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Child abuse and poverty – still with us

Written By: - Date published: 11:32 am, November 28th, 2016 - 33 comments
Categories: child abuse, child welfare, national, paula bennett, poverty - Tags: , , ,

As topics like Trump and the quakes take the limelight, the slow tragedies unfolding in NZ carry on in the background. In the Herald this morning:

Our kids at risk: Lost security puts children at risk in Flaxmere

NZ has the fourth-highest rate of child deaths from assault in the OECD. Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes of that bad child abuse record.
…
Treasury data shows that 570 (39 per cent) of Flaxmere’s 1473 preschoolers are “at risk” of poor outcomes later in life based on four risk indicators: mothers with no qualifications, parents on benefits, parents with criminal records, and official findings of abuse or neglect. The NZ average for preschoolers at risk is 15 per cent.

New Zealand children overall face higher risks of dying from assault before age 15 than children in any other OECD country except Estonia, the United States and Mexico. Latest World Health Organisation data shows eight Kiwi children killed by assault in 2011, a death rate seven times Australia’s for every 100,000 children. …

It’s a long and interesting read, lots of real stories. Stay tuned for the two follow up pieces on other communities.

Last week on One News:

‘It’s an embarrassment’ there are so many vulnerable children in NZ, says Sir Graham Henry as Plunket gala aims to raise $500k

Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry says it’s an embarrassment that a great country like New Zealand has 300,000 young people who are vulnerable.
…
The 2015 Child Poverty Monitor found that around 300,000 under-18-year-olds are living in poverty and Sir Graham told Seven Sharp he’s a proud New Zealander but that statistic is an embarrassment.

“I think the Government’s refocusing in this area, as you probably know. They need to. It’s our embarrassment. This country is a great country,” he said. …

Rather difficult for them to “refocus” on this area without even an official measure of poverty I would have thought.

33 comments on “Child abuse and poverty – still with us ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Rosemary McDonald 1
    28 November 2016 at 12:27 pm

    Gosh!

    Paula Bennett’s an embarrassment.

  2. Sorrwerdna 2
    28 November 2016 at 12:34 pm

    rather than abuse and criticism from the left how about some suggestions and answers what the great left would do if they ever get into power

    • Rosemary McDonald 2.2
      28 November 2016 at 12:58 pm

      Oh, I don’t know….perhaps increase the tax on alcohol and impose some kind of harm mitigation levy on the massive booze industry? This would piss off the booze barons…but what the heck.

      Fund extensive anti getting pissed messaging…perhaps even stating that using any mind altering recreational chemical when responsible for children is socially unacceptable….similar to the anti smoking message.

      Fund addiction services….REAL addiction services. Funding can be sourced from the Harm Mitigation Levy that will be imposed on the booze barons…

      Give real support to the initiatives from communities such as those in the article by Simon Collins. Grassroots, interventional programs.

      Hopefully, a left leaning government would refuse to have it’s duty to the less well heeled compromised by it’s commitment to it’s supporters.

      • Psycho Milt 2.2.1
        28 November 2016 at 4:14 pm

        The government already imposes taxes on the liquor industry and funds extensive wowser messaging. The kind of people who file producing children under “shit happens” and unsurprisingly go on to neglect and abuse them are impervious to such messaging.

        • Rosemary McDonald 2.2.1.1
          28 November 2016 at 4:22 pm

          “The government already imposes taxes on the liquor industry and funds extensive wowser messaging.”

          More taxes, levy to mitigate harm, funding for messaging that actually does encourage the reduction of substance abuse…not those stupid, facile, infantile…

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.3
      28 November 2016 at 1:19 pm

      Run the economy better, as usual.

    • ropata 2.4
      28 November 2016 at 7:34 pm

      I dunno, how about actually address the problems outlined in this post rather than laugh them off like Pullya Benefit

    • Cinny 2.5
      29 November 2016 at 7:20 am

      A cross party group to investigate and find solutions, but the government said no, they were doing their own investigation. That really pissed me off, kids come first, our stat’s and abuse rates are shocking, but still the national party said no to a cross party group on child poverty.

      What’s changed? Nadda.

