Cross-Party Inquiry into Homelessness releases report – Government must act

Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, October 10th, 2016 - 82 comments
Categories: cost of living, greens, labour, maori party - Tags: , ,

homeless-inquiry

Press release from the Labour Party website.

Labour, the Green Party and the Māori Party are calling on the Government to immediately adopt the 20 recommendations set out in today’s Ending Homelessness in New Zealand report.

This morning, the Cross-Party Inquiry into Homelessness has released its final report. Over the last several months the Inquiry has received hundreds of written and oral submissions from around New Zealand, which have been brought together into one report along with a set of 20 recommendations.

Notable recommendations include:

  • Rolling out Housing First as the primary response to severe homelessness.
  • Increasing the state housing stock.
  • Introducing systemic fix to the housing crisis: Build more affordable houses, reduce the cost of building a home, and tackle speculation in the property market.
  • Creating a national strategy to end homelessness.

“It is unacceptable that over 40,000 New Zealanders are homeless today. Labour believes that New Zealand is a stronger country, a better country, when everyone has a decent place to live,” said Labour Party Leader Andrew Little.

“Labour, the Greens, and the Māori Party have come together to present a solid plan to tackle homelessness. We need to build more affordable homes and more state houses. We need a Housing First approach to get a roof over people’s heads and then help with other issues they may have.

“We know how to fix this problem. The ball is now in National’s court. Will they act or will they continue to bury their heads in the sand?” said Mr Little.

“We’ve got people living on the street, in cars and garages, who need a proper roof over their heads. Our state housing stock has got to increase if we’re going to help people,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“Homelessness in New Zealand has built up to a crisis point because of our broken housing sector. The Government must build more affordable houses, reduce the cost of building a home, and tackle property speculation if we are to end homelessness,” said Mrs Turei.

“To end homelessness we need a clear national strategy, which includes all sectors and sets out the action that Government will take,” said Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox.

“Throughout this inquiry, whānau have told us how they live day to day, balancing money between food, shelter, bills and other necessities. This report is the result of their generosity in sharing their stories and solutions with us,” said Ms Fox.

82 comments on “Cross-Party Inquiry into Homelessness releases report – Government must act ”

  1. tc 1

    Marama fox is on the problem not the solution side as her party voted to sell off state houses.

    Political opportunism and hypocrisy from the maori party, what they seem to do best.

  2. Michelle 2

    Agree they can’t have it both ways sell and them cry wolf its one or the other Maori party

  3. Guerilla Surgeon 3

    I don’t think they actually care. There are a lot of people on that side who believe that the poor deserve what they get. Or what they don’t get actually I guess. I’m sure they do in an academic sort of way, and I sure they’d probably be on very quickly if they look like losing votes, but the country as a whole has gotten much mean spirited since my day. We can thank Roger Douglas’s social engineering for that.

  4. right on 4

    20 recommendations from left lacks credibility homelessness can be fixed over night get a job. people are homeless because they want to be its a life style choice or there on drugs there is no housing problem it all been made up by the labour party to make john key look bad it wont work because we can see through the spin

    [to comment on The Standard you need to use a consistent name and email address. You’re on the radar now as a troll. Read the site Policy on this and the general rules. Only warning. I’ll put you in moderation so we can see if you take notice, there will be a delay unit your comments appear – weka]

    • Macro 4.1

      ” homelessness can be fixed over night get a job”
      🙄
      I would think you were saying this in jest if it was not so offensive.

    • Cinny 4.3

      “there is no housing problem it all been made up by the labour party to make john key look bad”

      LMFAO !!!!!!!!!!! I guess that’s why the outgoing PM and co are furiously building houses… wait… it’s a housing challenge..

      You really need to inform all the media in NZ ‘right on’ we can’t have the newspapers and tv networks telling lies can we? Hey give talkback a ring, and tell them all about it.

      Toodles.

    • georgecom 4.4

      that is exactly the spin the right would use. Spot on. Excellent piss take man. As if anyone should believe the type of rubbish. Thanks for the laugh as well, appreciate your tongue in cheek humour.

  5. alwyn 5

    Your heading “Cross-Party Inquiry” seems most appropriate when one of the parties is headed by someone who is called by his detractors “Angry Andy”.
    Are the other parties equally at cross-purposes?

    • Macro 5.1

      hahahaha…
      Get a life!

