web analytics

Daily review 10/03/2020

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, March 10th, 2020 - 64 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 …

64 comments on “Daily review 10/03/2020 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Robert Guyton 1
    10 March 2020 at 5:45 pm

    "These grasses are forced into the illusion of perpetual sexless youth by fertilizers and spinning blades. No profligate reproduction on display from them. "

    Is this why lawns are such an anthema to us wild forest-gardeners?

    https://emergencemagazine.org/story/eleven-ways/

    • AB 1.1
      10 March 2020 at 6:44 pm

      Thanks Robert. I am losing my fondness for lawns (50 years of mowing them does that) – but not entirely yet. So I can beat your 11 ways of smelling a tree with 13 ways of looking at one of the most frequent users of lawns – blackbirds. By the great Wallace Stevens.

      • Robert Guyton 1.1.1
        10 March 2020 at 7:32 pm

        The poem's a favourite of mine also. Ours here are ridiculously tame. One comes inside of the house as I sit reading, watches me with one eye as it crosses the kitchen floor to get to the butter in the table where it helps itself as I watch. Shameless! Another lives in the worm farm-bath and barely bothers to move away when I'm emptying the food-scraps bucket into it. I really like blackbirds.

        • In Vino 1.1.1.1
          10 March 2020 at 8:48 pm

          I like the way they sometimes sit on the powerline or whatever and give the cat verbal berries.

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2020 at 8:53 pm

            Yes; blackbirds provide the most reliable early warning service to the other birds. I wonder if they are rewarded for their squawk work somehow? Tasty berries left for them? Crusts set aside in gratitude?

        • Whispering Kate 1.1.1.2
          11 March 2020 at 10:48 am

          Robert I think I have told you about our blackbird once before. He is a glossy cockbird and is now in his 7th year. Why he is a particularly splendid specimen is, he has a very lame foot, bent almost completely under and he totters about. This particular stud of a cock has fathered many seasons of chicks and as far as we can ascertain has had two mates in this time.

          Season after season he talks to us in the garden and he and his mate build nests in climbers or on shelving outside our family room door. Every morning he is waiting for food and like your bird has come into the house cheeky as looking for us.

          What is interesting is that blackbirds are amazing parents, caring and its plain they do not abandon injured chicks like some animals in the wild do with their young. We remember this bird as a fledgling tottering about in the garden and his parents kept an eye on him until he could fly. We call him Pegleg, not because he has a pegleg but it just suited him. He has become an institution to us and has outlived his natural life in the wild so my book on birds tells me. Like you I just love blackbirds with their cheeky character.

    • Climaction 1.2
      10 March 2020 at 8:27 pm

      the youth of yesteryear, appreciating the sound of willow slapping on leather they play on the beautiful dirt expanse of the village brown

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    10 March 2020 at 5:56 pm

    Cunning!

    "If a tree senses insects chewing into its trunk or leaves, or receives an alert from a neighbor about such attacks, it boosts its production of the more insecticidal chemicals. The predators of tree-chewing insects—carnivorous and parasitic beetles and wasps—sniff the air for these defensive aromas of trees and use them to home in on their prey."

  3. Robert Guyton 3
    10 March 2020 at 6:00 pm

    Ever pondered on the safety of cardboard "tree" car air-fresheners?

    "The cardboard tree swings violently as we take the corner. The swinging motion looses pine and lemon scent from between fibers of compressed cellulose. A gust of forest air, right here in the car’s interior.

    Outside, a traffic jam. Gasoline byproducts and nitrogen oxides stream from tailpipes. When sunlight hits the fumes, the pollutants seethe and react, making ozone. The car interior is now a chemistry experiment: monoterpenes originally from trees blend with ozone, all held inside an enclosed space. When chemists replicate the experiment in the lab, the reactions of “air freshener” chemicals with ozone yield a mist of invisible particles and organic gases. The fine particles are a hazard not only to the lungs, but to other tissues of the body. So, too, are the gases born in this experiment, acetone, formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde."

    • Psycho Milt 3.1
      10 March 2020 at 6:46 pm

      The extravagantly mis-named "air-freshener" has to be a contender in any search for the most ubiquitous and pointless excesses of capitalism. If you think your house or car needs something to disguise its unpleasant smell, try cleaning it and airing it out.

