Daily review 22/10/2019

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 22nd, 2019 - 73 comments
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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 …

73 comments on “Daily review 22/10/2019 ”

  1. Anne 1

    Yeah well… I guess that's the end of the new convention centre.

  2. Ad 2

    The Prime Minister will need fast and clear clear information from Fletchers and Sky City to provide assurance to all APEC participants (Putin, Xi, Trump etc) that this fire does not disturb that programme.

    This fore is both a logistical and diplomatic problem for the government now.

    Otherwise this is liqudated damages and court cases, as well as a catastrophic defeat for the government.

    • ScottGN 2.1

      Apart from the difficulties this obviously poses for APEC planning, and the government is going to have to get on top of that real fast, I’d be pleased as hell if shitty Skycity’s ugly convention centre never rose from the ashes.

      • Ad 2.1.1

        Both National and Labour are committed to it.

        We will see the extent of the damage tomorrow, but there's no starting from scratch.

        One of them is going to open it in 2021.

        • ianmac 2.1.1.1

          So Sir John Key did so well to negotiate the Sky City deal. A great deal. Thanks you so much,

          Wonder if this will finally send Fletchers finally bust. Online it was said workers on the roof left a blow torch unsupervised.

          • adam 2.1.1.1.1

            Funny how workers get the blame right out of the gate.

            I hope there is a right prober insurance investigation – hearing all sorts of nasty rumors about sky city being saved by this accident….

        • ScottGN 2.1.1.2

          I know Ad. But I can dream and hope for some decent architecture in Auckland sometime surely?

    • Anne 2.2

      Catastrophic defeat for the government? How do you come to that conclusion?

      It was the John Key government who insisted on building the thing. The Labour Oppo. was vehemently opposed because it was seen as a massive fiscal extravagance. And time has proved it to be so. Now add to the cost a humongous repair bill and how is that supposed to reflect badly on the Labour led government?

      • ScottGN 2.2.1

        Ad is right. If the government doesn’t act fast and get planning for APEC back on track after this (Skycity convention centre was the big venue for it) and, worst case scenario, it has to be moved offshore because there is nowhere else to hold it in Auckland the government will pay big time.

        While I absolutely don’t want that to happen it will be just rewards for our total inability to plan and execute national infrastructure in NZ

        How’s Christchurch convention centre coming along?

      • Climaction 2.2.2

        You do realise this was being paid for privately and not by the government Anne?
        So what were the labour opposition opposing then if they objected to this?

        • Incognito 2.2.2.1

          For some reason I believe you know the answers to your questions. In any case, the Opposition was opposed to the $128 million taxpayer top-up to build the Centre and to the gambling concessions they were given, estimated worth tens of millions per year.

        • OnceWasTim 2.2.2.2

          Depends what you mean by being paid for.

          How about an increase in the number of pokies and changes to legislation to make it all happen.

          Great symbolism though eh?

    • Stuart Munro. 2.3

      "as well as a catastrophic defeat for the government"

      You vastly overestimate the public liking for these non-performing trade deals – they've been oversold as being wonderful for decades without producing anything much.

      • Ad 2.3.1

        Both kinds of government are neck-deep in them, and the national and international media know it.

        SCCC is like the big motorway jobs: National start them, but Labour front them to the finish.

    • Graeme 2.4

      Surely there would be quite well developed plans for a back-up venue in place since the proposed venue is still under construction, and just from the importance and stature of the event.

      Wellington should have possible venues, there must be alternatives in Auckland. Queenstown hosted CHOGM at Millbrook in 1995, which was quite high profile but surprisingly low key with world leaders like Mandela, John Major and Howard wandering around Arrowtown with general public and tourists.

      • Ad 2.4.1

        It's the security features.

        There will be a scramble in the next 48 hours, or we will have to give it up.

        It will come up the post-Cabinet media briefing anyway.

        • Graeme 2.4.1.1

          Millbrook would be as secure, maybe more. There's all sorts of things go on there that are kept out of sight.

          Whether it can cope with the business side as well as the leader side could be another matter.

          But more immediate is how this is going to affect Fletchers, insurance claim could be interesting if media reports of a blow torch being left on over smoko are correct. But not the first butynol job to go up in smoke, hopefully the risk was appropriately managed.