      Education is so important and support. Often when one has a baby they are shipped out of the hospital asap, with their newborn. Educate parents on how to cope with a baby, that would be a great start. How about Plunket? How much support do groups like plunket get from the government?

      How about taking the booze out of the supermarket? Can’t tell me that some of the abuse is not alcohol related. Pick up some wine with the nappies and formula…

      How about some ads on tv to educate parents, dang how about a parenting tv programme? Do we even have one of those?

      Are teachers in schools and preschools taught to identify signs of abuse? So they can do something if they see it?

      Is mental health funded properly? Is post natal depression even talked about?

      Are the social pressures of life causing so much stress that parents can’t cope?

      A cross party group would be a good start.

    • Chris 2.6
      29 November 2016 at 11:07 am

      Labour promises to reverse its war-on-the-poor policies of 1999 to 2008, says it got it wrong and promises not to do it again, instead of merely repeating the line “we’re a different party now”, like it said in 1999. There’s a start.

  3. save nz 3
    28 November 2016 at 12:57 pm

    Put simply, a UBI is a pump-priming minimum income that is unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without any means test or work requirement. It eliminates the poverty traps that the poor fall into when welfare payments have many conditions and are administered by large and inflexible bureaucracies….

    “We tend to think that simply giving people money makes them lazy. Yet a wealth of scientific research proves the contrary: free money helps. It is time for a radical reform of the welfare state.”

    https://thecorrespondent.com/541/why-we-should-give-free-money-to-everyone/31639050894-e44e2c00

    • Mr Nobody 3.1
      28 November 2016 at 3:05 pm

      Save NZ as you seem to have a better understand on UB, can you explain this to me (or point me towards a resource that can)…

      As a country we’re already supporting a those who need it via the welfare system (No issue). From my understanding a UB would eliminate the welfare system and those people would still be getting supported (though I believe at a greater amount than today?), but what about the person $50k/annum or $100K/annum?

      Do their tax rates increase?

      What happens when we pay UBI and people still “need” more because they can’t survive?

      thanks in advance.

    • AB 3.2
      28 November 2016 at 3:55 pm

      @save nz
      “We tend to think that simply giving people money makes them lazy”.
      Actually we only tend to think that giving poor people money makes them lazy. Secretly, and without any justification, we believe they are really lazy anyway and that’s why they are poor.

      But we have no problem at all with well-off people getting money for nothing – unearned capital gains from rental property speculation anyone? A nice portfolio of shares that goes up in value? All good – a fair and just monetary reward for umm, err, for already having money. And getting it doesn’t make them lazy – no it drives them to ever greater and more heroic investments. Truly they are our salvation.

      Next time some authoritarian fool says they don’t like a UBI because people would get money without working for it – ask if they would prohibit all income from capital.

      • Jono 3.2.1
        28 November 2016 at 8:24 pm

        The rich are a different breed but you will never hear from the media they are lazy. But actually they are much lazier than the average poor person. They usually make there money throught the least labour intensive method posible ie the share market or a takeover. I know i might get a bit of flack for saying this…

        • save nz 3.2.1.1
          29 November 2016 at 10:30 am

          Jono, the rich and actually even the middle class don’t even have to pay taxes as they were previously because of all the legal tax avoidance. Nowadays the big money is made on paper and there seems to little taxes on it, and talk of them seems to be shut down.

          That is why I would advocate a robin hood tax on banks for each transaction and maybe some sort of transaction tax to pay for the UBI.

          That would tax those that are whizzing their money around the world and avoiding local taxation. As soon as tax avoiders try to take it away, they would have to pay some tax.

          In addition some sort of electronic tax, maybe .01% on every transaction in the country. That way they can tax consumption, something which is not being taxed properly.

          Therefore no legal hassles or accountancy battles either. Sell a house, then .01% automatically goes to the government, sell a business .01% automatically goes to the government, pay some wages or get some money out .01% automatically goes to the government.

          I can see the howls from the super rich. But the opposition need to find some way to tax them. Remember we have apparently the forth richest country in the world per capita!! We can afford to eliminate poverty and increase equality.

          At the same time other taxes could come down like PAYE or Corporation taxes.

