local government
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The Auckland Mayoralty campaign
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, May 15th, 2022 - 9 comments
The Auckland mayoralty campaign promises to be a fascinating contest between a right winger promising to spend $1.5 million on the campaign and wants to turn sprinklers on the homeless and Efeso Collins who promises to run an inclusive respectful campaign.
The politics of opposition to cycleways
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, May 8th, 2022 - 53 comments
Opposition to Auckland Council’s Cycling and Micromobility Programme Business Case appears to be motivated by the belief that plans to have more of the population walk and cycle instead of using cars will be unpopular. Overseas experience suggests that not only can these types of projects contribute significantly to sustainability but they can also be very popular.
3 Waters Reform Must Happen
Written By: - Date published: 5:22 pm, April 3rd, 2022 - 147 comments
If you’re out there in ZB land and believe that water management should be democratically elected, you won’t find respite here. Local Government has done a terrible job dealing with water and change is urgently needed.
Free public transport for Auckland is a very good idea
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, February 23rd, 2022 - 66 comments
Efeso Collins has announced his first Mayoral campaign policy and it is a biggie, free public transport for Auckland.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff to Retire
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 15th, 2022 - 6 comments
Some thoughts on the contribution of Phil Goff to Auckland during his term as Mayor.
Goff retiring as super city mayor
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, February 14th, 2022 - 52 comments
Phil Goff has announced that he will not seek re-election as Auckland’s Mayor.
Light Rail: The State Is Back
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, January 31st, 2022 - 30 comments
The light rail route and mode decision this week shows something new. It’s in the nature of the state itself.
Goodbye, Auckland
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, December 14th, 2021 - 21 comments
For the hundreds of thousands of Aucklanders who have decided to holiday at a town near you, just be careful: they may never leave.
Who will be the next Auckland Mayor?
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 4th, 2021 - 35 comments
Efeso Collins has announced that if Phil Goff does not stand as Mayor and Labour runs a selection process for the next Mayoralty he would be keen to nominate.
New Zealand’s New Low Carbon Economy Stays Difficult
Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, November 7th, 2021 - 36 comments
Southland Mayor Gary Tong has justified felling a forest to construct a coal mine by saying “[w]e all want to make a cleaner, greener planet, but we can’t do it in five minutes.”
Covid alters Auckland
Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, November 3rd, 2021 - 22 comments
With in-person shopping about to re-start in Auckland next week, this is the best moment we will have to reinvent Auckland: one customer at a time.
The Entrust election debacle
Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, October 31st, 2021 - 56 comments
National aligned C&R has shown how bad it is at running elections by running an election where less than one in ten eligible people voted.
Who are these angry Aucklanders?
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, October 3rd, 2021 - 243 comments
This weekend there have been two attempts to undermine the current Auckland Covid lock down. Brian Tamaki’s was not the most ludicrous.
Lockdown decision – which way will it go?
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, September 20th, 2021 - 171 comments
Cabinet meets today to decide on the future of the lockdown levels in Aotearoa and more specifically on Tamaki Makaurau. Which way will it go?
COVID, We Need To Talk About Class
Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, September 14th, 2021 - 27 comments
We’ve never seen a nationwide disease illustrate class and deprivation like the future of the country depended on it. Not like this. This should change us.
Delta Covid – the battle so far
Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, September 14th, 2021 - 65 comments
As Tamaki Makaurau enters week four of lockdown things are at an interesting stage.
No Right Turn: Spy cameras literally are
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, June 29th, 2021 - 21 comments
Its time for our local authorities (and other bodies such as NZTA) to come clean, and confess whether they allow the SIS to access their camera networks in this way. That would allow the people to judge whether it is acceptable, and hold them accountable if they feel it necessary. But I suspect that that prospect is precisely why the SIS has kept this secret for so long.
Fisheries reform is under way
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, June 23rd, 2021 - 10 comments
David Parker has shown a deft handling of the Oceans and Fisheries portfolio and in the past week has announced the accelerated roll out of cameras on fishing boats and a suite of actions designed to address the failing health of the Waitemata Harbour.
Public transport, to complement cycling?
Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, June 17th, 2021 - 51 comments
Jenny looks at extending public transport to include cyclists
Fear and loathing in cycleland
Written By: - Date published: 3:52 pm, June 15th, 2021 - 32 comments
I am pleased the right have moved on from overtly racist attacks on minorities. But I am bemused by the current level of vitriol that has been thrown at a group who apart from wearing lycra is doing nothing wrong.
Auckland’s Northern Pathway
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, June 11th, 2021 - 144 comments
Last week’s announcement of major changes to the New Zealand Upgrade program in my view was welcome.
Cycling Politics is Winnable Politics
Written By: - Date published: 3:43 pm, May 29th, 2021 - 100 comments
This Sunday Aucklanders have an opportunity to protest the catastrophic failure of NZTA to generate a cycleway from the North Shore to the CBD, and to promote a practical proposal to “liberate a lane” on the Harbour Bridge which would do the job in the meantime.
Cycling Politics Is Damn Serious Business
Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, May 26th, 2021 - 73 comments
Don’t knock local politics until you’ve had to stand up and defend a cycleway in public.
What the recent elections tell us about British society
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 pm, May 17th, 2021 - 35 comments
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog In a nation that has suffered over 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, one may be somewhat taken aback to see the latest YouGov Poll where The Conservative Party enjoy a 15% lead over the Labour Opposition. 17 months after the Conservatives won the 2019 General Election, it would be easy to […]
Too much too far?
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 23rd, 2021 - 97 comments
As we lead up to Budget 2021, there’s much more shape to the whole direction of this government.
National’s housing policy
Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, April 16th, 2021 - 30 comments
National has released its housing policy and the proposals are predictable. Free up more land, loosen up the RMA, and require Councils in high growth areas to urgently review their district plans.
Well done John Edgar
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, April 10th, 2021 - 11 comments
I’d thought I’d take a moment to celebrate the life of John Edgar, who passed away a few days ago.
Ports of Auckland – time for change
Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, March 31st, 2021 - 5 comments
Auckland Council has released the Ports of Auckland Independent Health and Safety Report and the recommendations are damning.
Americas Cup is New Zealand’s cup?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, March 18th, 2021 - 80 comments
It appears that the Government and Auckland Council have spent $250 million on an event the organisers of which are now making plans to go overseas in pursuit of the big corporate dollars.
You have 30 min to get your business in order!
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, March 12th, 2021 - 77 comments
Government should have announced the decision for Auckland to go down to Level 1 first thing this morning.
Amandla …
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, February 26th, 2021 - 5 comments
David Seymour and Act have likened the institutional suppression of people based on the colour of their skin with a desire to ensure local government representation for Tangata Whenua.
- Where’s the Self-Respect?
If we needed any confirmation, we have it in spades in today’s edition of the Herald; our supposedly leading daily newspaper is determined to do what it can to decide the outcome of the next election – to act, that is, not as a newspaper but as the mouthpiece for ...7 hours ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 8, 2022 through Sat, May 14, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): The secret world beneath our feet is mind-blowing – and ...21 hours ago - Who's a snowflake now?
Sean Plunkett, founding editor of the new media outlet, The Platform, was interviewed on RNZ's highly regarded flagship programme "Mediawatch".Mr Plunkett has made much about "cancel culture" and "de-platforming". On his website promoting The Platform, he outlines his mission statement thusly:The Platform is for everyone; we’re not into cancelling or ...23 hours ago - History Lessons.
“That’s a C- for History, Kelvin!” While it is certainly understandable that Māori-Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis was not anxious to castigate every Pakeha member of the House of Representatives for the crimes committed against his people by their ancestors; crimes from which his Labour colleagues continue to draw enormous benefits; the ...1 day ago - Bryce Edwards: What happened to the big “immigration reset”?
