Climate change in action

Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, September 7th, 2009 - 43 comments
Categories: climate change, economy - Tags:

The world’s oceans reached a record high temperature in July of 16.37 degrees, 0.59 degrees above the 20th century average. That might not sound a lot, and it wouldn’t be if we were talking about the variation in day to day temperature where you live, but we’re talking the whole world’s oceans. It takes an enormous amount of energy to increase their average temperature by such an amount. All that extra energy has a dramatic effect on the climate.

The El Nino climate system occurs when the Pacific Ocean is well above normal temperature, like now. It’s basically a breakdown in the normal flow of ocean currents and the trade winds (and all the energy they carry). For some countries this means warmer temperatures, for others colder, for some there’s more rain, for some less. For New Zealand, El Nino means drought.

NIWA predicts that El Nino conditions, presently expected to be moderate and not as severe as in 1998, will persist throughout our summer, with the odds being on below average rainfall and soil moisture for most of the country. If there is a drought, it will be very tough on the farmers and could derail any stuttering economic recovery.

This is climate change in action. The gases that we have released into the atmosphere by the billions of tonnes are trapping more heat. That heat is resulting, as the models predict, in warmer oceans leading to more frequent and more severe El Ninos. And that means more frequent and more severe droughts for New Zealand. We’re not yet at the stage of dramatic events like the ice caps melting and the rainforests burning that will happen if we allow the world’s temperature to rise by two degrees sparking runaway climate change, but we are beginning to experience the persistent and significant cost of a changing climate caused by our refusal to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Our economy is inextricably linked to our climate. There is no ‘balancing of our economic opportunities and our environmental responsibilities’ as the Crosby-Textor line the National ministers mindless parrot would have us believe. Environmental problems are economic problems. We are dependent on a stable climate. And we are destabilising it.

[search google news ‘El Nino’ to see how it affects different parts of the world. Everything from a too warm winter threatening the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, to floods in Nairobi, to poor fishing in Peru, to a bumper soy crop in Argentina]

43 comments on “Climate change in action ”

  1. tsmithfield 1

    The icecaps won’t melt. They haven’t through hundreds of thousands of years and during periods when temperatures have been warmer than now.

    What is not often mentioned is that the polar glaciers are mainly located in large basins. Hence the glaciers can’t flow anywhere.

    Here is an excellent article that explains the situation:

    http://icecap.us/images/uploads/OllierPaine-NoIceSheetCollapse-AIGNewsAug.2009.pdf

    • Gareth 1.1

      That would be a “paper” by this Cliff Ollier, would it? He’s an Australian denier, not a glaciologist, and you’re wrong. You confuse glaciers with ice sheets, for starters, but you are also wrong about the “large basins”. Check out Fig 7 in Chapter 3 (p46) of the new WWF Arctic report (PDF available here). Most of the West Antarctic ice sheet, and large parts of East Antarctica and NW Greenland ice sheets are grounded below sea level, and therefore vulnerable to the sort of ocean warming that’s already causing the Pine Island Glacier to thin dramatically.

      And for your further edification, during the last interglacial (the Eemian), when temperatures were a degree or two warmer than now, much of the southern Greenland ice sheet melted (and probably a good bit of the WAIS too), and sea levels were 5 or 6 metres higher than now. Not good news…

      • Andrei 1.1.1

        And for your further edification, during the last interglacial (the Eemian), when temperatures were a degree or two warmer than now, much of the southern Greenland ice sheet melted (and probably a good bit of the WAIS too), and sea levels were 5 or 6 metres higher than now.

        It was the high carbon lifestyles of Homo neanderthalensis that done it

        • snoozer 1.1.1.1

          the fact that the climate varies naturally does not preclude the fact that we are changing the climate now, rapidly and with major consequences for our economies.

          • Andrei 1.1.1.1.1

            What it really shows is the vapidity of this debate.

            The period in question coincides with the beginning of modern humans and temperatures were a degree or two warmer than now which were unquestionably natural in origin.

            Furthermore there have been several “unprecedented” climatic events since then again unquestionable natural in origin – the collapse from that benign period into the last glacial and the “unprecedented” warming that saw the earth move from that climate regime to the current more benign one. Furthermore human development and history has all taken place in the later period.

            There is no need to invoke human activity to explain all this.

            Humans do have an impact – the problem is there is no way of determining what it really is one way or another and the same thing applies to anything we do to try and ameliorate it. You are just as likely to make things worse as better – assuming anything you do has a real impact anyway.

