Daily review 19/02/2020

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, February 19th, 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 19/02/2020 ”

  1. Rosemary McDonald 1

    Leilani Farha.

    Anyone?

    Damns our housing crisis as a human rights issue.

    'Successive governments have created a perfect storm…'

    Simon Wilson's article in the Herald, as well as The Guardian and Newshub.

    Hang me for not linking …but a bit difficult from phone parked up with the other Bus dwellers

      • Rosemary McDonald 1.1.1

        Thanks Alice Tectonite.

        Struck us as weird that Farha sees Newzild's lack of accessible housing as an issue…as the issue.

        It is simply par for the course.

      • Chris T 1.2.1

        I actually don't mind Ng. Meet him a few times, but I think he missed the bit where the renters are normally renting because they can't afford to buy a house, so his fluffy renters buying the house is a bit scewwiff

        • weka 1.2.1.1

          Everyone is a renter before they buy their first house. People don't emerge into adulthood fully formed as house buyers.

          The Greens have a rent to buy scheme in the works

          https://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/greens-push-rent-buy-schemes

        • Muttonbird 1.2.1.2

          Only because the houses are unavailable, TMAB.

          If an increased number of amateur investors exited the market because they couldn't be bothered to provide a warm, dry house to rent there would certainly be an increased number of houses available for young families. This of course would see house prices stabilise and become more affordable.

          • Chris T 1.2.1.2.1

            Do you you mind clarifying what you mean by tmab?

            To make a….

            • Muttonbird 1.2.1.2.1.1

              Sure.

              Don’t worry. You are still anonymous. Just slightly less anonymous than before.

              [I don’t know what is going on here, but it is in no way acceptable to break someone’s pseudonym on TS. Chris T isn’t anonymous, he’s pseudonymous. I suggest you read the Gosman Hypocrisy Ruling in the site Policy. If you have a genuine concern about someone’s pseudonym, then grab the attention of a moderator. – weka]

              • Chris T

                Fantastic

                You are delusional and to be avoided

              • weka

                Mod note for you Muttonbird, you're in premod until I see an acknowledgement you have read the note and the Policy and agree to abide by the site rules.

              • weka

                Ok, well your reply just read like you think you know better than a moderator, so I've put those two comments and your other comments into Spam and left you in premod until this gets sorted out. Basically we're in wasting moderator time now, and I'm sick of chasing round after regulars who should know better. If you don't understand a moderation, ask for clarification, I'm always happy to explain. But there is no good reason why any of us giving our time here should engage in an argument about moderation.

                The points about other people's commenting styles can be made in more direct ways within the site's rules. Or as I said, flag a passing mod.

                • Muttonbird

                  I thought I did bring attention to posting style last time but as you admitted you don't always read replies to your own demands so commenters don't know where they stand.

                  It’s particularly relevant at this point in time because there is increasing awareness of right wing attack strategy of which deliberate dumbing down is a part. I have a lot of interest and a lot to say about it. Honestly, how can they claim to be interested in better education for people when the communicate in sloppy and false memes?

                  Still not sure how I broke the Gosman rule other than using the word "anonymous" instead of "pseudo-anonymous" but if it gets my posts uncensored then yes, I have re-read the rules and I will adhere to them in the future.

                  Thank you!

                  • weka

                    I know you're trying here MB, and I really wish I didn't have to be spending time on this, but your first paragraph needs a link so I know what you are referring to. I generally look at the replies list when I am on TS and read what people say to me, so I don't know what you mean. Please clarify. I'll respond to the rest of your comment and the other when we've got this sorted.

                    • weka

                      Specifically "but as you admitted you don't always read replies to your own demands"

                    • Muttonbird

                      Please don't patronise me, weka.

                      The reference was around a previous clash where I said had replied to one of your requests and you said, "you lost track of time". This seemed to mean it wasn't important to you.

                    • weka []

                      Well you would be wrong about my priorities MB. I’m putting you onto the blacklist in the meantime, just to keep the comments moderation list clear. I will come back to this later, because I don’t want to spend my Sat morning chasing around after this. Reminder (to everyone) that in the end moderation comes down to shortening my time being sucked up. All people have to do is acknowledge the first moderation request and we can move on. Pick a fight with a moderator and this is what happens instead. It’s not personal to you MB, there’s been a run of this lately. If regulars aren’t going to respect moderation maybe I should just go back to banning instead of trying to sort things out.

                  • weka

                    Muttonbird, you said (comment copied from Trash because I can't move it to the front end),

                    Um. So basically I have been banned but you decline to give me any information on how long or why.

