California lifts gay marriage ban

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, May 17th, 2008 - 41 comments
Categories: International, john key - Tags: , , ,

California’s top court has ruled that a state law banning marriage between same-sex couples is unconstitutional, accrording to a BBC report.

The state’s Supreme Court said the “right to form a family relationship” applied to all Californians regardless of sexuality.

I wonder if this ruling will re-ignite debate on the status of relationships here in NZ? As a contender for the top job it would be good to get a definitive answer out of Mr Key, who in the past has presented two different views on local Civil Union laws:

To the Gay community he said that he had no problem with civil unions.

Key: (to GayNZ):“Personally I have no problems with Civil Unions”

Yet he voted against the Civil Union Bill.

Key (to right-wing Christian-style magazine Investigate on why he voted against the bill): “I thought it was a gay marriage bill, and I thought the government should have just been honest enough to say that.”

So does that mean he’d support gay marriage if it was up front?

It’s hard to see many of our politicians re-engage with this topic – but i have no doubt the question will return eventually.

41 comments on “California lifts gay marriage ban ”

  1. Fellas, when will you learn? It’s not about John Key all the time! But keep it up, and that 27 point gap between National and Labour will grow, and grow, and grow…..

    It is quite possible to support civil unions and oppose gay marriage.

  2. RedLogix 2

    These polls are rigged.

    My younger daughter has been working for Herald Digipoll the last few months, and she was talking with me last night about how they are a total scam:

    1. The target the demographic they want to by carefully selecting the suburb and time of day. This is done very explicitly.

    2. They are perfectly aware that much of the left wing demographic does not have landlines, but they refuse to poll cellphone users.

    3. Only a small fraction of those conctacted actually answer the questions; this makes these polls almost as hopelessly self-selecting as on-line polls.

    4. The questions are always carefully phrased and couched in language that will get the answers that are being paid for. It is this aspect that most appalls my daughter and I got the impression she’s sick of it and is looking for another job as soon as she can.

  3. Dancer 3

    i agree that it’s not all about john key – but if the polls hold true through to the election then he’ll have a majority with no need to do the deals with other parties – and no need to do deals to get policy through. so i think it’s fair enough to have some scrutiny of the man who wants to be pm – we don’t know that much about him – nor what he thinks about many of those side issues that become the topic of the day when you’re sitting at the big desk.

  4. AncientGeek 4

    I2: there are so many things wrong with your statements. But I’m nursing a mild level of dehydration.

    So I’ll confine myself to saying that I’m interested in John Keys ability to be so much in opposition to himself. He doesn’t appear to have much depth – probably just a nice guy. Likes to say whatever people want to hear. That really doesn’t sound like someone worth having running the country.

    The track record of nice populist politicians is abysmal in this country and everywhere else. It isn’t nice having politicians with the intellectual opinion backbone of wet spaghetti.

    But back on topic again. Civil union or gay marriage is a “Chicken Little” issue. The debate here was full of squawking about the doom that would happen if it was passed and put into law.

    It is probably too early to see the full effects. But at this point it looks to me that it hasn’t made a blind bit of difference. Which is what I expected to happen. It is in the same class of “Chicken Little” as doing things like giving women the vote – which was also going to destroy society in the 1890’s.

    It always amazes me with conservatives that they have absolutely no sense of history, because they routinely keep doing the same stupid chicken little act over and over again. It’d be funny if you didn’t consider the people it affects.

  5. Billy 5

    I tend to agree AG. It’s hard to believe everyone got so worked up. Or that this was so vital, when you consider that so far 16 gay men, 8 lesbians and a pair of Mt Eden social workers have had civil unions.

  6. AncientGeek 6

    Billy: In your inimitable style of humour, I’m pretty sure you’ve understated it. While I haven’t seen it used for gays, I’ve been to a few civil unions for non-gays. They haven’t been social workers either.

    But full marks for effort – tell me have you tried the comedy club yet? You’re giving away good lines.

  7. Lew 7

    RedLogix: Anyone who knows anything knows that these polls are indicative only. There’s only one which matters, and it’s conducted on a Saturday in Spring once every three years.