            You cannot alter time and tide.

            • snoozer 1.1.1.1.1.1

              The climate changes you’re talking about took place over thousands of years. The change we’re causing is several degrees per decade. The rate of change will exceed the ability of human societies and economies, as well as ecosystems, to adapt.

              Look, you can continue to pretend that humanity isn’t doing it. At the end of the day, the change is happening and that’s really really bad because (even leaving aside truely catastrpohic run away climate change) our entire economic structure is premised on the current climate. We must do what we can to avoid that happening or pay the price.

            • Gareth 1.1.1.1.1.2

              Allow me to make the obvious point: if the climate system can deliver sea levels 5-6m above present and hippos in the Thames at around 310 ppm CO2 entirely naturally, without any input from humans, what’s going to happen when the system catches up with current CO2 levels – 387 ppm and rising, and all of it coming from us…?

              Just in case you miss the obvious: this is not good news.

            • lukas 1.1.1.1.1.3

              Gareth, you have always been a dooms day merchant though really haven’t you? I always turned the radio off when Paul Holmes had you on to talk about the economy, you are a depressing wee man.

              How are the book sales coming along?

            • BLiP 1.1.1.1.1.4

              Lukey-Pukey back again to throw insults around – what a chap! Science got you baffled, has it? Why don’t you go kick in some windows and relieve the tension . . .

            • felix 1.1.1.1.1.5

              Hey BliP, what’s this about wittle wukey-pukey kicking in windows?

            • lukas 1.1.1.1.1.6

              wow BLiP, you really are a piece of work aren’t you?

              Hope you never have to take a six month old baby to a hospital in the middle of the night and get locked out.

              Gareth- sorry about that mate, I assumed with the name and the link in your name that you are Mr Morgan.

              Felix- BLip seems to find amusement in people having to call 111 from the ambulance bay of a hospital to get into the emergency department.

            • felix 1.1.1.1.1.7

              So you kicked in the windows of a hospital.

              Good for you, Wukey-Pookey.

          • Gareth 1.1.1.1.2

            (replying to lukas)

            Best laugh of the day. Wrong Gareth…

  2. Nick 2

    And looking outside my window I can see the sky falling.

    HELP!

  3. StephenR 3

    I do appreciate the update but if you could stop crapping on about Crosby/Textor that’d be fabulous thanks.

  4. Jeremy 4

    Oh dear, the first three comments are all from idiots!

    • tsmithfield 4.1

      I think the idiot is the person who makes insulting comments without even addressing the arguments made.

      • Zorr 4.1.1

        I didn’t see an argument made. Just the usual crap spouted by the same denialists as last time. If you aren’t going to educate yourself then don’t be surprised when we don’t actually bother responding to your “points” any more and just relieve some of the tension you generate by going straight to the ad hominem attacks.

        As the saying goes, don’t argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. It is not worth our time arguing with you because you will just come back tomorrow with some more questionable science or conspiracy theory that we will just have to debunk all over again. All in all, not worth the anguish when you just close your eyes, stick your fingers in your ears and go “LALALALALALALALALA I CAN’T HEEEEEAR YOOOOOU!”

        captcha: corrections

  5. StephenR 5

    I did appreciate the update.

  6. Walter 6

    What we need is a ‘Wish(they had a)Hart Society” – where all climate change deniers can chisel their names in stone, signing a declaration like:

    “we the undersigned believe that climate change is a complete and utter hoax and support a ‘no-action’ approach to reducing carbon emissions.”

    Later, when we are looking for something to plug the cracks in the dykes, this list may prove useful.

    Personally, I’m in the: ‘Shit, this might really be happening, we better do something’ camp.

    Which is the more sensible position?

  7. StephenR 7

    May depend what exactly you mean by “do something” 😉

  8. singularian 8

    I’m still wondering why all the ‘believers’ are wasting precious resources posting on the internet about this stuff? You guys need to cut your electricity usage by at least 40%, so switch off and get smart, right?

    They need to put their carbon footprint where their mouth is.

    Speaking of carbon footprints – Keisha was in France last week for The Vinters Luck launch, Saturday night she was at the Film and Television awards. As far as I’m aware the overland/sea journey takes far longer than a couple of days, so I’m assuming she personally spewed out 5 or 6 tonnes of Co2 to go to a film launch, I mean, come on (sign on), isn’t she all worried about what sort of world her daughter is going to inherit?

