Darren Watson 2 John Key 0

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, October 21st, 2016 - 140 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, brand key, election 2014, john key, Media, national, Politics, same old national, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

Remember Darren Watson’s Planet Key song Planet Key that the Electoral Commission deemed was an electoral advertisement and banned it in the lead up to the 2014 election?

I wrote this just over a year ago:

Also last year the Government chose to through proxies attack Darren Watson for his Planet Key song which was as pure an example of gentle yet biting political commentary as you could imagine.  Key described the song as an example of dirty politics.  Surely he was joking.  The Electoral Commission’s continued harassment of Darren needs to be investigated.  It appears National’s indifference to the intellectual property of musicians is comparable to its indifference to their right to freedom of expression.

The High Court ruled that the Electoral Commission was wrong.  The Electoral Commission then decided to appeal.  From the Herald:

The Electoral Commission has lodged an appeal with the Court of Appeal over the High Court’s recent ruling that the satirical Planet Key song and video during last year’s election had not breached electoral laws.

In a statement, the Electoral Commission said it had filed papers with the Court of Appeal because it wanted clarification on the meaning of ‘election advertisement’ and ‘election programme’ after two apparently inconsistent rulings by the High Court.

Chief Electoral Officer Rob Peden said it was not challenging the findings of the court on Watson’s song as they applied to the facts in that case. Its appeal was to clarify the approach the Commission should be taking when it was weighing up whether something was an ‘election advertisement’ or ‘election programme.’

He said the the High Court in two decisions it made relating to the 2014 campaign had appeared to take different approaches to the legal interpretation of election advertisement.

“Clarification is needed to ensure the Commission is able to provide advice and guidance to parties, candidates and third parties on their obligations in respect of electoral matters.”

It is all very well to seek clarification but the effect was to cause Watson to have to go to the trouble of going to the Court of Appeal to defend our freedom of speech.  But the trip was worth while.  Because the Court of Appeal has confirmed the Electoral Commission was wrong and Darren Watson’s song should not have been banned during the election campaign.

The decision is a carefully worded pleasant reading slam dunk for Darren.

It describes the background in these terms:

[2]  Planet Key was a satirical song and video that but for the intervention of the Electoral Commission would have been broadcast in the lead up to the 2014 general election. The Commission is said to have overreached by interfering in the expression of personal political views. Planet Key itself is now of historical interest, but the legal controversy that it engendered is not; the controversy concerns the meaning of the legislation that the Commission administers and it has significant implications for future elections.

The video was motivated by this John Key comment in Parliament:

I do not know so much about “Planet Key”, but my expectations are it would be a lovely place to live, it would be beautifully governed, golf courses would be plentiful, people would have plenty of holidays to enjoy their time, and what a wonderful place it would be.

Darren Watson’s motivation was succinctly explained in this passage from the judgment:

The first respondent, Darren Watson, is a professional songwriter and musician with a bleak view of New Zealand politics, which he thinks tainted by greed, obfuscation and wilful dishonesty. The Prime Minister’s answer inspired him to write the song Planet Key to express those views in the lead up to the 2014 general election.

And the song and video were described in these terms:

[8] The song and video were artistic and satirical, but they also conveyed political messages sharply hostile to the National Party and several of its senior Ministers, particularly the Prime Minister. Notably, the song advised the audience not to vote for Mr Key if they wanted compassion and the video portrayed negative views of Mr Key and several Ministers on contentious issues of the day. The respondents conceded before us, as in the High Court,5 that the song and video were likely to encourage voters not to vote for the National Party or for Mr Key.

[9] Messrs Watson and Jones acted alone, not for any political party or interest group. Mr Watson paid the production expenses — some $721.63 — himself. He intended to publish the song on iTunes for paid download, with royalties to be shared with Mr Jones.

The Court recognised the intent behind the legislation.  It is funny that the low cost effort of a left wing musician was caught.

Parliament intended to limit the influence of money on the electoral process, so preserving equality of voice among participants, and to promote transparency by requiring that parties, candidates and promoters be identified with their election advertisements.

The Court ruled that neither the song or the video are electoral advertisements for the purposes of the Electoral Act or electoral programmes for the purposes of the Broadcasting Act.

John Key is supposedly relaxed about the ruling.  From Radio New Zealand:

Mr Key said he didn’t lose any sleep over the parody song.

He said he was not bothered by the findings as he always knew the song was a parody.

“Election campaigns always bring up these kinds of things. It’s good to have the Court of Appeal ruling, because at least that way people understand what the rules are, but I didn’t lose any sleep over the fact that somebody wrote a song about me that was slightly less than complimentary.”

Its funny really.  Because two years ago Key cited the song as an example of dirty politics.  Is he relaxed about dirty politics?

The problem is that there are too many of these victories two or three years down the line.  Whether it is the refusal to release information that should have been released or the stopping of free speech during an election campaign, winning the battle two years later means that there is a political advantage to the other side.

Anyway the last word belongs to Darren …

140 comments on “Darren Watson 2 John Key 0 ”

  1. Jenny Kirk 1

    Great !

  2. Invisible Axe 2

    & yet the Key biography brought out just before the election was not electioneering? Only on Planet Key!

