Convoy protest 24/2/22

Written By: - Date published: 6:07 am, February 24th, 2022 - 81 comments
Categories: covid-19 - Tags: , , ,

Day 17

Stuff’s summary from yesterday, including the protestor and police actions late last night.

What you need to know / Kia mōhio mai koe:

* A late-night standoff between protesters and police with riot shields ensured after new vehicles arrived at the protest, entering the area after a bollard appeared to have been moved.

* Covid-19 has emerged among protesters at Parliament, with at least two cases confirmed by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday.

* The occupation continues to disrupt more schools, along with universities and offices in the area. Parents and students have said that Thorndon is “unsafe”.

* A protester has claimed police punched and eye-gouged him during an earlier scuffle.

* A man who who allegedly drove a car towards police this week has been given name suppression.

* Investigations continue into who had sprayed a “stinging substance” at police on Tuesday.

* Free parking at Sky Stadium for protesters is to cease from Thursday, on what will be the 17th day of the protest.

 

Radicalisation in real time (Dr Michael Daubs, Newsroom)

Parliamentary Grounds occupation and mandates: Analysis, and News Reporting lists of articles for 23/2/22 (The Democracy Project)

Figureheads and factions: the key people at the parliament occupation (Toby Manhire, The Spinoff)

Police wave white flag as occupiers dig in – why parliament stalemate won’t end anytime soon (Marc Daalder, Newsroom)

List of reasons for Convoy 2022 NZ (NZ Truckies FB)

Letter of Demand (from protest organisers)

Newsroom: ‘Splintered realities’: How NZ convoy lost its way

Stuff: Inside the disorienting, contradictory swirl of the convoy, as seen through its media mouthpiece,

 

81 comments on “Convoy protest 24/2/22 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Jenny How to get there 1
    24 February 2022 at 7:12 am

    Hit the Right where it hurts them most.

    Unlike Left Wing protests, Right Wing protests are funded events.

    Realising this might be a weak point the police are looking into targeting the funders.

    …Meanwhile, Police Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers said the police were having a close looking at the legality of funding the protest – given much of the occupation at Parliament and the blockade of roads is against the law.

    Protest funder working for university forced to close campus (msn.com)

    • Cricklewood 1.1
      24 February 2022 at 7:48 am

      Does Greenpeace not fund direct action? BLM just paid a million dollar bail in the USA after an attempt on an elected officials life?

      Let's not overreact and give a right govt a precedent.

      • Jenny How to get there 1.1.1
        24 February 2022 at 8:08 am

        Cricklewood

        24 February 2022 at 7:48 am

        …..Let's not overreact and give a right govt a precedent.

        Hi Cricklewood, are you really labeling the Ardern administration a "a right govt"?

        • Cinder 1.1.1.1
          24 February 2022 at 8:31 am

          No, he is just making things up…

          It wasn't BLM and it was $100,000 not $1 million.

          https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60392196

          Pays to do some fact checking with those sorts of claims.

          • Cricklewood 1.1.1.1.1
            24 February 2022 at 10:08 am

            My bad I mis read the number… the point it still remains its alot of money and the guy did try to kill an elected official.

        • weka 1.1.1.2
          24 February 2022 at 9:07 am

          No, they're pointing out the obvious, that if a centre-left govt starts confiscating funds from protests, what will National do for and XR or Māori occupation.

          • DukeEll 1.1.1.2.1
            24 February 2022 at 9:29 am

            and do it more stringently with better messaging as enough time would have passed to perfect the strategy.

            The paucity of intellectual construct some on the left are displaying in their convoluted attempt to use the power of the state to smash this protest is concerning.

            • weka 1.1.1.2.1.1
              24 February 2022 at 9:35 am

              I agree. People are scared and triggered I guess but it's instructional that the response of some is towards left authoritarianism.

            • Andrew Miller 1.1.1.2.1.2
              24 February 2022 at 9:59 am

              That is of course possibility, the other is that the longer this drags on with everything that entails the more it can be used as a pretext not to return to the status quo around protest and access to parliament.
              It also would seem to me to increase the possibility of an ever increasing section of NZers being open to arguments to put measures in place to ensure it ‘can’t happen again’.