    Really these people need to lead by example if they’re going to preach to the rest of us. I’m sure she has some really, really good excuses as to why she just had to be there but………

    To me that is the biggest problem with this whole AWG thing ( the legitimacy of which I am still undecided about ) is that we need to see the people pushing it as a settled thing practicing what they preach. I will look forward to our MP’s cutting their resource useage by at least 40% the moment they pass an ETS. They can hardly expect anyone else to get on the bandwagon unless they are will to do that, right?

    The irony of hundreds, if not thousands of people flying to Copenhagen to debate the pollution of our planet has not escaped me either.

    All in all, at the moment, I find the hypocrisy a little cloying in the nostrils.

    • Clarke 8.1

      Oh dear. First we have your entrenched position:

      To me that is the biggest problem with this whole AWG thing ( the legitimacy of which I am still undecided about )

      … and then we have this gem:

      All in all, at the moment, I find the hypocrisy a little cloying in the nostrils

      Here’s the thing, singularian. No-one is going to come to your door to try and convince you of the reality of climate change. There is a fundamental difference between science and Scientology – the former requires no “belief”; the Universe simply doesn’t give a rats whether you believe in fundamental physics or not.

      in other words, climate change is a little bit like an IQ test. It’s a complex, messy business with all manner of unexpected influences and subtle linkages. If you can’t be bothered working your way through the detail, educating yourself about non-deterministic systems and drawing your own conclusions, then you have yet to pay the intellectual entry cost for participating in the debate.

      So your statement that “the legitimacy of which I am still undecided about” is one of two things; it’s either a genuine inability to grasp the science and its geopolitical implications, or it’s a smoke-screen for inaction. I hope it’s the former rather than the latter, because the former implies that further education – such as Marty’s post – might help matters.

      However if it is simply an exercise in prevarication, then it’s time to call a spade a spade, and characterise your skepticism as nothing more than selfishness in a pseudo-scientific wrapper.

      • snoozer 8.1.1

        wow, that’s a gem of a comment.

      • singularian 8.1.2

        Well Clarke, like several billion other people around the world I’m trying to sort the wheat from the chaff. You appear to be suggesting that I just accept what, to me ( not being a scientist ), are not proven hypothesis. I’d rather keep an open mind thanks.

        Then the fact that I’m asking questions about the apparent insincerity of some of the media campaigners on this issue somehow means that I don’t have the intellectual rigor to participate? Hmmmm. OK.

        Do you disagree that whatever has to be done in the future will have to be done by the individual?

        Do you disagree that if people are going to be the ‘face’ for issues like these then they should walk the walk?

        Do you disagree that taxing people/business to bring about a change in habits is merely going make prices rise thereby disadvantaging those with the least money to spend?

        Do you see ANY irony in thousands of people flying into Copenhagan, pumping thousands of tonnes of Co2 into the atmosphere, to talk about how bad it is pumping out Co2 into the atmosphere?

        Can you glimpse the end game in all this? Not the end game for the planet, but the end game for us, humanity?

        Or have you over intellectualised things?

        Stephen R – 2 comments down – I call bullshit on ‘offsets’. You’re either doing it or you’re not. If you really believe then you don’t do it in the first place. The similarities to organised religion are growing by the day.

        • Draco T Bastard 8.1.2.1

          Do you really have any idea as to how much of an idiot you are?

          are not proven hypothesis.

          >90% probability of being right is, in my book, beyond reasonable doubt.

          Do you disagree that whatever has to be done in the future will have to be done by the individual?

          It will have to be done by the global community which includes individuals.

          Do you disagree that if people are going to be the ‘face’ for issues like these then they should walk the walk?

          Do you see ANY irony in thousands of people flying into Copenhagan, pumping thousands of tonnes of Co2 into the atmosphere, to talk about how bad it is pumping out Co2 into the atmosphere?

          Being the face for these issues requires something other than staying at home hiding beneath the bedsheets.

          Do you disagree that taxing people/business to bring about a change in habits is merely going make prices rise thereby disadvantaging those with the least money to spend?

          And? Prices may not rise – there’s an equal or better chance that some unsustainable products will be removed from the market.

          Can you glimpse the end game in all this? Not the end game for the planet, but the end game for us, humanity?

          I can, yes.

          Or have you over intellectualised things?

          That’s always a possibility but, as I said above, >90% probability of being right is beyond reasonable doubt.