    L

  8. Lew 8

    My instinct is that, if he wins this year, John Key will once in government find himself unable to be all things to all people all the time. At that point inconsistency won’t fly any longer, so in order to remain he’ll need to become consistent. Then the electorate will see what he’s really about and can make a decision on that basis. If it’s something approaching the `compassionate conservative’ that he’s publicised himself as, then there will probably not be any significant backlash, but if it’s too far from this line, he’s bound to piss of some chunk of the electorate.

    Politics by focus group is a tricky business, but it’s not inherently impossible.

    L

  9. Nice conspiracy play redlogix. Shame it was not a herald digipoll poll.
    Irrespective of the numbers and the usual suspects calling each and every poll a red herring or a statistical blip or an anomaly…
    Look at the trend boys. It is all bad for harry and her team. Cullen may well be moving decimal places on his budget announcement as we speak!

  10. Billy 10

    It’s funny, isn’t it BB. Every post about a poll is met with certain people claiming that this is (yet another) rogue poll. They just cannot imagine why anyone would not be perfectly happy with this government, because they expect everyone thinks like they do.

  11. Billy 11

    AG: yes, I was exaggerating for comic effect. But not too much, it appears:

    marriages civil-unions and divorces yr ended dec07

    It seems there were about 63 non-gay civil unions last year. So, if you’ve been to “a few” you’re doing well.

    [lprent: corrected link so it didn’t spread all over the page on firefox]

  12. AncientGeek 12

    Can’t remember going to any last year. In fact last year I can only remember going to one marriage – church and all that.

    But just after the civil union came out, I went to a few – but that was a few years back. To tell the truth it is bloody hard to see the difference unless you get told proudly by the participants.

    Umm those graphs are interesting, I thought that there were some dramatic shifts until I looked closer at the scale. But it does look like there is a steady decline in marriages at present. Hardly surprising when you look at the divorce rate.

    It is a pity that they don’t show the dissolution rate for civil unions. That is a trend that would be interesting to watch.

  13. Ancient Geek said “I2: there are so many things wrong with your statements. But I’m nursing a mild level of dehydration.”

    AG – having suffered from post consumption dehydration a few times myself, you have my sympathy.

    However, I take issue with your comments. I have no problem with relationships of all kinds being given legal status as per the Civil Unions Act. However, I would have opposed any attempt to legalise gay marriage. It’s not homophobia on my part – my brother came out in the early 1970’s (I’m almost as ancient a geek as your name suggests!) long before being gay was fashionable, is incredibly successful in his field, I love him dearly and am immensely proud of him. I have a number of gay friends, male and female, who are always warmly welcomed into our home.

    However, as a Christian ( a middle-of-the road, conservative Christian, rather than a Bible-bashing, tongue-speaking fundamentalist) I believe that MARRIAGE is the preserve of a man and a woman. As I said earlier, I have no problem with legislation that provides legal recognition of and protection for other relationships, for both same-sex couples, and heterosexual couples who do not wish to marry. I would far rather see stable relationships where a formal commitment has been made, especially when children are involved.

    I believe there was a level of deceit when the Civil Unions legislation was before the House. Even though the legislation was in the name of David Benson-Pope, it was well known that Tim Barnett was the driving force. Had Barnett put this legislation forward as a means by which same-sex couples could achieve legal recognition of their relationships, it may have enjoyed wider support than was achieved.

  14. AncientGeek 14

    Billy: I distrust all polls, good or bad. I have done so for a few decades. As redlogix says, they aren’t much more accurate than online polls.

    Their methodology is so suspect at many different levels. You can start with the sample sizes, the selection criteria, and just work outwards.

    I view them as just being a marketing con-job for the ill-informed suckers in society and to produce media headlines.

    On a related subject. There is also that other marketing con – the TV rating system. What is it? 400 boxes on TV’s around the country? They stay at the same places until people die. Explains the high ratings for coro street.

  15. Lew 15

    Right argument, wrong example, AncientGeek. Yes, like polls, TV ratings are mostly meaningless in isolation, but as BB says it’s the trends which matter. And Coro street is and always has been a genuine hit.

    L

  16. AncientGeek 16

    I2: I really don’t care one way or the other about marriages vs civil unions.

    So long as they have the same effect under the law, and provides the same level of legal protection for children – then they are the same as far as I’m concerned.

