Daily Review 22/06/2017

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, June 22nd, 2017 - 53 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 …

53 comments on “Daily Review 22/06/2017 ”

  1. repateet 1

    If a group intent on Dirty Politics signed up in the Labour Party determined to be wooden horses to destroy the party’s election chances from the inside, they could hardly do better than the ‘intern’ shambles in Auckland today.

    In soccer they have own goals. This is standing up and booting the ball into your own goal again and again.

    • billmurray 1.1

      repateet, well said.
      To his credit Andrew Little has came out and ‘accepted ‘ the debacle. What he didn’t do is sack McCarten. What McCarten has not done is resign. The fuck up festers.
      The Maori party and Winnie have come out with strong condemnation and this is telling with about 3 months until
      ‘D’ day.
      IMO legal action has a good chance of happening.
      The Greens, so far, are silent but I doubt this will do much for MoU solidarity, particularly if this hits the Courts or litigation payments ensue.
      Any apologists on these pages for McCartens plan will do little to restore this mess, it will damage and maybe destroy Labour.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1

        To his credit Andrew Little has came out and ‘accepted ‘ the debacle. What he didn’t do is sack McCarten. What McCarten has not done is resign.

        What could he sack him from?
        What could McCarten resign from considering that he’s already left?

        McCarten is Andrew Little’s former Chief of Staff and resigned two weeks ago from running Labour’s campaign office in Auckland.

      • ScottGN 1.1.2

        You’re either ignorant or wilfully ignoring the realities of the news cycle. This will be gone by tomorrow. The Barclay debacle has abruptly ended the phoney campaign around the election. Expect the usual proxies to start to try and fill the airwaves with one scandalous exclusive after another.

  2. Pat 2

    what brain deads within Labour thought this could possibly be a good idea?…..own goal doesn’t begin to describe it…

  3. Ed 3

    For a wonderful take on UK politics, there’s noone better than George Galloway.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baMvUb908m8

    • RedLogix 3.1

      Fuck me Galloway doesn’t hold back. Old fashioned oratory whatever you feel about it. Only need to listen to the first 10 min.

  4. infused 4

    No post today I see on Labours shameful bs.

    [you just copped a ban in OM. But know criticising authors here for what they don’t write is also against the rules. – weka]

  5. Anne 5

    Labour is not responsible for an outside organisation inviting young people to come to NZ and help out during the election campaign. That this organisation let it all get out of hand is NOT the fault of the Labour Party. It’s the Labour Party who are stepping in to sort the mess out.

    Now we have the ludicrous claim by a crackpot and hysterical MSM (and I’m sorry to say John Campbell is one of them), that these youngsters are “immigrants” and then use it to accuse Labour of “hypocrisy”.

    THEY ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS. They are visitors and are only here for a matter of weeks.

    If Andrew Little doesn’t get off his back-side and tear strips off all of them for the bullshit they’re currently spouting, then he lets us down in a big way. This is one time when “Angry Andy” needs to pull out all the stops!

    • BM 5.1

      Copied from another site

      http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.aspx?id=1702958&topic=7

      Proof Labour’s name all over slave labour scheme.

      Going right back to at least February (date of first link from Michigan University)

      https://umichpicsannouncements.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/labo
      ur-party-campaign-fellowship-in-new-zealand/

      https://casit.illinoisstate.edu/sites/pol/2017/04/12/2017-la
      bour-campaign-fellowship/

      https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/students/news/show/news-labour-campaign-fellowship/

      Dutch University links:

      http://stage.wp.hum.uu.nl/170424-2-new-zealand-labour-party-2017-campaign-fellowship/

      https://bskstage.weblog.leidenuniv.nl/2017/05/12/internship-
      2017-labour-campaign-fellowship-new-zealand/

      https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/students/news/show/news-la
      bour-campaign-fellowship/

      [Calling what’s happened to the interns ‘slave labour’ in the way you just did is trolling. If you think that you’re going to be able to troll like that going towards the election you are wrong. Expect a hefty ban. I haven’t caught up with the whole thing properly yet, but I’m smelling Dirty Politics here, and I’ve got less than zero tolerance for trolling under those conditions. By all means make your points, but you know well enough now where the line is. Please acknowledge you have read this note – weka]

    • Keith 5.2

      He certainly didn’t describe this shambles the way you have Anne, on RNZ tonight!