              The idea that we should be careful what we wish for doesn’t just play out one way.

          • Jenny how to get there 1.1.1.2.2
            24 February 2022 at 8:05 pm

            Ardern administration threatens to confiscate protest organisation's funds and assets.

            weka

            24 February 2022 at 9:07 am

            ….if a centre-left govt starts confiscating funds from protests, what will National do for and XR or Māori occupation.

            No "if" about it. This "centre-left" govt already do this now.

            The strange case of the Taitu.

            The Taitu was the sea going support vessel Greenpeace bought with crowd sourcing funds solely for the purpose of supporting civil disobedience against deep sea oil drilling and exploration far from land.

            Greenpeace NZ sets out in crowdfunded boat to confront Amazon Warrior

            Greenpeace New Zealand8 April 2017

            Greenpeace has launched its crowdfunded boat ‘Taitu’ this morning from Napier and is heading out to confront the world’s biggest seismic blasting ship.

            Trump-backed oil giant Chevron and arctic driller Statoil are using the 125-metre long Amazon Warrior, dubbed “The Beast”, to search for oil off the Wairarapa Coast.

            https://www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/press-release/greenpeace-nz-sets-out-in-crowdfunded-boat-to-confront-amazon-warrior/

            After it's highly successful first protest voyage, Greenpeace mysteriously and in secret sold off the Taitu. Without any public notice, without any consultation with the thousands of Greenpeace supporters who had crowd funded this vessel.

            After getting tipped off about the sale, I met with the Greenpeace Auckland manager and asked her why Greenpeace was getting rid of the Taitu.

            She told me that the Labour government had threatened legal action to take legal action against Greenpeace to seize all Greenpeace funds and assets unless they stopped using the Taitu to blockade oil exploration vessels. (An illegal act under the infamous Andarko amendment drafted by the oil companies and passed into law by the previous National government)

            The Greenpeace Auckland manager also told me that this sale was supposed to be secret and quizzed me on how I found out about it. I told her that I was informed of this impending sale of the Taitu by a member of the Greenpeace Board of Executives The Greenpeace Auckland manager told me they weren't supposed to let anyone know and said "They shouldn't have said that."

            I tried to make the argument with her, that Greenpeace should go public and call the government's bluff. But she said the risk of losing their funds and assets, was too high.

            And so the Taitu was secretly disposed of.

            With the disposal of the Taitu Greenpeace effectively ended their campaign of civil disobedience against deep sea oil drilling on the high seas.

            In fear of legal action targeting their funding Greenpeace have distanced themselves from any protesters engaged in civil disobedience against deep sea oil drilling.

            ….Greenpeace has distanced itself from activists who had to be helped off an oil rig in Taranaki, amid calls by business leaders for anyone who supported the move to be prosecuted.

            Calls for prosecution after climate protesters helped from OMV oil rig

            5 Mar, 2020 05:41 PM

            I told the Auckland Greenpeace manager that I was not surprised by the government's tactic of going after Greenpeace funds to get them to give up their (illegal under the Andarko Act) civil disobedience campaign against deep sea oil, because the very same threat against the funds and assets of unions that take illegal actions was enshrined in the Employment Contracts act. This clause has never been repealed and has proved very effective in disciplining the union movement.

            So no surprise that this same tactic would be used against the protest movement.

            The point is, Left oganisations, unions and Greenpeace have been threatened with having their funds seized if they take illegal actions.

            So why shouldn't right wing protesters have their funding threatened in the same way when they take illegal actions?

          • felix 1.1.1.2.3
            24 February 2022 at 9:37 pm

            Is that the centre-left govt that spent the first year of the pandemic bickering with our nurses over paying them a couple of grand a year?

        • Cricklewood 1.1.1.3
          24 February 2022 at 10:03 am

          I mean when you end up with say a Nat govt…

          But if you were to look at housing and wealth growth you could well conclude we have a right wing govt…

  3. Jenny How to get there 3
    24 February 2022 at 8:04 am

    Block the cars, not the people.