    Normally, what value people choose to put in a name is their issue as far as I’m concerned. That is up until the time that they start trying to use their beliefs to restrict the legal protections and rights available to other people. Then I start getting annoyed.

    In the end, after all that fuss and chicken little rhetoric, the protections and rights offered by the civil union bill appear to be adequete. In a lot of ways, it seems like a more rational law than the marriage act.

    I’d add that I’m agnostic on most things, religion, sexual preferences, a lot of politics, types of cars, etc. The criteria I usually use is the level of harm to third or innocent parties. For instance if someone tries preaching Christianity to me, then I tend to shove the more interesting parts of the old testament into their beliefs. Then I start on the track record of christians over the last 2000 years. Thats on the general principle of “if you bug me, then I’m really going to bug you”.

  17. AncientGeek 17

    L: I’d agree that it is a hit. I’ve had to suffer through people insisting that it be played with loaud volumes because they’re deafer than I am. It makes a *strong* impact on my ears.

    I just don’t think that it is as big a hit as the TV ratings indicate. In fact the TV ratings are good for one thing. Usually if they’re high, it is good indicator of something to avoid.

    What I object to is that they seem to be used to justify making sure that there is seldom any TV worth watching.

  18. AG – surprisingly, I agree with you on much of what you have written, in particular the legal protection afforded children. I worked with a gay woman who had a child with her partner – when the relationship went sour, things got pretty messy for a while. Had this couple had a legally-recognised and protected relationship, things may have been different.

    As far as the Christianity thing goes, I respect your views. I have heard it said that “the biggest cause of atheism is Christians” and often find myself agreeing. I prefer St Francis of Assize’s words – “preach the gospel at all times; when that fails, use words.”

  19. Isn’t it funny RedLogic how the ignoramuses that comment on this site refuse to accept information that could enlighten them a bit. And how everything instantly becomes a “conspiracy theory”.

    You tell of a conversation with your daughter who tells you how these polls are conducted and Bam you’re a conspiracy theorist.

    We don’t have a free and independent press any more since all but one newspaper are owned by Fairfax which is 10% owned by Murdoch.
    We don’t get the real news any more, and Fairfax very much want John Key in and Helen out.

    Wake up sheeple.

  20. A gay couple should be allowed to have a civil Union if they want, they should have the same rights as straight couples. They should be allowed to get married also.

    I would also hope that Churches of all religions should allow gay marriages.

    But it should be up to each Church to decide if they want to allow Gay Marriage, the Government shouldnt tell them that they have to.

    [Brett, such ignorance. This isn’t about marriage as a ceremony performed by churches, which churches are free to set their own rules around. It’s about marriage the legal institution from which flows various legal rights and social status. SP]

  21. Yes I agree 100% that Gay people should have the same rights and social status thru the legal institution of marriage.

    I know what a civil Union is, and Im for it.

    In terms of the wider debate of Marriage as a ceremony performed by a church, then the Government should butt out.

    Just trying to widen this debate.

  22. AncientGeek 22

    I prefer St Francis of Assize’s words – “preach the gospel at all times; when that fails, use words.’

    That was pretty much what I told my brother when he became religious. I’d done a lot of reading on religions when I was younger and puzzled to find out that I appeared to have no capability to take anything on faith.

    It was funny how fast he took to getting religious instruction after he talked to me a few times. He swore off the old testament pretty rapidly – so many authors and so contradictory. For some reason he didn’t like the suggestions I made (and pointed to the appropriate verses) after he said that he was going to live his life by the bible.

    I have the greatest respect for people who manage to live their lives following their faith. But as you might have gathered I have little respect for people pushing anything. I prefer to see how they act rather than what they say.

  23. AncientGeek 23

    BD: Most marriages aren’t performed by a church. In the marriages I’ve been to recently, most have been performed by people other than those ordained in a church.

    It’d be interesting to see some stats on that if anyone knows of any.

    A marriage is defined by what act of parliament that the union takes place under. Everything else is in the heads of the participants and how they perceive it.

  24. Lew 24

    Travellerev: “We don’t have a free and independent press any more since all but one newspaper are owned by Fairfax which is 10% owned by Murdoch.”

    It’s statements like this which cause people to label you a conspiracy theorist nut. It’s just plain fucking bullshit and shows that you a) don’t know anything about what you’re talking about; b) don’t care to do even the most trivial bit of research before spouting off and c) aren’t prepared to consider alternatives because you already have your mind made up.