      What idiot ever ever thought using unpaid migrants as campaign assistants stuffing them in poor living conditions was a good idea?

      And what idiots thought it such a good idea not to monitor and micro manage all initiatives to avoid such a fuck up?

    • Bill 5.3

      Anne. It was NZ Labour seeking the help through a so-called fellowship programme. Those things are standard enough. Where I’m having some problem is in the misleading marketing of those fellowships. Labour said in its literature that NZ would be great place to be given the “global political climate” – as though NZ Labour was a part of the resurgence of social democracy 🙄

      It’s not. And any (say) Sanders supporter who came here hoping to a part of some Sanders or Corbyn or Menchalon or SNP thing would be bitterly disappointed.

      That being by the by and even putting the clusterfuck of non-organisation that Matt McCarten put in place to one side too.

      If a person on a fellowship is not an immigrant because they are here for a set amount of time, then why does NZ Labour consider international students to be immigrants when they too are here for a set amount of time?

      I’d like to hear Andrew Little square that circle he created tonight on Checkpoint.

      • weka 5.3.1

        Maybe someone in Labour was trying to be subversive bring in Sandernistas or Corbynites 😉

        • Bill 5.3.1.1

          I actually don’t think they’re above that level of stupidity. But more likely just simply putting out a pitch they thought would get peoples’ attention. Certainly seems to have worked. I wonder how many fellows they’d normally expect?

          • weka 5.3.1.1.1

            I’ve yet to see a write up of the whole thing that I trust, and not sure I can be bothered going and parsing past all the bullshit tbh. The background stinks of dirty politics and mostly it looks like something that should have died away as Little said yep, this isn’t good and we’re going to sort it.

            • Bill 5.3.1.1.1.1

              Nope. It’s a clusterfuck. Forget the nonsense about the door hinges and all that guff. Could be a parting “fuck you” from McCarten, or just sheer incompetence, or whatever. But it ain’t dirty politics.

              • McFlock

                the fuckup, if the bulk of the reports are accurate, isn’t dirty politics.

                The timing of the break stinks of, at the very least, “media management”.

              • weka

                That’s not the dirty politics. It’s what the right are doing while the left are busy bashing their own. The ‘slave labour’ meme arose very quickly. And the whole cupboard hinge thing is important, because people aren’t willing to talk about what is actually wrong (the larger numbers and the disorganisation) because on its own it won’t be a scandal, so they’re pointing to every little possible thing. FFS, sleeping dorms on a Marae is a hardship? Really? And there were people on social media calling that a slum. The nasty is big on this one.

                From what I can tell McCarten and some Labour bods set up a scheme outside of Labour and fucked it up, and there are some students from overseas who probably rightfully feel ripped off. But it’s not in any way comparable to what National have done over a long period of time re Clutha Southland. As far as I can tell the reaction to the intern thing is out of proportion and the left are falling for it all over again. Bash Labour and see how that helps with changing the govt.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  The ‘slave labour’ meme arose very quickly.

                  If they were that concerned about ‘slave labour’ you’d think that they’d be raising a massive fuss about the businesses that really are abusing imported labour. But they tend to defend those people instead.

                • Bill

                  Of course “slave labour” became the go-to term! Why wouldn’t it? It requires about zero thought, isn’t accurate, but is good for shits and giggles among a given set of political what-evers.

                  That’s not ‘dirty politics’.