    The right to protest is a fundamental right, On seizing power the right to protest is the first thing that autocratic regimes or military coup makers ban.

    From the beginning I have always said we need to move on the illegally parked cars not the protesters.

    (Let's see how long this well funded right wing Glamping protest lasts, if we remove all their camper vans and other vehicles.)

    No Right Turn agrees, and further makes a good argument for permanently removing cars from the parliamentary precinct and turning it into real space for the people. Instead of what Trevor Mallard wants, turn the parliamentary precinct into some sort of forbidding fortress.

    No Right Turn: Pedestrianise the government precinct

    • Andrew Miller 3.1
      24 February 2022 at 9:50 am

      So first in first dibs?

      If freedom to protest needs to = freedom to set up camp so long as your cars don’t block the street, can you explain how that works, given I presume you accept everyone incl people you don’t like have the right to protest.

      • Jenny how to get there 3.1.1
        25 February 2022 at 3:01 am

        “…can you explain how that works, given I presume you accept everyone incl people you don’t like have the right to protest.”

        Sure.

        Under the principal first penned by Evelyn Beatrice Hall

        “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,”

        Why not?

    • ianmac 3.2
      24 February 2022 at 10:21 am

      Yes Jenny. Wouldn't that be grand. Henry and NRT should be on hand to help plan the pedestrianisation. I'll have a word in Trevor's ear.

    • Barfly 4.1
      24 February 2022 at 1:23 pm

      The woman has asthma and is unvaccinated /sigh

      a future "Herman Cain Award nominee?"

    • felix 4.2
      24 February 2022 at 9:49 pm

      Do you just feel no responsibility at all for your picture to match the caption? Is this now the acceptable standard for links on thestandard?

  5. Jenny how to get there 5
    24 February 2022 at 9:55 am

    It's not finished.

    "Freedom Glamper"

    "Parliament grounds 2022"

  6. Shanreagh 6
    24 February 2022 at 10:25 am

    Presumably the protestors will soon claim those who moved the concrete blocks last night were agents provocateur and infiltrators like those who threw the unknown substance and faeces at the Police. Perhaps they were all wearing hearing aids and that is how they knew.

    \sarc

  7. ianmac 7
    24 February 2022 at 10:44 am

    Very funny but astute too.

    Inspired by Sir Russell Coutts' recent foray into epidemiology and public-health policy, Professor Rod Jackson – who knew nothing about sailing until he did his own research – offers his opinion on how sailing should be done

    The trouble with sailing is that everyone listens too much to what the so-called 'experts' have to say. I mean: yes, the actual sailors have years of experience; and yes, the yacht designers have fancy so-called degrees. But I mean, what's all that worth? ….

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/professor-rod-jackson-an-epidemiologists-expert-views-on-sailing-thanks-to-social-media/CISYDWS4Z7GSGGB2TYTCDNFLYQ/?utm_campaign=nzh_tw&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=nzh_tw#Echobox=1645644134-1

    • vto 7.1
      24 February 2022 at 1:05 pm

      bahahaha…

      brilliant, absolutely brilliant…

      and to do it in such a public way

      ..

      in my worldly experience there are two types of people with problematic opinions – one, those who have never experienced serious destitution or proper life loss; and two, those with outsized self-confidence…

      both distort their vision

      coutts would seem to be a classic on both counts

    • Shanreagh 7.2
      24 February 2022 at 1:56 pm

      Brilliant -hopefully supplied directly to Russell Coutts.

  8. Coventrie 8
    24 February 2022 at 10:51 am

    Has anyone involved with this 'protest' considered that a far better source of any supposedly dangerous radiation/radio signals might be their own cellphones …?!

    • Barfly 8.1
      24 February 2022 at 11:36 am

      Sssshh not to be spoken of…

      • Shanreagh 8.2.1
        24 February 2022 at 1:19 pm

        How sad and how deluded.

        What do we do when NZ's children are affected like this?