          • Ad 2.4.1.1.1

            The Fire Chief said this morning the roof made of straw and butynol layers was "complex".

            There's the word.

      • Exkiwiforces 2.4.2

        Yes, but we still had an Airforce back then as well, unlike the glorify Flying Club/ Airfarce we have these days.

  3. ScottGN 3

    Ironically the NDP in Canada, having lost almost half their seats, will probably have more power than they have ever had in Ottawa as Trudeau will need to their votes to get his legislative agenda through the House of Commons. ProRep back on the agenda?

    The Greens have made a breakthrough in Atlantic Canada too, winning Fredericton, the provincial capital in New Brunswick. They will hold their current two seats on Vancouver Island.

    Sheer, the Tory leader is already fending off the predictable questions about his campaign strategy. If he couldn’t beat a PM that’s had a year as hellish as Trudeau who could he beat?

    • swordfish 3.1

      .
      Yep … back in 2011 the New Dems take 31% of the vote & a record 103 seats (partly a sympathy vote for Jack Layton), official Opposition status for the first time but precisely zero power … fast-forward to 2019, a measly 16% / 24 seats … and the prospect of real influence on Govt direction.

      Vancouver Island remains a Left stronghold. Overwhelmingly Orange with a couple of dabs of Green.

  4. ScottGN 4

    Major live feed fail on the telly in Canada. All three major party leaders have started their victory/concession speeches at the same time. Networks are all going with Trudeau of course. Pretty funny though.

  5. marty mars 5

    Wonder what it will take to change some attitudes – nothing worse than dirty cockies

    Open Country Dairy was ordered to pay $221,250 after an objectionable smell from its Waharoa plant caused residents to vomit and suffer headaches last year.

    It was also found to have unlawfully discharged wastewater into a stream causing contamination of the Waitoa River.

    …The Waikato Regional Council – which took the prosecution – said Open Country Dairy must prove to the community that it can operate in a compliant way in the future.

    The council's investigations and incident response manager, Patrick Lynch said the company's record of now having five prosecutions relating to unlawful discharges into the environment was of concern.

    "They will be looking at their own history of non-compliance now and they should be aghast at the amount of actions that the council has had to take to try and get them to a compliant place."

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401543/dairy-firm-cops-hefty-fine-for-smell-that-caused-sickness

    • They are very open and straightforward – their name Open Country Dairy indicates their intention, to be transparent about sharing their pollution with all the surrounding country. That's bare-faced isn't it – quite a provocation to the local and central government. Do we put up with this sort of thing from business? Are they part of the entitled percentage cocking a finger or a leg at us whenever they feel the urge?

    • Stuart Munro. 5.2

      It's their fifth prosecution for this shit – ordinary protocol would expect to begin closedown procedure after three.

    • Alice Tectonite 5.3

      Open Country Dairy = Talleys

      • Molly 5.3.1

        Thanks for that, Alice. Adds yet another layer of information.

        NBR article: Open Country Revenue tops $1 billion

        Open Country Dairy, New Zealand's second-largest milk processor, generated more than $1 billion of revenue last year but payments for milk rose faster than receipts from customers and profit fell.

        Profit was $23 million in the year ended Sept. 30 from about $62 million a year earlier, its accounts show. Sales rose 34 percent to $1.1 billion while cost of sales gained about 44 percent.

        Open Country didn't disclose volume figures in its public annual accounts but chair Laurie Margrain said it was up on a year ago.

        "We have more market share, more farmers supplying us," he said. "We've got more of the market than a year ago and hugely more than 10 years ago."

        Open Country is 76.6 percent owned by diversified agribusiness Talley's Group, slightly up on a year earlier and reflecting a share sale to Talley's by a small shareholder….

        • Alice Tectonite 5.3.1.1

          Molly, you might be interested in other Talleys Group brands:

          • Talleys (seafood, veg)
          • Amaltal (seafood)
          • Crème de la Crème (ice cream)
          • AFFCO (meat)
          • SPM (meat)
          • Open Country Dairy
          • Motueka Creamery (ice cream)
          • Logan Farm (veg)

          Talleys also "process and pack a range of private label products across the food range"

          source

          I general try to avoid Talleys because of their reputation. Suspect I might occasionally unknowingly buy some through supermarket own brands as there is no easy way to know who has packed what.