The Government promised a major reform of New Zealand’s immigration system, but when it was announced this week, many asked “is that it?” Over the last two years Covid has turned the immigration tap off, and the Government argued this produced the perfect opportunity to reassess decades of “unbalanced immigration”. ...2 days ago - New Rules for Government Budget Management
While the new fiscal rules may not be contentious, what they mean for macroeconomic management is not explained.In a pre-budget speech on 3 May 2022, the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, made some policy announcements which will frame both this budget and future ones. (The Treasury advice underpinning them is ...3 days ago - Our unrepresentative parliament
Under MMP, Parliament was meant to look like New Zealand. And, in a lot of ways, it does now, with better representation for Māori, tangata moana, women, and the rainbow community replacing the old dictatorship of dead white males. But there's one area where "our" parliament remains completely unrepresentative: housing: ...3 days ago - Stats NZ’s contempt for privacy, transparency, democracy, and parliamentThe Governance and Administration Committee reported back on the Data and Statistics Bill on Monday. The bill ought to have been boring, but Stats NZ's move to a "collect it all" posture indistinguishable from that of the NSA, combined with enhanced secrecy, caused significant concerns from the Privacy Commissioner, Ombudsman, ...3 days ago
- Struggling Upwards For America’s Soul.Justice Denied: At the heart of the “Pro-Life” cause was something much darker than conservative religious dogma, or even the oppressive designs of “The Patriarchy”. The enduring motivation – which dares not declare itself openly – is the paranoid conviction of male white supremacists that if “their” women are given ...3 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2022In case of emergency break glass— but glass can cut Fire extinguishers, safety belts, first aid kits, insurance policies, geoengineering: we never enjoy using them. But given our demonstrated, deep empirical record of proclivity for creating hazards and risk we'd obviously be foolish not to include emergency responses in our inventory. ...4 days ago
- Climate Change: Betting on disasterLast year, the International Energy Agency warned us that the world needed to cease all new fossil fuel development immediately if we wanted to reach net-zero by 2050. It was a call repeated this year by the UN Secretary General, who called new fossil fuel investment "moral and economic madness". ...4 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” podcast returns.
After a brief hiatus, the “A View from Afar” podcast is back on air with Selwyn Manning leading the Q&A with me. This week is a grab bag of topics: Russian V-Day celebrations, Asian and European elections, and the impact of the PRC-Solomon Islands on the regional strategic balance. Plus ...4 days ago - No freedom of speech in VanuatuLast year, Vanuatu passed a "cyber-libel" law. And predictably, its first targets are those trying to hold the government to account: A police crackdown in Vanuatu that has seen people arrested for allegedly posting comments on social media speculating politicians were responsible for the country’s current Covid outbreak has ...4 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: How long until National wants Simon Bridges back?Could it be a case of not appreciating what you’ve got until it’s gone? The National Party lost Simon Bridges last week, which has reinforced the notion that the party still has some serious deficits of talent and diversity. The major factor in Bridges’ decision to leave was his failed ...4 days ago
- Getting On With Co-Governance – Without Debate.Who’s Missing From This Picture? The re-birth of the co-governance concept cannot be attributed to the institutions of Pakeha rule, at least, not in the sense that the massive constitutional revisions it entails have been presented to and endorsed by the House of Representatives, and then ratified by the citizens of New ...4 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on Rabuka’s possible return in Fiji
Fiji signed onto China’s Belt and Road initiative in 2018, along with a separate agreement on economic co-operation and aid. Yet it took the recent security deal between China and the Solomon Islands to get the belated attention of the US and its helpmates in Canberra and Wellington, and the ...4 days ago - Why a tool for reversing Trump era rules is seldom usedThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith and Bud Ward “CRA” It’s one of those acronyms even many-a-veteran environmental policy geek may not recognize. Amidst the scores and scores of acronyms in the field – CERCLA, IPCC, SARA, LUST, NPDES, NDCs, FIFRA, NEPA and scores more – ...4 days ago
- Only fools make deals with liarsNorthern Ireland went to the polls last week, resulting in Sinn Féin becoming the largest party, the first time an Irish party has done so. Naturally, the unionists are not taking this well, and are threatening to use their minority-veto to prevent any government being formed. They're also demanding the ...5 days ago
- Of Tin and Tintagel: Published
In a nice bit of news in a World Gone Mad, I can report that Of Tin and Tintagel, my 5,800-word story about tin (and political scheming), is now out as part of the Spring 2022 edition of New Maps Magazine (https://www.new-maps.com/). As noted previously, this one owes a ...5 days ago - Covid-19 Case-Fatality Risk & Infection-Fatality Risk – important measures to help guide the p...
Dr Jennifer Summers, Professor Michael Baker, Professor Nick Wilson* Summers J, Baker M, Wilson N. Covid-19 Case-Fatality Risk & Infection-Fatality Risk: important measures to help guide the pandemic response. Public Health Expert Blog. 11 May 2022. In this blog we explore two useful mortality indicators: Case-Fatality Risk (CFR) and Infection-Fatality ...5 days ago - It’s a Friday night in Invercargill for eastern moa during the Ice AgeIn the depths of winter, most people from southern New Zealand head to warmer climes for a much-needed dose of Vitamin D. Yet during the height of the last Ice Age, one species of moa did just the opposite. I’m reminded of Bill Bailey’s En Route to Normal tour that visited ...5 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Massive Wage Subsidy and Covid spending is under scrutinisedIn the lead-up to the Budget, the Government has been on an offensive to promote the efficiency and quality of its $74 billion Covid Response and Recovery Fund -especially the Wage Subsidy Scheme component. This comes after criticisms and concerns from across the political spectrum over poor-quality spending, and suggestions ...5 days ago
- Bringing the tūī back to town – how native birds are returning to NZ’s restored urban forestsElizabeth Elliot Noe, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Andrew D. Barnes, University of Waikato; Bruce Clarkson, University of Waikato, and John Innes, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Urbanisation, and the destruction of habitat it entails, is a major threat to native bird populations. But as our new research shows, restored ...5 days ago
- Nothing to celebrateThe Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill passed its third reading this afternoon. The government and the Ombudsman are both celebrating this "significant improvement" in whistleblower protection, but as I pointed out when the bill was introduced, it is nothing of the sort. The law still sets the bar for ...6 days ago
- Not very proactiveA couple of weeks ago, Stuff broke the news that the government was planning a significant boost to proactive release of official information, with almost all advice to Ministers expected to be proactively released. Which sounds great, but as I pointed out, there's real reason for concern in the way ...6 days ago
- Staying Inside The Lines.Unfinished: Always, gnawing away at this government’s confidence and empathy, is the dictum that seriously challenging the economic and social status-quo is the surest route to electoral death. Labour’s colouring-in book, and National’s, have to look the same. All that matters is which party is better at staying inside the lines.DOES ...6 days ago
- The First Rule Of Radicalism.Radical As: Māori healers recall a time when “words had power”. The words that give substance to ideas, no matter how radical, still do. If our representatives rediscover the courage to speak them out loud.THERE ARE RULES for radicalism. Or, at least, there are rules for the presentation of radical ...6 days ago
- India and Pakistan’s brutal heat wave poised to resurgeThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters A brutal, record-intensity heat wave that has engulfed much of India and Pakistan since March eased somewhat this week, but is poised to roar back in the coming week with inferno-like temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F). The ...6 days ago
- Defending George R.R. Martin: A Reply to Reading Tolkien
The good people at the Reading Tolkien podcast have put out a new piece, which spends some time comparing the underlying moral positions of George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien: (The relevant discussion starts about twenty-seven minutes in. It’s a long podcast). In the interests of fairness, ...1 week ago - Bryce Edwards: Politicians talk tough on law and orderCrime is becoming a key debate between Labour and National. This week they are both keen to show that they are tough on law and order. It’s an issue that National has a traditional advantage on, and is one that they’re currently getting good traction from. In response, Labour is ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: The new emissions budgetThe government today released its first three emissions budgets, covering the periods 2022-25, 2026-30, and 2031-35. The good news? They've reversed their ridiculous proposal to increase the first period budget because we were planting too many trees and soaking up too much carbon (no, it doesn't make sense, and MPI ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on the youth crime furoreSo far, the excited media response to the spike in “ram-raid” incidents is being countered by evidence that in reality, youth crime is steeply in decline, and has been so for much of the past decade. Who knew? Perhaps that’s the real issue here. Why on earth wasn’t the latest ...1 week ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #18Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 1, 2022 through Sat, May 7, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): How a tech billionaire is forcing Australia’s coal die-hards to ...1 week ago
- Karl du Fresne’s talk at the Free Speech Union meeting at Victoria University.