      • Andre 3.1.1
        10 March 2020 at 6:53 pm

        … and try to figure out what caused the smell so you can prevent it happening again.

        Easier said than done in my younger days, though, preventing that mouldy odour in an older car parked outside in Palmerston North weather.

        • Sacha 3.1.1.1
          10 March 2020 at 7:20 pm

          Leaving permanently is a common fix there. 🙂

          • Andre 3.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2020 at 7:24 pm

            Yup. It worked for me. Kind of an extreme solution to mouldy odours in the car, but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

      • McFlock 3.1.2
        10 March 2020 at 8:47 pm

        My favourite candidate for that award is scented toilet paper.

        • Robert Guyton 3.1.2.1
          10 March 2020 at 8:55 pm

          What a weight of responsibility scented toilet paper has to carry! It's really up against it!

  4. weka 4
    10 March 2020 at 6:29 pm

    • ianmac 4.1
      10 March 2020 at 6:38 pm

      Wasn't there a time some years ago when National said the same thing then about "burning up regulations." I think there was a Minister appointed but after a year or so the task was quietly shelved. Might have been in the 90s or in Key years.

      • weka 4.1.1
        10 March 2020 at 6:48 pm

        Probably. Looks like stupid voter whistling.

      • Psycho Milt 4.1.2
        10 March 2020 at 6:50 pm

        Rodney Hide and Paula Bennett both got some media coverage out of it during National's last term in office, for a net gain of fuck-all regulations found to be without merit. Before that, occasional Standard commenter Wayne Mapp was given a real hospital pass when Don Brash declared him National's "political correctness eradicator." It played well to the base, I guess.

      • Graeme 4.1.3
        10 March 2020 at 10:25 pm

        There was also the great quango hunt in late 80's

  5. observer 5
    10 March 2020 at 6:31 pm

    Tributes to Jeanette Fitzsimons in the House today.

    David Seymour couldn't even be bothered to get her name right.

    • Pete George 5.1
      10 March 2020 at 7:20 pm

      Seymour use an alternative pronounciation for her surname. That aside I think it's a good speech from him. The main part:

      I did not coincide with Jeanette Fitzsimons in this Parliament, nor, unfortunately, was I able to know her, but in a way, the fact that what I know of her has been learnt by osmosis, has bled out through society and through secondary connections, speaks all the more strongly to those values that I know she had.

      There are politicians who believe it is an achievement to hold a particular office. There are politicians who believe that it is about what she might have called the “he said, she said” BS; Jeanette Fitzsimons was clearly a politician who believed that being in office was not an achievement but presented the opportunity to achieve not on the personality, but on the issues.

      That’s why we hear so frequently in the last few days, as people up and down New Zealand have come to terms with her passing, words like “principled”, “kind”, “dogmatic”, “humble”, “achieving”: values that I think all of us should aspire to and values for which all of us can have a great admiration for Jeanette Fitzsimons.

      Good speeches also from Marama Davidson and James Shaw, Jacinda Ardern and Coromandel MP Scott Simpson (also for National).

      There was no contribution directly from NZ First. Ardern: "I rise on behalf of the New Zealand Labour Party and on behalf of our coalition partner, the New Zealand First Party".

      Transcripts and videos of all the speeches: https://yournz.org/2020/03/10/obituary-speeches-in-parliament-for-jeanette-fitzsimons/

      • Sacha 5.1.1
        10 March 2020 at 7:26 pm

        Great to see a grown-up contribution from him. Thank you.

      • observer 5.1.2
        10 March 2020 at 7:51 pm

        Actually Jeanette very much wanted to be in office, not for the "baubles" but to turn principles into practice. She was never allowed to do this because of the intransigence and short-sightedness of some of those who have paid such glowing tributes over the past few days. (Many deserve blame, but Dunne, Peters and – sadly – Clark in 2005 are top of the list. National and ACT are a given, of course).

        Of course political obituaries will always have more courtesy than sincerity, those are the accepted rules of the game. But praise for her "legacy" from those who tried their damnedest to prevent it has had me reaching for the sick bag.