          • Molly 5.3.1.1.1

            Thanks Alice.

            I remember seeing a Talleys list during the strikes, and noting that thankfully we did not purchase any of those items, but with the constant changes in ownership and shares it is always good to keep up to date.

            • Alice Tectonite 5.3.1.1.1.1

              I don't recall seeing Motueka Creamery brand before. The name sounds like a little local independent outfit (which I guess is the impression they want). Haven't seen any in the supermarket either but then I don't usually buy ice cream in tubs…

              • Molly

                Me either. Thanks to a long-delayed realisation that I really need to do something about healthy eating, we avoid processed foods at the supermarket. Limited to buying tinned tomatoes and tomato paste.

    • Naki man 5.4

      "nothing worse than dirty cockies"

      Typical of you to try to blame cockies for the actions of Talleys.

      • marty mars 5.4.1

        lol – own it gnatyman – imo the company is dirty, the cockies are dirty – thus the rivers are dirty, the land is dirty.

  6. When can we get some control over our Police Force? They, and the Defence Force don't impress with their perspicacity, and self-discipline.

    What if we all started behaving like the police, where would be? We set them a good example by most of us being law abiding citizens and they give us the wrong steer too often.
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401572/police-don-t-seem-to-know-when-to-back-off-papanui-road-resident

    • In Vino 6.1

      Fully agree. But if they get new powers as currently proposed, we may barely be able to question their questionable activities. They are the holy crusaders fighting against crime, gangs and terrorism. How dare anyone question what they do?

    • Jimmy 6.2

      Lets hope this idiot driver gets charged and goes to jail to get him off the roads. I feel sorry for the bloke driving to work that has been killed by him due directly to his dumb decision.

  7. Bold Speaker in UK House of Parliament with verve, determination and a man holding onto the principles of Parliament so far. May he be able to stand against the Jester: 'You shall not pass'.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKomPaKjbB0

    21 October 2019 9:05 Brexit: House of Commons Speaker refuses vote on Brexit deal- BBC News

    Codewords: ‘Patchwork Principles’.

    • ScottGN 7.1

      He’s outta there as soon as the election is called.

      • greywarshark 7.1.1

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL2GrszjSXk

        Jacob Rees-Mogg and son, 12, heckled by anti-Brexit protesters who scream ‘Nazi’ and ‘traitor

        Rees Mogg is starting to look like H..ler. I am interested in the loving gesture that this UK politician shows to his son's sensitive ear. (And I hadn't even noticed the caption then.)

        556 comments I thought this one showed the depth of thought of many Brexiters. '

        Shameful PositionsShameful Positions 2 days ago (edited)

        Typical anti Brexit mob that have been crying for 3 years. Learning to lose as well winning is part of life. Their behaviour is shameful.'

        Anyone would think the matter discussed is a football match. This person doesn't realise that politics is about life; how people are to be treated in their country, and if they are to actually have a country to belong to. This sort of shallow thought is probably common.

    • McFlock 7.2

      Interesting take on different groups' approaches to Brexit.

      Nobody mentioned comes out looking good.

      • Molly 7.2.1

        Rafael Behr has consistently been a critic of Jeremy Corbyn on the Guardian. And it's not surprising that during this short video his criticism is based on the Labour Party, and no mention – at all – is made of the Torys.

        • McFlock 7.2.1.1

          He was specifically asked about Labour.

          I found his point about the remainers being just as in the dark as the brexiteers (a group that bojo is part of) during the referendum to be interesting. And his evaluation of the generalised clusterfuck that brings the UK to this point didn't seem unreasonable.

          How was his description of political attitudes after the brexit negotiations were started incorrect?

          • Molly 7.2.1.1.1

            " Nobody mentioned comes out looking good. "

            In the admittedly short clip provided, only Labour is mentioned. And tbh, they were not the architects or the current party in charge of this delivering a solution.

            The full interview might be more balanced, but the clip itself just reinforces a strange continual media narrative that blames Labour – particularly Jeremy Corbyn – for the current state of affairs.

            • McFlock 7.2.1.1.1.1

              Remainers and brexiteers were also mentioned.