    • reason 5.2

      Key can get pretty angry and stupid after a boozy lunch as we’ve seen in parliament alwyn …..

      Here he’s acting like a happy drunk with who might be his lunchtime drinking Pal

      ” David Seymour: In what century did the wine-box inquiry take place?

      Rt Hon JOHN KEY: One so far back I can hardly remember it.”

      Keys Lawyer … “The PM asked me to contact you to arrange a meeting at your convenience with a small group of industry leaders who are keen to engage to explain how the regime works and the benefits to NZ of an industry which has been painstakingly built up over the last 25 years or so.”

  6. johnm 6

    This government couldn’t act to anything remotely positive for ordinary kiwis: they are total incompetent layabouts except to feather their mates’ nest. And the kiwi sheep will vote them in another term! These web blogs are a waste of breath.

  7. Groundhog 7

    There is no point in increasing the state housing stock when we currently have state houses of wrong configuration in the wrong areas. That is why social housing is the future, because private landlords take the capital risk, not the tax payer. The authors of this report clearly have little or no knowledge of what is really happening on the ground.

    • mauī 7.1

      You mean they’re mostly in urban areas where land prices have risen substantially and the government and the real estate industry can cash in through selling.

      • Groundhog 7.1.1

        No, I mean private capital will move to where there is a return… in this case they will build houses in the places and configurations driven by the market, ie the tenants.

        • mauī 7.1.1.1

          Exactly, there’s no return in social housing that’s why state housing has been bulldozed. The state tenants wanted to stay put, that’s the market deciding for you.

          • Groundhog 7.1.1.1.1

            State tenants don’t get to decide where they live, and neither should they. When you get a free house you have no right to live in a three bedroom house when you only have one child. Likewise if the house is located where there is no work, you should be required to move. That is the way people have lived for ever, there should be no special privilege for people in free housing.

            As to social housing, off course there is a return. What a silly suggestion. The private investor saves the taxpayer the investment capital, and so should always receive a return.

    • Brendon Harre 7.2

      Your argument Groundhog doesn’t follow because the private sector are massively overbuilding 4-5 bedroom homes even though the big increase in households is for 1-2 people. So it is a false argument to say that the private sector is better at allocating resources in the housing sector.

      • Groundhog 7.2.1

        You’re wrong. There is huge growth in the 1-2 bedroom home sector, mainly for what are called ‘ancillary buildings’. The fact is no sector can respond immediately to rapid change, it just so happens that the private sector does it better.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.3

      “…because private landlords take the capital risk and will act to take the maximum profit possible, not the tax payer”

      FIFY

      Not just the Future of social housing, but The Brighter Future of social housing…

      • Groundhog 7.3.1

        That’s right. Risk and reward. That’s not the governments business, so they should get out of it completely. Besides, is you are advocating the government never sells state housing, there will never be a profit for the government anyway, so your argument collapses.

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.3.1.1

          The government’s business should be to seek good social outcomes.

          I am not advocating government profit here. My point is – keeping profit out of this completely, is a good idea. Why introduce another cost (private profit) into the equation?

          • Groundhog 7.3.1.1.1

            Social housing IS a good social outcome. Keeping profit out of housing provision is a bad idea. Private sector profit is the price of not having to have the government invest in the risk of housing stock that potentially ends up the wrong size and the in the wrong location. It is a price well worth paying.

            • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.3.1.1.1.1

              Without adding the burden of private profit, we can build more houses.

              The government can borrow at lower cost than private investors – so we can build more houses.

              People seeking profit do not necessarily seek the best social outcome (e.g. think Serco) – they seek…profit.

              • Groundhog

                With the profit element, the private sector can build houses cheaper, as they do roads, hospitals, schools etc etc.

                Profit is only a burden for the envious.

                • UncookedSelachimorpha

                  Sloganeering I see.

                  Profit is a burden for everyone who pays it, envious or not.

                  Healthcare in the USA is predominately private and is one of the costliest and least efficient systems in the world, e.g.
                  http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2015/oct/us-health-care-from-a-global-perspective

                  There is no evidence private roads are more efficient, better for tax payers or nations – in fact the opposite may well be true, e.g.
                  http://www.uspirg.org/reports/usp/private-roads-public-costs

                  • Groundhog

                    Profit is not a burden to anyone. It is part of the price of a good or service. Only those with an entitlement mentality want something for nothing.