          At present the super rich don’t earn much taxable income so the rich can get more welfare than those that actually need it!

          Those that need welfare can’t access it because of the amount of bureaucracy it requires and those giving it seem to be trying to stop people getting what they are entitled to.

          In terms of income, the UBI should be at the same levels as super is set today. Aprox $300 p/w per person net. Maybe $150 per child with a upper limit of 2 children?

          https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/deskfile/nz-superannuation-and-veterans-pension-tables/new-zealand-superannuation-and-veterans-pension-ra.html

          Not only that it would encourage parents to stay together as they are not being penalised under the current system that seems to try to break up families by paying more for single parents than those in a relationship.

      • save nz 3.2.2
        29 November 2016 at 10:01 am

        (AB did you read the article, it showed that the ‘poor’ when given the UBI got off drugs, did courses and turned their lives around!!)

        As well as being good for society UBI can also save money from all the other support services that don’t seem to be working. It costs $90,000 to put someone in jail for a year in NZ, maybe $500,000 to prosecute them -etc etc All these costs could be eliminated and more jobs created in the recreational areas

        Think about it, who in their right mind would think Pokemon would exist 10 years ago?? Nobody. It seems crazy to me, but I’m not the target market but it’s some world wide phenomena and I guess getting people out socialising and doing something is better than them drinking, committing suicide or committing crimes. (Something that seems to be increasing in NZ).

        We don’t know what the jobs of the future are yet or what is going to motivate people. But if unemployed people are too busy filling in forms at WINZ, committing crimes to survive because WINZ arbitrarily cut off their benefit or doing busywork to punish them, then they are not happy productive members of society.

        It’s not just young, unemployed people that will benefit. This is a way for a country like NZ to stop relying on other people and trade for everything and to increase our productivity and innovation. Use our people power. Not things, services or ideas.

        NZ desperately needs to find some way to improve productivity – because our low wage, banana republic economy is not working.

        What is going to happen when we have sold our last farm, our last section and our last asset (sooner than you think with Natz at the cashier in the fire sale!!)?

        • AB 3.2.2.1
          29 November 2016 at 10:15 am

          save nz
          Agree – I’m a UBI proponent.
          Apologies if my sarcasm in the post above not clearly flagged as such.

          • save nz 3.2.2.1.1
            29 November 2016 at 10:42 am

            Thanks AB (sorry sometimes hard to tell sarc from trolls) –

            The reality is that neoliberalism is not working.

            Neoliberalism is increasing the cost of living by encouraging growth by increased profits on food, housing, power and the other essentials.

            At the same time Neoliberalism is stopping people’s wages from rising (because that takes away company profits) so people have less income and more expenses.

            Clearly something has got to give with that and that is why all around the world people are suddenly voting to disrupt neoliberalism.

            Neoliberalism is not sustainable unless people get more money to live off!

            I’m not keen for some sort of bloody revolution, civil war OR One word Army surveillance approach, so how about some old fashioned fairness and let everyone have a living wage with zero conditions with a UBI.

            Rather than have supper, accommodation supplement, unemployment benefit, working for families, sickness benefit, DPB, ACC etc – just have a UBI

            Neoliberalism is leading to massive loss of taxes through global tax avoidance and at the same time there is little effort on climate change .

            Government need to tax consumption and they can do that with Robin hood and transaction taxes.

            Let’s start taxing consumption not encouraging it for a sustainable approach.

  4. ropata 4
    29 November 2016 at 11:04 am

    I wish this post was permanently pinned to the top of TS. A society should be judged by how it treats its youngest and most vulnerable. On that score, we suck. Good on Alexander Gillespie for reporting this.

    NZ’s end of year report – Could try harder
    While we score high in the indices for peace and transparency, our poverty and inequality gaps have grown.

    The anchor that stops us progressing, for which we deserve a fail mark of D is that although we are close to the OECD average for poverty (as in, 50% of the median income), our poverty rates have increased since the mid 1990s when it was closer to 8% to about 11% today.

    Also, our income inequality and the gap between the rich and the poor, has grown since the mid 1980s, with a trajectory that put us in the top end of the OECD for the growing gap (but the USA and UK are still above us, but Aus is not).