    • Tiger Mountain 2.1

      …and that bloody infamous Rugby News cover with our glorious leader, “Keysie” depicted as AB Captain, apparently they got away with that because the publication was deemed to be a “periodical”

  3. RedLogix 3

    Of course Key is relaxed about it. That’s one very well soaked bus ticket delicately laid out across his wrist.

  4. Ad 4

    Shame on the Electoral Commission.
    But awesome precedent.

  5. pat 5

    Well guess Labour have a new election theme song then

  6. weka 6

    Great write up, thanks. Do you know what the second High Court decision that the EC refers to was?

    “Planet Key itself is now of historical interest”

    And yet, Sept/Oct/Nov 2017 “Planet Key, the song that was banned at the last election”…

  7. Does this mean that people independent of political parties are free to issue political artworks during an election campaign, encouraging others to vote for or against particular politicians or parties? If so, I don’t see this as a good outcome at all.

    • weka 7.1

      Probably not ‘issue political artworks’, but existing artists creating political work in the public sphere, sure, why not?

      If the concern is that say a rich individual not previously an artist could produce a song saying that X party are useless don’t vote for them, and had the capacity to then promote that song very widely because of their wealth, then I guess it would get referred to the EC to determine whether it is genuinely an artwork, or a political advertisement.

      • Psycho Milt 7.1.1

        That’s exactly my concern. There are plenty of people with political views who lack talent and creativity but don’t lack money, and money can buy talent and creativity. The political views of people with lots of money tend to be obnoxious, so the idea of being bombarded with that kind of “artwork” every three years doesn’t appeal.

        • weka 7.1.1.1

          Remember the paper bag fiasco of the MMP campaign? NZers don’t take kindly to being told by rich people how to do democracy.

          • Chuck 7.1.1.1.1

            Bang on weka.

            Kim Dotcom and his millions of funding for the Internet/Mana party springs to mind.

            • weka 7.1.1.1.1.1

              Why does that spring to mind? Were they in breach of the two acts? Or are you just opposed to rich people funding political parties? You won’t be voting Act or National again then I presume?

              • Chuck

                “Or are you just opposed to rich people funding political parties?”

                Dotcom did more than just give a donation to a political party. He funded the entire party, put in place his puppets to front the party. Tried his “Moment of Truth” event etc.

                Hence your comment below summarises what Dotcom did perfectly…

                “NZers don’t take kindly to being told by rich people how to do democracy.”

                • weka

                  Ok, so multiple rich people backing a political party is ok, but one very rich one isn’t?

                  “Hence your comment below summarises what Dotcom did perfectly…”

                  Not in the context of this discussion, which is about what is permissible under two pieces of legislation. But hey, I’m good with tightening up the legislation on political donations too.

                  Lolz at the idea that Harawira, Harre, Sykes, Minto etc were KDC’s puppets. Whatever mistakes they made with the IP, being a puppet wasn’t one of them.

                  • Groundhog

                    Seriously, Weka, you walked right in to that and Chuck called you on it. Your responses just sound like ‘it’s ok for rich people to influence an election as long as it’s for my team’. Pathetic.

                    • weka

                      you either can’t read or can’t think. I said,

                      “But hey, I’m good with tightening up the legislation on political donations too.”

                      How you got from my comments here that I think it’s ok to use wealth to influence politics so long as it’s my team is pretty hard to fathom.

                    • Groundhog

                      “NZers don’t take kindly to being told by rich people how to do democracy.”

                      You said it Weka. The left wing generally salivated over Kim Dotcom’s money being used to bring down John Key. You all welcomed his millions as long as it was used for YOUR side, but went go into apoplexy if money used for the ‘other’ side. Your hypocrites, But you’re not alone.

                    • weka

                      Oh fuck off you idiot. The left isn’t an amorphous mob. There was plenty of criticism of KDC and his involvement on TS at the time.

                      fucksake, we need better wing nuts.

                    • Groundhog

                      “The left isn’t an amorphous mob.”
                      I didn’t say they were. But the left were salivating, including some on TS.

                      “There was plenty of criticism of KDC and his involvement on TS at the time.”
                      Yes, there was. And there was plenty of support, driven by a sick kind of derangement.

                      You’re sore because Chuck highlighted your hypocrisy. Take it somewhere else.

                    • weka

                      “The left isn’t an amorphous mob.”
                      I didn’t say they were. But the left were salivating, including some on TS.

                      mate, even you should be able to see how stupid what you just said is.

                      You’re sore because Chuck highlighted your hypocrisy. Take it somewhere else.

                      What hypocrisy? If the rules currently say that rich people can donate to political parties, then I think it’s fair that that happens across the spectrum and I’m in favour of amending the legislation to limit that happening. I know that doesn’t fit your back and white reductionist view of the world, but it’s not that hard to understand.

                    • Groundhog

                      “What hypocrisy?”

                      Do i really need to quote you again?

                      “NZers don’t take kindly to being told by rich people how to do democracy.”

                      Who were you talking about Weka?