                    As to your examples, good cherrypicking. NZ’s healthcare system is one of the best in the world, becasue it combines private and public provision. And you’re welcome to advocate for the removal of private capital from all provision of public services, but first you’ll need to find the money to fund all the schools, hospitals etc etc currently funded by private enterprise. Good luck with that.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.4

      “Risk”.

      Government (the biggest player in the NZ market economy) invests in social housing because not doing so increases the risk to citizens – the associated long-term costs far outweigh the investment.

      On the one hand we get fewer dead children, and on the other we save money long term.

      Or so the numerate people say.

      • Macro 7.4.1

        I don’t know why we indulge the idiot…
        Like the Chump he has no answers – just repeats dogma learned from Yr 10 Economics.

      • Groundhog 7.4.2

        We have tens of thousands of government owned houses, and we have dead children. Dead children are not the governments problem, they are the parents.

      • Groundhog 7.4.3

        There is absolutely no evidence that government increasing spending on housing means less dead children. The government doesn’t kill children, parents and caregivers do. Back in your box.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 7.4.3.1

          Yawn. Treasury calls it “morbidity with a social gradient”, and all you can do is whinge and wail your denial on a blog.

          • Groundhog 7.4.3.1.1

            Cite the evidence. Or back in your box.

            Meanwhile, educate yourself with this…http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/85332788/This-is-how-you-fix-child-poverty-in-NZ?cid=app-iPhone

            • One Anonymous Bloke 7.4.3.1.1.1

              Whingy whiny whinger wails denial on a blog, gets laughed at.

              • Groundhog

                No-ones laughing. Back in your box.

                • One Anonymous Bloke

                  It’s a tragedy that your argument is an opinion, and Treasury have more credibility for you. No, wait, it’s comedy 😆

                  • Groundhog

                    There is ample evidence that what your claiming is not causation. Back in your box.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      🙄

                      In fact, The Lancet, Treasury, UNICEF, the WHO, the World Bank, the IMF, have drawn specific links between housing and morbidity: they are the ones paying attention to facts, and you are the one wailing your ignorance and denial on a blog 😆

                    • Groundhog

                      Who argued there are no links? Do you do thick as a stand up? My argument is simply that this is a matter of personal responsibility. NZ has one of the most generous welfare systems in the world, near full employment, and near free education and healthcare. There is no excuse for children dying in NZ. None.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      You can’t have blame without excuses. I suggest you learn to live without either of them: facts and understanding are far more useful.

                      Wail some more denial, and I’ll laugh at you some more.

                    • Groundhog

                      ” I suggest you learn to live without either of them: facts and understanding are far more useful.”

                      I agree. The facts are as I stated. That’s how I understand the extent of the issue we face breaking the cycles of some peoples lives.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      That is indeed the extent of your understanding.

                      Asthma, Bronchiolitis, Pneumonia, Rheumatic fever. All are directly linked to poor quality housing; prevention is better than cure.

                      Or we can leave it to the market and add cholera to the mix.

                    • Groundhog

                      “All are directly linked to poor quality housing; prevention is better than cure.”

                      You may be right. So why aren’t parents deploying the prevention? Too many cigarettes? Too much alcohol? Who knows, but the help is certainly there if they ask and have the desire to make it work.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      Meanwhile, on Earth, an illiterate innumerate is flailing and failing to shift the goalposts away from the quality of housing stock, then in his twisted hatred, blaming the victims.

                      Or so it might seem at first sight. In reality, it may simply be that this handicap is brain damage caused by repeating lies.

                      Sympathy is a more charitable response. Still, brain damage, eh.

                    • Groundhog

                      “… blaming the victims.”

                      What victims? In NZ we are rewarded for our own endeavour. We also provide those less well of with substantial subsidies towards their living. That’s fair enough, but are you suggesting poor economic outcomes just randomly happen to people without any culpability? I know you’re thick, but surely not that thick.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      poor economic outcomes just randomly happen to people

                      For example, whether you are born with a silver or plastic spoon in your mouth, or no spoon at all (beware!). All of these starts in life are random; only a fool would declare they have no impact on economic outcomes.

                      It’s a touchy subject among “business” people: the role of chance. The self-attribution fallacy is so seductive.

                      You really need to drop this blame-excuse model you’re lugging around if you want to be free of that handicap.