                    You've also not called it a ban but a blacklist. Could you please explain to the commenters what the difference is.

                    Sure. You're not banned. If you were banned I would have said so and told you the length of time. You're still in premod, but I have used the blacklist tool in the back end to manage this because it's less work for me. This means that the system sends all your comments to trash (before they were being held in the Pending queue and I was pushing them to Spam until we sorted the moderation issue out).

                    The reason you are in premod is because I moderated some comments of yours (about anonymity) and you chose to litigate that and now we're in a process of sorting all the things out that have arisen from that. Part of that is because the last time I moderated you, you also argued about it, so to limit the amount of time I have to spend on moderating you in the future it's better to get it all sorted once and for all now.

                    I've been busy and my attention is elsewhere and my priority on TS is finishing a draft post that's been sitting there for a week. None of that is personal to you, you're just the regular who happened to coincide with me running out of patience.

                    So, I will get back to this, I don't know when but I'm unlikely to let it drag on for days and days. I want you and I to come to an understanding on where the boundaries are for moderation so neither of us have to go through this in the future. Or next time I just issue a ban and sort it out that way. My preference is for the former because you've been here a long time and your comments fit with the site except sometimes when you overstep the bounds like this one (your original comment, and how you've handle moderation).

                    In other words, I'm putting time in here so that you don't get banned. There's an opportunity to get on board with that. It's election year and once things heat up with that I won't have this degree of leeway for sorting things out.

                  • weka

                    Here's the final moderation.

                    1. it's not ok to criticise people for anonymity, nor to try and connect up people's different IDs between here and elsewhere on the internet. On TS anonymity isn't allowed, pseudonimity is. Trying to break someone's pseudonomity will get serious moderator attention.

                    2. You have a history of abusive comments that have nothing to do with politics, and this needs to stop.

                    3. Next time you get moderated by me, if you argue about it, I will just ban in order to limit my time being used up. Asking for clarification is ok by me, taking pot shots at the moderator or moderation is not. How other moderators deal with moderating you is up to them, but I have made my notes and links in the back end if other mods want to refer to that.

                    I will assume you have read and understood these three points unless you ask for clarification, including the understanding that they will form the basis of moderation going forward.

                    The Gosman Hypocrisy Ruling basically says if you call someone using a pseudonym 'anonymous', while using a pseudonym, then you will be banned. As above and stated in the Policy, there are good reasons for understanding the difference between those two things.

                  • weka

                    You,

                    1a. I didn't criticise anonymity – just let that commenter know we were co-commenters once before elsewhere. The anonymous/pseudo-anonymous differentiation is lost on me, and I suspect others.

                    1b. "Connecting people's different IDs". New rule and the forum rules need to be updated. How are commenters supposed to know this?

                    2. Accepted and I will adjust.

                    3. This is an issue but I will be the one to adjust because I must in order to keep my commenting privilege.

                    Otherwise, thank you for giving up your Sunday to address this and I look forward to the post you are working on.

                    Muttonbird.

                    1a. I told you in the original moderation I didn't know what was going on (still don't), but pointed you to the Policy and pointed out that there were problems with what you were doing.

                    Pseudonymity and anonymity are two different things. Anonymity is when the comment has no handle attached to it so two anonymous comments could be from the same person or two different people and there is no way to know. Think about that with a 200 comment post and what might happen. This is why anonymous comments aren't allowed on site. They're open to abuse and they make conversations confusing. Blogspot blogging platform used to allow anonymous comments (don't know if it still does, and it was an admin chosen setting) and it was really hard to follow complex conversations.

                    Pseudonymity is when people choose a pseudonym, like weka or Muttonbird, and use it consistently. Some people use that pseudonym across the internet (I use weka on twitter and FB for instance). Some people like to use different handles in different places, for lots of reasons, some quite legitimate. The continuity means that conversations are easy to follow, we get to know people and this creates a better political debate culture. It's also means it's harder for people to troll or flame.

                    Breaking Pseudonymity, either by directly doxxing someone (publishing their real life name or details online), or by sharing information so that different IDs can be linked up, is not ok because you have absolutely no way to know the person's reasons. This is a big issue for some people online eg feminists in political spaces who get threatened online and in RL when someone doxxes them. Or someone works in a job which would be at risk if their political views were known (and again, it's not usually possible to see the risk). This is why I take it very seriously.