        They are calling for iodine to counter the ‘radiation’
        .
        Crusty things on lips etc may indicate that this skin infection is spreading in the camp
        https://dermnetnz.org/topics/impetigo

        • Shanreagh 8.2.1.1
          24 February 2022 at 1:29 pm

          NB The treatment for impetigo does include iodine

          General measures from

          https://dermnetnz.org/topics/impetigo

          Specific measures

            • Symptoms are significant or severe (fever, malaise)
            • There are more than three lesions
            • There is a high risk of complications
            • The infection is not resolving or is unlikely to resolve.

          Suitable oral antibiotics in New Zealand are flucloxacillin 500 mg four times daily for 5 days (adult dose), and in case of allergy or bacterial resistance, trimethoprim + sulphamethoxazole 960 mg, twice daily, for five days (adult dose), erythromycin 800 mg twice daily for 5 days, or cephalexin 1 g twice daily for 5 days [2].

          In New Zealand, the use of a topical antibiotic (fusidic acid, mupirocin or retapamulin) is discouraged, due to the potential to develop bacterial resistance and contact allergic dermatitis.

          Preventative measures

          • Treat carrier sites: apply antiseptic ointment to nostrils
          • Wash daily with antibacterial soap or soak in a bleach bath
          • Cut nails and keep hands clean
          • Identify and treat the source of re-infection, usually another infected person or carrier in the household as it is a contagious skin infection.

          To reduce the chance of passing the infection to another person:

          • Avoid close contact with others
          • Children must stay away from school until crusts have dried out or for 24 hours after starting oral antibiotics
          • Use separate towels and flannels
          • Change and launder clothes and linen daily.

          Sounds goofy though blaming the infections on radiation…..most believable NOT
          Best to go home as there would be no chance of being able to isolate at the protest. I had little friends with impetigo as children and one got very sick with it and others infections putting her kidneys under strain processing and clearing the infection.

      • Barfly 8.2.2
        24 February 2022 at 1:50 pm

        The "cray cray" is strong in this one

      • mac1 8.2.3
        24 February 2022 at 2:08 pm

        "I have to admit I felt better once I left the area" says protester Clay Drummond.

        So do we, Clay, so do we.

      • Robert Guyton 8.2.4
        24 February 2022 at 2:38 pm

        From the replies:

        Jombucha 🏴‍☠️@mangetout·15h

        "Should've renamed Molesworth Street to Transmission Gulley."

  9. ianmac 9
    24 February 2022 at 10:52 am

    Are the protesters going down with Covid? Sadly they should be. Maybe the reason that the protesters are said to be more testy now is because they are sick but won't admit it, or ask for help.

  10. Matiri 10
    24 February 2022 at 11:52 am

    Battle of Portaloo – from one of Te_Taipo's tweets in the lead post. Ha ha!

  11. weka 11
    24 February 2022 at 12:24 pm

    At least one brave soul gave their details to the MoH after a positive test.

    https://twitter.com/nzcovidbot/status/1496621912415293441

    • Andrew Miller 11.1
      24 February 2022 at 12:54 pm

      Given that it seems that around three quarters of those on site are unvaccinated, this has the potential to get seriously unpleasant.
      You only hope whatever goes through their heads as to what’s actually making them sick that however many it spreads to they seek help straight away.

  12. Ad 12
    24 February 2022 at 12:57 pm

    Phase 3 is sounding like the nuclear Duck and Cover plan.

    • Cricklewood 12.1
      24 February 2022 at 1:31 pm

      It's moving to fast, already getting caught short on the RAT distribution… we'll find out just how resilient our supply chains and health system are shortly. We're only a week into exponential spread and hospitalizaltions are steadily climbing. The worst cases take at least a week or two develop its going to be a very bumpy ride.

      • Shanreagh 12.1.1
        24 February 2022 at 1:39 pm

        Please provide a link to the 'caught short on RAT distribution'.

        The 12noon press conference provided the updated situation and it did not sound like a caught short situation…..one testing centre ran out earlier today but has already been resupplied from the supplies already in the country with millions more expected over the weekend. .