    Where we are lagging is with our youth. The Global Youth Development Index of the Commonwealth Secretariat, has us at 11th out of 49 countries in this group (Aus 3rd and UK 4th).

    According to the OECD, our child poverty figure, at 14%, is slightly above the OECD average but we are in the lowest third of the OECD members, meriting a clear failure of an E grade with regards to children, in terms of adolescent suicide rate, teenage birth rate, educational deprivation and sense of belonging at school. In terms of child deaths from assault we are the fourth worst country in the OECD.

    • save nz 4.1
      29 November 2016 at 11:38 am

      It’s pretty clear to me as a parent, that the National government hates and ignores children.

      Not being economic units yet, or voters, they just don’t count.

      How the hell, they can get away with turfing out parents with newborns after 4 hours of giving birth, I don’t know. (wonder why we have enormous rates of child abuse, who knows, sarc), having plunket as a charity rather then a government run service, making single parents go out looking for work when their child is 1 or whatever the new rules are, only 17% breastfeeding at 6 months, Ministry for vulnerable children being chosen as a name against official advice, etc etc

      You can’t ignore kids for 18 years and then suddenly look at them and say, you’re hopeless, lets import in someone better than you, (oh that’s right, that’s the neoliberal solution to not looking after your own kids as a society is importing in ready to go adults…)

      Remember there is not such thing as society…

      • Incognito 4.1.1
        29 November 2016 at 12:19 pm

        I hear what you’re saying but it is daft to say that National “hates children” because they are not economic units yet.

        The raising & upbringing of children, even conceiving, is a billion-dollar market, literally. Children are a sure way of tapping into people’s pockets through pulling heart strings if a little ‘encouragement’ is desired. People mortgage themselves silly to live in zone so that little Jasper or little Jennifer can attend the right school; parents choose up, socially, for their children first and foremost.

        As to vulnerable children, child poverty, etc., it is important to realise that National is waging a class war and is extremely well-camouflaged.

    • lprent 4.2
      29 November 2016 at 1:59 pm

      It’d be nice if that was what people wanted to debate. However it seldom is unless it is a slow news day.

      Generally editors will prefer to pin ‘hot’ topics to the top because it encourages people to read into the comments and join the debate. They also then carry on to spill over into the other posts. With google analytics we can track that behaviour happening in almost real time. Some of those hot topics relate to comments, sometimes to pageviews, sometimes to unique views, and sometimes to numbers of new readers.

      That fits the general thrust of the site. It concentrates less on the authors posting than it focuses on the commenters getting involved in writing cogent arguments. Since we also don’t want to become a stodgy echo chamber, we also allow a reasonable amount of (often boring for non-participants) cut and thrust provided it doesn’t start to overwhelm the post topics – after all we provide Open Mike and Daily Review for the personal jousting for a reason.

      However some times an editor will decide to pin a topic up for a while because they consider that it is important topic. Mostly that will happen on weekends or weekday mornings and evenings. But you have to remember that we’re not here for pontificating broadcasts, we’re here for debate.

      We do however provide a mechanism if you want to promote something. The social media buttons at the base of posts is a very powerful mechanism to push attention to a post. As importantly it allows you to editorialize ‘above’ the post rather than below the posts as a comment.

      • ropata 4.2.1
        29 November 2016 at 4:39 pm

        Understood, wasn’t really complaining about site policies, more wishful thinking really. Poverty is hardly ever a leading news item but it impacts more people and causes just as much trauma as any natural disaster.

        • lprent 4.2.1.1
          29 November 2016 at 9:18 pm

          Figured that. Personally I prefer thoughtful and informative posts on things I know too little about. That is despite my own behaviour of only being to able to write when I want to rant with facts.

          But hey.. we mix and match..

  5. save nz 5
    29 November 2016 at 12:28 pm

    incognito – the Natz are after easy short term returns, kids don’t cut it. It’s the parents that spend the money not the kids.

    So if anything, it is about manipulating what the parents want for their kids than any real statistics or policies on improving kids lives.

    • save nz 5.1
      29 November 2016 at 12:33 pm

      For example National standards. Have been showed everywhere not to work.

