Covid and contact tracing

Written By: weka - Date published: 4:46 pm, November 12th, 2020 - 32 comments
Categories: uncategorized - Tags: community transmission, COVID 19, QR codes

Another period of time of uncertainty with potential community transmission of covid. From RNZ,

One of the community cases has no known link to managed isolation. Officials will provide more information in another briefing later today, expected to be about 5pm.

The other community case is linked to the November quarantine cluster.

The imported case arrived on 9 November from Los Angeles, returned a positive test around day three and is in quarantine.

…

Hipkins says they do not have anything to say about any movement in alert levels at this stage. Any change would require a Cabinet decision and at this point they do not have the information to weigh in such a meeting at this point.

“We will know more about whether we need to have one of those in the next few hours.”

Hipkins urges people to take the standard simple precautions – mask wearing, washing hands, distancing.

I was interested to see this messaging on twitter about contact tracing from tech researcher Andrew Chen,

Latest scan count data from 10 August through to 11 November. Approximately 10-15% of people are scanning QR codes, everyone needs to keep track of your movements in the way that best suits you: take selfies when you go places, take digital notes, keep paper records, use the app.

The app is one way to keep track of your records, with the benefit of you being notified quickly if your records overlap with a known COVID-19 case. But any method of keeping records is better than nothing, because it supports a rapid response and a rapid response saves lives.

Bad news about the stats, good to see the app being promoted alongside other methods of keeping track of our movements.

I live in the rural South Island. You still see sign-in forms in shops and hand sanitiser. I don’t notice the QR codes because I don’t have the app. I don’t see people doing much with any of those. I rely on eftpos transactions and my to do lists when I go to town to be able to track where I have been if I need to. Not infallible, but probably not too different from remembering to scan a QR code. What would be great would be a set of options that people can use that are clearly explained and accessible. At the moment it seems a bit Number 8 Wire.

I was disappointed to hear Wallace Chapman on RNZ talking on the Panel about contact tracing and referring solely to the app. Worse, the Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins did the same thing on RNZ at the next hourly news.

We should be better than this by now. Not everyone has the app, not everyone has their phone with them, not everyone has a smart phone. We need to learn a new set of behaviours, and make them attractive enough over the long haul (I’m assuming years not months).

The drop off in app usage us understandable, maybe we should be teaching people to use a range of techniques and tech, and finding the ones that work best for them that are sustainable over time. I’m sure the MoH wants everyone using the app because it’s easier for them, and faster when there is an outbreak, but given our low numbers some diversity here would be good.

Other developing news around potential weak spots in New Zealand’s covid management systems are the proximity of the new community case to an isolation hotel (next door).

MSM reporting of vaccine development and timeline was off with Stuff reporting two days ago that a vaccine could be rolled out early next year. RNZ has a more even handed and less sensational report today about the governments preparation. Getting people’s hopes up about an early vaccine is not going to help us with the marathon now required.

32 comments on “Covid and contact tracing ”

Comments are now closed

Richard 1

12 November 2020 at 4:58 pm

I have my Google location tracking on, along with keeping a eye on the news I feel this is effective
Matiri 2

12 November 2020 at 5:09 pm

We're also rural south island and follow the news. We keep a daily log on our mac, have masks ready to use if needed and plenty of soap for hand washing.
observer 3

12 November 2020 at 5:41 pm

I live in Auckland Central. I would say mask use is no more than 20% among pedestrians in the area, including confined spaces indoors. Higher on buses, but not universal, at all. Not much sign of physical distancing either.

Signing in etc. is important, but that is to trace after the fact. Prevention is the first step, and we just don't seem to be taking that seriously.

Hipkins just now has asked people in Auckland CBD to stay home if possible, and all the usual things (masks etc). I fear we'll be going back up through the levels because the government has to do what we won't do for ourselves. Hope I'm wrong.
bwaghorn 4

12 November 2020 at 5:50 pm

Time to clamp the boarders shut and await the vaccine, it's not worth the risk of more lockdowns. Special cases only allowed in .
- Andre 4.1
  
  12 November 2020 at 6:06 pm
  
  What if we got serious about everybody wearing masks in public places wherever they might get close to anyone outside immediate family?
  
