
          18 March 2016 at 3:59 pm

          A UBI removes that power dynamic which is why National will never support it. A UBI would pretty rapidly have all their rich donors out of workers and out of money real fast.

          • Graeme 3.1.1.1.1
            18 March 2016 at 6:40 pm

            I’m not sure a lot of them are open minded enough to see it that way. Most I’ve spoken to see it as a subsidy of wages, they’re expecting a corresponding reduction in the minimum wage, and removing any responsibility to provide 40 hrs. I haven’t done anything to dissuade them from their perception, could be quite entertaining if it comes in and they have to get people to want to work for them.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.2
      18 March 2016 at 3:57 pm

      If they could find stats on how many kiwis (I’m not even talking about migrants here) are working for below the min wage, I think it would be frightening.

      Yep. Contractors doing piece work in construction often end up getting less than minimum wage.

      There was a woman on TV a week or two ago whinging about not being able to get pickers for her orchards. She mentioned that she was paying $25/hour which sounds good but it was contract work for a fixed amount. If you picked the amount stated in one day then you would get $25/hour. If it took you two days, which is more likely, you’d get $12.50. And then you got to take out tax, holiday pay, ACC and a few other expenses. Chances are you’d probably end up paying to go to work on the rate that she was paying.

  4. slumbergod 4
    18 March 2016 at 11:56 am

    Shame on Bunnings! I actually emailed them and told them my family would no longer buy anything from their stores until they follow fair practises.

    It’s simple. If there is work to be done it should be paid for fairly.

  5. kiwigunner 5
    18 March 2016 at 11:57 am

    I often wonder why we spend so much time raising money for Starship and Hospice etc. I’m a bit tired of the amount of times the flag money could have been spent on something else by a minimum of $26m for either of these two places would have done wonders. Surely this type of thing is core govt.

    • Sabine 5.1
      18 March 2016 at 12:27 pm

      it should be, like the Westpac Helicopter Rescue, the Fire Services, the Ambulance Services, Hospice Care, Councelling Services, Domestic Violence Shelters, Police and the myriad of other ‘voluntary services’ that people manage on their own because Government refuses to do their job, and raise the funds via taxes.
      Bunnings is simply just doing what Government is doing, and what Citizens are doing, not paying for a service received.

      Bunnings – not paying a wage
      Government – not hiring needed emergency staff – cause to much costs, must reduce tax
      Citizens – voting for a government that cuts tax, and then waiting for someone to volunteer to save their house in the case of a fire.

      all the same symptoms of greed that slowly but surely destroy the community.

  6. Guerilla Surgeon 6
    18 March 2016 at 12:23 pm

    Dammit, I need some paint. Oh well, mitre 10 mega here I come.

  7. BM 7
    18 March 2016 at 1:31 pm

    I’m guessing the $12.50 is cash in hand.

    For a employee on minimum wage after you take off tax and stuff the take home pay per hour is around $12,40.

    No one is getting ripped off and Bunnings is helping community groups to raise a bit of money.

    • vto 7.1
      18 March 2016 at 1:34 pm

      BM, this undermines labour laws and working people.

      Do you not care about working people? Eh?

      Bunnings need to be thrashed by the law over this – dragged over the coals and punished to the maximum extent possible

      • BM 7.1.1
        18 March 2016 at 1:37 pm

        No it doesn’t.

        Stock take sucks arse.
        I bet the Bunnings employees were stoked they didn’t have to do it.

        Happy employees and community groups raising money, a win win for everybody.

        • vto 7.1.1.1
          18 March 2016 at 1:52 pm

          Of course it does.

          By volunteers doing it means less jobs are available for working people.

          • BM 7.1.1.1.1
            18 March 2016 at 2:02 pm

            It would have been get some people from a Labour hire company or get a community group.

            • vto 7.1.1.1.1.1
              18 March 2016 at 2:06 pm

              Community group wins

              At working people’s loss

              It undermines labour laws and working people

              Don’t try to argue that grass aint green BM, it does you no good. You know, I was reminded of a great saying earlier today which goes….

              “it is difficult to win an argument with an intelligent person, but impossible to win an argument with a stupid person”

            • Lanthanide 7.1.1.1.1.2
              18 March 2016 at 2:06 pm

              Or, they could pay the community group the minimum wage. Community group wins even more!

        • weka 7.1.1.2
          18 March 2016 at 2:05 pm

          “I bet the Bunnings employees were stoked they didn’t have to do it.”

          I bet it doesn’t occur to you to ask them though, because hey, we all live in a world where people are grateful to have less work and no-one needs overtime just to pay the bills.

          Bunnings are ripping people off. The taxpayer by not paying tax and ACC levies, and their employees by giving the work to someone else because it is cheaper.

        • millsy 7.1.1.3
          19 March 2016 at 5:05 pm

          There are probably people who wouldn’t mind a second job stock taking at night to top up their income…

  8. Rosie 8
    18 March 2016 at 1:33 pm

    Yeah, Bunnings again. Definitely a “badwill gesture” to hire staff below minimum wage and use community groups as a front for exploitative and illegal behaviour. Am surprised that their PR people can not see how this is a bad move for them.