                  Hone Harawira highlighted this back in April but was poo pooed by Labour and Labour supporters. And no, it wasn’t set up outside of Labour. They may have been kept in the dark in the latter stages, but then that just raises questions about their internal structures of accountability and communication.

                  I think it is quite a big thing to entice people into New Zealand for political campaigning when the literature used can reasonably be held up as being mis-leading btw. (ie – the literature suggested rather strongly that NZ Labour was a part of the resurgence of social democracy.)

                  As for comparisons – not interested, if that implies only commenting on the worst excesses of politicians if they happen to be from ‘the right’ party. Labour may need to be in government if we aren’t going to have another three years of National, but that doesn’t make them left. And it doesn’t mean they get a free pass on shit (not that they would, even if they were).

                  This being a political blog, apart from the few who have made a conscious decision to not vote, anyone reading here is going to vote. The overwhelming majority will vote in a way that runs counter to the interests of the National Party. And they have options. (eg – if not Labour, then perhaps Green)

                  edit – yes, it’s entirely possible someone sat on this until it could be used to deflect heat away from National. That’s not dirty politics either – just strategy.

                  • weka

                    Like I said, bash Labour and see how that helps to change the govt. Lots of people won’t vote Green for various reasons, so that leaves Labour, NZF or not voting. The last two won’t help change the govt. If the left can’t figure out how to do constructive criticism instead of bashing its own then maybe it’s ok with handing National a 4th term, or settle for a centrist L/NZF govt.

                    • Bill

                      Well, if you think that having genuine questions and making reasonable observations is ‘bashing’, or buying into some dastardly plot, then hey, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

                      Some people are looking at TOPs and others at MANA btw. So there’s potential beyond these Labour or Green or NZF or nothing set of options you propose.

                      And picking the timing for something is what every political party does. It’s ‘management’ (as McFlock termed it) and it certainly isn’t a ‘dead cat’ – that’s when you throw out shit about your own side to shift the conversation.

                    • weka

                      I don’t think asking genuine questions and making reasonable observations is bashing. I’ve already differentiated between bashing and constructive critique.

                      Mana and TOP votes might also cost the left the election. So a narrative of Labour are shit for the next 3 months leading to 1.5% and 3.5% of the left vote going to Mana and TOP is not helping to change the govt.

                      And picking the timing for something is what every political party does. It’s ‘management’ (as McFlock termed it) and it certainly isn’t a ‘dead cat’ – that’s when you throw out shit about your own side to shift the conversation.

                      Pretty interesting seeing you minimise the dirty shit from the right as if it’s just par for the course political strategy.

                    • Bill

                      Pretty interesting seeing you minimise the dirty shit from the right as if it’s just par for the course political strategy.

                      Yeah. Timing releases for maximum effect is what every political party does. Pulling in contacts for penetration is also what every political party does. So unless you’re suggesting or claiming that “Politik” is an updated incarnation of “whaleoil” seeding msm with stories from the National Party…

                      Throwing lots of shit at a target in the hope some sticks so that any stink from the original story increases is also just par for the course. If you think that’s the preserve of National or anything to do with what Nicky Hagar was on about, then you didn’t understand the issues raised in his book.

                      Meanwhile, it seems the timing was just the timing on this issue. From ‘stuff’.

                      General Secretary of the Labour Party Andrew Kirton heard about the problems with the scheme late last week and flew up on Monday to sort things out.

                      and

                      Earlier this week the Labour Party Head Office contacted me (Matt McCarten) about these issues and requested to take the programme over so that it could resolve them. I have agreed to this and am no longer involved in the programme.”

                      So shit happened and shit was reported in pretty quick succession.

                    • weka

                      Yes, saying that nasty shit in politics is what everyone does and is par for the course, is minimising what just happened.

                      “Timing releases for maximum effect is what every political party does.”