  That is a significant factor in other places that have controlled covid well, like Taiwan.
  - bwaghorn 4.1.1
    
    12 November 2020 at 6:21 pm
    
    It would take instant fines to achieve that . Cant see that happening.
    - Andre 4.1.1.1
      
      12 November 2020 at 6:29 pm
      
      Here in Orcland for the last round of level 3 and level 2, mask wearing got to quite high levels without it being compulsory (except on public transport). Just strongly encouraged, with a lot of public figures wearing masks as well.
      
      Chances are pretty good that if the government put a serious push behind wearing masks out in public, the numbers would go back up again. But the messaging on masks has pretty much died off, and public figures like Ardern and Bloomfield aren't modelling mask-wearing anymore, so no surprise the public aren't either.
      - weka 4.1.1.1.1
        
        12 November 2020 at 7:07 pm
        
        It's a different situation though. Under higher levels the risk is higher (of more lockdowns, or catching covid). Now it's like people will judge the risk as being very low. This is certainly what it looks like from down south. Why should we be wearing masks when the chances of contact are very small (this is a rhetorical question, I know what the actual answer is). Also, Taiwan compared to Gore or Balclutha, just doesn't work on so many levels.
        
        If we've got another few years of this, getting everyone to wear masks when the risk is low of perceived as low will create problems of compliance as we go along.
Pingao 5

12 November 2020 at 6:00 pm

Reply to bwaghorn … What about imports and exports? They cross the border too along with the people that transport them.
- bwaghorn 5.1
  
  12 November 2020 at 6:20 pm
  
  Its a lot less likely to come in through the cool stores than walk in on a expat or duel citizenship person running for cover.
Descendant Of Smith 6

12 November 2020 at 6:14 pm

None of which helps much if your boss makes you go to work:

Hipkins said it was a "disappointing situation" the manager told the worker, who is in a customer-facing role, to go to work and wear a mask.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300157275/covid19-aucklands-new-community-case-went-to-work-following-test-wore-a-mask
- RosieLee 6.1
  
  12 November 2020 at 7:54 pm
  
  This worker should be prosecuted.
  - Hanswurst 6.1.1
    
    13 November 2020 at 12:27 am
    
    … or their employer.
    - RosieLee 6.1.1.1
      
      13 November 2020 at 6:43 am
      
      Yes, now that the whole story has come out.
      - alwyn 6.1.1.1.1
        
        13 November 2020 at 5:42 pm
        
        Is this what you mean by the real story?
        
        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-infected-student-says-health-officials-made-mistakes-with-her-movements/NAX4JHP2OPBR2WQBGRSTSFGPPI/
        
        Perhaps Chippie and the Department might owe the woman, and her employer, an apology.
        
        Poission 6.1.1.1.1.1
        
        13 November 2020 at 6:09 pm
        
        The woman has admitted malfeasance (in her lawyers statement) and should be prosecuted.
        
        But the statement, purporting to be from the employee, who is also a student at AUT, disputes that version of events.On Monday evening she had a sore throat, but did not think much of it, the statement said.She contacted her doctor the following day and was told to get a test.
        
        By Wednesday, her sore throat had gone, and she did not feel any discomfort, so she went to work, the statement said.
        
        “I wore a mask just to be safe. My employer has instructed us to wear a mask whenever possible.
        
        “I did not think there was any chance that I had coronavirus.
        
        “I did not tell my boss or manager of the above and did not request leave at any time. I did not think it was a big deal.
        
        “On the morning of the 12th, I learned I tested positive and was very shocked and upset.”
        
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300158205/covid19-shop-employee-diagnosed-with-coronavirus-says-she-never-called-in-sick
        
        alwyn …
        
        13 November 2020 at 7:10 pm
        
        Is that really "malfeasance"? I had thought that that word applied to actions by someone in authority and generally to an action by a Public Official.
        
        Still, I am not a lawyer and it isn't a word I have ever considered using.
        
        Just what "law" did she break by the way?
        
        george.com …
        
        13 November 2020 at 11:21 pm
        
        when you get a test stay at home until you get the test results, that is the common sense learning from this case. the turn around in this case for the results was 2 days maximum
        
        observer 6.1.1.1.1.2
        
        13 November 2020 at 6:50 pm
        
        Employee makes statement … through her employer's lawyer.
        