        • Ad 12.1.1.1
          24 February 2022 at 1:49 pm

          I don't know who in the major construction companies have got them.

          Our health and safety teams are just in panic.

          We're one of the biggest.

          • Cricklewood 12.1.1.1.1
            24 February 2022 at 1:55 pm

            I'm in the same boat… we had 1000 booked. Having to send guys to queue for 2 hours.

        • Muttonbird 12.1.1.2
          24 February 2022 at 1:55 pm

          Screen sector seems to have plenty. I'd have had maybe 20 RATs over the last 4 weeks. From last week all crew are tested daily before going on set.

          Construction simply isn’t a priority for these tests. If workers go down just get more workers.

          Not the same on a TV production.

          Also, the availability of RATs seems to be driven by H&S officers which are very well established in the screen sector. Maybe other industries need to up their game on that.

          • Cricklewood 12.1.1.2.1
            24 February 2022 at 2:01 pm

            They probably managed to get them in privately. The govt purchase has proven to be about a week late in terms of ability to get them out to businesses before it really.kicked off.

        • Cricklewood 12.1.1.3
          24 February 2022 at 1:58 pm

          You can only get them at testing centres with upwards of 2 hour waits. The orders that are meant to be with essential industries havent been delivered as yet. Sounds like next week now.

  13. Corey Humm 13
    24 February 2022 at 3:18 pm

    Is that middle class refugee camp outside parliament still going on?

    Heh.

    The police don't scare anyone if you wanna scare people send an army of MSD workers out … That'd scare the shit out of anyone.

  14. Shanreagh 14
    24 February 2022 at 4:46 pm

    Yes Corey some very expensive Campervans and SUVs. It sure looks like a protest for the people, NOT.. wink

  15. observer 15
    24 February 2022 at 5:25 pm

    Children, scared and crying, are taken out of the camp by a woman wearing a shirt with slogan "hands off our children".

    Protecting children by placing them at the centre of a virus cluster … that's caring.

  16. McFlock 16
    24 February 2022 at 5:48 pm

    Three people claiming mask exemptions got kicked off a bus when they tried to board near parliament.

    One of them claimed masks didn't work anyway, which gives the game away, IMO.

    Pity the bus driver might be in trouble. Half the bus were yelling at them to get off the bus. Clear safety issue to prevent fights between passengers [is what I would put in the paperwork were it me].

    But this is another reason why these fools are actually harmful – what about someone who really does have breathing difficulties that stop them wearing a mask? Everyone looks at them sideways because of the fakers. At least the vaccine pass checks as valid if someone has a genuine exemption. But masks are too obvious – everyone knows if you ain't wearing one.

    • felix 16.1
      24 February 2022 at 10:14 pm

      If anyone actually checks passports that is. At my workplace customers need to present passport which is scanned and ID to match the name on the scanned passport.

      Of the three places I've been to dinner this week, one had no checks at all, one checked and pretended to read my passport and one checked to make sure I had a picture that looked like a passport at a glance. No scanning and no ID. I needn't have had a valid passport at any of them. All had staff in masks and all paid lip service to the passports.

      • McFlock 16.1.1
        24 February 2022 at 10:42 pm

        Visual at most places, work has it on record in such a way that me faking it would get me fired, scanned at pub yesterday and cinema last week.

        Larger corporate chains seem to be better at scanning (vs sighting) than smaller businesses, just my observation though.

    • weka 16.2
      24 February 2022 at 10:54 pm

      Pretty decent shove out the door. Feel sorry for the driver. What a bunch of fuckwits.

      Has the mask exemption process not been sorted to filter out the fakers?

      • McFlock 16.2.1
        24 February 2022 at 11:19 pm

        Nope. It's a definite foul up.

        If the exemptions for the vaccination pass are too tight, apparently some of the places giving out genuine mask exemptions did less than zero checking, and a bunch of folks took advantage of that. Then there's no consistent way to check whether an exemption even exists or identify a pass, and if you kick out the wrong person it's discrimination. And even if you're sure the person is bullshitting 99%, there's that 1% you're wrong and you'll end up with an extended argument with crazy at the very least. So half a planeload of people have "exemptions".

