Brooke van Velden
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Repaired RSS feed highlights minister’s failing portfolios
Written By: - Date published: 4:03 pm, February 24th, 2025 - 1 comment
Last week, I pointed out that Internal Affairs under Act Minister Brooke van Velden, had managed to lose RSS communications from the Beehive to the world. It’d been offline for about three weeks at that point. That was just sloppy and incompetent for the DIA who amongst other things are responsible for overseeing government technology services.
Let me nitpick on the government RSS feeds
Written By: - Date published: 1:52 pm, February 18th, 2025 - 10 comments
Earlier today I sent a missive off to point out a little flaw in a new and updated Beehive page. Like all things from this current government, it was long on flashiness and extremely light on the functional details. It also doesn’t appear to have been picked up that for 3 weeks that the government’s messaging was self-limited. Pretty typical of this sloppy and incompetent government.
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- Release: Labour calls for end to police referrals to Destiny programmes
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...3 weeks ago
- Good Riddance: Prebble Resigns from Waitangi Tribunal
Te Pāti Māori welcomes the resignation of Richard Prebble from the Waitangi Tribunal. His appointment in October 2024 was a disgrace- another example of this government undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi by appointing a former ACT leader who has spent his career attacking Māori rights. “Regardless of the reason for ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to condemn Israel’s aid blockade
The National Government needs to publicly condemn Israel’s cutting off of aid supplies to the war-ravaged people of Gaza. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Mark Mitchell missing in action
Police Minister Mark Mitchell is avoiding accountability by refusing to answer key questions in the House as his Government faces criticism over their dangerous citizen’s arrest policy, firearm reform, and broken promises to recruit more police. ...3 weeks ago
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- Going backwards for growth
The proposal to remove the living wage requirement from public sector procurement rules turns back the clock on a progressive step towards valuing essential workers, argues Lyndy McIntyre. On April 1, workers on the minimum wage will get their annual pay rise, with their hourly rate moving from $23.15 to ...2 hours ago - Seafood and snorkelling over several days in Samoa
Lyric Waiwiri-Smith recalls a serene week eating raw fish and swimming in Samoa. In June 2023, I travelled from Tāmaki Makaurau to Samoa with my (now) ex-boyfriend’s family (love (most of) you guys). We spent a beautiful nearly two weeks with sand stuck to our skin and salt water dripping ...2 hours ago
- Oranga Tamariki still to fix systems that led to ‘grievous’ breaches
Oranga Tamariki still has a "considerable amount" of work to do to improve privacy practices, the Privacy Commissioner says. ...3 hours ago - Labour’s rising star Tangi Utikere on being a Pasifika politician from Palmy
The Labour Party’s Tangi Utikere is Palmerston North’s biggest champion and an MP on the come-up. There’s an ancient adage familiar to Palmerstonians (as in, people from Palmerston North), uttered by a British explorer after a voyage through the land of the long white cloud: “if you wish to kill ...4 hours ago
- Warehouse Group result symptomatic of a retailer that’s lost its way
There is plenty for Warehouse Group shareholders to be concerned about it its latest earnings result The post Warehouse Group result symptomatic of a retailer that’s lost its way appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago - ‘Better than nothing’: clinicians and hospital heads accept lower standards of care outside metr...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olivia Fisher, Senior Research Fellow, Applied Implementation Science, Charles Darwin University Seven million Australians live in rural and remote areas and many struggle to access the same quality of health care as those in metropolitan areas. More than 18,000 Australians have no ...4 hours ago - Adelaide Hills water crisis: a local problem is a global wake-up call
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Holland, Principal Research Scientist, Water Security, CSIRO A dry farm dam in Montacute, Adelaide Hills, March 2025. Ilan Sagi. The Adelaide Hills are experiencing severe water shortages. The root cause? A prolonged dry period and not enough water tankers to ...4 hours ago
- Trouble at Tesla and protests against Trump’s tariffs suggest consumer boycotts are starting to bi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin O’Brien, Associate Professor, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University Getty Images When the United States starts a trade war with your country, how do you fight back? For individuals, one option is to wage a personal trade war ...4 hours ago
- This week’s federal budget will focus on cost-of-living measures – and a more uncertain global e...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers will bring down the federal budget on Tuesday. It’s likely most of the major spending initiatives have already been announced. An extra A$8.5 billion in ...4 hours ago
- I was a music AI sceptic – until I actually used it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexis Weaver, Associate Lecturer in Music Technology, University of Sydney Shutterstock With artificial intelligence programs that can now generate entire songs on demand, you’d be forgiven for thinking AI might eventually lead to the decline of human-made music. But AI can ...4 hours ago
- Should Australia increase its defence spending? We asked 5 experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Bergman, International Affairs Editor Both Labor and the Coalition are considering an increase to defence spending ahead of the federal election. Defence spending is currently at about 2% of gross domestic product (GDP), or around A$56 billion per year. The Coalition ...4 hours ago
- Despite some key milestones since 2000, Australia still has a long way to go on gender equality
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janeen Baxter, Director, ARC Life Course Centre and ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellow, The University of Queensland Australia has a gender problem. Despite social, economic and political reform aimed at improving opportunities for women, gender gaps are increasing and Australia is falling ...4 hours ago
- CPAG Calls On Ministers To Reverse Lunch Cuts With Budget Bid
Based on the 2023 and 2024 Budget Summary of Initiatives, CPAG refers to estimates of the cost of restoring school lunches to their 2024 standard, between $107-115 extra a year. ...4 hours ago - No love lost as Winston Peters and Chris Hipkins trade barbs
Peter's State of the Nation mentioned Labour 30 times and accused the last government of a "litany of lies". ...5 hours ago
- Winston Peters vs the world
In a speech that channelled Trump-style rhetoric but stuck to old Peters themes, the NZ First leader mixed nationalism, culture war grievances and economic blame, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. An ‘outright litany’ of grievances Winston ...5 hours ago
- Will the $2.7b cost of tertiary courses be enough?