              And no, the clip doesn't blame Labour for the current state of affairs. It does, however, criticise Labour for standing back from the entire affair in the hope that complete failure or catastrophe will get it elected.

              How was his description of political attitudes after the brexit negotiations were started incorrect?

              • The Al1en

                Which, in part, is to blame for the latest yougov poll putting them 15% behind the conservatives. Total mismanagement of the agenda and a complete failure of Labour voters.

      • greywarshark 7.2.2

        I thought that twitter thread was great. I liked the summation of the barebones of the UK Brexit Grand Funfair Slide. The comments were not at all the low mindless stuff as common. And Behr's attitude re Labour fairly found fault with their softly softly catchee monkee approach. I think they are suffering from the new sign of these debilitated modern times – a low sperm count. For women the feminists should be putting up those that have gone transgender, with the sensitivity, intelligence and BMI of blokes and girls mixed, or just females letting out more of their masculine side. These are changes that have happened at the same time as the trend to machine-run systems high on algorithms, and programmed thinking and nelibeconomics. The finding your own a-gender may be the new vanguard that saves us all. That and more vitamins and minerals to replace sugar, so we can get our teeth into our problems and those dozy pollies who need a bite on the bum, and then supporters and minders for those who venture forth into those enchanted and uncharted waters, watching their backs.

  8. ScottGN 8

    FPTP Has delivered the following in Canada in a House of Commons of 338 seats

    Liberals 156 seats

    Conservatives 122

    Bloc Québécois 32

    NDP 24

    Green Party 3

    Ind 1

    Our system of MMP would give the following (not allowing for discarded votes)

    Liberals 112

    Cons 117

    Bloc 27

    NDP 54

    Greens 22

    Ind 1

  9. joe90 9

    Shocked!

    Ms Ardern’s tweet came days after Mr Jones made comments about Julia Gillard's late father John saying he "died of shame”.

    https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1186446802037268480

  10. weka 10

    Aerial timelapse of the Sky City fire over 4 1/2 hours

    https://twitter.com/NiwaWeather/status/1186519410820833285

  11. joe90 11

    'Murica's original sin.

    (Whitten is son of a man who defended two men accused of killing Emmett Till).

    https://twitter.com/hodgman/status/1185920931610464256

    The man who allegedly led a group of armed white citizens assisting in a search for a black burglary suspect in Sumner has a history of taking the law into his own hands.

    #John Whitten III is a prosecutor for Tallahatchie County and the town attorney for Tutwiler. On Aug. 20, 2009, he attempted to assist law enforcement officers in searching for 28-year-old Will Pittman on the outskirts of the town of Sumner. Although he holds no law enforcement position, after hearing about the burglary, Whitten drove his Jeep to the cotton field and wooded area that officers were searching.

    '

    https://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2009/sep/09/a-sordid-history-manhunt-leader-has-history-of/

  12. marty mars 12

    For me I think this racist bastard should be resigned from his role – he is a dim witted racist wanker – and we don't need more of those arseholes running the place.

    The newly elected Tauranga councillor is already facing calls for his resignation.

    While councillor Andrew Hollis was campaigning, he said the Treaty of Waitangi was "past it's use-by-date" and "a joke".

    Local iwi leader Buddy Mikaere is a former director of the Waitangi Tribunal and said he wanted Mr Hollis to step aside.

    "I think that in saying things like, the Treaty is a joke and that it's past its use-by-date and I think in one instance also saying, the Treaty should be burnt, that seems to me to be in direct contradiction of part one of the Local Government Act, and part four and six, where treaty principles are clearly something which councils needed to taking into account.

    "So this guy has got a conflict of interest which seems to me would disqualify him from any participation in any council business that has to do with Māori interests because the whole purpose of those sections of the LGA is to give Māori input into the business of council.

    "How can he participate on any reasonable debate on issues such as that?"

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/401567/councillor-who-said-treaty-should-be-burned-banned-from-iwi-talks

    • Molly 12.1

      The sad thing is, though marty. That even if he does resign – which seems unlikely – he was vocal on his views during his campaign, and many Tauranga voters voted him in.

      So, the issue is about a lot more than one man's views and the response to them. It is about the fact that such a climate of misunderstanding and bias exists that someone who holds those views is considered fit for office by a fairly significant number of voters, 5091 before iterations.