                    1b. When I first moderated, all you had to do was ask for clarification instead of arguing about it. Not all moderators will explain things, but most will if asked politely. A lot of moderation comes from individual moderators making judgements in the moment based on a range of things to do with the safety of the site and the wellbeing of the community. Listening to what they say as they say things makes things clearer.

                    2. Thank-you, that will be appreciated.

                    3. Yep, that's pretty much what it boils down to.

                    • RedLogix

                      Finding the middle ground between ignoring bad behaviour and flat out banning isn't easy. It's time and energy consuming, and prone to not having the desired outcome.

                      Still can I sincerely say I fully support what you are trying to do. Best wishes.

                    • Muttonbird

                      Thanks for the detailed info, weka.

                      My reading of 'anonymous' is that that personal details are unknown. I didn't think my original series of comments violated that but if you say there is a risk to commenters here if their handle from elsewhere is known, I accept that.

                    • Incognito []

                      I’ll add a personal note or observation rather.

                      For reasons weka outlined, we don’t condone people using different user handles (AKA pseudonyms) here. You suspected that this was the case with two commenters and asked us to look into this. I did and found not a hint of this being the case. FYI, I’m particularly allergic to sockpuppetry, bordering on going anaphylactic, and I always keep an eye on this behaviour but it is easily missed too. I think that your judgement and behaviour were clouded by your opinion of and attitude towards those alleged sockpuppets. IMO, it’s perfectly ok to flag suspected sockpuppets but then let Moderators deal with it and accept their decision as they can see and do a lot more behind the scenes than you can.

                • Muttonbird

                  There's a lot of cross over between the forum I mentioned, by the way. Three or four commenters here are active there on the 574 page NZ Politics Thread

                  I'm not one for linking other forums but I think it has value in the context of this argument. The Standard is referenced there quite a lot. Some here may find it childish (a lot of it is!) but there’s significant commentary about NZ Politics from domestic and largely ex-pat communities.

                  We don't post in a bubble and commenters' history, while considered sacrosanct here for some reason, is fair game as far as I'm concerned.

                  How do you build up knowledge and experience of and about a person without referencing previous behaviour?

                  We do it in real life…

                  • Chris T

                    Not being funny, but you seem a tad obsessed.

                    [FFS! One Moderator is working hard to douse this fire and you come along with your typical wind-up act to flare it up again. Banned for a week – Incognito]

                    • Incognito

                      See my Moderator note @ 3:11 PM.

                    • Incognito

                      Comment received from Chris T after he was banned:

                      I haven't fucking done anything

                      You’re fucking fool for saying that. You’re a spray & walk away wind-up troll and you need to learn to shut the fuck up and especially not fuck with Moderators about moderation. I’m fucked off by your moronic behaviour and add another fucking week to your ban for fucking good measure. So, fuck off for a fortnight!

    • gsays 1.3

      Hi Anne, I see one of the other posts is the Green Party saying:

      "“It’s clear that Parliament is incapable of meaningful reforms to itself, as some political parties have a vested interest in the status quo,”

      Even though I saw it was about party funding I immediately thought of the landlord class.

      Squatters rights might shake things up.

      • Anne 1.3.1

        Thanks for the heads up gsays. I've not been around much today.

        Note the statement from the Greens says… some political parties have a vested interest in the status quo.

        Lets be crystal clear, they are: National and ACT.

        While it looks like the NZ First Foundation may have dabbled in the behaviour to some extent, it will be nothing compared to the conduct of National and ACT over many years. There is no evidence that Labour and the Greens indulged in such arrangements.

        The LP pledge card fiasco manufactured by the Nats had none of this subterfuge attached to it. It had been approved by Parliamentary Services – a fact the Nat complicit media of the time conveniently glossed over.

    • Molly 1.4

      My friend's family were political refugees from Pinochet, but in recent years have returned to visit extended family in Chile.

      Chilean housing policy history – not without problems but interesting to read, particularly in relation to housing activists operating before Pinochet's rule.

      They assessed whether the pobladores had the right kind of family, were good workers, and acted in solidarity with their neighbors. They also investigated whether pobladores were “homeless” (sin casa). In the Chilean case, being homeless did not mean living on the street but rather that one was either living in substandard housing, renting a temporary residence, or staying in the home of extended family members or fictive kin.

      Those who seized land sought the housing benefits they believed they were entitled to as citizens. Housing activists justified the seizures as an attempt to overcome a contradictory shortcoming of citizenship, which had made many Chileans “homeless”. At the same time, the seizures also expanded the boundaries of permissible activism.

  2. AB 2

    Adolph Reed on his concern that the left doesn't appreciate what it is up against. The interview as a whole meanders a bit – but this piece is interesting.