In the past 10 years or so – and that’s how quickly it has happened – all our comfortable convictions about the unassailability of free speech have been turned on their heads. Suddenly we find ourselves fighting again for rights we assumed were settled. Click here to watch the video ...1 week ago - The Makers Of Gilead.Enforced Fertility: The imminent overturning of Roe versus Wade by the US Supreme Court is certain to raise echoes here that are no less evocative of the dystopia envisioned by Margaret Atwood in The Handmaid’s Tale. Gilead can happen here.WITH THE UNITED STATES seemingly on the brink of becoming “Gilead”, ...1 week ago
- Trespassers?Not Wanted On Grounds Of Political Rejuvenation: Winston Peters did nothing more than visit the protest encampment erected by anti-vaxxers on the parliamentary lawn. A great many New Zealanders applauded him for meeting with the protesters and wondered why the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition could not do ...1 week ago
- Who Will Fight For Democracy?May The Force Be With Us: With New Zealanders under 40, nostalgia for a time when politics worked gains little purchase. Politics hasn’t swerved to any noticeable degree since the 1980s, becoming in the Twenty-First Century a battle between marketing strategies, not ideologies. Young New Zealanders critique political advertisements in ...1 week ago
- How my work on free speech brought me back to the leftDane Giraud reflects on his working class upbringing and how campaigning for free speech radicalised him Evidence to support censorship as a tool for social cohesion is paltry. I Read the NZ Human Rights Commission website, and 99% of their ‘evidence’ is anecdotal. When asked why we need hate speech ...1 week ago
- Poison in the Stock: Comparing the Problematic Elements of Agatha Christie and J.K. RowlingAs you may have noticed, I have been slowly working my way through the works of Agatha Christie. At the time of writing, I have read some thirty-eight of her books – less than half her total output, but arguably enough to get a reasonable handle on it. It ...1 week ago
- Do We Have a Population Policy?
Population growth has some effect on economic growth, but it is complicated especially where infrastructure is involved. We need to think more about it. In an opinion piece in the New Zealand Herald, John Gascoigne claimed that New Zealand was a ‘tragic tale of economic decline’. He gave no evidence ...1 week ago - Bryce Edwards: Have the Greens become too woke for their own good?The Greens have been almost invisible since the 2020 election. Despite massive crises impacting on people’s lives, such as climate change, housing, inequality, and the cost of living, they’ve had very little to say. On this week’s highly contentious issue of politicians being banned from Parliament by Trevor Mallard, the ...1 week ago
- Decarbonising the schoolsThe government has announced it will be replacing all coal boilers in schools by 2025: All remaining coal boilers in New Zealand schools will be replaced with cleaner wood burners or electric heating by 2025, at a cost of $10 million, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced. The coal ...1 week ago
- Neo-Nazis in Ukraine. Comedians are often more truthful than politicians.
Israeli news media and politicians often complain about the activity of neo-Nazis in Ukraine. “Activists and supporters of Ukrainian nationalist parties hold torches as they take part in a rally to mark the 112th birth anniversary of Stepan Bandera, in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 1, 2021. Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters The recent ...1 week ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2022Another gnawing warming worry Accidental outcomes of our engineering prowess are warming Arctic regions at a rapid pace. Another species of accomplished engineers is rapidly occupying and exploiting new territory we've thereby made more easily available, namely beavers (Castor canadensis). Beaver populations in affected Arctic regions have increased from "none" to "quite a ...2 weeks ago
- Pursuit of Indigenous sovereign rightsDr Simon Lambert’s dream is to see Indigenous nations across the world exercising their sovereign rights by adding their say to disaster risk reduction planning. Simon, of Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Ruapani ki Waikaremoana, specialises in indigenous disaster risk reduction, indigenous health and indigenous development, social science, environmental management, planning ...2 weeks ago
- ‘My stroke gave me purpose’ – Rukingi HaupapaRukingi Haupapa (Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa) credits his stroke in 2005 for changing his life: leading him to change his name, get his mataora (facial moko) and set up a trust to help fellow stroke survivors. Oranga (health and wellbeing) is Rukingi’s passion. He holds a Master’s degree in Indigenous ...2 weeks ago
- Thoughts on an abusive copThe Independent Police Conduct authority has today released two reports relating to the same police officer. In the first, they are found to have used excessive and unjustifiable force in the arrest of a child. In the second, they are found to have seriously assaulted a man during an unlawful ...2 weeks ago
- Hosking v. ArdernMike Hosking’s all-too familiar diatribe in today’s Herald is so dripping with venom and anti-Jacinda animus that one can’t help but wonder if the content matters less than the spirit and purpose in and with which it was offered. Hosking clearly needs help. He seems to live in a world ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on abortion rights, and biased SpeakersSo a Supreme Court stacked with ideologues selected by Donald Trump is about to make an ideological decision to ban the legal right of American women to an abortion. In their infinite wisdom, the US courts have decided that the government cannot force people to wear a mask during a ...2 weeks ago
- Jack Vowles: Te Tiriti – A Briefing for Chris LuxonNational party leader Chris Luxon has been reported as giving some badly uninformed responses to questions about Te Tiriti o Waitangi. As a potential Prime Minister, he needs to get up to speed. Te Tiriti is the Māori language version of the Treaty of Waitangi – the version that is ...2 weeks ago
- Why and How to Electrify EverythingThis is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby blog Electrification is a hot topic right now, with many countries searching for ways to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas as Putin’s war atrocities in Ukraine worsen by the day. Fortunately, many of the solutions to reduce long-term fossil fuel financial ...2 weeks ago
- What you need to know about carbon dioxide removalThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere continues to be a hot topic. In its newest report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that the Paris Climate Agreement targets cannot be met without substantial efforts to remove some of the more than three-trillion ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Trevor Mallard’s petty fiefdomIs Parliament just the fiefdom of Trevor Mallard and his colleagues? That’s the impression the public might take from yesterday’s news that the Speaker of Parliament is issuing trespass notices to political opponents who visited the protest in March on the lawns of Parliament. Speaker Mallard has the absolute right ...2 weeks ago
- 29,000 employed under LabourThe quarterly labour market statistics were released this morning, showing unemployment holding at a record low of 3.2%. There are now 94,000 unemployed - 29,000 fewer than when Labour took office. Average wages are also up, and looking back, they've increased from $30.45 / hour in 2017 to $36.18 today. ...2 weeks ago
- Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day, and one likely to be entirely full of third readings. First up is Ricardo Menéndez March's Human Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination) Amendment Bill, followed by Nicola Willis' Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Bill and Tangi Utikere's Local Government (Pecuniary ...2 weeks ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Jacinda Ardern continues to forge a more US-friendly foreign policyInternational analyst Geoffrey Miller reads between the lines of Jacinda Ardern’s speech to this week’s US business summit in Auckland Jacinda Ardern is slowly but surely shifting New Zealand’s foreign policy towards the West. That was the underlying theme of a keynote address by New Zealand’s Prime Minister this ...2 weeks ago
- Going full GileadToday's big news from America: the Supreme Court has reportedly voted to overturn Roe v. Wade: The Supreme Court has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, according to an initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito circulated inside the court and obtained by ...2 weeks ago
- Wrong, at every levelWe all hate Australia for its policy of jailing refugees as a "disincentive" for people to try and escape torture and persecution. But New Zealand does this too, on a much lesser scale. last year, the government finally ordered a review of this disgusting practice. Today, that review reported back, ...2 weeks ago
- Geopolitical transitions and the long decline.For the last three decades the global geopolitical system has been in a state of transition. It first transited from the tight bi-polar arrangement of the Cold War, where two nuclear superpowers with closely integrated alliance systems (NATO and the Warsaw Pact, plus other related networks) strategicaly balanced each other ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Why Labour won’t introduce a radical wealth taxPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been perceived as “softening her line on wealth taxes” – and therefore being open to the introduction of a new type of progressive taxation on the rich. This was the description published yesterday by leftwing wealth researcher Max Rashbrooke, who was reporting on the fact ...2 weeks ago