    The first google hit on the words nz media ownership is http://canterbury.cyberplace.org.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Miscellaneous/mediaown.pdf Even CAFCA disagrees with you on this one.

    L

  25. Thank you very much for this pdf. Lew, I’ll read it and get back to you.
    First impression is: it seems that Murdoch’s influence has even been bigger than I previously thought.
    You should read these things before you put them up, Lew.

    See this is what I mean, all that anger:
    It’s just plain fucking bullshit and shows that you a) don’t know anything about what you’re talking about; b) don’t care to do even the most trivial bit of research before spouting off and c) aren’t prepared to consider alternatives because you already have your mind made up.

    Oh, I thought this might interest you.
    http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=57801
    http://www.pol.mq.edu.au/Bridget%20Griffin%20Foley/Dynasties.pdf
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jul/23/newscorporation.rupertmurdoch
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1769788.htm
    http://www.greenleft.org.au/1992/51/3492

    Sucker

  26. RedLogix 26

    Well actually Travellerev may have simplified, but she’s not too far off the mark:

    1. The very interesting CAFCA document you cited (thanks for the link) summarises Print Ownership in an Appendix. (p59) For Daily Press with a circulation over 25,000 there are only three owners ANM, Fairfax and Allied. Allied (the ODT) is the exception, being NZ owned. ANM runs just two papers, the Herald (195,000) and Hawkes Bay Today (27,000). FairFax have five papers (The Dom being the largest) with a readership totalling almost 300,000, ie about 55% of the total daily readership. If you add in ANM, then about 92% of the daily press readership is with papers owned by just TWO companies.

    2. According to these dated links Murdoch owns at least 7.5% of Fairfax.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1769294.htm

  27. Oh Lew,

    I’m so going to whip your ass with this Pdf.
    Thank you so much for sharing it with me.
    lol

  28. Lew 28

    Travellerev: Not sure how you can whip my arse with this, since my only assertion on the matter of media ownership has been that the statement quoted above is false. I won’t be at all unhappy if you can disprove my a, b and c assertions above with an educated, well-researched and open-minded bit of work- I have no quarrel with you personally, I just don’t like sloppiness.

    RedLogix: Yes, I do have some concerns about the ownership structure of NZ’s media ecology, but in spite of these, by most metrics it’s actually fairly robust. Reporters without Borders and another agency (I forget who) routinely lists our media as among the best.

    And yeah; it is a useful document. Since it’s CAFCA it needs to be taken with some scepticism, but it’s based on quite firm (and most importantly transparent) data.

    L

  29. RedLogix 29

    Yes, I do have some concerns about the ownership structure of NZ’s media ecology, but in spite of these, by most metrics it’s actually fairly robust.

    Frankly I think that is grossly understating it. We’ve just gotten accustomed to the biased pap we are being fed. Print journalism in NZ is in trouble.

    There are only two major employers, both known to be highly aligned with the rightwing point of view. Both of them are overseas owned by mega-corporates that really only care about revenue. Pay rates are appallingly low for such a vital and skilled profession and the main prospect for advancement seems to be either into the wilderness of freelancing or going over to the PR darkside.

    Compare this with the situation prior to the 90’s, we had dozens of genuinely independently owned publications, with robustly expressed diversity of editorial positions, committed to actually enquiring into issues and holding authority to account. In the major cities readers often had a choice of dailies, and just as importantly, journos had a choice of employers. If life didn’t suit under one, there was always the chance of a better fit with another paper.

    But with only TWO employers, both committed to representing conservative, business interests, traditional journalism as a profession is dying on it’s feet.

    Whether the internet will a evolve new and credible platform for the profession remains to be seen.

  30. Lew 30

    RedLogix: I agree entirely about the parlous way media people are treated; it was a major reason in my choosing media analysis over journalism as a career. This is significantly the result of ownership concentration. But by this metric journalism everywhere is in trouble. If that’s so then eventually alternatives will emerge and if they genuinely fill a need people will flock to them and the existing media will need to adapt or perish. If you think there’s a credible way to improve things to that end I’m all ears; I’d love to be on the next major media wave.