          You’re either doing it or you’re not.

          And here you prove, with the usual RWNJ false dichotomy, that your mind is closed.

          • singularian 8.1.2.1.1

            >90% – pleeeaassseeee. Pull the other one, it may ring.

            And yes thanks, I know exactly how much of an idiot I am, do you know the same about yourself? I doubt it somehow.

            At the end of the day it will be down to the individual.

            Being the face for these issues requires something other than staying at home hiding beneath the bedsheets.

            So Keishas film launch in France was so fucken important that the planet will just have to load up with a few more 10s of tonnes of pollutant?
            HaHa, what bullshit.

            When it comes down to it very few of the people preaching are actually willing to do what they say has to be done. In fact, like you, they don’t even want to think about the reality of what they’re preaching. There’s a word for it….begins with H.

            And? Prices may not rise there’s an equal or better chance that some unsustainable products will be removed from the market.

            Fuck me and you think I’m an idiot?

            So when Food, Oil, Electricity, Clothing, pretty well all consumer goods rise by 10 -20% (at least, can’t you just see all those greedy corporates rubbing their hands together ‘ price rises and we can blame the Govt’ ?) and low wage earners really can’t afford to put food on the table what then Einstein?

            You people are unbelievable, the disconnect with reality is quite scary but of course I’m the one with a closed mind.

            Too much. I think I’ll just go to bed laughing.

            Nite.

            Edit – Nothing to say about Copenhagen?

        • roger nome 8.1.2.2

          Singularian:

          this is a problem of systems, not individuals. If you leave it down to individuals , it will just become another “tragedy of the commons” i.e. everyone wants to maximise their individual enjoyment, so, will pollute if the costs of doing so don’t outweigh the gains.

          So tax systems etc need to make it more painful for people to pollute than to not pollute. Understand?

        • roger nome 8.1.2.3

          Singularian:

          This is a problem of systems, not individuals. If you leave it down to individuals , it will just become another “tragedy of the commons” i.e. everyone wants to maximise their individual enjoyment, so, people will pollute if the costs of doing so don’t outweigh the gains.

          So tax systems etc need to make it more painful for people to pollute than to not pollute. Understand?

        • Clarke 8.1.2.4

          like several billion other people around the world I’m trying to sort the wheat from the chaff. You appear to be suggesting that I just accept what, to me ( not being a scientist ), are not proven hypothesis.

          Public awareness of the implications of climate change has been growing since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 – that’s 17 years ago. So it’s reasonable to assume you’ve had every single one of those years to look into the issue, read the scientific literature and make some decisions about how to lead your life, given the clear and present threat to planetary ecology.

          The fact that you’ve clearly failed to do any of this doesn’t mean your more skeptical than anyone else, or more rigorous, or more scientific – it simply means you’re slower than the rest of us. Perhaps we need a course on climate change for the special needs students like you who still have “uncertainties”.

          Perhaps actually making the effort to understand the science and the issues that have been in the public domain for decades might improve your credibility when it comes to calling others hypocrites. Right now – Pot. Kettle. Black.

          • singularian 8.1.2.4.1

            So the science is settled then Clarke?

            The point of it is we have people like Kesiha spouting one thing and then doing something else. In her case she is flying all over the world to promote vapid entertainment. To me that shows she has very little understanding of what a 40% reduction in resource use will actually mean.

            All I’m saying is that the people that are calling for a 40% reduction in resource use need to reduce their use by 40%, I can not see any of them doing so and here lies the crux, all the urban liberal green handwringers are sitting in their enclaves screaming ‘won’t somebody save the children’ while waiting for someone else to do something, in this case the government. So they can sit back feeling smug that they are on the side of good but don’t really have to do anything except change their light bulbs. They need to put their lifestyle where their mouth is and they are repeatedly failing to do so.

            I have educated myself reasonably well on this subject, considering I’m not a scientist and taking into account the vast amounts of digital propaganda out there ( hence wheat from chaff ) and in my mind the failure of the current models being used to correctly predict actual real, now historical, climate change and our limited understanding of the DO’s and how the sun affects earth combined with my complete mistrust of authority to do the right thing as compared to doing whats in their best interests leads me, at the moment, to the conclusion that things are definitely not settled.

            • lprent 8.1.2.4.1.1

              Arrggh these old chestnuts. Favourites of the CCD’s – and neither are in anyway correct.