- Philip Temple: Nothing to fear?On 24 April the Minister for Māori Development, the Hon. Willie Jackson, stated on TVNZ’s Q+A programme that government plans for Māori co-governance were part of MMP. It meant ‘shared decision-making’, ‘partnership’, ‘diversity, about minorities working together’. ‘Co-governance is based on the principles of MMP, this is a consensus type ...2 weeks ago
- Does NZ’s media support free speech?Below is an excerpt of a talk by journalist Karl du Fresne given at Victoria University on 28 April 2022 for the Free Speech Union. Here he examines the trends that are undermining a free press. [F]ree speech goes hand in hand with a free press – but it’s now ...2 weeks ago
- The Stuff Of Nightmares.Braking And Entering: The CCTV recording of the ram-raid against Auckland’s Ormiston Mall is so disturbing, so inspiring of dread and rage, that no amount of rational commentary will make the slightest difference. It confirms in the most powerful fashion the stories so many New Zealanders have been telling themselves: ...2 weeks ago
- Ukraine – a beginner’s guideThe Author of this Dorset Eye article, Ukraine – a beginner’s guide, says: “In 2014, the journalist and writer John Pilger wrote an article for The Guardian newspaper entitled ‘In Ukraine the US is dragging us towards war with Russia’.[i] Eight years later, in 2022, this prediction came true when ...2 weeks ago
- New graphics resources: Cranky Cartoons and Fallacy IconsWhat's better than some Cranky Uncle cartoons scattered around here or there? A collection of them, cross-referenced with the fallacies they depict, of course! And this is what we highlight in this blog post. John Cook had made these cartoons available for download on his Cranky Uncle website in March 2021 ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: Here comes the floodFor decades now we've known that climate change will cause sea-level rise. In Aotearoa, the projections so far have been for 30cm by 2050, and 1m by 2100 - a level which is catastrophic to low-lying areas and coastal infrastructure and which is going to cost us billions of dollars ...2 weeks ago
- How to LoseLosses to Australian teams over the weekend by both the Crusaders and Hurricanes have been greeted with shock and surprise by New Zealand rugby fans. Yet, an at least partial explanation is available; the two losses were both set in motion early in each match by a play that is ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell On Political Can-kicking, And The“ Louie Louie” SagaOne of the more infuriating aspects of the current political debate is the way the National Party says it would be more rigorous, and more thriftily efficient in running social programmes that – left to its own devices – a National government would never have funded at all in the ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Is Three Waters really about water infrastructure or iwi co-governance?On Friday the Government made some announcements about their Three Waters programme that were meant to assuage public concerns about the reforms. Instead, the announcements merely reinforced that Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta is determined to push the reforms through in the face of strong public opposition. The gist of ...2 weeks ago
- Crime Porn Politics: a gift for the National Party right now, but we must resist a reactionary trap
Unfortunately it looks like we’re going through a spate of ram raids in this country. Predictably, there comes the natural political rejoinder: “Alas, the youth are out of control in this country…” in various flavours of vitriol, and thus the Reckons. Those who were armchair epidemiologists concerning the ...2 weeks ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, April 24, 2022 through Sat, April 30, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2022, Newsmax using ...2 weeks ago
- Why the silence on censorship?2 weeks ago
- 2022 General Reading: April (+ Writing Update)Completed reads for April: The Saga of Hervör and HeithrekThe Saga of Hromund GreipssonThe Tháttr of NornagestIphigenia among the Taurians, by EuripidesIphigenia at Aulis, by EuripidesRhesus, by Euripides?The Body in the Library, by Agatha ChristieWhy Didn’t They Ask Evans?, by Agatha ChristiePoirot Investigates, by Agatha ChristieThe Secret of Chimneys, ...2 weeks ago
- Comforting but warped narratives are damaging our potential future: time we kill off all the myths
One thing is abundantly clear: the way we understand the world is largely a matter of narrative management. It is through the strength of narratives we frame concepts around politics, life, and our consequent approach to it. Personally. As Nations. Too often, we don’t even realise where these come ...2 weeks ago - Gutting the OIAStuff's Henry Cooke reports that the government is planning a significant increase in proactive release of official information, with plans to proactively release almost all advice to ministers. Which is an idea I love, and want to happen, but at the same time fear, because under this government it is ...2 weeks ago
- Next steps in our plan to address climate change
As a Government, we made it clear to New Zealanders that we’d take meaningful action on climate change, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Earlier today, we released our next steps with our Emissions Reduction Plan – which will meet the Climate Commission’s independent science-based emissions reduction targets, and new ...4 hours ago - Landmark climate plan secures path to net zero
Emissions Reduction Plan prepares New Zealand for the future, ensuring country is on track to meet first emissions budget, securing jobs, and unlocking new investment ...5 hours ago - Supercharging decarbonisation & transforming the energy system...5 hours ago
- Pasifika communities must be part of immigration rebalanceThe Greens are calling for the Government to reconsider the immigration reset so that it better reflects our relationship with our Pacific neighbours. ...2 days ago
- More support for Alcohol Harm Minimisation BillHamilton City Council and Whanganui District Council have both joined a growing list of Local Authorities to pass a motion in support of Green Party Drug Reform Spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick’s Members’ bill to minimise alcohol harm. ...4 days ago
- The next steps in our plan to speed up New Zealand’s economic growthToday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a major package of reforms to address the immediate skill shortages in New Zealand and speed up our economic growth. These include an early reopening to the world, a major milestone for international education, and a simplification of immigration settings to ensure New Zealand ...5 days ago
- Immigration reset entrenches discrimination towards low-waged migrantsProposed immigration changes by the Government fail to guarantee pathways to residency to workers in the types of jobs deemed essential throughout the pandemic, by prioritising high income earners - instead of focusing on the wellbeing of workers and enabling migrants to put down roots. ...5 days ago
- Green Party supports nurses’ ERA decisionThe Green Party supports nurses’ continued push for pay equity and calls on the Government to deliver the back pay they had expected. ...6 days ago
- Allied health workers deserve better conditionsThe Green Party is throwing its support behind the 10,000 allied health workers taking work-to-rule industrial action today because of unfair pay and working conditions. ...1 week ago
- SPEECH: Building a low-carbon futureTēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi o te ata. Good morning ...1 week ago
- Celebrating Gasav Ne Fäeag Rotuạm Ta – Rotuman Language WeekToday marks the first celebration for Pacific Language Weeks 2022 with Gasav Ne Fäeag Rotuạm Ta – Rotuman Language Week. ...1 week ago
- Six ways we’re reducing cost pressures for New ZealandersSince the day we came into Government, we’ve worked hard to lift wages and reduce cost pressures facing New Zealanders. But we know the rising cost of living, driven by worldwide inflation and the war in Ukraine, is making things particularly tough right now. That’s why we’ve stepped up our ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for government to implement all recommendations of Casey report into detention of asylum...An independent review of New Zealand’s detention regime for asylum seekers has found arbitrary and abusive practices in Aotearoa’s immigration law, policy, and practice. ...2 weeks ago
- Rising household costs hurting low-income peopleThe Green Party says the Government needs to do more for those on the lowest incomes as inflation outpaces wage and benefit increases. ...2 weeks ago
- HRC housing inquiry confirms need for rental WOFThe Human Rights Commission inquiry into housing quality confirms what the Green Party has been calling for - a rental Warrant of Fitness and a register of landlords and property managers. ...3 weeks ago
- Supercharging decarbonisation & transforming the energy system
The drive to decarbonise industry and further accelerate preparations for a sustainable, more resilient future will get a boost from the Climate Emergency Response Fund in Budget 2022 by supercharging efforts to encourage the switch to cleaner energy options and transform the energy system. “Today is a momentous day ...5 hours ago - Climate investments provide path to economic securityThe Government is investing in New Zealand’s economic security by ensuring climate change funding moves away from short-term piecemeal responses and towards smart, long-term investment. Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) established with $4.5 billion from Emissions Trading Scheme revenue Initial allocation of $2.9 billion over four years invested in emissions ...5 hours ago
- Transport to drive down emissionsRolling out the Clean Car Upgrade programme, supporting lower- and middle- income families transition to low-emission alternatives through a new scrap-and-replace trial Helping low-income households lease low emission vehicles Supporting the rapid development of urban cycleway networks, walkable neighbourhoods, healthier school travel, and increased accessibility and reliability of public ...5 hours ago