        • weka 5.1.2.1
          10 March 2020 at 8:29 pm

          I didn't listen for similar reasons.

          • Macro 5.1.2.1.1
            10 March 2020 at 9:12 pm

            Nor me.

            You would have enjoyed the heart felt messages spoken on Sunday afternoon though, from her family and friends, and the beautiful little poem composed by two young Lilys.

            Mind you I would have liked to have heard Marama and James speak.

        • Macro 5.1.2.2
          10 March 2020 at 9:14 pm

          Actually Jeanette very much wanted to be in office, not for the "baubles" but to turn principles into practice. She was never allowed to do this because of the intransigence and short-sightedness of some of those who have paid such glowing tributes over the past few days.

          Quoted for truth.

  6. ianmac 6
    10 March 2020 at 6:45 pm

    I wondered about the Herald publishing a Bridges stand-up re his wanting the minimum wage increase to be cancelled. A very clean" presentation with only one question and that was from Soper. Video Mark Mitchell. (The same?)

    Was this a routine News clip or something else? Paid Advertising?

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_cid=1&gallery_id=217877

  7. joe90 7
    10 March 2020 at 8:18 pm

    Twelve days ago Italy had 600 Covid-19 cases. Today, it has nearly 10,000 cases and the entire country is shut.

    • weka 7.1
      10 March 2020 at 8:27 pm

      the thing that is bothering me about Italy is the lack of reporting about what is happening in the hospitals. When I google it's all about travel plans. I'd really like to know if the what that doctor was reporting on social media from one of the hospitals is reflective of the overall situation, or not.

      I think it's a given that the US will be a shit show. Horrible and shocking. I'm more interested to know what the comparison graph between Italy and China is, or Italy and other South Korea. And then some fast fucking analysis of what the discrepancies are (if any).

      • joe90 7.1.1
        10 March 2020 at 8:34 pm

        Google is your friend.

        Conclusion

        I'm fairly confident that, left unchecked, COVID-19 will increase at a doubling time of 2-3 days. When containment in breached in a location this is the rate that the growth occurs at over the first few week or so.

        When effective measures are put in place this decreases. An effective quarantine may be able to convert the growth into a sigmoid function with a limit on the failure rate.

        Some locations (Japan, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong) have managed to avoid exponential growth despite having a large number of cases.

        https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/KJBQ7GiyvFTBnSEEC/growth-rate-of-covid-19-outbreaks

        • weka 7.1.1.1
          10 March 2020 at 9:10 pm

          so what is happening in Italy (high death rate, chaos in hospitals) is from a normal rapid increase in spread? And this might be preventable if action is taken early enough?

          Italy and South Korea look similar in the graph, is the difference between the two countries down to management?

          • joe90 7.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2020 at 9:37 pm

            Reported today that because of Italy's aging population, the average age of fatalities is 80. Also, Korea has tested more than four times as many people than Italy and has nearly three times the number of hospital beds.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_OECD_countries_by_hospital_beds

            https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/

            edit: and the Korea isn’t fucking about

            South Korean health authorities warned Monday that any new coronavirus patients will face fines for concealing their travel history, residences and other important information.

            The measure comes as a 78-year-old patient at a Seoul hospital was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday. But despite repeated inquiries, the virus patient misled the hospital staff and gave incorrect information about her residence and other details.

            The patient, a resident in the southeastern city of Daegu ― the epicenter of the virus outbreak here ― also denied her multiple trips to the city during hospitalization.

            The Baik Hospital in downtown Seoul has temporarily closed its emergency room since Sunday.

            “The government can impose fines under 10 million won if patients do not tell the truth about their travel history to health authorities,” Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip said in a daily briefing. The amount is equivalent to $8,296.

            https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2020/03/119_285851.html

          • A 7.1.1.1.2
            10 March 2020 at 9:49 pm

            S.Korea is tapering off + they are extensively testing so the high infection rate is accurate (my guess is that the US probably has many more people but they don't know it…or should that be refuse to know it?). This is slowing the spread as tested people know they need quarantine, whereas someone guessing tends to feel ok about bending rules.