              There is no significant lack of consensus amongst scientists who know what they’re talking about – ie earth scientists in general and specifically climatologists specifically. Any other scientists outside that group trained in the discipline can be treated as being ignorant amateurs.

              The model fallacy is that models are perfect. They aren’t in any moderately chaotic system. Doesn’t matter if it is the inside of a piston of a car – something that has been massively modelled for a 100 years or so, or whatever. If you want model certainties then I suggest you get religion – they don’t exist in ANY science. They are all approximations.

              However the climate change models are deadly accurate at predicting climate changes forward and backwards within our current timeframes for which we have accurate data – ie the last couple of centuries. They are within the expected range of variance, and when you take the models as a group (because they are often quite different internally), their averages are almost bang on. That tends to indicate that in aggregate they are tracking pretty closely.

              I have a couple of posts on the way just for you tomorrow – just to help you clear the bullshit.

  9. StephenR 9

    Heard of offsets? Hard to know which of the above have or will use/d them but still.

  10. ben 10

    What has Crosby-Textor got to do with anything?

    National has just put forward a ridiculously ambitious carbon reduction by 2020, a 35% reduction in current total carbon output just 11 years from now – and you want to cite Textor Crosby as a reason for what exactly? Providing spin to make it look like National is doing enough when its not? Please.

    This blog must be among the most ludicrous collection of ideas on the internet.

  11. Martin 11

    Climate Change is the new religion.

    The key to determining this is to ask – “what would cause you to change your mind?” When you ask this question to the diehard climate change people you get responses like Nothing – there is no debate.

    Anybody who questions the new “god” is denounced.

    Just like the inquisition really….

    Oh, by the way – when you look at who makes the most money out of Cap and Tax – It’s a certain Mr Al Gore and Goldman Sacs… Now theres a coincidence…

    • Zorr 11.1

      You ask what it would take to change my mind? I’ll tell you.

      Certifiable scientific evidence that the current model is actually wrong to the extent that it is false.

      I have stated it deliberately in these terms as models are inaccurate by their very nature and therefore being constantly updated as more information is able to be added to the model.

      So basically, provide equivalently accurate and credible scientific research that shows the current issue surrounding the reality of climate change is unfounded and I will listen. However, I personally doubt your ability to provide such evidence.

      Also, I take personal offence at anyone calling a branch of science a “religion”. There are nutjobs on all sides of the spectrum, I readily admit this. However, the science at the core is not religious in nature as it is based in the observable, natural world. Next time you care to insult my chosen profession, bring an actual argument. Not this bullshit.

      • no leftie 11.1.1

        Global warming is a religion – it’s now official.

        http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/tim-nicholson-a-green-martyr-1648388.html

        [lprent: Bullshit. That is dismissal because of a difference of opinion and belief – not religion. Read your own link.

        The same as I’m not allowed to dismiss someone for thinking changing tax rates to a flat rate is good for a society (despite all evidence to the contrary), that the Titanic would be unsinkable, that animals have feelings, that the world was created in 4004 BC, or you can make pigs fly (ie they can ignore gravity. None of those are part of a religion either. I’m sure other people will be happy to extend the list.

        Basically all you have confirmed in my opinion is that you’re a dickhead who has no idea of the basis of employment law. I’ll bet that you’d be a useless as someone to work for. ]

  12. StephenR 12

    Can you explain further please?

    Yeah sorry the moderation seems to be holding a lot back, making several comments look a bit odd. Was replying to Singularian at 12:18.

  13. no leftie 13

    What angry reaction!

    I used the article to make a point about Zorr’s precious complaint about use of the term religion when it comes to global warming.

    I don’t think you should be able to sack someone for believing the end-is-nigh regardless of how much I disagree with that belief.

    Rant away though – I especially like the part where’d I’d give you a job.


    [lprent: The link didn’t mention religion. Are you such a fuckwit that you equate belief with religion? Yeah looking at your previous comments it is evident that you would. I’m afraid I don’t work for people who are that thick. I like to be able to have a hope of explaining what I’m working on.

    But it looks more likely to me that you are just repeating something mindlessly – ie troll. Fits with your ‘comments’ over the last few weeks. I’ll pulled you up about it before. Anyway, I’m tired of ‘ranting’ – so permanent ban. I’m tired of having to leave notes on your comments. ]

  14. no leftie 14

    Thank you for the ultimate compliment. It’s been fun.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T13:34:32+00:00