- Partnership to reduce agricultural emissionsNew Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions that develops and commercialises smart new products to reduce agricultural emissions Funding for forestry to develop alternatives to fossil fuels, boost carbon storage and increase sequestration Support for producers and whenua Māori entities to transition to a low emissions future The ...5 hours ago
- Budget 2022 invests in tech sector growthThe Government is investing to support the growth of New Zealand’s digital technologies sector in Budget 2022, guiding the country towards a high-wage, low emissions economy, Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark announced today. “In 2020, the digital technologies sector contributed $7.4 billion to the economy. Since ...1 day ago
- Phil Twyford tests positive for COVID-19Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth, Hon Phil Twyford, has tested positive for COVID-19. He tested positive from a RAT this morning after beginning to feel symptomatic on Friday evening, and is displaying moderate symptoms. As a result he is no longer able to travel to Timor-Leste on ...2 days ago
- Prime Minister tests positive for COVID-19Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested positive for COVID-19. She has been in isolation since Sunday 8 May when her partner Clarke Gayford tested positive. The Prime Minister has been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive last night and a clear positive this morning on a RAT test. ...2 days ago
- Budget 2022: Supporting our young people to thrive$15 million boost over four years for youth development services including: $2.5 million annually to support increased access to youth development services for up to an additional 6,800 young people $1 million annually in a pilot initiative supporting full-time equivalent youth workers to deliver increased contact time with at least ...3 days ago
- Minister Phil Twyford to travel to Timor-LesteMinister of State for Trade and Export Growth, Hon Phil Twyford, will represent the New Zealand Government at the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of Timor-Leste’s independence, and the inauguration of Dr Jose Ramos-Horta as Timor-Leste’s next President. “Aotearoa New Zealand’s relationship with the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste dates back ...3 days ago
- Kua pānuihia ngā kaupapa mō Matariki Ahunga NuiKua pānuihia ngā kaupapa mō Matariki Ahunga Nui Kua pānuihia ngā kaitono i angitu ā rātou tono pūtea hei tautoko i te iwi Māori ki te whakaora mai anō, ki te whakatinana anō i ngā mātauranga mō Matariki o te hau kāinga. I whakaterea te kaupapa o Matariki Ahunga Nui ...3 days ago
- Key milestones reached on vital transport projectsMinister of Transport Michael Wood has welcomed the opening of the tender processes for Auckland Light Rail and the Additional Waitematā Harbour Connections project, marking an important step forward in developing a future-proofed rapid transit network that will serve generations of Aucklanders. “These two crucial projects represent a huge investment ...3 days ago
- Aotearoa New Zealand provides further funding for global COVID-19 responseAotearoa New Zealand is providing more funding to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator for global efforts to respond to the pandemic. “The health, economic and social impacts of COVID continue to be felt around the world,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “This further $10 million will support developing countries to ...3 days ago
- Updated My Vaccine Pass for those who want itUpdated pass can be downloaded from 24 May for people 12 and over People encouraged to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations Boosters included in up-to-date My Vaccine Pass for those 18 and over New Zealanders who are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations will be able to download ...3 days ago
- Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill passes third readingNew legislation to modernise the management of 1.2 million hectares of Crown pastoral land primarily in the South Island high country was passed in Parliament today. Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor said the Crown Pastoral Land Reform (CPLR) Bill has passed its third reading. “These spectacular South Island properties are ...4 days ago
- Aotearoa New Zealand condemns Russia’s malicious cyber activity against UkraineAotearoa New Zealand strongly condemns the campaign of destructive cyber activity by Russia against Ukraine, alongside the EU and international partners, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “These relentless attacks are part of a pattern of disruptive cyber activity that demonstrates a repeated disregard for the rules-based international order and established ...4 days ago
- Next steps signalled for space activity lawsThe Government has released a review of the operation and effectiveness of the law controlling commercial space activities, and signalled a separate study on wider issues of space policy will begin later this year. Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash says a review of the Outer Space and High-Altitude Activities Act ...4 days ago
- New Zealand initiates dispute settlement proceedings against Canada’s implementation of dairy quot...New Zealand has initiated dispute settlement proceedings against Canada regarding its implementation of dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs) under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our priority is to ensure that New Zealand exporters have meaningful access to the benefits negotiated ...4 days ago
- Care in the Community pivots as NZ returns to greater normalitySupport for ongoing and transitional Care in the Community support, including: A pivot in work for Community Connectors Confidence and certainty for community food organisations and MSD’s Food Secure Communities programme Funding to support the wellbeing of disabled people The Government is updating its Care in the Community (CiC) ...4 days ago
- Government’s support delivers path to recovery for arts and culture sector295 events covering at least 607 performances that have had to cancel or suffered losses due to COVID-19 have had their costs reimbursed, with total support paid out to events now exceeding $20 million 186 future events in 2022 and 2023 have also received cover 64 organisations have been ...4 days ago
- New Zealand poised to welcome international students backInternational students can enrol to study in New Zealand from July 31 Minister to travel to USA, Chile and Brazil to promote studying here International fee-paying students under Year 9 can continue to enrol in schools New Zealand International Education Strategy being refreshed New Zealand is fully reopening to ...4 days ago
- Pre-Budget Speech to the Wellington Chamber of CommerceGood morning, I want to start by thanking our hosts the Wellington Chamber of Commerce who graciously do this every year as we lead into the Budget. I want to make a particular acknowledgement of the recent partnership that the Chamber has entered into with Te Awe the Maori Business ...4 days ago
- Lower card fees on way for business, consumersA Bill to help lower the fees charged when credit and debit transactions are made, will save New Zealand businesses around $74 million a year. The Retail Payment System Bill passed its third reading today, regulating merchant service fees, and reducing a major overhead for small business, Commerce and Consumer ...5 days ago
- Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua Claims Settlement Bill passes first reading –...I te whare pāremata ngā uri o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua i tēnei rā kia kite, kia rongo hoki rātou i te hipanga o te pānuitanga tuatahi o te Pire Whakataunga Kokoraho mō Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua. Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua tētahi kohinga ...5 days ago
- Poroporoaki: Harerangi Meihana (Harry Mason)Kua hinga ngā kapua pōuri i runga i Taranaki maunga. Kua wehe atu rā te Tumuaki o te Hāhi Ratana, arā ko matua Harerangi Meihana. E koro, moe mai rā. Me piki ake koe mā runga te aroha o to iwi ki te taha o to koroua, arā a Tahupōtiki ...5 days ago
- PM Pre-Budget Speech to Business New ZealandKia ora koutou katoa Thank you to Business New Zealand and Fujitsu for hosting us here today, and I am grateful to be joined by Minister Faafoi, and Minister Hipkins. Can I thank you also for being so agile in the arrangements for our lunch event. I had of course ...5 days ago
- Fully open border and immigration changes speed up economic growthBorder fully open two months early from 11:59pm 31 July Significantly simplified immigration processes that provide faster processing for businesses New Green List that includes over 85 hard to fill roles created to attract and retain high-skilled workers to fill skill shortages Green List will provide streamlined and prioritised ...5 days ago
- Government partners with Toitū Tairāwhiti to deliver up to 150 new homes for whānauUp to 150 new homes will be built for whānau who need them most thanks to a new partnership between the Government and Toitū Tairāwhiti, Minister of Housing Hon Dr Megan Woods and Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare have announced. Minister Henare and Toitū Tairāwhiti gathered in ...5 days ago
- New sanctions target disinformation and malicious cyber actorsAs part of the Government’s ongoing response to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced new sanctions targeting disinformation and those responsible for cyber attacks on Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand continues to unequivocally condemn Russia’s unjustified and illegal attack on Ukraine,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “President Putin’s propaganda machine is in ...6 days ago
- Government bolsters protection for whistleblowersSignificant improvements are being made in New Zealand workplaces to better protect whistleblowers, Minister for the Public Service Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 replaces the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. It is more people-focused and will make the rules easier to access, understand, and ...6 days ago