  3. Andre 3

    Heh. Some intrepid researcher delved through the archives to determine the exact moment Bernie turned into a 78 year old.

    https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/02/when-did-bernie-turn-78-investigation.html

    Spoiler: it was sometime in 1987.

  4. Climaction 4

    Everyone’s really giving it their all linking the opposition to the Chinese.

    good to see the left trudge down the same path UK labour did on their way to electoral defeat. Denying it’s racist all the way, because it’s true apparently that the cccp gave donation to National and not Labour and Chinese people buy houses.

    have fun hugging the corpse that is Winston first all the way to the opposition benches again

  5. alwyn 5

    I imagine that we can expect some sackings at Middlemore Hospital.

    They have, in effect, called the PM a liar with her claims that sewage was running down the walls at the Hospital. How Dare They!

    'There was "no sewage spilling into the building" and leaks were "immediately repaired", CMDHB's spokeswoman said.'

    This is the second time that they have had to correct the erroneous statements by Government MPs. They have already pointed out the falsity of such statements back in 2019 apparently.

    Edit. Sorry, didn’t add link to story.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12310024

    • Ian 5.1

      The PM is repeating a lie. A bit rich to call her a liar. When are you lefties going to start putting the boot into dairy farmers again. Starting to feel ignored down on the farm. Can't wait for the tax cuts next year.

      • millsy 5.1.1

        So how much extra money are you getting from poisoning our rivers?

        You know they let people put what they like in the rivers in places like Somalia? I bet their rivers are basically open sewers. That is what a country with no regulations has.

      • Louis 5.1.2

        @Ian The PM neither lied nor repeated a lie. Please refer to 5.2

    • Louis 5.2

      @alwyn

      The PM didnt lie.

      Read your linked article, despite the headline, Middlemore officials admit to sewage leaks, also take note of all the repair work that was mentioned.

      "Raw sewage has been leaking into the walls of Middlemore Hospital's Scott building, on top of all the other problems with its buildings"

      "Counties-Manukau DHB acting chief executive Dr Gloria Johnson told Morning Report today"

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/353602/sewage-leaking-into-middlemore-building-s-walls

      "The busiest emergency department in the country had to close a procedure room for a week after sewage leaked through the ceiling"

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/115311750/sewage-coming-through-the-ceiling-closed-room-in-middlemore-hospitals-emergency-department

      "Middlemore Hospital knew about extensive leaks, rot and mould at its main building two years before it says it did"

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/356501/middlemore-problems-highlighted-in-2010-report

      "Health Minister David Clark said all the stories about sewage had originated from the DHB"

      "DHB acting chief executive Gloria Johnson declined to be interviewed but confirmed to RNZ on March 28 that there had been sewage leaks and said she believed other buildings at Middlemore could be affected"

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12036681

      • McFlock 5.2.1

        There was no sewage leaking down walls, just through the ceiling. Therefore the PM is lying. [headdesk]

      • alwyn 5.2.2

        A very brief reply. I never actually said the PM lied. It was the DHB which certainly implied it.

        However. The first story you link to quotes the then acting, now long departed CEO. It was a story from March 2018. Did you notice the date? The CoL Health Minister grabbed the story, embroidered it and then spun it as being part of his spiel that National were Evil. Ms Ardern is continuing to tell the tale, as recently as last week in fact.

        The DHB concerned denied that anything like what he claimed had happened and that the claims were vastly exaggerated. They did this in 2019. Ms Ardern took no notice and simply spun the story again last week. The DHB have repeated the fact that the original story was rubbish. I doubt if the current CoL will take any notice of course. Truth is irrelevant.

        They are quite used to continuing to spread rubbish stories after they have been shown to be false of course. Remember how the outgoing Head of Treasury claimed to have had their system hacked? What actually happened of course was vastly simpler. His staff had put the material on-line in such a way that the general public, using Treasury supplied tools, could see what was in the Budget. Robertson continued the tale of the "hack" long after the way the provision of the data to the Public was demonstrated. He knew that the "hack" had never happened but sticking to the truth wasn't of overriding importance.

        • Louis 5.2.2.1

          @ alwayn

          The one here spreading rubbish is you and you did imply that "government mps" that no doubt includes the PM are lying in your final paragraph prior to "edit" and you have completely missed the point where the spokesperson admits that there were sewage leaks.

          The PM and her govt were told by the DHB. You trying to spin it to suit doesnt alter those facts.