    It’s not that I’m `used to the pap we are being fed’ (I’m often frustrated by the poor standard of journalism), I’m just not under any delusions that it’s much better elsewhere, of that we were once in some sort of golden age. It’s just not so. The business model has at a fundamental level always been the same, driven by the same imperatives and yielding much the same outcomes. One fundamental difference is that there is simply a hell of a lot more news now than there was, and that news is much easier to create, transmit, cover, store and distribute, but deadlines and other factors have not changed commensurately. This makes the job a damned sight harder than it was and changes the balance between what you might call `pap’ and what you might call `robust’. Believe it or not, the `pap’ is of news value to a bunch of people, and them who pay the piper call the tune.

    One more thing: I think what you represent as the `rightwing point of view’ is seen by many as `enquiring into issues and holding authority to account’, and while it might not be your view you need to realise that it is a legitimate view; we do currently have a Labour government in power and the media holding them to account is always going to look unfair to leftist partisans. I’ve said before and I’ll restate it here that I don’t think there’s a credible case to be made that the media systemically favour either side; the revenue-driven business model which you deride simply doesn’t allow it, at least not in NZ’s tiny little media ecology. Pockets of the media certainly focus on particular demographics (in fact I’ve spent some time researching this very phenomenon) but that’s on the periphery; what I’m talking about is the Big 4, One News, 3 News and Radio NZ National.

    L

  31. Lew 31

    Having reread this exchange, I think we’ve hijacked the thread. Sorry.

    L

  32. lprent 32

    Thats ok. We kind of expect that sort of stuff to happen. You really only find people and moderators getting upset if it degenerates into schoolyard taunting.

    The kind of stuff that has been going on in here doesn’t fall into that category. In fact I’d say it is exactly what you’d expect towards the tail of a post.

  33. RedLogix 33

    it was a major reason in my choosing media analysis over journalism as a career.

    oops… I’m arguing with an expert.

    we do currently have a Labour government in power and the media holding them to account is always going to look unfair to leftist partisans.

    What I object to is that New Zealand is actually going along very well all things considered. In fact we have never been better off. But you wouldn’t know that if you read the Herald or Dom.

  34. Lew 34

    RedLogix: I don’t see this as a problem, but simply the nature of the beast. The commercial media business model is this: in exchange for your eyeballs and earholes looking at or listening to advertisements, the outlet keeps an eye on the happenings of the world for you, because you’re too busy to go and do all the background research and interviews and so on that journalists and such people do. This means hard-news media outlets are in principle weighted towards `need to know’ stuff – things which can or will impact materially on people in the immediate to mid-term; and because what people need to know is strongly oriented toward avoiding adversity or danger, news media tend to accentuate the negative and eliminate the positive.

    Naive news readers tend to buy the Chicken Licken line, but anyone with any institutional memory can see that doom and gloom are never far from the headlines. One of Poneke’s last posts was on this very subject.

    L

  35. lprent 35

    Lew: I just finished reading the latter part of this thread.

    The basic problem is that the underlying demographics have changed so much. 20 years ago I was vastly over-educated compared to the average run of the population. Now I’m seeing kids routinely getting that level of education.

    There hasn’t been the type of media that I could read in NZ ever. The nearest was probably the NBR or Independent in the 80’s and 90’s. The radionz national program has been my mainstay.

    Offshore it was a lot simplier. I could read the economist, new scientist, and a number of other publications.

    These days, the net is making a hell of a difference. You see it here all of the time. People link in pieces from everywhere. Both in the posts and the comments.

    The downside of it is that it will probably cause the media to focus more on the pap level. Because these net media are highly interactive. If you don’t have much to say, then the net based media becomes pretty boring very fast.

    The problem for the media, is that there isn’t any good revenue stream model developed yet for net content. It takes peanuts and some skill to run this type of site at a technical level. The posters do the content because they want to. They have skill levels that are probably way in excess of what is required, and a hyper-critical public of comments that encourage self improvement very rapidly. Look at how fast our posters lifted their writing and research style.

    How can you maintain a organization with its overheads against that kind of opposition.

  36. Lew 36

    lprent: And here I thought you were just the tech guy.

    Your point about the ease of running this show makes good sense to me. I’ve been involved in administering a few sites; the biggest of which I co-founded and now has more than 20,000 members.People turn themselves from rank newbies to genuine tradespeople, whether technical, social, or what, just because they want to be involved.