- New High Commissioner to Solomon Islands announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Jonathan Schwass as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Solomon Islands. “Aotearoa New Zealand and Solomon Islands have a long history of close engagement as Pacific whānau,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Our partnership is founded on cooperation in areas such as ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022: Investing to eliminate violence in our homes and communitiesBudget 2022 delivers $114.5 million over four years to prevent and respond to family violence and sexual violence across Aotearoa Investment includes a $38.1 million boost for community-led integrated responses $37.6 million to prevent violence by strengthening existing initiatives in Māori and Pacific communities and for Aotearoa as a ...6 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week 2022 recognises ‘essential’ workersThis week (9 – 15 May 2022) is New Zealand Sign Language Week (NZSL), a nationwide celebration of NZSL as an official language of New Zealand. “This year’s theme ‘New Zealand Sign Language is essential’ recognises the prominence and importance of our third official language, and draws a spotlight on ...7 days ago
- Government’s Wage Subsidies support people in nearly half of NZ jobsThe Government’s swift action to secure our economic recovery in the midst of a pandemic has seen 47 per cent of jobs in New Zealand protected by at least one of the 2021 wage subsidies, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said. The Ministry of Social Development’s new ...7 days ago
- Budget 2022 supports 38,000 apprentices to accelerate recoveryApprenticeship Boost extended to the end of 2023, supporting 38,000 apprentices Support for 1600 Mana in Mahi places to help people into work Funding to continue the Māori Trades and Training Fund, building on the 17 established partnerships that are supporting more than 800 people The Government is extending ...1 week ago
- Aotearoa sets course to net-zero with first three emissions budgetsClimate Change Minister James Shaw today announced New Zealand’s first three emissions budgets, another milestone on of the journey toward a zero-carbon future. “Today’s announcement means our net-zero future is closer than ever before. There’s much more to do, but having these binding budgets in place is a critical part ...1 week ago
- Building a low-carbon futureTēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi o te ata. Good morning. Thank you, Stephen, for that kind introduction. And thank you, again, to ASB for hosting us today. *** I grew up in a big, old Victorian ‘character home’ in Aro Valley. Like so many here in ...1 week ago
- Safety front of mind as new cycleway opensAs Road Safety Week officially commences, Auckland’s busiest cycling route has just received a $14.4 million upgrade, paving the way to get more Aucklanders out of their cars and onto their bikes. The new Tamaki Drive cycleway was opened today by Minister of Transport, Michael Wood following an official dawn ...1 week ago
- Budget 2022: More police to target gangsDelivers largest Police force ever and continues investment in frontline Police after the goal of an additional 1800 Police will be achieved by the end of this year - six months ahead of schedule Extra funding set aside to grow Police to match population growth. This will ensure there ...1 week ago
- Rotuman’s strongly support their language revival in AotearoaVetḁkia ‘os Fäega ma Ag fak hanua - Sustaining our Language and Culture is showcased in this year’s Rotuman Language Week – the first of nine Pacific Language Weeks, said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “With just 2,000 Rotuman speakers on the islands of Rotuma, nurturing the growing ...1 week ago
- Funding for Pacific Stop Smoking Services to support Smokefree 2025 goalPacific communities can expect more support to go smokefree as Associate Ministers of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall and Aupito William Sio launched one of the new Pacific stop smoking services at K’aute Pasifika Trust in Hamilton today. The Smokefree Pacific Advisory Group, chaired by Associate Professor Dr Collin Tukuitonga, was ...1 week ago
- Ukraine’s Eurovision win shows us that despite arguments to the contrary, the contest has always b...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jess Carniel, Senior Lecturer in Humanities, University of Southern Queensland The 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Turin, Italy on Saturday night. The extravaganza didn’t disappoint in delivering our annual dose of ballads, bops and politics. The answer ...43 mins ago - Celebrity chef and a chemical company boss – investors choked on the headline outrage during media...
Following up on a daily flow of news about some corporate how’s-your-father that brought the heads of the DGL Group and My Food Bag into a series of articles last week, Point of Order initially was led astray by information on the NZX website. The company which the NZX records ...49 mins ago - Australia is bringing migrant workers back – but exploitation is still rampant. Here are 3 changes...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock If the COVID years have taught us anything about migration, it is that Australia depends on it. About 7% of our workforce holds a temporary visa. When many international students, backpackers ...58 mins ago
- Urgent Next Step: Put The ERP Into Action
Forest & Bird welcomes the launch of New Zealand's first Emissions Reduction Plan, which recognises that nature needs to be at the heart of our climate change response. "Forest & Bird is heartened the ERP's principles state working ...1 hour ago - MTA To Government: Extend Clean Car Upgrade To All...2 hours ago
- Gas – A Fuel In TransitionGas NZ welcomes the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan, which paves the way for renewable gases. Gas NZ Chief Executive, Janet Carson says gas is a fuel in transition and through collective action gas will play a role in meeting New Zealand’s pledge ...2 hours ago
- Consultation Opens On Guidelines For Assessment Of ‘Fit And Proper’ Requirements For Real Estate...The Real Estate Authority (REA) today launched its public consultation on draft guidelines setting out how the conduct regulator assesses whether an applicant for a real estate licence is a ‘fit and proper’ person, under section 36 of the Real ...2 hours ago
- Cheaper Public Transport Fares Key To Driving Down Emissions – LGNZLGNZ is calling for more investment in initiatives that promote behaviour change, as the first Emission Reduction Plan is unveiled today. “The Government will have missed a trick if it doesn’t continue its public transport subsidy,” says LGNZ ...2 hours ago
- Government Plan To Slash Emissions ‘As Damp As A Wellington Flatshare’ Says Green Building Counc...The government hasn’t gone far enough to tackle the carbon pollution from homes and buildings in today’s emissions reduction plan says the Green Building Council. The built environment makes up 20 per cent of New Zealand’s carbon footprint , ...2 hours ago
- Mayor Goff Welcomes Government Climate Plan, Says Auckland Has Significant Role To Play In Emissions...Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has welcomed the government’s first Emissions Reduction Plan, which he says strongly supports the programme of work planned for Auckland under the council’s proposed Climate Action Targeted Rate (CATR). “I welcome ...2 hours ago
- Emissions Reduction Plan Fails By Omission Of Dairy PollutionGreenpeace has dubbed the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan an 'Omissions Ridiculous Plan’, for its failure to address New Zealand’s biggest climate polluter - the dairy industry. Lead agriculture campaigner Christine Rose says, "Intensive ...2 hours ago
- More Detail Needed On Freight Emissions Reduction TargetNational Road Carriers is seeking more detail of the Government’s plans to cut freight emissions by 35 percent by 2035 by using low emissions trucks to transport food and other products. The Government’s Emission Reduction Plan for transport ...2 hours ago
- The Uluru Statement must be core to promises made by all parties in the lead-up to the federal elect...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janine Mohamed, Distinguished Fellow and CEO, The Lowitja Institute The Close the Gap 2022 report calls on governments to make “large-scale systemic reforms to truly empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.” This is a call to recognise and support self-determination and ...3 hours ago
- Considering an IUD but worried about pain during insertion? Here’s what to expectSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Bateson, Clinical Associate Professor, Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology, University of Sydney Shutterstock Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are small T-shaped plastic devices containing either copper or a low dose of progestogen hormone. Lasting five to ten years, they provide ...3 hours ago
- Feds Pleased To See Emissions Tech Talk Backed With InvestmentFederated Farmers is pleased the government has recognised solutions to agricultural emissions lie in new technologies and tools, and is stepping up investment on that front. "Nitrate and methane inhibitors, gene editing, animals bred for their ...3 hours ago
- Free Fares Campaign Disappointed With Emissions Reduction PlanThe Free Fares Campaign is disappointed in the lack of mention of public transport fares in the Emissions Reduction Plan, released today by the Government. While the plan has some good wins, such as decarbonizing the public transport fleet and increased ...3 hours ago
- Refugee Advisory Panel Applications Now OpenSkilled and experienced former refugees are being asked to help support government decision-makers and policy developers on matters impacting refugees in New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand (INZ), Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table ( R-SEAT ...4 hours ago