                      It’s not just a release though, it’s lies. Every political party doesn’t do that. There’s a difference between using truth to criticise one’s opponent and using lies. We see this on TS too and moderate for it. The left parties might cross the line sometimes but generally they don’t use blatant mistruth to smear National. And they don’t have a whole system set up to do that on multiple fronts.

                      There’s another thing here too, The Chairman is doing this on today’s OM, which is that no-one is allowed to make mistakes. Labour or any party should be allowed to fuck up and then make amends. If that’s not true then we’re basically fucked. But it is still true, and so there is a need to push back against the moves that will condemn out of proportion to the offence and the response to the offence.

                      So yeah, minimising. You appear to be ok with that culture, I’m not.

                    • Peter

                      ( If the left can’t figure out how to do constructive criticism instead of bashing its own )
                      In MHO they aren’t on the left what left party would ask people to travel from another country and work for nothing and complain about young people working for shit wages here. Shit wages is better than no wages. Bunch of fucking tory lite

                    • weka

                      @Peter, who will you vote for, and do you want to change the government?

                    • Bill

                      What just happened Weka?

                      An organisational disaster, that began as a Labour Party Fellowship Programme, which then became some weird (and failed) “Campaign for Change” that sits very oddly with NZ Labour’s immigration policy, and that raises multiple questions about NZ Labours internal structures for accountability and communication in general?

                      Or was people running around referring to fellowship volunteers as interns and slaves what happened?

                      You seem to be suggesting that the latter is what happened and that the former is just some incidental detail not worth mentioning.

                      Yes, saying that nasty shit in politics is what everyone does and is par for the course, is minimising what just happened.

                      I’ll add that I didn’t say anything even remotely like “nasty shit in politics is what everyone does”. I said that people will throw shit (mud, if you prefer) at a target.

                      What is the “blatant mistruth” you suggest that the National Party have told about Labour? And what is this “whole system set up to do that (smear and spread lies) on multiple fronts” that you imagine National to have these days?

                    • weka

                      Both those things happened, and I’ll just note the minimising again.

                      Go follow Hooton on twitter for a while, that’s a reasonably good indicator of the lines being run, the degree of nasty, and the attempt to undermine via smear and mistruth rather than actual critique. And rather than me responding to a request about my imagination I’ll just say that I find it extremely unlikely that National and co have stopped Dirty Politics. You can prevaricate over semantics, but it looks to me like the machine still runs.

                    • Bill

                      That would be funny if you yourself weren’t running around seeking to shut down worthwhile critique by ignoring and sidestepping the substantive issues that arise in comments from this Fellowship debacle (read above), as well as hectoring people for not discussing whatever fallout from what the likes of Hooton are discussing, and generally getting all wavy armed and stompy booted when you don’t like people’s criticisism of NZ Labour and all because, it seems, the election! The election!!

                      The framework and structures that Nicky Hagar wrote about are gone.

                    • McFlock

                      The framework and structures that Nicky Hagar wrote about are gone.

                      You sure about that? This volunteer thing seems to have been going on for a while, and it all blows up the very day after Barclay trips on his own sword. Almost like a very convenient distraction.

                      Some of the nodes of the old network are defunct, but a new network with different nodes could be there. The timing could just be spectacularly bad luck, but… I’m a bit suspicious

                    • Bill

                      The NZ Labour Party/McCarten thing blew itself apart on Monday through Tuesday. It was reported on on the Wednesday. NZ Labour decided when to pull the plug – no-one else. And the timing’s really nice for National.

                      I wrote that the framework Hagar wrote about is gone. Do I think National and Labour and the Greens et al have media networks they can utilise? Yes.

                      Do I think National has stories and lines being spun by Bill English’s office that are then fed to bloggers who feed it all back through msm? No.

                  • weka

                    Different thread, it’s inconceivable that the timing of this is coincidence. There’s a grey area between strategy and out and out two track, Hager-documented dirty politics, but I think this is easily towards the nasty shit end of the spectrum. Call it a dead cat. Whatever, this is bullshit and the left is playing right into it.