      But parents want their kids to ‘succeed’ and be better than their peers so Natz put forward National standards which make the parents feel good and something is being done, they get some bogus report rating on their kid.

      Sadly it is harming the kids and the teachers and our country eventually when these robot neoliberal babes grow up and think that is the only system out there.

    • Incognito 5.2
      29 November 2016 at 12:38 pm

      I hear you but you’re not hearing me, it seems.

      Let me try this then: parents spend money on children, this is true, but a lot of the “manipulation” actually occurs through the children (not just advertising, but also peer pressure, social networks, etc.). Many children, especially privileged ones, have their own bank accounts and do have spending power. We live in a neo-liberal Nirvana (AKA social nightmare) – children are brought up to make their own choices in life …

      PS if you do engage with others here on TS it helps a lot (!) if you use the reply button appropriately 😉

      • save nz 5.2.1
        29 November 2016 at 1:11 pm

        I’m more talking about children 0 – 12 rather than teenagers. Even then, I’m not sure how many kids have their own bank accounts with enough money to be influencing the politicians. The post is about kids in poverty.

        I think the parents are being manipulated.

        We actually agree on the main points – I agree National is waging a class war,but class is different now than it used to be.

        Class used to be about breeding, now wealth is more important to the political system.

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    Hokitika-based Westland Milk Products  has  put the heat on dairy giant Fonterra with  a $120m profit turnaround in 2022, driven by record sales. Westland paid its suppliers a 10c premium above the forecast Fonterra price per kilo, contributing $535m to the West Coast and Canterbury economies. The dairy ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • BRYCE EDWARDS’ Political Roundup:  The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship
    * Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship
    New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • A miracle pill for our transport ills
    This is a guest post by accessibility and sustainable transport advocate Tim Adriaansen It originally appeared here.   A friend calls you and asks for your help. They tell you that while out and about nearby, they slipped over and landed arms-first. Now their wrist is swollen, hurting like ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • The Surprising Power of Floating Wind Turbines
    Floating offshore wind turbines offer incredible opportunities to capture powerful winds far out at sea. By unlocking this wind energy potential, they could be a key weapon in our arsenal in the fight against climate change. But how developed are these climate fighting clean energy giants? And why do I ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • The next Maori challenge
    Over the past two or three weeks, a procession of Maori iwi and hapu in a series of little-noticed appearances before two Select Committees have been asking for more say for Maori over resource management decisions along the co-governance lines of Three Waters. Their submissions and appearances run counter ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Secret “war-crime” warrants by International Criminal Court is mischief-making
    The decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue war crimes arrest warrants for the Russian President and the Russia Children Ombudsman may have been welcomed by the ideologically committed but otherwise seems to have been greeted with widespread cynicism (see Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    4 days ago