    There’s another aspect, though: a media ecology is like a jigsaw puzzle. Nobody is meant to get all their news from the one source, and the trick has not so much been in concentrating on getting one particular demographic, but in strategic diversification, which is a targetted form of horizontal integration. This rests on the links between publications; stabled journalists often write for several of a company’s publications to draw readers across; the same things occur on TV where John Campbell guests in Bro’Town to raise his profile.

    The internets are *designed* to work this way, and thus they have a natural advantage – and the revenue stream is the same: advertising. But the internet advertising market is still too weak, because for one thing it’s an untrusted medium with only moderate penetration; and secondly because that marginal medium is moving into an already-crowded market. It seems guaranteed that this will strengthen, and as it does an ad campaign on the Standard might be enough to actually employ journalists and editors and such like.

    Just as we’re seeing the phasing-out of analogue TV, we’ll eventually see people stop printing dead tree papers; and stop scheduling TV at certain times, moving to a permanent on-demand model; etc. The thing is that the majors are on this game as well.

    L

  37. Lew 37

    Travellerev: Thanks for that link by Bridget Griffin-Foley.

    I see what you’re saying, but the problem is that you think I’m arguing there’s no concentration of ownership, but I’m not. I’m just saying that making shit up on the spot without fact-checking it doesn’t help your case any or speak well for your critical habits.

    L

  38. Ari 38

    Lew: The media is most certainly NOT holding Labour to account, at least not in an unbiased fashion. There are a lot of really good leftist, environmentalist, and identity politics critiques to the Labour government that simply aren’t being run. Instead we have endless populist drivel on tax cuts and how the public is “hurting”, with no exploration into the causes behind rising oil and food prices, no exploration on whether Labour could actually be reasonably expected to do anything about it, and no exploration into whether tax cuts are a favourable economic policy at this time.

    I have no illusion that this has at least something to do with the business model big media is run under, but that doesn’t mean we can’t challenge them back, too. It wouldn’t be hard for them to dig a little deeper into things.

  39. Phil 39

    “Isn’t it funny RedLogic how the ignoramuses that comment on this site refuse to accept information that could enlighten them a bit. And how everything instantly becomes a “conspiracy theory’.

    You tell of a conversation with your daughter who tells you how these polls are conducted and Bam you’re a conspiracy theorist. ”

    Yes, actually it IS funny, because neither you, Trav, or RedL, have any idea what you’re actually saying.

    Why do polling companies target certain demographics at certain times of day? Because it’s good business sense, plain and simple.
    They work to very strict demographic targets and if you’re tying to poll working parents, then there isn’t much point calling them in the middle of the day!

    Contrary to your opinion, polling companies use very sophisticated statistical modelling to make sure that the results they get are as accurate as possible. Methodology, weighting, calling strategies, and best practice are all reviewed on a regular cycle, and when I see ignorant dismissive attitudes like yours, I weep.

    One thing I will agree with you on is that, this far out from an election, they don’t mean much. However, that doesn’t make them unnecessary. To do so would be like saying that peoples expectations of inflation or interest rates two years ahead are irrelevant. I can tell you now, they’re very VERY relevant, and offer an intriguing look into the psychology of the voter/consumer

  40. Lew 40

    Ari: If enough people cared, the business model mandates that those sorts of critiques would be given air time. But apparently they don’t. If you see a gap in the market, I suggest you fill it.

    Incidentally, this is why we have public service broadcasters such as Radio NZ, the BBC and PBS. They’re subject to a somewhat (but not entirely) different business model.

    L

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    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 KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    8 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
    8 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 ...
    9 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
    11 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
    12 hours ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep 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 thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats 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. Heres 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. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen 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 ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    14 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 ...
    21 hours 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 ...
    21 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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
    23 hours 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 ...
    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 ...
    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, ...
    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, ...
    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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    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 KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to 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 KōreroBy 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    3 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 KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 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 ...
    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
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    4 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
    4 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 KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 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
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    5 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    6 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 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
    55 mins 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
    3 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
    4 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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    1 day ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
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    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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    4 days ago
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    4 days ago
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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    5 days ago
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    1 week ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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