            Italy has a major disaster on their hands as the rate of infection is about to explode due to the leaking of the quarantine before the official announcement. People scarpered out of the q zone and all over Italy and other countries before they could be locked down. Even now it looks as though people aren't taking "just a 'flu" seriously and are going out to visit friends etc although this might change with additional publicity around the dangers.

            Out of the two countries I'd rather be in South Korea any day. You couldn’t pay me to go to Italy.

            ***

            Random FYI people with high blood pressure made up nearly half the deaths in Wuhan. I'm on a diet as of now in an all out effort to get my BP down to normal range.

          • Graeme 7.1.1.1.3
            10 March 2020 at 10:43 pm

            There was this in Granny the other day, re-run form Daily Telegraph

            https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12315019

            It asks this question,

            Is it because Italy's decade of austerity has been harsher than anything George Osborne ever imposed? Are we seeing the delayed kick from cut after cut to the servizio nazionale sanitario, its budget pared to 6.6 per cent of GDP? If you think Britain's NHS has been starved of funds, spare a thought for Italy, Portugal and Greece.

            but doesn't really answer it.

            • weka 7.1.1.1.3.1
              10 March 2020 at 11:06 pm

              that was grim reading. Very interesting though. Austerity seems like it would be a factor, so that's age, testing, bed numbers and austerity.

              • weka …
                10 March 2020 at 11:11 pm

                NZ has less beds per 1,000 than Italy. We're near the bottom of the list (Joe's link above). Wonder what that's about. Presumably ICU bed numbers is the more critical factor.

                • Sabine …
                  11 March 2020 at 11:22 am

                  the -problem that you will have is not htat we don't have enough bed.We never did. And with the cuts by the last blue government its gotten worse.

                  the problem is that if we have an outbreak here, we won't have any capacity for anything else. So you have an accident? Serious Injury? Is there a surgery open? Will there be beds? Will there be enough medical staff?

                  The reason Italy is calling back retired doctors and nurses is to stave off that problem of lack of qualified staff. Especially in rural areas where you may not have a hospital at all in hte near vincinity but would have to travel to the next largest town. So anyone who has medical expertise will need to be drafted.

                  How good do you think we look here in NZ with our month long waiting lists and lack of beds, especially rural/semi rural.

                • Graeme …
                  11 March 2020 at 12:42 pm

                  We've also got the DHB system and a political consensus the 'efficiency' is achieved in health care by putting the organisations under financial stress, ie deliberate underfunding.

                  When all this is washed up it will be interesting to see how different models of healthcare provision compared in their societal outcomes. At present I'm trying to figure out why outcomes in South Korea are so much different to nearly all other countries.

                  And yeah, that Telegraph piece was grim reading, we're in for a rough ride here, and not directly from the infection. Really surprised to see it published in Granny.

      • Sacha 7.1.2
        10 March 2020 at 9:26 pm

        what that doctor was reporting on social media from one of the hospitals

        A bloody scary read but I share your question.

        • weka 7.1.2.1
          10 March 2020 at 9:58 pm

          Certainly is a marker point for me for moving from concerned but still relatively relaxed to being actively worried now. But yeah, much of my stress is related to just not knowing enough and having read something scary without having good corresponding analysis.

        • joe90 7.1.2.2
          10 March 2020 at 10:07 pm

          Scary threads.

          • joe90 7.1.2.2.1
            10 March 2020 at 10:38 pm

            fuck..

            […]

          • joe90 7.1.2.2.2
            10 March 2020 at 10:58 pm

            2/ This is the English translation of a post of another ICU physician in Bergamo, Dr. Daniele Macchini. Read until the end "After much thought about whether and what to write about what is happening to us, I felt that silence was not responsible.

            https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1236933818654896129.html

  8. McFlock 8
    10 March 2020 at 9:04 pm

    Crowdsourcing computer power to find Covid-19 treatments: folding at home.

    If you're not using much computer power, especially graphics, this app uses your spare power (like bitcoin miners do) for some weird biochemical math.

  9. Adrian 9
    10 March 2020 at 9:30 pm

    The problem in Italy maybe simple corruption. Big Chinese factories bringing workers back early from Chinese New Year and sliding them in without border health checks to keep the places running. There will be a lot more heard about this in the coming days.