                    • Groundhog

                      “For example, whether you are born with a silver or plastic spoon in your mouth, or no spoon at all (beware!). ”

                      So basically you are a determinist. Born poor, always poor. John Key does’t exist. Nor does Michael Campbell. Nor Jamie Beaton. How long a list do you want? it’s the same pathetic handwringing that denies Maori economic potential and relegates non-white progress in a wave of racism.

                      “You really need to drop this blame-excuse model you’re lugging around if you want to be free of that handicap.”

                      I live in the real world. It’s tough, but at least I acknowledge it. You live in a parallel universe where reality is not within your grasp.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      Meanwhile, on Earth, mentioning the random chances that affect economic outcomes does not equal “once poor, always poor”.

                      Only a fool would think it did.

                      Is that pathetic strawman the limit of your imagination?

                    • Groundhog

                      “…mentioning the random chances that affect economic outcomes…”

                      …is a chardonnay socialists veiled attempt at excusing a lack of initiative. Hiding behind your beamer?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      There you go on about excuses again. Boring. Already covered. Asked and answered. Are you a goldfish, or do you just mimic their attention span?

                    • Groundhog

                      “Already covered. ”

                      The day you claim to have ‘covered’ anything with your irrational diatribes is a day to laugh out loud.

  8. “Labour, the Green Party and the Māori Party are calling on the Government to immediately adopt the 20 recommendations set out in today’s Ending Homelessness in New Zealand report.”

    This is good. I hope they can work together to make a difference for our growing numbers of homelessness.

  9. Cinny 9

    Looking forward to Parliament in the morrow.

    Would be fantastic to end homelessness in NZ, an admirable goal for any country to have. Only a selfish person would disagree, everyone should have a home to live in.

    Landlords are making a fortune via us the taxpayer’s from government funded accommodation supplements, due to the high cost of housing; meanwhile people are suffering, and where are the houses?

    Thankful to these parties for going out and talking to the people, creating recommendations to solve this snowballing issue.

    How different are the recommendations compared to the governments investigation of the same?

    Governments plan is not working, it’s failing. Time for a change.

  10. jcuknz 10

    I thought Bennet’s comment “We are already doing these suggestions” to be quite true…. the problems and solutions are obvious to anybody BUT … like most things this government is doing too little rather too late in the piece.

    • Stuart Munro 10.1

      Tell the truth – the government is basically doing nothing.

      Nothing is the only thing they’re good at.

  11. Dhirendra Singh 11

    The cross-party report blows the issue of homelessness out of proportion and ignores looking into the causes. Lack of education, poor parenting, high alcohol consumption and drugs, broken families, family violence, lack of interest in looking for and finding jobs are the basis causes. No landlord wants to have their properties rented out to people who are into drugs and cannot afford to make regular rent payments. So education and jobs are the key. The National Government is not only working very hard on increasing social housing supply but also doing its best to address the basics which will in the long term prevent people getting into the homeless situation in the first place. No government can do everything on its own as its resources cannot be stretched beyond limits. Community organisations and other non-governmental must also play a part. To conclude, there is no housing crisis in New Zealand. Labour, Greens and Maori Party are just blowing it up to score some political points.

  12. reason 12

    Lynch mob sterotypes from Mike Sabin, paula bennet and tolley are used to demonize and evict tenants from ‘toxic’ state houses, which are non-toxic…..

    As an example if a child were prescribed the prescription medicine Desoxyn http://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/psychiatric-medications/methamphetamine-desoxyn-full-prescribing-information/ …..

    and if we dissolved their daily dosage of 25mg into enough liters of water ….we could make a solution to spray and contaminate the surface area for approximatly 50,000 ‘ failed meth tests…. and up to $600,000,000 of ‘decontamination’ costs if we had sprayed this incredibly diluted childs dose of prescription medicine onto interior new zealand house walls ….$600 million worth of ‘cleanup’ from a small amount of childs prescription medicine .

    For even more stupid numbers consider that a 400mg or 500 mg overdose of Desoxyn may not be a fatal dose and kill a child ……. but at current testing levels its enough to contaminate 1 million homes ……….. do we have that many homes in NZ?

    Its a shame they have created and funded a scam industry to waste millions and millions on …

    I guess it serves Bennett and the nats purposes …………………Housing is for speculators

    There is no such thing as debt in john keys book ………… only leveage

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    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Government lowering building costs
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