- Don’t Forget Role Of Housing In Emissions Reduction PlanToday’s release of the Government’s Emission Reduction Plan highlights that all industries need to play a role in driving sustainable outcomes for New Zealand, says Property Council New Zealand chief executive Leonie Freeman. “We congratulate ...4 hours ago
- The cost of living crisis means bolder budget decisions are needed to lift more NZ children out of p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate C. Prickett, Director of the Roy McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families and Children, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Urgent and bold – transformative even – budget decisions are needed if we are ...4 hours ago
- Emissions Plan Will Impose Unjustifiable Costs – Energy Resources AotearoaNew Zealand’s energy sector is committed to climate action and working constructively with the Government to help it achieve net zero emissions by 2050, but disagrees with the approach outlined in the Emissions Reduction Plan says John Carnegie, Chief ...4 hours ago
- First Emissions Reduction Plan spends $2.9b from Emergency Response Fund
Low-income families who scrap their old car will get funding to buy a low-emitting vehicle in a $569 million scheme, one of the big-ticket items in the government's first Emissions Reductions Plan. ...4 hours ago - Shaw Exploits Climate Confusion To Justify Corporate And Middle Class WelfareJames Shaw is exploiting the commentariat’s failure to understand the Emissions Trading Scheme in order to justify costly middle class welfare and handouts for big business, says Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. On cash for clunkers: ...4 hours ago
- Emissions Reduction Plan Must Result In ActionThe Emissions Reduction Plan needs to drive action on climate change in Aotearoa New Zealand, He Pou a Rangi Chair Rod Carr says. "Aotearoa New Zealand needs to be moving towards a low emissions and climate resilient future." "The ...5 hours ago
- Buzz from the Beehive: taxpayers to stump up $20m to boost growth of the IT industry (which already ...David Farrar, at Kiwiblog, usefully kicked off our coverage of news from the Beehive this week with a post headed Good summary from Joyce. He was sharing the opinions of Steven Joyce, a former minister of Transport and of Communications and Information Technology, who has written: There were more datapoints ...5 hours ago
- Following Decision To Ban Manifesto The Buffalo Mass Shooting Livestream Is Now BannedThe livestream video of yesterday’s mass shooting in the United States has now been banned, Acting Chief Censor Rupert Ablett-Hampson announced this morning. The decision follows on from his decision yesterday to call in and ban the ‘manifesto’ ...6 hours ago
- NZ On Air Need To Front To Explain $220,000 Of Taxpayer Money For A Hagiography Film About Chlöe Sw...The Taxpayers’ Union is demanding answers after NZ on Air went to ground and is refusing to front up and explain why it thinks $220,000 of taxpayer money for a film celebrating a sitting MP is acceptable. The Taxpayers’ Union broke the news about ...6 hours ago
- National Population Estimates: At 31 March 2022National population estimates give the best measure between census dates of the population that usually lives in an area, by age and sex, for the total New Zealand area. Key facts At 31 March 2022: New Zealand’s estimated resident population was ...6 hours ago
- Creating A Healthy And Sustainable Future For Tāmaki MakaurauA ground-breaking study, which aims to benchmark and monitor urban planning policies that promote health and sustainability in cities around the globe, shows that Auckland is currently behind the curve. ----------------------- New research – published ...7 hours ago
- Budget Must Deliver For A GP Workforce In CrisisFunding to train more general practitioners is desperately needed in this year’s Budget. Why? Because our GP workforce is in crisis, says Pam Newlove, Partner at Grant Thornton New Zealand. Read Pam’s full article here . Newlove says, “Our ...7 hours ago
- Pay equity not part of current health workers' pay dispute, Minister saysPay equity issues and a wage deal have got mixed together in the health workers' dispute and need to be separated, Megan Woods says. ...7 hours ago
- Humans have big plans for mining in space – but there are many things holding us backSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Dello-Iacovo, Casual academic, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock Like Earth, planetary bodies such as the Moon, Mars, asteroids and comets contain substantial deposits of valuable resources. This has caught the attention of both researchers and industry, with hopes of one day ...9 hours ago
- If the polls are right, he may soon be the next Australian prime minister. So who is Anthony Albanes...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Professor of Politics, Monash University AAP/Lukas Coch Today we are running two longer articles looking at the men who are vying to be the next Australian prime minister. You can read Michelle Grattan’s profile of Scott Morrison here. ...9 hours ago
- ‘His beating heart is a focus group’: what makes Scott Morrison tick?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra AAP/Mick Tsikas Today we are running two longer articles looking at the men who are vying to be the next Australian prime minister. You can read Paul Strangio’s profile of Anthony Albanese here. ...9 hours ago
- Australia risks relying on Pfizer and Moderna for its COVID vaccines. 3 ways to break freeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Hensher, Henry Baldwin Professorial Research Fellow in Health System Sustainability, University of Tasmania Shutterstock The rapid development and deployment of COVID vaccines has been one of the greatest achievements of the pandemic. However, Australia risks relying on COVID vaccines ...9 hours ago
- No, Mr Morrison. Minority government need not create ‘chaos’ – it might finally drag Australia...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania Labor might be leading in the national polls, but a hung parliament after the May 21 election remains a distinct possibility. So-called “teal” independents, whose blue conservatism is tinged with ...9 hours ago
- Labor’s pledge to properly pay women and care workers is a start, but it won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Charlesworth, Professor, School of Management, RMIT University Aged-care workers are notoriously underpaid for the level of skill, responsibility, and judgement they exercise. Even employers acknowledge it. The aged care royal commission found low wages, poor conditions, lack of training and poor ...9 hours ago
- New online tools helped stop Buffalo shooting from going 'viral'The head of the Christchurch Call says the global initiative has made it harder for people to weaponise the internet. ...10 hours ago
- Emissions Reduction Plan: Govt to outline how it will meet climate goalsLabour and National have committed to the first three budgets, which cap the amount of greenhouse gas New Zealand can emit over the next 15 years. ...11 hours ago
- Open letter to Nanaia Mahuta: Do the right thing over Palestine protestThe world reacts over the assassination of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the desecration of her funeral by Israeli security forces. Video: Al Jazeera OPEN LETTER to the Foreign Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand, Nanaia Mahuta: Kia ora Nanaia, We have been informed that the Wellington City Council has ...18 hours ago
- Gallery: Nakba Day in Auckland – protesting against Israel’s ‘ethnic cleansing’Asia Pacific Report newsdesk Today is Nakba Day — this is the day marking the ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and off their land by Israeli militias in 1948. For 74 years Israel has refused to allow them to return to their homes and land in ...18 hours ago
- View from The Hill: Scott Morrison tells Liberal launch ‘I’m just warming up’, as he pitches o...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When he mounted the stage as a warm-up speaker at Sunday’s Liberal launch, Josh Frydenberg received a reception beyond the obligatory enthusiasm required of the handpicked party faithful at these affairs. “Wow – I ...19 hours ago
- Fire Rescue Mandates Should Be ScrappedFire service commanders should immediately scrap the mandates for fire service personnel, before more are sent off the job. Keeping those mandates in place poses more risk to the public from having insufficient resources to attend fires and motor vehicle ...24 hours ago
- $20m boost for digital technologies announcedThe government is spending an extra $20 million over four years on its plan to transform the digital technologies industry. ...1 day ago
- Oiling the democratic machineThe House sits down with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, David Wilson, whose team runs the machinery of Parliament. ...1 day ago
- The Wentworth Project: ‘Soft’ voters say Spender out-campaigning Sharma but some still weighing ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Dave Sharma/Facebook; Allegra Spender/Facebook The battles in the most high-profile teal seats have become nail-biters, not least because some “soft” voters in these previously safe Liberal heartland electorates are leaving their decisions until ...2 days ago
- RSF calls for independent probe into Al Jazeera reporter’s West Bank killingPacific Media Watch newsdesk Israel’s fatal shooting of leading Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh as she covered clashes in the West Bank city of Jenin is a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists, says the Paris-based media freedom ...2 days ago
- PM Jacinda Ardern tests positive for covid-19 – NZ cases risingNew Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that she has tested positive for covid-19. Her daughter Neve tested positive on Wednesday, she added in the post. Her partner Clarke Gayford tested positive on Sunday. “Despite best efforts, unfortunately I’ve joined the rest of my family and tested positive for ...2 days ago