      • marty mars 12.1.1

        Yep we are good at growing racists – wilding racists can be plucked one at a time. Replacing the wilding racists with solid thinking migrants would be good imo.

        • Molly 12.1.1.1

          Wilding racists – good term – act as a good indicator of how well we educate and discuss. They are part of New Zealand, and we get to figure out how to reduce their numbers and impact. We need to do better, but we also need to recognise that regardless of best intentions – we have created the environment that allowed them to take root.

          The immigration issue is another one that requires more responsive discussion, both online and in person.

          Having lived in another country for a few years, I have enjoyed the benefit of travel and living elsewhere. I can't deny the value of such an experience.

          But I can also see how being prepared to do any job, for any money which was only possible because I was prepared to live lightly in order to travel, and contributed to the degradations of the working conditions of workers who lived there. It is also true that due to very high levels of ignorance and self-interest, I contributed nothing to the communities in which I lived or the political direction of that country.

          I believe that is is really important that our New Zealand immigration policies are reviewed, not because I am against immigrants, but because new New Zealanders – alongside existing ones, should be protected against exploitation and should expect a better standard of living than many experience. We also do have to look at how badly prepared many of our systems are set up to deal with a high population increase, in terms of infrastructure, work regulation, housing, health and education. And we need to invest in these aspects of living, which will return dividends for both new immigrants, and existing New Zealanders.

          At the moment, we appallingly treat immigrants purely as investors both financially in terms of bringing money into the country, and socially, as invigorating our diversity. We act as passive investors and contribute very little in return. We also devalue existing New Zealanders because they are not considered as contributing to the vitality of the country. It is not good enough.

          • marty mars 12.1.1.1.1

            The conditions that made you do what you did and others do it too are economic and nothing to do with migrants and immigrants imo – a bit like saying the world food issue is a distribution and waste issue, not a 'not enough food' issue. Low wages and poor conditions are NOT driven by migrants – migrants are used within these conditions, they are exploited. We don't blame the starving people for starving do we?

            I've just driven from the top to the bottom to the top of Te Waka a Māui – we have plenty of room for more people who can contribute to this country. And with the amount of things that will need to be moved to higher ground there should be tons of work to do around the whole country imo.

            • Molly 12.1.1.1.1.1

              “The conditions that made you do what you did and others do it too are economic and nothing to do with migrants and immigrants imo…” Really. Just young and self interested, not concerned with the wider ramifications of meeting low expectations and conditions, and working within a regulatory system that provided opportunity for exploitation.

              “Low wages and poor conditions are NOT driven by migrants – migrants are used within these conditions, they are exploited.”
              Pretty much my point, marty. Obviously not clear enough about expressing it:

              "…but because new New Zealanders – alongside existing ones, should be protected against exploitation and should expect a better standard of living than many experience."

              The discussion needs to be broader than 'migration is good', in order to address valid concerns about what kind of country we are welcoming people to. New Zealanders, of all shapes sizes and origins are a diverse group of people. Some very self-interested, some community minded and with wider perspectives – irrespective of whether they are recent arrivals or not.

              We need to ensure that our policies and support systems for critical infrastructure and facilities are working and robust before we place further burdens upon them. For many who have not travelled any further than New Zealand, they already have experience of failed systems. Even if you don't agree with them, surely you can understand their concerns.

              " I've just driven from the top to the bottom to the top of Te Waka a Māui – we have plenty of room for more people who can contribute to this country. "

              I agree. But I think we currently fail at welcoming them because our focus is on what they bring, rather than what we offer. And we still need to look after our own – economic contributors or not.

              • marty mars

                I think we have some alignment of views – and some differences

                "We need to ensure that our policies and support systems for critical infrastructure and facilities are working and robust before we place further burdens upon them."

                The burdens are there and aren't going away and as we move into the future the burdens change and expand and very rarely reduce, so waiting for them is not really an option imo. Seems like waiting for the perfect time to get pregnant – that time never comes imo – you just have to do it and that becomes the right time.

                • Molly

                  Yeah, I think we are in alignment mostly. However, rather than waiting, we should be prioritising, and I don't see that happening.

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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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    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
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    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
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    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
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • 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

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour 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
    6 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
    8 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
    9 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
    22 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
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
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  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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