        Hmmm.
    - RedBaronCV 6.1.1.2
      
      13 November 2020 at 9:43 am
      
      This is what happens I guess where workplace rules are left to be sparsely enforced by employees if they feel up to it. Employers start to think there are no rules or they are not applied to them. I really do not understand why labour won't have at least opt out unionism for larger employers. Any increase in unions gives better coverage and enforcement rather than the few overworked government inspectors that we have now.
Maurice 7

13 November 2020 at 4:18 am

Germany is touting a 5% work-at-home surtax because those workers do not pay "their share" of tax due to less travel and buying while at work.

https://www.economist.com/europe/2012/05/05/pay-to-stay-at-home
Peter 8

13 November 2020 at 8:23 am

People don't want to use the app. People don't want to use masks. People don't want to wash hands.

What bets many of those same ones are bitching this morning about 'the Government' stuffing up in Auckland or about themselves being inconvenienced?
- tc 8.1
  
  13 November 2020 at 11:43 am
  
  My last few outings from home saw very few people scanning the QR codes at outlets.
  
  Some even sneered at me scanning them having to brush past not bothering and got shirty if social distancing was requested in a checkout queue.
  
  IMO the scene is set for an outbreak that will be hard to trace thanks to many fellow kiwis not giving a F.
- SPC 8.2
  
  13 November 2020 at 1:25 pm
  
  People do it whenever there is known community transmission.
  
  And they have every reason to expect government border management to keep it out, so they do not have to.
Tricledrown 9

13 November 2020 at 10:03 am

N95 masks not being provided is absolutely ridiculous.

People working in the isolation units should isolate to and from work and at home.

They should receive a higher payment for the risks involved for them and their families and have regular breaks.

The QR codes should be compulsorily used every where no entry until you have signed in or scanned.Not much to ask to make it easy to contact trace.

Every body has to up our game no more burying heads in the sand
- RedBaronCV 9.1
  
  13 November 2020 at 11:46 am
  
  Yes to everything but the QR codes. 20% of the population would need a new cell phone to do that.
  - Henry Filth 9.1.1
    
    13 November 2020 at 2:26 pm
    
    Compared to the amount of money spent so far, dishing out free/subsidized cellphones wouldnt be overly expensive.
- SPC 9.2
  
  13 November 2020 at 1:32 pm
  
  Agree on the N 95 level masks for MI guests and staff.
  
  Agree again – MI staff should have a month on month off regime – and socially isolate while working (delivery of food etc, and use masks if on PT during the workign month).
  
  QR codes, when not at Level 1.
  
  And I would add – the MI guests should be confined for their room for the first week – we need to prevent any mixing of first and second week guests (Oz does this for the entire two weeks barring chaperoned weekly walks).
Enough is Enough 10

13 November 2020 at 1:10 pm

I saw someone in Raglan today wearing a mask
- tc 10.1
  
  13 November 2020 at 2:38 pm
  
  Good on them, they could be in a risk category or simply being cautious.
  
  With the cavalier attitude I'm seeing it’s a smart move.
SPC 11

13 November 2020 at 1:39 pm

While there was some reason for confidence that we could track and trace this – because its related to the MI cases already known. Until the chain to the student is known, and her contacts and their contacts are tested, there is a high risk this will go runaway – and lead to a merry chase.

Bar owners, night club owners and churches may not be operating this weekend in Auckland.
- SPC 11.1
  
  13 November 2020 at 2:11 pm
  
  Then again, they will be. The government has determined given they know the source they can play detective.
  
  The risk is there is a person (someone like a cafe worker) between the known source and this student and its their contacts who will be out and about this weekend.