- Tūkākī reveals ‘horrific abuse’ he receives over NZ’s hotspot of racismPacific Media Watch newsdesk Aotearoa New Zealand’s chair of the Māori Council, Matthew Tūkākī, has revealed the degree of “horrific abuse” he has been facing in a Today FM radio discussion about the forthcoming Tauranga byelection in the city claimed to be a hotspot of white supremacy and racism. He ...2 days ago
- Activists demand full probe into terror attack on Papuan legal aid officeAsia Pacific Report newsdesk Activists have condemned alleged terror and intimidation against Papuan human rights activists and called the police to thoroughly investigate an alleged arson attack at Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) on Monday. The Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) and Papua Humanitarian Coalition, condemned ...2 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori's racism safety concerns: 'I see it daily'The party says a string of racist incidents in the city, including a white supremacist leaflet drop, has caused them to opt out of the race altogether - and protect their mana. Some locals agree. ...2 days ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: What happened to the big “immigration reset”?Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup is entirely subscriber-funded. The ethos behind this public service is to help foster a robust and informed public debate, with a great diversity of perspectives. If you appreciate what we are doing in providing non-partisan analysis and information about politics, economy, and society, ...2 days ago
- Attention is drawn to the ethnicity of Tauranga’s MPs (Maori) for more than three decades …We are grateful to David Farrar for drawing attention to something we overlooked in our report yesterday on the Maori Party’s reason(s) for not standing a candidate in the upcoming by election. On Kiwiblog today, he reports: So Tauranga is unsafe for Maori! Stuff reports: Te ...2 days ago
- The Point of Order Trough Monitor almost missed the handout of some $5 million to Māori tribes, the announcement of which was preceded by a press statement headline and 300 words of te reo. Having found the English text a few paragraphs down in the statement, we were disappointed to ...2 days ago
- Labor retains large Newspoll lead but Albanese’s ratings fall; special poll gives Labor clear Hous...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne AAP/Lukas Coch A Newspoll, conducted May 10-13 from a sample of 1,532, gave Labor a 54-46 lead, unchanged from the previous week’s Newspoll. Primary votes were 38% ...2 days ago
- Focus on Politics: Immigration angst pervades border reopeningPodcast - The government has finally unveiled its new vision for immigration, but as Political Reporter Anneke Smith finds, it's already accused of unfairness and poor implementation. ...2 days ago
- Below the Line: What might happen to the major party that loses the election? – podcastSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Clark, Deputy Engagement Editor, The Conversation An existential moment for the Liberal party? Another female leader for Labor? In this episode of our election podcast Below the Line, our expert panel talk us through what might happen to the ...3 days ago
- ‘I can’t think of a more timely painting’: Blak Douglas’s Moby Dickens is a deserving winner...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Principal Fellow (Hon), Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne Winner Archibald Prize 2022, Blak Douglas Moby Dickens, synthetic polymer paint on linen, 300 x 200 ...3 days ago
- Driver in deputy PM’s fatal accident in hospital, PNG police call for calmBy Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby On the eve of Papua New Guinea heading into its 2022 national general elections, the bearer of one of the highest offices in the country has tragically died. Deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil died in a head-on vehicle collision along the Bulolo Highway in ...3 days ago
- Vanuatu president warns against ‘dictatorship’ if Justice Ministry is abolishedRNZ Pacific Vanuatu’s outgoing president, Obed Moses Tallis, has urged the government not to abolish the Ministry of Justice, warning against a “dictatorial system”. His opening speech to Parliament’s first “ordinary” session of 2022 is his final duty of his mandate which will end in July. “In my observation during ...3 days ago
- John Minto: NZ government and media must own up to their silence over Shireen Abu AklehCOMMENTARY: By John Minto The absolute impunity which the Aotearoa New Zealand government has given to Israel’s racist apartheid regime over many decades and the cowering of the Aotearoa New Zealand media in the face of threats of false smears of anti-semitism from the racist pro-Israel lobby are key factors ...3 days ago
- PNG police order crackdown on illegal firearms as deadline loomsBy Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea’s policemen and women around the country have been ordered to arrest and charge anyone in possession of illegal firearms — which carries life imprisonment under the amended law — from the May 19 deadline. Police Commissioner David Manning, who is also ...3 days ago
- Protester critically injured by rubber bullet, 7 arrested in protest over West Papua carve upAsia Pacific Report newsdesk Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) director Emanuel Gobay says a participant of a demonstration in Jayapura opposing the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua is in a critical condition after being shot by a rubber bullet allegedly fired by a police officer. Earlier, police ...3 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori: Unsafe To Stand Candidates In Tauranga By-Election.Te Pāti Maori has made the decision not to stand any candidates in the upcoming Tauranga bi-election. "Whilst this By-election could be an opportunity for Te Pāti Māori to advance our cause for a more just, equitable, equal, Tiriti Centric ...3 days ago
- Experts Highlight Need To Urgently Ban Seabed Mining In NZOceans advocates from across Aotearoa today called on the New Zealand Government to urgently ban seabed mining. Via this live webina r, experts and community representatives voiced huge concerns over the threat of seabed mining in New Zealand and frustration ...3 days ago
- Morrison confesses to being a ‘bulldozer’, suggests he’ll change ‘gears’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra AAP/Mick Tsikas Scott Morrison has acknowledged his style has alienated people, describing himself as “a bit of a bulldozer” and suggesting Australians would see a change of “gears” if he is re-elected. ...3 days ago
- Hamilton Keeps Options Open On Government’s ReformHamilton City Council is keeping its options open to get the best outcomes for the city as Government’s Three Waters reform develops. Council yesterday voted to keep working to influence the shape of the reform programme and ensure services to residents ...3 days ago
- Youth development services gets $15m boost over four yearsYouth development services and research to build data on marginalised young people is set for a $3.7 million-a-year boost in this year's Budget. ...3 days ago
- Head Morrison confesses to being a ‘bulldozer’, suggests he’ll change ‘gears’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra AAP/Mick Tsikas Scott Morrison has acknowledged his style has alienated people, describing himself as “a bit of a bulldozer” and suggesting Australians would see a change of “gears” if he is re-elected. ...3 days ago
- Keith Rankin Essay – Liberal Democracy in the new neonationalist era: The Three ‘O’sAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin. Modern ‘western’ governments are known as ‘liberal democracies’. While each political party in a liberal democracy has a ‘policy agenda’ which it would like to implement, only single-party governments have a realistic opportunity to fully implement their agenda; and they typically need multiple terms ...3 days ago
- Gambling and homelessness in older age: hidden and overlooked, but preventableSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brian Vandenberg, Research Fellow, Monash University Erik Mclea/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Gambling and homelessness are clearly linked. Australians over 50 are particularly vulnerable. They have high rates of regular gambling, and are the fastest-growing age group of Australians experiencing homelessness. ...3 days ago
- VIDEO: The penultimate week: all about wages, debates and DevesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and Associate Professor Chris Wallace look at how the election battle stands as we enter the final campaign week. They canvass the ever-present Katherine Deves, after Scott ...3 days ago
- We all lose when charities compete with each other. They should join forcesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Waller, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock You want to help Ukrainians in need. Should you donate to UNICEF, UNHCR, Red Cross, World Vision, Caritas, Save the Children or some other charitable organisation? There are so many ...3 days ago
- Māori Party by-passes by-election in Tauranga (where it won 0.35% of the 2020 party vote) but score...The Māori Party could be sure it would generate emotive headlines when it announced it won’t stand a candidate at the Tauranga by-election “on the basis of a safety issue”. It claimed the party’s co-leaders have received threats and hate speech from residents there. Stuff ran the news under the ...3 days ago
- Maori Party Is ‘The Pot Calling The Kettle White’“The Māori Party announcing that they are not standing in the Tauranga by-election because it is a ‘safety issue’ due to ‘racism’ is a ridiculous insult to the voters and just plain wrong,” says Rt Hon Winston Peters Leader of New Zealand ...3 days ago
- Could we learn to love slugs and snails in our gardens?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bethaney Turner, Associate Professor, Centre for Creative and Cultural Research, Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra Shutterstock Before you squash or poison the next slug or snail you see in your garden, consider this: The British Royal Horticultural ...3 days ago
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