  • How to answer Drunk Uncle Kevin's Climate Crisis reckons
    Let’s say you’re clasping your drink at a wedding, or a 40th, or a King’s Birthday Weekend family reunion and Drunk Uncle Kevin has just got going.He’s in an expansive frame of mind because we’re finally rid of that silly girl. But he wants to ask an honest question about ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • National’s Luxon may be glum about his poll ratings but has he found a winner in promising to rai...
    National Party leader Christopher Luxon may  be feeling glum about his poll ratings, but  he could be tapping  into  a rich political vein in  describing the current state of education as “alarming”. Luxon said educational achievement has been declining,  with a recent NCEA pilot exposing just how far it has ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: More Labour foot-dragging
    Yesterday the IPCC released the final part of its Sixth Assessment Report, warning us that we have very little time left in which to act to prevent catastrophic climate change, but pointing out that it is a problem that we can solve, with existing technology, and that anything we do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Te Pāti Māori Are Revolutionaries – Not Reformists.
    Way Beyond Reform: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have no more interest in remaining permanent members of “New Zealand’s” House of Representatives than did Lenin and Trotsky in remaining permanent members of Tsar Nicolas II’s “democratically-elected” Duma. Like the Bolsheviks, Te Pāti Māori is a party of revolutionaries – not reformists.THE CROWN ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • When does history become “ancient”, on Tinetti’s watch as Minister of Education – and what o...
    Buzz from the Beehive Auckland was wiped off the map, when Education Minister Jan Tinetti delivered her speech of welcome as host of the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers “here in Tāmaki Makaurau”. But – fair to say – a reference was made later in the speech to a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Climate Catastrophe, but first rugby.
    Morning mate, how you going?Well, I was watching the news last night and they announced this scientific report on Climate Change. But before they got to it they had a story about the new All Blacks coach.Sounds like important news. It’s a bit of a worry really.Yeah, they were talking ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What the US and European bank rescues mean for us
    Always a bailout: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Government would fully guarantee all savers in all smaller US banks if needed. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: No wonder an entire generation of investors are used to ‘buying the dip’ and ‘holding on for dear life’. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Who will drain Wellington’s lobbying swamp?
    Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in Guyon Espiner’s in-depth series published by RNZ. Two of Espiner’s research exposés ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • It’s Raining Congestion
    Yesterday afternoon it rained and traffic around the region ground to a halt, once again highlighting why it is so important that our city gets on with improving the alternatives to driving. For additional irony, this happened on the same day the IPCC synthesis report landed, putting the focus on ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Checking The Left: The Dreadful Logic Of Fascism.
    The Beginning: Anti-Co-Governance agitator, Julian Batchelor, addresses the Dargaville stop of his travelling roadshow across New Zealand . Fascism almost always starts small. Sadly, it doesn’t always stay that way. Especially when the Left helps it to grow.THERE IS A DREADFUL LOGIC to the growth of fascism. To begin with, it ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • Good Friends and Terrible Food
    Hi,From an incredibly rainy day in Los Angeles, I just wanted to check in. I guess this is the day Trump may or may not end up in cuffs? I’m attempting a somewhat slower, less frenzied week. I’ve had Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record on non-stop, and it’s been a ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

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

  • Carry right on up there, Corporal Espiner
    RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are we shortchanged democratically by the way ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • This smells
    RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Major issues on the table in Mahuta’s  talks in Beijing with China’s new Foreign Minister
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has left for Beijing for the first ministerial visit to China since 2019. Mahuta is  to  meet China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang  where she  might have to call on all the  diplomatic skills  at  her  command. Almost certainly she  will  face  questions  on what  role ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • Inside TOP's Teal Card and political strategy
    TL;DR: The Opportunities Party’s Leader Raf Manji is hopeful the party’s new Teal Card, a type of Gold card for under 30s, will be popular with students, and not just in his Ilam electorate where students make up more than a quarter of the voters and where Manji is confident ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Make Your Empties Go Another Round.
    When I was a kid New Zealand was actually pretty green. We didn’t really have plastic. The fruit and veges came in a cardboard box, the meat was wrapped in paper, milk came in a glass bottle, and even rubbish sacks were made of paper. Today if you sit down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how similar Vladimir Putin is to George W. Bush
    Looking back through the names of our Police Ministers down the years, the job has either been done by once or future party Bigfoots – Syd Holland, Richard Prebble, Juduth Collins, Chris Hipkins – or by far lesser lights like Keith Allen, Frank Gill, Ben Couch, Allen McCready, Clem Simich, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER:  Te Pāti Māori’s uncompromising threat to the status quo
    Chris Trotter writes – The Crown is a fickle friend. Any political movement deemed to be colourful but inconsequential is generally permitted to go about its business unmolested. The Crown’s media, RNZ and TVNZ, may even “celebrate” its existence (presumably as proof of Democracy’s broad-minded acceptance of diversity). ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Shining a bright light on lobbyists in politics
    Four out of the five people who have held the top role of Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff since 2017 have been lobbyists. That’s a fact that should worry anyone who believes vested interests shouldn’t have a place at the centre of decision making. Chris Hipkins’ newly appointed Chief of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Auckland Council Draft Budget – an unnecessary backwards step
    Feedback on Auckland Council’s draft 2023/24 budget closes on March 28th. You can read the consultation document here, and provide feedback here. Auckland Council is currently consulting on what is one of its most important ever Annual Plans – the ‘budget’ of what it will spend money on between July ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Talking’ Posey Parker Blues
    by Molten Moira from Motueka If you want to be a woman let me tell you what to do Get a piece of paper and a biro tooWrite down your new identification And boom! You’re now a woman of this nationSpelled W O M A Na real trans woman that isAs opposed ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    6 days ago

