Daily review 01/11/2022

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, November 1st, 2022 - 43 comments
Categories: Daily review - Tags:

Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

43 comments on “Daily review 01/11/2022 ”

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  1. Muttonbird 1
    1 November 2022 at 6:50 pm

    I always like to boil down political positions to the reduced, or purest, form.

    The bespoke anti-Three Waters mayoral taskforce announced by mayors Brown Wayne and Major Phil boils down to this:

    Three Waters, yes ok, but without the Murrays, please!

    • tinderdry6 1.1
      1 November 2022 at 7:23 pm

      I disagree.

      From the summary on Stuff:

      "A key feature of their plan for regional water organisations is that they would be owned and governed by the participating councils, with co-governance to be determined by each body."

      "The new plan would allow regions to decide how big their new entities would be, rather than the four regional entities proposed nationwide."

      “The new proposal would maintain crucial aspects of central government’s existing plan, including the new water regulator, Taumata Arowai, while maintaining local ownership, control and accountability and allowing for meaningful roles for mana whenua,” the Brown and Mauger said in a statement."

      IMHO, the proposals represent a decent attempt to circumvent the most contentious areas of the current 3Waters proposals, while maintaining explicit support for iwi mana whenua involvement.

      • Anker 1.1.1
        1 November 2022 at 7:50 pm

        Agree Tinderdry66. Far better than creating four separate entities.

        • SPC 1.1.1.1
          1 November 2022 at 8:46 pm

          "The new plan would allow regions to decide how big their new entities would be, rather than the four regional entities proposed nationwide."

          • Ad 1.1.1.1.1
            1 November 2022 at 9:37 pm

            Regions being Auckland and Canterbury.

            Jesus people figure it out.

            The only people who can ever be trusted to keep water assets in local control is local Maori.

            Over a century pakeha local government politicians shifted from pastoral colonisers to commercial privatisers and did the same thing over and over again with different descriptors and same results.

            • tinderdry6 1.1.1.1.1.1
              1 November 2022 at 10:15 pm

              "Regions being Auckland and Canterbury."

              Opposition to the governments 4 entity proposal is far wider spread that just Auckland and Canterbury.

            • Shanreagh 1.1.1.1.1.2
              1 November 2022 at 10:37 pm

              I agree Ad. The proposal is for 'watered down' Maori representation because they would be the most likely to question our current extractive model and the most likely to seek more appropriate ways forward to protect water as a taonga.

              We have done appallingly badly under majority (white) council control. A whirl at full co-governance can't be any worse and would probably be better. I've had experience in land and health where better decisions were made once we got participation and involvement from Maori.

              Yes so more like status quo with no Murrays.

      • RosieLee 1.1.2
        1 November 2022 at 8:32 pm

        Follow the money.

      • Mac1 1.1.3
        1 November 2022 at 9:01 pm

        "with co-governance to be determined by each body."

        What does that mean exactly from the Stuff summary?

        Does it mean what Muttonbird 'suggests'- "without the Murrays?"

        Apart from that somewhat important question. what councils have discussed the 3 Waters issue and agreed a position such as proposed by three Mayors acting without consulting their councils?

        Where are the local authorities really with this issue?

        I am seeing a very unrealistic scenario being proposed- these mayors are saying reluctantly there are problems with the three waters but want central government taxpayer money to fix the problems themselves which they themselves have not dealt with up till now. They want the money but still want control of the assets and the government money but no recognition of the duty of government firstly to see the needed reforms are actually implemented properly and quickly without undue influence by vested interests, and secondly to see that government funds are spent properly.

        • tinderdry6 1.1.3.1
          1 November 2022 at 9:23 pm

          "What does that mean exactly from the Stuff summary?"

          It means what it says. Each entity will decide, the proposed structure allows for "meaningful roles for mana whenua".

          " what councils have discussed the 3 Waters issue and agreed a position such as proposed by three Mayors acting without consulting their councils?"

          The proposal was put to the public yesterday. It is a proposal of the mayors of Auckland and Christchurch as an alternative to the government plans. They are "seeking further support over how local body water supply operations should be reformed." This would seem a sensible approach.

          "Where are the local authorities really with this issue?"

          With 3Waters? There has been vocal and widespread opposition across the country to the current government proposals. These have come not only from councils, but in some cases iwi.

          "these mayors are saying reluctantly there are problems with the three waters but want central government taxpayer money to fix the problems themselves which they themselves have not dealt with up till now."