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5 days ago

Genter under fire
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

New Treasury paper on the productivity slowdown supports the downgrading of forecasts
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Friday, May 3
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 9:26 am on Friday, May 3:Climate 'Ministerial override must go' - Hearings begin over fast-track bill RNZ Kate GreenPopulation: Labour hire firm struggling to find staff as Australia lures away workers. HireStaff ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Weekly Roundup 3-May-2024
Here we are in May already! And here are a few of the stories that caught our eye this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted that it’s been a decade since Auckland’s rail system was electrified. On Wednesday, Matt looked at AT’s rollout of new ways ...
Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
5 days ago

The Hoon around the week to May 3
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Pamphlets at Ten Paces.
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
5 days ago

A land without pier
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
5 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2024
Open access notables Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the face of climate change, climate literacy is becoming increasingly important. With wide access to generative AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we explore the potential ...
Skeptical Science
6 days ago

Ruckus over AUKUS – Labour demands Peters step down as Foreign Minister, but he still had the job ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Secrecy undermines participation
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Agribusiness following oil and gas playbook
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

Here’s hoping they aren’t counting on a 100 per cent acceptance…
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Gordon Campbell on unemployment, Winston Peters’ low boiling point and music criticism
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events: The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
6 days ago

TVNZ and poll results
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Mana or Money
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Thursday, May 2
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 11:10 am on Thursday, May 2:Scoop: Government sits on official advice on fast-track consent. The Ombudsman is investigating after official briefings on the contentious regime were held back despite requests from Forest ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

The Art of taking no Responsibility
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

The shabby “Parliamentary urgency” ploy – shaky foundations and why our democracy needs trust
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Jones has made plain he isn’t fond of frogs (not the dim-witted ones, at least) – and now we lea...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the Beehive There we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Infrastructure & home building slumping on Govt funding freeze
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

Brainwashed People Think Everyone Else is Brainwashed
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
6 days ago

Peters’ real foreign policy threat is Helen Clark
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
6 days ago

NZ’s trans lobby is fighting a rearguard action
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
Point of OrderBy gadams1000
7 days ago

Your mandate is imaginary
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
7 days ago

14,000 unemployed under National
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

Bryce Edwards: Discontent and gloom dominate NZ’s political mood
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
7 days ago

Taking Tea with 42 & 38.
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
7 days ago

Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”. As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford Union
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Labour Blog
45 mins ago

Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscations
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
Greens
18 hours ago

TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
NZ First Press Release
19 hours ago

Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgrade
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Labour Blog
1 day ago

Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be released
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal pay
National has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under National
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cuts
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert Martin
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live export
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fire
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
Greens
7 days ago

New unemployment figures paint bleak picture
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Greens
7 days ago

Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment rises
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New Zealanders
Weekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreement
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle down
The Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicine
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACT
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial Day
Labour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass Graves
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac Day
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summons
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery funding
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Further environmental mismanagement on the cards
The Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environment
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management system
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise Palestine
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kind
The Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Three strikes has failed before and will fail again
Resurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freeze
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Fast-track submissions period must be extended
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Release: Progress on climate will be undone by Govt
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Low gas production threatens energy security
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 hours ago

Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
13 hours ago

Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
14 hours ago

Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
15 hours ago

Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
20 hours ago

Daily school attendance data now available
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
21 hours ago

Ambassador to United States appointed
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
24 hours ago

New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

$1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

OECD reinforces need to control spending
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of Plenty
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Speech to New Zealand China Council
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Government recommits to equal pay
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Transforming how our children learn to read
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Streamlining Building Consent Changes
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Accelerating airport security lines
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Community hui to talk about kina barrens
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Mining resurgence a welcome sign
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government to boost public EV charging network
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Independent review into disability support services
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

The Spinoff Power List: 50 New Zealanders you need to know
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Board of Review
40 mins ago

First Nations imprisonment is already at a record high. Unless government policy changes, it will on...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock This article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
52 mins ago

Martha isn’t Baby Reindeer’s biggest villain. So why is she painted as such?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 hour ago

Yes, adults can develop food allergies. Here are 4 types you need to know about
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 hour ago

An outsider on the inside: how Ans Westra created New Zealand’s ‘national photo album’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

How the lessons from Covid-19 could help us prepare for bird flu
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
3 hours ago

As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary. Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Genesis Energy to fire up coal imports, citing increased demand, dwindling gas supply
Genesis Energy is to resume importing coal, as reduced gas supplies and increased demand add to the problems of keeping the lights on. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

The Boy in the Water: ‘Someone was struggling at a fence’
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
NewsroomBy Bonnie Sumner
3 hours ago