The government is spending $2.7 billion on tertiary courses this year, but there are early signs it will not be enough to cover all the enrolments. ...6 hours ago
- Anne Salmond: The Emperor’s clothes
If you want to understand where this coalition Government is coming from, with its disdain for impoverished families and hungry children, Freddy the Frog, Te Tiriti, democratic conventions and other Kiwi decencies, George Monbiot’s The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism is illuminating.The book is short and vividly written, ...7 hours ago
- Alice in world No 1 land: Kiwi slalom skier’s big week
Alice Robinson is slightly disoriented. It can’t be blamed on altitude, or the weight of the World Cup medals she’s hauled in this season.When LockerRoom caught up with the Kiwi giant slalom star by video call last week, she had to think for a moment where in the world she ...7 hours ago
- Protest against overnight healthcare cuts: ‘It’s just wrong’
Hundreds of people took to Napier's streets in protest on Sunday, campaigning against cuts to the city's after-hours health services. ...7 hours ago
- No love lost as Peters and Hipkins trade barbs
Former Cabinet colleagues Winston Peters and Chris Hipkins have traded blows, after the NZ First leader accused Labour of abandoning workers, and blaming it for the recession the current government has to deal with. ...7 hours ago
- Gloriavale on Waitangi Day
Every Waitangi Day, the choir used to go and sing at the Grey District Waitangi Day Picnic at Dixon Park in Greymouth. It was always a huge event. We’d stay up all night to make thousands of iced buns, which would then be handed out to people at the picnic.I ...7 hours ago
- Luxon’s wins and compromises in India
Analysis: Christopher Luxon’s India visit proves mature relationships require compromise to achieve mutual benefits The post Luxon’s wins and compromises in India appeared first on Newsroom. ...7 hours ago
- In Delhi and D.C., Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters in their elements
Taking the train with Winston Peters and watching Christopher Luxon play cricket: what it's like traveling with a foreign trade delegation ...7 hours ago
- Windbag: Why is it so hard to pedestrianise upper Cuba Street?
Urbanists who want their city to have more people-friendly streets need to face up to the biggest barrier to their goal: everything takes too damn long. This coming weekend, the annual CubaDupa festival will be held on and around Cuba Street. Some 80,000 people will descend on the central precinct ...8 hours ago
- The Trump lads are abundant in New Zealand
New polling shows a global trend is very much alive here, too. Donald Trump’s historic return to the presidency was powered by one demographic more than any: support from young men – white young men, especially. One of the most remarkable realities within that trend is the gap that has ...8 hours ago
- What the Royal Commission really said about the Covid response
Special report: Five years on from the first lockdown, Newsroom reads the entire 713-page Royal Commission into the Covid-19 response and examines the findings The post What the Royal Commission really said about the Covid response appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Monday 24 March
The post Daily crossword, Monday 24 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 25 March
The post Daily crossword, Tuesday 25 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Homecoming a comedown for the coalition
It was a tough landing back in New Zealand for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who have returned home high on successful trips to India and the US, respectively.But Kiwis have given the National-led coalition a rating of 4.2 out of 10 in the latest Ipsos ...8 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 24 March
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 24 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Climate risk reporting could stop investors from walking
Accountancy industry expert says failing to provide financial analysis of climate-related risks can lead investors to make incorrect assumptions The post Climate risk reporting could stop investors from walking appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- Auckland was once a food garden managed by Māori. That knowledge could shape the future.
Comment: Māori once grew enough fruit and vegetables to feed Auckland, yet these days many struggle to afford healthy food.Today, Māori and Pacific people experience more food insecurity than other ethnicities in Aotearoa, because they are likely to have less income. The places they live are often food deserts – ...8 hours ago
- The left must leave the past behind
Comment: Models that look to reinstate practices from last century relate to a past that has gone The post The left must leave the past behind appeared first on Newsroom. ...8 hours ago
- View from The Hill: 5 things to look for in the budget – and why we really need another budget soo...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jim Chalmers likes to boast, or marvel, that he is the first treasurer since Ben Chifley to deliver four budgets in a term. If Labor wins the May election, the treasurer will reckon the ...15 hours ago
- Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier criticises Health NZ Te Whatu Ora OIA policy
Outgoing Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has reprimanded Health NZ and called the fines for Official Information Act breaches "laughable". ...18 hours ago
- The State of Winston Peters
Comment: It’s going to be a big few weeks for the Rt Hon Winston Raymond Peters.Fresh off the plane from Washington DC and a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he delivered his New Zealand First party’s state of the nation speech in Christchurch on Sunday.By week’s end, Peters ...21 hours ago
- Watch: Winston Peters’ State of the Nation speech
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been repeatedly heckled while delivering a State of the Nation speech in Christchurch. ...21 hours ago
- Watch live: Winston Peters’ State of the Nation speech
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been repeatedly heckled while delivering a State of the Nation speech in Christchurch. ...22 hours ago
- The House: Climate change adaptation – Parliament asks the small questions
Parliament's recent inquiry and debate on climate change adaptation asked small questions, looked short-term and inched towards reactive solutions. ...1 day ago
- An Ode to .. Lord Breen of Seymour
No news is good newsLord Breen of Seymour was taking the watersAt the Head in the Clouds Health Spa.A figure walked up the long, winding stepsTo his mountain top resort.It was the Court Surgeon.“What’s up, Sawbones?,” chuckled Lord Breen.“Why didn’t you fly up in the Royal Balloon?”“Lo,” said the Court ...1 day ago
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