          The debate is not over whether there are problems, but the best way to resolve them. The government proposals assume local councils should give up effective control over substantial assets their ratepayers have funded, and the revenue stream those assets currently generate. It is hardly surprising the proposals have come up against substantial opposition.

          • Ad 1.1.3.1.1
            1 November 2022 at 9:28 pm

            Te Tauihu only opposed the boundary, not the plan itself.

            The faster local government is stripped of water management the better.

            Every single part of water management in New Zealand is getting rapidly worse, apart from the bits where government has thrown hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars at it.

            • tinderdry6 1.1.3.1.1.1
              1 November 2022 at 10:09 pm

              I don't see any advantage in removing control of the assets from the people who have funded them. The best way to resolve the current issues are more local representation, not less.

              • Ad …
                2 November 2022 at 6:30 am

                You need to go back to the purpose and objective of the reforms in the first place and what caused them.

                Also remember that there is very little removal of control from 'the people' because no one elects the water entity boards at the moment. At Watercare the board is simply 'refreshed' in a glacial process in which outside consultants from Sheffield vet a tiny number of applicants to the Board.

                There is no control by the Council about how it is run – other than at budget time when there is an in-council consultation about price and its cumulative effect with rates.

                Otherwise Watercare and the other major entities are their own kingdoms who have reduced us all from citizens to customers.

                Which was the intent of the legislation when water entities were corporatised by National in the first place in the early 1990s.

                • tinderdry6 …
                  2 November 2022 at 9:11 am

                  The main reason reform is necessary is because central government have failed to match population growth (driven by its own policies) with infrastructure investment. The question is not the need for reform; the question is what is the best vehicle for delivering that reform?

                  On the issue of accountability, I disagree. In Auckland, Watercare is a COO directly accountable to an elected governing body of councillors. The poor performance of some of our COO's (e.g. AT) was a significant issue in the recent elections. That is a very different proposition to what the current government proposal looks like.

      • Ad 1.1.4
        1 November 2022 at 9:25 pm

        IMHO there are few councils who have decent Maori relationships and fewer who manage water competently.

        Does anyone know where Auckland's water increasingly comes from? Not Auckland Council or Watercare who repeatedly showed they had no idea how to plan for water supply. It comes from the Waikato River, manager by an iwi partnership with the Waikato people.

        Check out two entities with terrible iwi relationships: Wellington and Canterbury. They are also two of the very worst performers for water management in stormwater and wastewater.

        The entities who benefit from the Auckland and Canterbury proposals are the richest and most powerful local government entities in New Zealand. Not the small ones.

        Sure they may well just fix a holding pattern before the Dec 2023 election. My bet is they will lose, and the new Labour led government will just roll over them like the toxic fucking bugs they are.

      • Ad 1.1.5
        1 November 2022 at 9:32 pm

        It means Canterbury and Auckland get to dictate whatever they want.

        Auckland has a minor extension to take the whole of Waikato, Canterbury takes Waimakariri and up to Nelson, and of course Christchurch Holding Company accidentally wipes out Dunedin Council as it's been angling to do for years (check out their move to build a competing airport in Tarras and eradicate QLDC airport).

        It's the bog basic kingdom-building that Watercare have been lobbying for ever since Mark Ford was in power.

        • tinderdry6 1.1.5.1
          1 November 2022 at 11:09 pm

          "It means Canterbury and Auckland get to dictate whatever they want."

          Under the current proposals, Auckland would have a minority vote on the new northern entity when it is likely contribute more than 90% of the assets. How is that fair?

          • Ad 1.1.5.1.1
            2 November 2022 at 6:24 am

            You really want to fly an argument as weak as 'fairness' about Auckland and water resource allocation?

            Go for it.

            • tinderdry6 1.1.5.1.1.1
              2 November 2022 at 8:57 am

              How is it fair that an entity contributing 90% of the assets has a minority vote?

              • Shanreagh …
                3 November 2022 at 11:30 am

                Wellington Water has operated on a one council one vote for its current water entity. As I said the sky has not fallen down.

                I thought Auckland had a water entity? Does it only cover Auckland? How does it then manage to get water from the Waikato?

                While Auckland may have contributed assets it will have by far the greatest call on the work of the new organisation by dint of its population. How are you marrying this in? So we get to starve the regions again without a coordinated approach to water.

                I don’t really get this ‘wah, wah only one vote’ when we are moving to a new age, stage and hopefully better way of managing water. How would you plan this to give mana Whenua a fair deal? Would they be given an extra vote as well?

                • tinderdry6 …
                  3 November 2022 at 4:04 pm

                  "I thought Auckland had a water entity?"