                    Calling something slavery is a highly political act (esp as I’m guessing some of the students are from the US). As you’ve pointed out this is a political space. People aren’t unthinking, they know exactly what they are doing.

  6. ianmac 7

    The origin of the complaints may be because of inter tribal warfare over the use of that marae. Others reject its use largely for hosting visitors I think so it may not be as bad as it sounds. The issue timing is very convenient indeed.

  7. ianmac 8

    John Campbell interviews Bill English at a visit today. John’s repeated point was “If it was OK for Barclay to continue last year, what makes it necessary for him to resign now? What changed?” Clip is 7minutes long.
    Bill’s broad grin becomes lost in his growing frown.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201848531/pm-rejects-national-cover-up-allegation-over-todd-barclay

  8. Draco T Bastard 9

    Grenfell exposes the true face of deregulation

    In part, Grenfell Tower is a testimony of the government’s ideological obsession with deregulation. In 2000 the government was warned that current guidance “may not be adequate for the purposes of ensuring the safety of external cladding systems in a fire”. Recommendations from the inquest into the 2009 fire were also ignored, while in 2013, the all All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group issued a report on the safety of tower blocks yet the minister refused to meet them. In March 2014, the all-party group wrote to the minister to say “Surely… when you already have credible evidence to justify updating… the guidance… which will lead to saving of lives, you don’t need to wait another three years in addition to the two already spent since the research findings were updated, in order to take action?”

    There is no doubt that the reason for government inaction was anti-regulatory zeal. Brandon Lewis, the Tory housing minister between 2014 and 2016, warned against increasing fire safety regulations to include sprinklers in 2014 because it could discourage house building. He told MPs: “We believe that it is the responsibility of the fire industry, rather than the Government, to market fire sprinkler systems effectively and to encourage their wider installation.” He said the Tory Government had committed to being the first to reduce regulations nationwide. Lewis added: “The cost of fitting a fire sprinkler system may affect house building – something we want to encourage – so we must wait to see what impact that regulation has.”

    This is how capitalism kills. Cutting corners, not building to high enough standards all so that a few people can make higher profits and supported by the scum in parliament.

  9. ianmac 10

    Not sure if this has been covered re Labour’s Fellowship Campaign. The good side.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11880781
    “An American student taking part in a “fellowship” programme for the Labour Party campaign has defended it, saying most of the 85 interns on it are happy.

    She believed the complaints and leaks to the media were driven by one or two interns who had a beef with the programme. She claimed one was dropped from a leadership position on the programme after allegedly taking bottles of wine from Labour MP Jenny Salesa’s house after Salesa hosted a meal for them.”

  10. ianmac 11

    And this appeared late Thursday 22.00:
    Former National staffer Glenys Dickson says MP Todd Barclay should have resigned immediately. First she has spoken since the original interview.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/93991790/former-national-staffer-glenys-dickson-says-mp-todd-barclay-should-have-resigned-immediately

  11. ianmac 12

    And this,”English today indicated that Barclay didn’t know his recording of a staffer’s conversations could be illegal until a police investigation was launched.”
    In spite of the Tea Party? Really? 9:31pm
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11880796

  12. Draco T Bastard 13

    The old Tory order is crumbling – it’s taken Grenfell for us to really see it

    Britain’s old order is crumbling. Those who sense this most acutely, such as the rightwing press, are its defenders. This week, The Sun was reduced to begging its readers to see the evils of socialism. They are right to panic when 30% of its readers ended up voting for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party. Right to reflect that, according to a new YouGov poll, 43% of people believe a “genuinely socialist government” would make Britain a “better place to live” and just 36% say the reverse. Those who represent the future – younger Britons, particularly younger working-class voters – are decisively plumping for Corbyn’s new Labour party.

    now to engineer the same collapse of the Tories here. Including those in Labour.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T07:13:50+00:00