  • More Māori words make it into the OED, and polytech boss (with rules on words like “students”) ...
    Buzz from the Beehive   New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti is hosting the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers for three days from today, welcoming Education Ministers and senior officials from 18 Pacific Island countries and territories, and from Australia. Here’s hoping they have brought translators with them – or ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Social intercourse with haters and Nazis: an etiquette guide
    Let’s say you’ve come all the way from His Majesty’s United Kingdom to share with the folk of Australia and New Zealand your antipathy towards certain other human beings. And let’s say you call yourself a women’s rights activist.And let’s say 99 out of 100 people who listen to you ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Greens, Labour, and coalition enforcement
    James Shaw gave the Green party's annual "state of the planet" address over the weekend, in which he expressed frustration with Labour for not doing enough on climate change. His solution is to elect more Green MPs, so they have more power within any government arrangement, and can hold Labour ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • This sounds familiar…
    RNZ this morning has the first story another investigative series by Guyon Espiner, this time into political lobbying. The first story focuses on lobbying by government agencies, specifically transpower, Pharmac, and assorted universities, and how they use lobbyists to manipulate public opinion and gather intelligence on the Ministers who oversee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Letter to the NZ Herald: NCEA pseudoscience – “Mauri is present in all matter”
    Nick Matzke writes –   Dear NZ Herald, I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. I teach evolutionary biology, but I also have long experience in science education and (especially) political attempts to insert pseudoscience into science curricula in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • So what would be the point of a Green vote again?
    James Shaw has again said the Greens would be better ‘in the tent’ with Labour than out, despite Labour’s policy bonfire last week torching much of what the Government was doing to reduce emissions. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Green Party has never been more popular than in some ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Gas stoves pose health risks. Are gas furnaces and other appliances safe to use?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler Poor air quality is a long-standing problem in Los Angeles, where the first major outbreak of smog during World War II was so intense that some residents thought the city had been attacked by chemical weapons. Cars were eventually discovered ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Genetic Heritage and Co Governance
    Yesterday I was reading an excellent newsletter from David Slack, and I started writing a comment “Sounds like some excellent genetic heritage…” and then I stopped.There was something about the phrase genetic heritage that stopped me in tracks. Is that a phrase I want to be saying? It’s kind of ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Radical Uncertainty
    Brian Easton writes – Two senior economists challenge some of the foundations of current economics. It is easy to criticise economic science by misrepresenting it, by selective quotations, and by ignoring that it progresses, like all sciences, by improving and abandoning old theories. The critics may go ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s Middle East strategy, 20 years after the Iraq War
    This week marks the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. While it strongly opposed the US-led invasion, New Zealand’s then Labour-led government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark did deploy military engineers to try to help rebuild Iraq in mid-2003. With violence soaring, their 12-month deployment ended without being renewed ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago

  • The motorways are finished
    After seventy years, Auckland’s motorway network is finally finished. In July 1953 the first section of motorway in Auckland was opened between Ellerslie-Panmure Highway and Mt Wellington Highway. The final stage opens to traffic this week with the completion of the motorway part of the Northern Corridor Improvements project. Aucklanders ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Kicking National’s tyres
    National’s appointment of Todd McClay as Agriculture spokesperson clearly signals that the party is in trouble with the farming vote. McClay was not an obvious choice, but he does have a record as a political scrapper. The party needs that because sources say it has been shedding farming votes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • As long as there is cricket, the world is somehow okay.
    Rays of white light come flooding into my lounge, into my face from over the top of my neighbour’s hedge. I have to look away as the window of the conservatory is awash in light, as if you were driving towards the sun after a rain shower and suddenly blinded. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • So much of what was there remains
    The columnists in Private Eye take pen names, so I have not the least idea who any of them are. But I greatly appreciate their expert insight, especially MD, who writes the medical column, offering informed and often damning critique of the UK health system and the politicians who keep ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Mar 12, 2023 thru Sat, Mar 18, 2023. Story of the Week Guest post: What 13,500 citations reveal about the IPCC’s climate science report   IPCC WG1 AR6 SPM Report Cover - Changing ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Financial capability services are being bucked up, but Stuart Nash shouldn’t have to see if they c...
    Buzz from the Beehive  The building of financial capability was brought into our considerations when Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced she had dipped into the government’s coffers for $3 million for “providers” to help people and families access community-based Building Financial Capability services. That wording suggests some ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Things that make you go Hmmmm.
    Do you ever come across something that makes you go Hmmmm?You mean like the song?No, I wasn’t thinking of the song, but I am now - thanks for that. I was thinking of things you read or hear that make you stop and go Hmmmm.Yeah, I know what you mean, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • The hoon for the week that was to March 19
    By the end of the week, the dramas over Stuart Nash overshadowed Hipkins’ policy bonfire. File photo: Lynn GrieveasonTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:PM Chris Hipkins’ announcement of the rest of a policy bonfire to save a combined $1.7 billion, but ...
    The KakaBy Peter Bale
    1 week ago

  • Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua
    Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has delivered the Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua for its historic breaches of Te Tiriti of Waitangi today. The ceremony was held at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton, hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, with several hundred ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister of Foreign Affairs meets with Chinese counterpart
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has concluded her visit to China, the first by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2018. The Minister met her counterpart, newly appointed State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, who also hosted a working dinner. This was the first engagement between the two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government delivering world-class satellite positioning services
    World-class satellite positioning services that will support much safer search and rescue, boost precision farming, and help safety on construction sites through greater accuracy are a significant step closer today, says Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor. Damien O’Connor marked the start of construction on New Zealand’s first uplink centre for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • District Court Judges appointed
    Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Christopher John Dellabarca of Wellington, Dr Katie Jane Elkin of Wellington, Caroline Mary Hickman of Napier, Ngaroma Tahana of Rotorua, Tania Rose Williams Blyth of Hamilton and Nicola Jan Wills of Wellington as District Court Judges.  Chris Dellabarca Mr Dellabarca commenced his ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New project set to supercharge ocean economy in Nelson Tasman
    A new Government-backed project will help ocean-related businesses in the Nelson Tasman region to accelerate their growth and boost jobs. “The Nelson Tasman region is home to more than 400 blue economy businesses, accounting for more than 30 percent of New Zealand’s economic activity in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • National’s education policy: where’s the funding?
    After three years of COVID-19 disruptions schools are finally settling down and National want to throw that all in the air with major disruption to learning and underinvestment.  “National’s education policy lacks the very thing teachers, parents and students need after a tough couple of years, certainty and stability,” Education ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Free programme to help older entrepreneurs and inventors
    People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government target increased to keep powering up the Māori economy
    A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Continued progress on reducing poverty in challenging times
    77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech at Fiji Investment and Trade Business Forum
    Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government investments boost and diversify local economies in lower South Island
    $2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government future-proofs EV charging
    Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • World-leading family harm prevention campaign supports young NZers
    Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • First Chief Clinical Advisor welcomed into Coroners Court
    Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Next steps for affected properties post Cyclone and floods
    The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New appointment to Māori Land Court bench
    E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government focus on jobs sees record number of New Zealanders move from Benefits into work
    113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Vertical farming partnership has upward momentum
    The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Conference of Pacific Education Ministers – Keynote Address
    E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New $13m renal unit supports Taranaki patients
    The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Second Poseidon aircraft on home soil
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Further humanitarian aid for Türkiye and Syria
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Community voice to help shape immigration policy
    Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today.  “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • State Highway 3 project to deliver safer journeys, better travel connections for Taranaki
    Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Ginny Andersen appointed as Minister of Police
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government confirms vital roading reconnections
    Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Foreign Minister Mahuta to meet with China’s new Foreign Minister
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Education Ministers from across the Pacific gather in Aotearoa
    Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • State Highway 5 reopens between Napier and Taupō following Cyclone Gabrielle
    A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Special Lotto draw raises $11.7 million for Cyclone Gabrielle recovery
    Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Government delivers a $3 million funding boost for Building Financial Capability services
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