    FYI, the Chinese have huge factories in Italy assembling Chinese shitty products so they can be labeled Made in EU/Italy. Reeks of corruption. Fabulous place Italy but count your fingers. My info from a long term Kiwi relative there.

  10. A 10
    10 March 2020 at 10:14 pm

    Creepy stuff. I would have thought somebody in the school system or beyond would care enough to have stopped this from happening. It's not the type of thing that can be undone.

    https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/03/australian-schools-trial-facial-recognition-technology-looplearn/

    Surprise, surprise…it has ScoMo’s support

  12. joe90 12
    10 March 2020 at 10:29 pm

    Johnson, Bolsonaro and tRump are all cut from the same idiot cloth

    Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday minimized the threat of the new coronavirus — which has killed nearly 4,000 people in more than 60 countries and tanked global financial markets — saying its destructive power has been "overstated."

    The fall of world markets "basically has to do with the price of oil, which sank 30 percent, and with the coronavirus issue too," said the ultra-right wing president to a crowd of about 200 Brazilian supporters in Miami, where he is visiting in an effort to drum up foreign investment.

    "In my opinion, that virus's destructive power is overstated. Maybe it is even potentially being exaggerated for political reasons," Bolsonaro said.

    https://www.france24.com/en/20200310-bolsonaro-says-virus-threat-is-overstated

  13. adam 13
    11 March 2020 at 12:02 am

    Be nice if we gave a shit about the Syrians rather than worry about a virus, which if you listen to the advice from scientists – you will be OK.

    https://www.statista.com/statistics/742468/civilian-deaths-in-syria-monthly/

    • Sacha 13.1
      11 March 2020 at 12:13 am

      But what about Assange, Adam? Too many single issues..

    • McFlock 13.2
      11 March 2020 at 12:25 am

      This statistic shows the number of civilians killed in Syria from February 2019 to February 2020. In February 2020, an estimated 276 civilians were killed in Syria as a result of the civil war.

      That's the bit not hidden by the paywall.

      How many were killed by coronavirus in February?

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Ginny Andersen appointed as Minister of Police
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Government confirms vital roading reconnections
    Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Foreign Minister Mahuta to meet with China’s new Foreign Minister
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for China tomorrow, where she will meet with her counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang, in Beijing. This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Minister to China since 2019, and follows the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions between New Zealand and China. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Education Ministers from across the Pacific gather in Aotearoa
    Education Ministers from across the Pacific will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau this week to share their collective knowledge and strategic vision, for the benefit of ākonga across the region. New Zealand Education Minister Jan Tinetti will host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers (CPEM) for three days from today, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago

  • State Highway 5 reopens between Napier and Taupō following Cyclone Gabrielle
    A vital transport link for communities and local businesses has been restored following Cyclone Gabrielle with the reopening of State Highway 5 (SH5) between Napier and Taupō, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan says. SH5 reopened to all traffic between 7am and 7pm from today, with closure points at SH2 (Kaimata ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Special Lotto draw raises $11.7 million for Cyclone Gabrielle recovery
    Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds has thanked generous New Zealanders who took part in the special Lotto draw for communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Held on Saturday night, the draw raised $11.7 million with half of all ticket sales going towards recovery efforts. “In a time of need, New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government delivers a $3 million funding boost for Building Financial Capability services
    The Government has announced funding of $3 million for providers to help people, and whānau access community-based Building Financial Capability services. “Demand for Financial Capability Services is growing as people face cost of living pressures. Those pressures are increasing further in areas affected by flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle,” Minister for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao – new Chair and member
    Minister of Education, Hon Jan Tinetti, has announced appointments to the Board of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao. Tracey Bridges is joining the Board as the new Chair and Dr Therese Arseneau will be a new member. Current members Dr Linda Sissons CNZM and Daniel Wilson have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Scholarships honouring Ngarimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion announced
    Fifteen ākonga Māori from across Aotearoa have been awarded the prestigious Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards for 2023, Associate Education Minister and Ngarimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today.  The recipients include doctoral, masters’ and undergraduate students. Three vocational training students and five wharekura students, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Appointment of Judge of the Court of Appeal and Judge of the High Court
    High Court Judge Jillian Maree Mallon has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, and District Court Judge Andrew John Becroft QSO has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Mallon graduated from Otago University in 1988 with an LLB (Hons), and with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • NZ still well placed to meet global challenges
    The economy has continued to show its resilience despite today’s GDP figures showing a modest decline in the December quarter, leaving the Government well positioned to help New Zealanders face cost of living pressures in a challenging global environment. “The economy had grown strongly in the two quarters before this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Western Ring Route Complete
    Aucklanders now have more ways to get around as Transport Minister Michael Wood opened the direct State Highway 1 (SH1) to State Highway 18 (SH18) underpass today, marking the completion of the 48-kilometre Western Ring Route (WRR). “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Briefings to Incoming Ministers
    This section contains briefings received by incoming ministers following changes to Cabinet in January. Some information may have been withheld in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982. Where information has been withheld that is indicated within the document. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Teaming up for a stronger, more resilient Fiji
    Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reaffirmed her commitment to working together with the new Government of Fiji on issues of shared importance, including on the prioritisation of climate change and sustainability, at a meeting today, in Nadi. Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand’s close relationship is underpinned by the Duavata ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Investment in blue highway a lifeline for regional economies and cyclone recovery
    The Government is delivering a coastal shipping lifeline for businesses, residents and the primary sector in the cyclone-stricken regions of Hawkes Bay and Tairāwhiti, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced today. The Rangitata vessel has been chartered for an emergency coastal shipping route between Gisborne and Napier, with potential for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Next steps developing clean energy for NZ
    The Government will progress to the next stage of the NZ Battery Project, looking at the viability of pumped hydro as well as an alternative, multi-technology approach as part of the Government’s long term-plan to build a resilient, affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system in New Zealand, Energy and Resources ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Statement from the Prime Minister on Stuart Nash
    This morning I was made aware of a media interview in which Minister Stuart Nash criticised a decision of the Court and said he had contacted the Police Commissioner to suggest the Police appeal the decision. The phone call took place in 2021 when he was not the Police Minister. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • CPTPP Trade Ministers coming to Auckland
    The Government’s sharp focus on trade continues with Aotearoa New Zealand set to host Trade Ministers and delegations from 10 Asia Pacific economies at a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission members in July, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor announced today. “New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Govt approves $25 million extension for cyclone-affected businesses
    $25 million boost to support more businesses with clean-up in cyclone affected regions, taking total business support to more than $50 million Demand for grants has been strong, with estimates showing applications will exceed the initial $25 million business support package Grants of up to a maximum of $40,000 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • More than 160,000 new Kiwis to call NZ home
    80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visas applications have been processed – three months ahead of schedule Residence granted to 160,000 people 84,000 of 85,000 applications have been approved Over 160,000 people have become New Zealand residents now that 80 per cent of 2021 Resident Visa (2021RV) applications have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • New Zealand to attend regional security meeting in Australia
    The Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques travels to Melbourne, Australia today to represent New Zealand at the fourth Sub-Regional Meeting on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Security. “The Government is committed to reducing the threat of terrorism ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Health and safety action plan for ports
    The health and safety practices at our nation’s ports will be improved as part of a new industry-wide action plan, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. “Following the tragic death of two port workers in Auckland and Lyttelton last year, I asked the Port Health ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Bikes and scooters to be exempt from FBT