                  Auckland's water entity is Watercare, which is currently investing around $1.2bm of ratepayers money into the central interceptor project.

                  "Does it only cover Auckland?"

                  Yes.

                  "How does it then manage to get water from the Waikato?"

                  The Waikato river is as little as 3km from Auckland. Auckland gets about 1/3 of its water from the Waikato, which is a more environmentally acceptable solution than building more catchment.

                  "While Auckland may have contributed assets it will have by far the greatest call on the work of the new organisation by dint of its population."

                  That's irrelevant. The opening ownership/control should reflect the assets introduced.

                  "How are you marrying this in?"

                  Easy. The larger number of users in Auckland will pay the largest amount toward ongoing supply.

                  "I don’t really get this ‘wah, wah only one vote’ "

                  You might if you were an Auckland ratepayer who has been paying for the assets Auckland has accumulated.

                  • Shanreagh …
                    3 November 2022 at 7:19 pm

                    Our regional grouping works very well in Wellington and it is but a short step to involving mana Whenua in a greater role.

                    I don't recall there was an outcry about assets when WCC joined all of the others as the point was to bring to the grouping what we could and make a paln to do better. This is basically that is at the heart of Three Waters, to have a forward thinking way of doing it better.

                    With Auckland having a majority of votes won't this defeat the whole idea of Three waters where cooperation and a new approach is key? So wouldn't Auckland just defeat any moves that meant other areas got to have their possibly more pressing needs looked at?

                    What would happen if Auckland did not get to swamp all the votes?

                    Wouldn't the group be able to act on fixing and investing in the areas that needed this as a matter of urgency?

                    NB I still think this is an ill-concealed ruse to knock out co-governance.

                    • tinderdry6 …
                      3 November 2022 at 8:06 pm

                      "With Auckland having a majority of votes won't this defeat the whole idea of Three waters where cooperation and a new approach is key?"

                      No. It simply reflects the reality of the ratio of assets introduced. There is also the reality that the largest entity will contribute the most revenue. It's simple fairness.

                      The idea of councils handing billions of dollars of assets over to central government with virtually no say in how they are to be run was never a sensible notion.

                    • Shanreagh …
                      3 November 2022 at 9:12 pm

                      So wouldn't Auckland just defeat any moves that meant other areas got to have their possibly more pressing needs looked at?

                      What would happen if Auckland did not get to swamp all the votes?

                      You did not comment on these questions and I have no doubt that this is what will happen to the local authorities unlucky enough to have to share one of the new entities with Auckland. I mean a city that can elect an ageing Trump look alike/act alike is hardly going to turn around and play nicely in the sandpit with the others are they?

                      How would you make your system far to the others who may actually have more pressing needs than Auckland's

      • Shanreagh 1.1.6
        1 November 2022 at 10:30 pm

        I actually thought it watered down the proposed co-governance role.

        Some Councils have poor representation of Iwi Maori. Perhaps if the suggestion is adopted the co-governance could be stipulated by Govt rather than by each region. I think leaving it to regions would mean we still have the patchy co-governance that exists at the moment and no improvement on the horizon.

        Not sure that regions would be any less expensive to run than 4 bigger entities.

        • tinderdry6 1.1.6.1
          1 November 2022 at 11:01 pm

          The co-governance issue is a red herring IMHO that has been misused by critics as a stick to beat the 3waters proposals with. I'm more concerned with the inequity of ratepayers losing control over billions of dollars worth of assets. and having even less accountability for the delivery of water services than they do now. In the case of Auckland ratepayers, that means we end up with ” having only a minority vote on the new northern entity when it is likely contribute more than 90% of the assets”. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/130328610/government-open-to-change-as-coalition-of-mayors-pushes-new-vision-for-water-reforms

          • Shanreagh 1.1.6.1.1
            2 November 2022 at 6:22 pm

            Not a red herring for me.

            In Wellington our water went from the direct control of Council years ago. so that horse has bolted. As far as I am aware this has not caused the sky to fall in though the entity is plagued by the results of same sorts of underinvestment that plagued the Council when water was under its direct control. So direct Council control = fail

            CCO water entity = fail

            We have nothing to lose and everything to gain with a new look and way of dealing with water. Outmoded models are just that – outmoded

              • Shanreagh …
                3 November 2022 at 11:26 am

                As I said. CCO with 7 shareholding entities ie no council has direct control. Many/most people don't think of them as being run by WCC and so a move onto another mode particularly one that gave mana whenua a greater say may be easier to achieve than going from an individual Council owned water supply to Three Waters. We dealt with the concept that our water/infrastructure was going to have to be shared years ago.