Te Pāti Māori comments: 'That kind of language isn't helpful'
Political parties have roundly criticised Te Pāti Māori for using words like 'extermination' and 'white supremacy' in the House. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey sought advice on ‘social impact bonds’ to fund services
Ministers have sought advice on 'social impact bonds', which offer a potential return on private investment in public services. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

Managed retreat: How do we get out of the way of climate change?
"Ad hoc" house buyouts after major disasters cannot continue, the Climate Change Minister says. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

Rules for property managers are scrapped. But what’s the worst that could happen?
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
The SpinoffBy Hera Lindsay Bird
4 hours ago

Explainer: What’s the deal with Auckland’s new water deal?
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
5 hours ago

Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGP
Despite Sir Russell Coutts vowing SailGP wouldn’t return to Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, negotiations over 2025 are ongoing The post Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGP appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy David Williams
5 hours ago

Meet the man behind the Government’s education policy
The parallels between the Government’s education policy and those put forward by researcher Michael Johnston, is raising questions The post Meet the man behind the Government’s education policy appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
5 hours ago

‘We didn’t behave very well in NZ’, says Wakefield heir
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
NewsroomBy Peter Walker
5 hours ago

Govt risks another Havelock North by undoing water protections
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
NewsroomBy Marnie Prickett
5 hours ago

Where to next for the Aukus ruckus?
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Nicholas Khoo
5 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 May
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
5 hours ago

‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects
Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Lianne Dalziel
5 hours ago

A controversial driving exam – put to the test
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
NewsroomBy Tom Kitchin
5 hours ago

A long road back to a very long jump
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
NewsroomBy Dave Crampton
5 hours ago

Daily crossword, Wednesday 8 May
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
5 hours ago

Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset
After replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
5 hours ago

From Gallipoli to Gaza: remembering the Anzacs not as a ‘coming of age’ tale but as a lesson for...
ANALYSIS: By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
7 hours ago

NZ local council calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza as strikes hit
By Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
8 hours ago

End this ‘cruel, barbaric use of force’ on Gaza – WILPF plea to NZ
Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
8 hours ago

Albanese government to invest $566 million for ‘generational’ mapping to promote resource explor...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Prison spending: Waikeria to have capacity for nearly 2000 beds
The government has clarified just how many beds the Waikato prison will get after a series of maths gaffes - 455, 600, 810 or 1865? ...
Radio NZ – political
11 hours ago

‘Repair colonial violence’ and support Gaza ceasefire, say Otago academics
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
12 hours ago

Expelling students for bad behaviour seems like the obvious solution, but is it really a good idea?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

Green MP Julie Anne Genter responds after behaviour in the House, florist's accusations
"I can do better," she says, acknowledging the need to work on her de-escalation strategy. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

If the RBA’s right, interest rates may not fall for another year. Here’s why – and what it mea...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

‘Eye watering’ spending, growing debt make up surprisingly generous Victorian state budget
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

Budgeting service cuts: 'It's like watching a train derail'
With some services facing closure after missing out on the latest government funding, there are for some of NZ's most vulnerable. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Coalition demands amendments to government’s deportation bill, as crucial High Court judgement set...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

MP's comments 'bang on' despite negative response from other parties – Te Pāti...
Te Pāti Māori is standing by comments made by MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi which other parties have called inflammatory and offensive. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

A story of trauma, hope and regaining control, Nayika: A Dancing Girl is soul-stirring dance theatre
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

'Pretty dire' situation for patients as junior doctors strike over pay cuts
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

How does the drug abemaciclib treat breast cancer?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
18 hours ago

How a filmmaker, a pile of old shells and a bunch of amateurs are bringing our oyster reefs back
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
18 hours ago

Official 2023 election result final check done in a few hours, under extreme pressure
The rushed assessment, which failed to identify multiple errors in the official results, would normally take two days. ...
Radio NZ – political
19 hours ago

Curious Kids: what stops meteors hitting Earth and hurting people?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
19 hours ago

From pride rounds to rainbow guernseys, sports can be smarter when it comes to diversity and inclusi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
19 hours ago