  6. Muttonbird 6

    Caption contest:

    A picture is worth 100050 words.

  7. A 7

    Probably nobody will see my comment here as it is late on Wednesday night and I have only just caught this article

    At a daily news briefing on Wednesday, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the credentials would be revoked in retaliation for a headline for an essay that ran in The Journal’s editorial pages earlier this month. The headline read, “China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia.”

    Chinese officials have “demanded that The Wall Street Journal recognize the seriousness of the error, openly and formally apologize, and investigate and punish those responsible, while retaining the need to take further measures against the newspaper,” Geng Shuang, the ministry spokesman, said in a transcript provided by the Chinese government.

    “The Chinese people do not welcome media that publish racist statements and smear China with malicious attacks,” he added.

    Further down the article was a development that feels a bit off (to me anyway…but wth would I know about who/how rules are applied to journalists…)

    It also comes less than one day after American officials in Washington said they would treat five government-controlled Chinese news organizations — Xinhua, CGTN, China Radio, China Daily and People’s Daily — as foreign government functionaries, subject to similar rules as diplomats stationed in the United States.

  8. pat 8

    “We knew fossil fuel extraction – including fracking – was a major part of global methane emissions, but this impressive study suggests it is a far bigger culprit in human-induced climate change than we had ever thought,” he said.

    “If correct, gas, coal and oil extraction and distribution around the world are responsible for almost half of all human-induced methane emissions. Add to that all the carbon dioxide that is then emitted when the fossil fuels are burned, and you need look no further for the seat of the climate emergency fire.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/19/oil-gas-industry-far-worse-climate-impact-than-thought-fossil-fuels-methane

    • Robert Guyton 8.1

      Thanks Pat.

    • RedLogix 8.2

      And given that solar PV installations currently depend on co-located natural gas plants to fill in for the evening peak loads … this is the unspoken Archilles Heel of many so called 'renewable' sources. Without mass scale fuel/energy storage both wind and solar are not really as carbon zero as their advocates like to pretend:

      A recent study published in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters found that natural-gas use has grown so quickly that emissions from gas over the past six years have surpassed the decline in emissions resulting from a reduced use of coal. The study found that fossil fuel emissions grew at a slower rate in 2019 than in previous years but did not account for methane emissions from fossil fuel production and shipping.

      https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/natural-gas-bridge-nearing-end

      • McFlock 8.2.1

        Which is part of the teething issues of a new technology, not an endemic problem. Solutions are appearing, from Musks aussie battery to hydro stations using surplus power to pump water back into the upper reservoir.

        • RedLogix 8.2.1.1

          All these are good things, another is the global HVDC supergrid that I've spoken to before.

          Incidentally I worked at a mine site that was seriously planning a wind generator combined with energy storage in an unused drift (Cavern Energy Storage) which looked extremely promising. … but only made sense if you already had a decent sized non-leaky hole to start with.

          What does irk me a bit is when PV/Wind advocates chirp on about how cheap their source of energy has become, without factoring in the storage and grid costs that need to be incurred to make it all work reliably.

          • McFlock 8.2.1.1.1

            Fair call on advocates for alternative (or any) tech – "support" tends to become "blinkered idolatry".

            Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong, sometimes they're just outright lying (ISTR the wonderfully named "T Boone Pickens" advocating for fracking in the continental US as a means of energy self-sufficiency. He wasa publicising a book, and it was one of the few interviews done by Jon Stewart that made me feel outright dirty. He said he'd never heard of any problems with fracking, ever, and it went unchallenged).

            • RedLogix 8.2.1.1.1.1

              Which is part of the teething issues of a new technology, not an endemic problem. Solutions are appearing,

              Without wanting to run a 'gotcha' moment, can I say this is pretty much the same argument I was running for the new generations of MSR fission generators a few weeks back.

              Like all new tech has it's blinkered zealots, but that's the nature of innovation, much of it is going to prove a dead-end but there is really only one way to find out.

              • McFlock

                lol I was trying to avoid doing the gotcha thing in the opposite direction, too.

                The worst case scenario for wind farm hazards being understated is dead birds and a hum. Worst case for MSR hazard understatement is a spontaneous twenty-mile-radius bird sanctuary.

    • pat 8.3

      Unsurprisingly the tangental foray into solar and wind generation ignores the fact that methane form non biological sources is higher than previously thought suggesting the impact of biologic methane is less…but never mind it is all moot in any case as there is no will (political or otherwise) to actually do anything about it.

      and you're welcome Robert , for all the good it will do.

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    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    1 day ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
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