    Bikes, electric bikes and scooters will be added to the types of transport exempted from fringe benefit tax under changes proposed today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the change would allow bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, and micro-mobility share services to be exempt from fringe benefit tax where they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Foreign Affairs Minister to reaffirm our close relationship with Fiji
    Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will hold bilateral meetings with Fiji this week. The visit will be her first to the country since the election of the new coalition Government led by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sitiveni Rabuka. The visit will be an opportunity to meet kanohi ki ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • New legislation to streamline Cyclone recovery
    The Government is introducing the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill to ensure the recovery and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle is streamlined and efficient with unnecessary red tape removed. The legislation is similar to legislation passed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes that modifies existing legislation in order to remove constraints ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Cost of living package: More bread and butter support for Kiwi families
    Approximately 1.4 million people will benefit from increases to rates and thresholds for social assistance to help with the cost of living Superannuation to increase by over $100 a pay for a couple Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Freeing up more government bandwidth and money to focus on the cost of living
    $1 billion in savings which will be reallocated to support New Zealanders with the cost of living A range of transport programmes deferred so Waka Kotahi can focus on post Cyclone road recovery Speed limit reduction programme significantly narrowed to focus on the most dangerous one per cent of state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • State of National Emergency to end for Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay
    The remaining state of national emergency over the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions will end on Tuesday 14 March, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. Minister McAnulty gave notice of a national transition period over these regions, which will come into effect immediately following the end of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government delivers on Dawn Raids commitment
    The Government is today delivering on one of its commitments as part of the New Zealand Government’s Dawn Raids apology, welcoming a cohort of emerging Pacific leaders to Aotearoa New Zealand participating in the He Manawa Tītī Scholarship Programme. This cohort will participate in a bespoke leadership training programme that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New plan to increase productivity and high wage jobs across advanced manufacturing sector
    Industry Transformation Plan to transform advanced manufacturing through increased productivity and higher-skilled, higher-wage jobs into a globally-competitive low-emissions sector. Co-created and co-owned by business, unions and workers, government, Māori, Pacific peoples and wider stakeholders. A plan to accelerate the growth and transformation of New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing sector was launched ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa New Zealand supports Pacific countries to combat animal disease 
    New Zealand will provide support for Pacific countries to prevent the spread of harmful animal diseases, Associate Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri said. The Associate Minister is attending a meeting of Pacific Ministers during the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry in Nadi, Fiji. “Highly contagious diseases such as African ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government delivers better public transport for Christchurch
    The Public Transport Futures project will deliver approximately: 100 more buses providing a greater number of seats to a greater number of locations at a higher frequency Over 470 more bus shelters to support a more enjoyable travel experience Almost 200 real time display units providing accurate information on bus ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Minister praises education heroes in cyclone damaged regions
    All but six schools and kura have reopened for onsite learning All students in the six closed schools or kura are being educated in other schools, online, or in alternative locations Over 4,300 education hardpacks distributed to support students Almost 38,000 community meals provided by suppliers of the Ka Ora ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government investments drive health and business outcomes in the Bay of Plenty
    A new health centre has opened with financial support from the Government and further investment has been committed to projects that will accelerate Māori economic opportunities, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says. Community health provider QE Health will continue its long history in Rotorua with the official opening of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • UK NZ Working Holiday Scheme upgraded
    The new three year NZ UK Working Holiday Visas (WHV) will now be delivered earlier than expected, coming into force by July this year in time to support businesses through the global labour shortages Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says. The improved WHV, successfully negotiated alongside the NZ UK Free trade ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • 2023 Offshore Renewable Energy Forum, New Plymouth
    It seems like only yesterday that we launched the discussion document Enabling Investment in Offshore Renewable Energy, which is the key theme for this Forum. Everyone in this room understands the enormous potential of offshore wind in Aotearoa New Zealand – and particularly this region.  Establishing a regime to pave ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Milestone reached in crack down on gangs
    Police has reached a major milestone filing over 28,000 charges related to Operation Cobalt. “I’m extremely proud of the fantastic work that our Police has been doing to crack down on gangs, and keep our communities safe. The numbers speak for themselves – with over 28,000 charges, Police are getting ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New funding for Cyclone waste removal
    The Government will provide $15 million in the short term to local councils to remove rubbish, as a longer-term approach is developed, the Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Several regions are facing significant costs associated with residential waste removal, which has the potential to become a public ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government working faster and smarter to support response and recovery
    $15 million of immediate reimbursement for marae, iwi, recognised rural and community groups $2 million for community food providers $0.5 million for additional translation services Increasing the caps of the Community and Provider funds The Government has announced $17.5 million to further support communities and community providers impacted by Cyclone ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • More Māori getting access to mental health and addiction services
    The Government’s approach of using frontline service providers to address inequities for Māori with mental health and addiction needs is making good progress in many communities, a new report says. An independent evaluation into the Māori Access and Choice programme, commissioned by Te Whatu Ora has highlighted the programme’s success ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-03-20T19:26:24+00:00