                WCC has no greater right or say than South Wairarapa District Council. Perhaps as test run this model could be augmented by having an equal number of Mana Whenua. Three Waters could go ahead with all of the CCO water entities by giving mana Whenua equal shares. I'd have no problem with this as a half way house.

                Leaving it up to places like AKL would mean poor representation from Mana Whenua, I am picking, if left to their own devices. If they are bucking at 50% for a Treaty partner that is an equal partner in the Treaty then it is only going to be a minority.

                • tinderdry6 …
                  3 November 2022 at 4:12 pm

                  "As I said. CCO with 7 shareholding entities ie no council has direct control."

                  Of course Council's have control. Read the links.

                  "Leaving it up to places like AKL would mean poor representation from Mana Whenua, I am picking, if left to their own devices. If they are bucking at 50% for a Treaty partner that is an equal partner in the Treaty then it is only going to be a minority."

                  I think you need to make up your mind what 3waters is trying to achieve. I am looking at this from the perspective of finding the best resolution to the current problems, which are the result of decades of underinvestment in infrastructure. If you want to argue the case for incorporating treaty partnership at the governance and/or management level of service delivery, then that's an entirely different conversation.

                  • Shanreagh …
                    3 November 2022 at 7:30 pm

                    If you want to argue the case for incorporating treaty partnership at the governance and/or management level of service delivery, then that's an entirely different conversation.

                    Ummmm Zooooom.

                    Involving the Treaty partner is one of the reasons for having the co-governance proposals.

                    underinvestment in infrastructure.

                    On the basis that all legislation is deemed to be remedial then this is one of the most cogent arguments to amalgamating into entities that can invest, be forward-looking. There are infrastructure replacements that will cost $M and also increasing safety concerns with the current arrangements. And dare I say it cut it loose from all the bickering that is part of the local body circuit.

                    Three Waters is all about looking to the future, the expensive future when much of the infrastructure needs to be replaced. It also gave a chance for the Crown to honour the Treaty and to give its Treaty partner, for whom water is a taonga and not merely an extractive resource, a chance and stake in the future of the country.

                    ETA. My point was that WCC does not have a casting vote or extra votes on Wellington Water. The model works on and with a board of directors and the voting on this is not weighted by Council. It is this aspect I was trying to tease out as being different to your propsal to give Auckland the majority of votes on the new three waters entity. I was alsi trying to say that this has not had repercussions here in Wellington.

                    We have tried the joint model for 6-8 years, it has worked well. We need huge investment in the future in many water areas in our region. So Three Waters is a way to plan for the future.

                    • tinderdry6 …
                      3 November 2022 at 8:13 pm

                      3Waters is an attempt to solve an infrastructure deficit, but it is a flawed model. It essentially shifts the governance and management of a critical natural resource from locally controlled entities to centrally controlled and largely unaccountable entities. It is inequitable to ratepayers who have paid for the assets transferred. And in amongst all of that, the cost of establishing this proposed model could be better invested in actually fixing the infrastructure deficit.

  4. SPC 4
    1 November 2022 at 9:14 pm

    Polls show Netanyahu within reach of a majority – after a deal with this extremist right wing group.

    https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/10/30/religious-zionism-israel-far-right-different/

    It's a prospect designed to divide the alternative – those united against his return to leadership. Some will break to keep this extreme right wing group from place in government.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63458903

  5. Ad 5
    1 November 2022 at 9:16 pm

    "Elections suck. Elections are for losers. Elections should be disregarded."

    Maddow is on point with the far right Steve Bannon triumphalising Bolsonaro as another far right election denier.

    (339) Maddow: Trump, Acolytes Are Working To Turn Republicans Against Elections (And Succeeding) – YouTube

    Democracy is in retreat the world over and the best response by the left must be active participation in all its forms.

  6. roblogic 6
    1 November 2022 at 10:30 pm

    Losing respect for JBP – his comments on psychology were insightful (pre his near death episode), but he's reverting to more and more BS lately. There's an interview with JBP, Jonathan Pageau and a Muslim imam where JBP indulges in sophistry in an attempt to appear deep. And another where JBP blames the economic woes of the UK on environmentalists rather than the austerity policies of the egregious Tories. Pathetic stuff.

    https://twitter.com/thebadstats/status/1567519037797826561?s=20&t=O9hE0anj4fMe3RvRdfORYA

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    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    4 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    5 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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