    Nothing goodwill about it. If they wanted to demonstrate goodwill all they need to do is DONATE to an organisation (s).

    As for the suspension for the temporary removal of a uniform item (apron) this really isn’t in the spirit of good faith bargaining. Bunnings have dug their toes in in this long running negotiation and at the moment are starting to look more and more like Talleys. Remember Talleys spat the dummy about staff wearing Union T shirts – so both being heavy handed over attire.

    • adam 8.1
      18 March 2016 at 4:07 pm

      Good faith, is not something Tories of any strip understand when it comes to employment.

      Both the companies you mention have a fetish with having to be right.

      I just won’t shop at bunnings after witnessing a manager acting like an ass to a worker, then him getting more upset when I called him on it. Just typical of small minded people with a modicum of power, and a system which encourage them to abuse it.

  9. gsays 9
    18 March 2016 at 1:35 pm

    the way i see it this is mainly two stories.
    it is the foreign company undermining kiwi jobs and being evil etc …

    the other story as a volunteer in a few organisations is this is a wonderful way to get a few more dollars into the always empty coffers.
    inside, set times, reasonably well renumerated, older teens can help…

    i would be careful over reacting to this as i think you will find in many towns around the provinces, supermarkets, building supplies, the warehouse etc do this and it is generally well received.

    • Rosie 9.1
      18 March 2016 at 1:52 pm

      I think a line needs to be drawn g. Bunnings are blurring the lines between legitimate legal employment and “community work”. It’s simply exploitative. Like I said, if they “want to be seen to be supporting community organisation” then just stump up with the $$$.

      In all my long dreary years in retail, stock take has always been undertaken by student job search staff – shitty minimum wage but legal and clear. Work sites are for workers not for charities.

      • gsays 9.1.1
        18 March 2016 at 1:58 pm

        tis a hard one rosie, personally when it came to stocktake in a hospitality envoronment, i made stuff up.
        hated the job.

        the other irony is that the parents that turn up to help with these fundraisers are often coming out of an employment environment that is not too dis-similar to the bunnings one.

        • weka 9.1.1.1
          18 March 2016 at 3:16 pm

          I’d have less of a problem with it if they weren’t being bad employers. Hard to trust their motivations re the community thing when that is going on.

        • Rosie 9.1.1.2
          18 March 2016 at 5:03 pm

          Yes, I’d run for the hills any time “stock take” was mentioned g 😀

          • gsays 9.1.1.2.1
            20 March 2016 at 9:29 pm

            hi rosie/weka,
            have had a few days to mull this over and have a coupla korero.
            ironically on a scout camp.

            your comment rosie, “Work sites are for workers not for charities.” has really resonated.
            beautifully succint.

            have come to see that things are different to as they were 10 yr ago.
            the changes to the workplace and the conditions under which labour is done has tipped a balance away from the worker.
            bunnings recent behaviour to unpinnied team members being a brilliant example

            therefore (as in pokie funding) a bunnings stocktake is a no go in my eyes.
            cheers for the exchange

  10. Tiger Mountain 10
    18 March 2016 at 2:54 pm

    “Bummings” have to go to facilitated bargaining apparently under the ERA, after April 1 when new Labour Standards Act comes in i.e. no zero hours
    https://www.facebook.com/firstunionnz/?fref=ts

  11. Draco T Bastard 11
    18 March 2016 at 3:45 pm

    The piece quoted above notes from an employment lawyer that “it was unclear whether the practice was legal or not, he said”. Better get it clarified soon or no doubt the practice of using “volunteers” will spread.

    Can’t see how it could be unclear. It’s a commercial business getting commercial work done.

  12. Rosie 12
    18 March 2016 at 4:15 pm

    PS. The RNZ piece mentions the minimum wage is $14.25 an hour. It’s rising from $14.75 to $15.25 in April.

    http://employment.govt.nz/er/pay/minimumwage/

  13. UncookedSelachimorpha 13
    18 March 2016 at 5:25 pm

    A simple ripoff and I suspect illegal. People can donate their wages to charity if they want. Consider:

    Situation 1 (normal). Person works. Pays Tax. Donates to charity, all tax rebated assuming charity registered. Charity gets $14.75 per hour worked at minimum wage.

    Situation 2 (Bunnings scheme). Person works. No tax. Money donated directly from employer to charity. Charity gets $12.50 per hour worked. Only person benefiting compared to (1) is Bunnings, which saves themselves $2.25/h

    Less goes to charity per hour worked due to the breach of minimum wage.

    Oh wait – Bunnings probably also claims a tax credit on the $12.50 going to charity, ripping off the tax payer and making even more profit for themselves.

    Bunnings makes large and growing profits, yet they rip off workers and charities for $2.25 per hour.

  14. grumpystilskin 14
    19 March 2016 at 6:05 pm

    They’ve lost my business now, I know that probably won’t hurt them but if everyone reading this page did the same the impact will soon mount up.

    • gsays 14.1
      20 March 2016 at 9:32 pm

      yes grumpy, or if we as a populace got it together to only buy caltex petrol for the next three months…
      watch competition emerge in that market!

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    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    8 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    9 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    9 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    12 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    13 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five 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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    15 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    16 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    18 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    19 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    21 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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