Grand designs? Why many Australian architects say their career makes them unhappy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Naomi Stead, Director of the Design and Creative Practice Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT, RMIT University SORN340 Studio Images/Shutterstock For years there have been suggestions of widespread poor wellbeing among architects. In many ways this is not surprising. It’s well established the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
19 hours ago

Don’t embarrass the boss
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
NewsroomBy Tim Murphy
19 hours ago

Green MP Julie Anne Genter referred to Privileges Committee
Gerry Brownlee referred her to the Privileges Committee over complaints about her behaviour in the House. ...
Radio NZ – political
19 hours ago

Six telling tidbits from the review of vote-counting errors at the 2023 election
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period during which we waited, and waited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
The SpinoffBy Alice Neville
19 hours ago

Government begins weekly reporting of school attendance figures
Schools should aim to have 94 percent of their pupils in class every day, David Seymour says. ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

A ‘blistering’ ‘tour de force’: Australia loves After the Party too
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party. When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
The SpinoffBy Tara Ward
20 hours ago

Iran is gaining credibility in the Muslim world and feeling emboldened. This doesn’t bode well for...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
20 hours ago

‘Uncanny notes that plague this place’: Hagstone by Sinéad Gleeson, reviewed
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events. When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
The SpinoffBy Claire Mabey
21 hours ago

Bougainville ‘other avenues’ report ‘sensationalised’, claims Makiba
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
21 hours ago

Government on track for increased deficit despite fall in spending – Treasury
The government books are worsening as a fall in tax outpaces cuts to spending, leaving it on course to post a sizable deficit. ...
Radio NZ – political
22 hours ago

Luxon and Mitchell weren’t mixed up, they were using girl maths
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game. Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.” Some think that’s ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
22 hours ago

Interim Financial Statements Of The Government Of New Zealand For The Nine Months Ended 31 March 20...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Scoop politics
23 hours ago

NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle, who wanted to keep his pay as councillor pay too, changes his mind
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

Jamie Arbuckle MP – Re: My Position As Marlborough District Councillor
This is my fifth term as a Marlborough District Councillor, I am passionate about local issues, and I will continue to work hard for my community. ...
Scoop politics
23 hours ago

Adding gender to the Human Rights Act – what’s the big deal?
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
The SpinoffBy Paul Thistoll
23 hours ago

Carmel Sepuloni believed to be contestant on new season's Celebrity Treasure Island
The new season of Celebrity Treasure Island is due to hit New Zealand screens later this year. ...
Radio NZ – political
24 hours ago

The cost of being: A flatting student who’s saving for more tattoos
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
The SpinoffBy The Cost of Being
1 day ago

'He got it mixed up' – PM backs Corrections Minister despite announcement muddle
The prime minister is backing Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell, saying he "quickly clarified" a confusing media conference announcement. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

How the fast-track law could expose future NZ governments to expensive trade disputes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Crisis of faith: why Australian women have so little trust in religious institutions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Terminal lucidity: why do loved ones with dementia sometimes ‘come back’ before death?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Making merry: how we brought Melbourne’s Merri Creek back from pollution, neglect and weeds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

This group rid one Australian river of its privet problem – and strengthened community along the w...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonia Graham, DECRA Fellow, University of Wollongong Lekali Studio/Shutterstock Privet is a popular garden hedge. It grows quickly and responds well to being pruned. But in natural areas, privet is a problem. Like 72% of weeds in Australia, privet escaped ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Australian artists only earn $23,200 a year from their art – and are key financial investors in ke...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Experts Sign Open Letter To Legalise Drugs In New Zealand
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Politics live: Mark Mitchell, Christopher Luxon face questions after Corrections confusion
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Messy press conference prompts correction over Corrections funding
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
1 day ago

Politics live: Mark Mitchell, Christopher Luxon face questions after confusion Corrections
The Prime Minister and Corrections Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about their $1.9 billion planned prison spend-up. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Young Star burns bright for her Fiji family
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. She’d been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Auckland’s Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
NewsroomBy Merryn Anderson
1 day ago

Plucky Foodstuffs crushed by the iron fist of big bicycle
The beloved local grocers lost a legal challenge to stop a new cycleway outside their store. Joel MacManus reports. In the annals of New Zealand legal history, there are a few brave people who have dared to stand up to the powers that be, no matter how bleak the odds ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
1 day ago

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