        An almost irrevocable clusterfuck, imo.

        Dunno whether it would even be worth implementing a new system, given that omicron could well be over before the use-case scenarios are even developed.

        Glad it hasn't been so bad with vaccinations – although if I could get paid $200 to get someone else's jab, it would be a definite internal conflict lol

        • weka 16.2.1.1
          24 February 2022 at 11:25 pm

          ten proxy jabs, decent wad of cash.

          If I thought omicron was the end of it, I might agree.

          I don't know what the medical conditions are that mean one can't wear a mask, so hard to tell what a good system might be. I know someone who has an exemption from wearing in an all day situation due to headaches, but they also come from an anti-vax household so hard to know what that's about.

          WINZ have this designated doctor system for making sure chronically ill people aren't faking, and it's a fucking horrible and stupid system. Seems like starting intention would be important.

          • McFlock 16.2.1.1.1
            24 February 2022 at 11:38 pm

            Yeah I can think of loads of reasons for mask exemptions.

            I'm seriously pissed at wankers for sabotaging a system that could have been done in good faith and kept everyone comfortable and mostly safe.

            edit: the eternal phrase comes to mind “this is why we can’t have nice things”.

            • weka 16.2.1.1.1.1
              24 February 2022 at 11:39 pm

              same. My commitment to a protest rights kaupapa is wearing thin in places.

              • weka …
                24 February 2022 at 11:42 pm

                Obviously civil disobedience on a bus has its uses. But these clowns just can't, or more likely, won't read the room. Or they're just so up themselves. Not the first time I feel like we're dealing with obnoxious preteens.

                What's really fucking annoying about that is that the mainstream does need a really big wake up around a bunch of stuff, but this is just socially and politically inept and it's going to ruin protesting for everyone else.

                • McFlock …
                  24 February 2022 at 11:55 pm

                  Call me an old grump, but I've been a bit blah on the "ra-ra march" angry protest thing for a while. Might not just be me after this.

                  Here's something I totally had no idea existed until today: Red Books Day. 21 Feb, people got together for readings and discussion of e.g. the Communist Manifesto.

                  Might be another way to skin the awareness cat.

                  • weka …
                    25 February 2022 at 12:04 am

                    nice. All the tools I reckon, more likely to reach a wider range of people.

                    I was thinking of Rose Parks re the bus. I'm still a big fan of XR in the UK. A big part of their kaupapa is not pissing off the locals (where possible). Plus I do like me a decent march.

                    • McFlock …
                      25 February 2022 at 12:17 am

                      "Not pissing off the locals" is definitely a lesson reinforced by this crowd. Seemed like half the bus was yelling at the three unmasked to get the fuck off the bus.

                      How much of that was an innate overcoming of reluctance to speak out because the mask issue is so serious, vs just a hatred of the campers, who knows. But if it was purely from a generalised concern for public health, I'd be most impressed lol

  17. georgecom 17
    24 February 2022 at 6:28 pm

    anyone here want to buy 1 or 100 tin foil hats? pretty soon there won't be anyone in wellington left I can sell them to, thanks Billy Te Kahika for telling everyone to go home, thanks a bunch.

    since chantelle brunner blocked me from her facebook page or suggesting she was Ronald McDonalds front man, rather than a freemason, I cannot market them there as a remedy for freemasonry.

    And I tried Sue Grey but she has a stock pile of about 1000

  18. Peter 18
    24 February 2022 at 7:25 pm

    Brad Flutey is worried about people getting sick at the protest because of sinister government attacks:

    "Flutey, a known conspiracy theorist and former political candidate, made the baseless claim electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation was being used on protesters to cause COVID-like symptoms."

    It'll be hard to ascertain if brain damage in the protestors is the result of electromagnetic field radiation. The reasons for that are obvious.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/covid-19-anti-mandate-protester-brad-flutey-admits-quite-a-few-getting-really-sick-at-parliament.html

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    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

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