                      “If the rules currently say that rich people can donate to political parties, then I think it’s fair that that happens across the spectrum and I’m in favour of amending the legislation to limit that happening.”
                      Why, because Labour are currently hopeless at fundraising?

                    • weka

                      You still haven’t explained what the hypocrisy is. I said that NZers don’t take kindly to being told how to do democracy in reference to the Business Roundtable and co trying to influence the MMP referendum in the 90s. What are you talking about?

                    • Groundhog

                      “What are you talking about?”

                      Your hypocrisy. For pointing out something that happened in 1993 when the most recent example was far more relevant (Kim Dot Com), but didn’t sit you leanings. Chuck called you on it, and rightly so.

                • xanthe

                  “He funded the entire party, put in place his puppets to front the party”

                  there in one statement is the encapsulation of dirty politics .
                  Here is a exposition of BULLSHIT from wikipedia read it carefully and see if you think it applies to the quote above

                  “It is impossible for someone to lie unless he thinks he knows the truth. Producing bullshit requires no such conviction. A person who lies is thereby responding to the truth, and he is to that extent respectful of it. When an honest man speaks, he says only what he believes to be true; and for the liar, it is correspondingly indispensable that he considers his statements to be false. For the bullshitter, however, all these bets are off: he is neither on the side of the true nor on the side of the false. His eye is not on the facts at all, as the eyes of the honest man and of the liar are, except insofar as they may be pertinent to his interest in getting away with what he says. He does not care whether the things he says describe reality correctly. He just picks them out, or makes them up, to suit his purpose.”

                  what you do is worse than a lie! , a liar respects the truth in that they know the truth and decide to speak otherwise. a bullshitter has no interest in the truth at all. You illuminate here why democracy is failing us.

                  • weka

                    Hey xanthe, if you are going to quote from somewhere can you please link?

                    Interesting quote,

                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit#Harry_Frankfurt.27s_concept

                  • Chuck

                    What a strange rant from you xanthe.

                    I said…

                    “He funded the entire party, put in place his puppets to front the party”

                    So you think I am making that up?

                    “Dotcom provided funding (NZ$3.5 million) to the party[10] which was the largest personal contribution to a political party on record in New Zealand.”

                    “In September 2013, Dotcom revealed an interest in setting up a political party.[2] On 15 January 2014, Dotcom announced the name of the party and its logo”

                    “With the lead up to the 2014 election the party ran an idol-styled candidate search and appointed a leader, the former Alliance MP and Minister, Laila Harre”

                    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Party_(New_Zealand)#cite_note-10

                    You may not like it xanthe, but don’t try to pretend it did not occur.

                    • xanthe

                      “put in place his puppets to front the party” is hurtful slanderous bullshit. It does not matter how many times patric gower, cam slater, john key, various labour and green commentators, contributers to thestandard or yourself say it, its still bullshit! You dont know these people acted as “his puppets” and I am convinced you dont care. Do you perhaps think if enough people repeat it enough times some other people will start to assume its true ?

                    • McFlock

                      OK, let’s let the fact that if he funded the entire party, then the Mana party must have had absolutely no funds of its own slide. He did provide the vast majority of its funds.

                      Your assertion was that KDC “put in place his puppets to front the party”. They ain’t puppets and the party structures struck me as being quite democratic.

                      I disliked I/MP, and sure didn’t vote for them, but you took substantial support and assumed that it meant micromanaged and dictated every move. That’s your bullshit. It might be how tories work, but anyone treating Laila Harre like a puppet would be in for a big surprise.

                • Stuart Munro

                  Yeah sure – dotcom is the devil and peter shirtcliffe an angel. To asset stealing ACT trolls.

            • Paul 7.1.1.1.1.2

              What a wretched job you have; to shill for the uber wealthy’s interests.
              I feel sorry for you that you are forced into such a miserable and soul destroying occupation.

            • save nz 7.1.1.1.1.3

              Yes, Chuck the National party and ACT don’t like transparency – they get their political donations and crony deals from Scenic hotels, dodgy offshore tax deals and the new improved (sarc) business roundtable, NZ initiative.

        • Adrian Thornton 7.1.1.2

          Maybe you should have a listen to this…..
          Howard Zinn “Artists in the time of War”
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b8lPYog2TA

        • Cemetery Jones 7.1.1.3

          Then again, they’re so cluelessly nepotistic that if they did fund some kind of musical pushback, they’d probably turn to their own kids. Picturing some kind of slickly produced but ulitmately cringe inducing duet featuring rude as fuck beats from Max Key on a Kim Dotcom scale of god-awful, accompanied by lyrically inept, horrendous warbling from Annabel Fay. Such an enterprise would serve only to make the target of said musical atrocity seem awesome by comparison. On the other hand, I’d love to see the expressions on the faces of Donghua Liu or that hotelier who looks like Davros with a Phil Spector wig when they realise that this is what National have just spent their money on.

          • Wensleydale 7.1.1.3.1

            “Davros with a Phil Spector wig…”

            Heh, heh, heh. Poor Earl. He can’t help it if he looks like a badly dressed corpse.

        • Richard Rawshark 7.1.1.4

          So your saying this sets a precedent and now all your mates will bombard us with vote Key as your all rich.

          Well i’m poor, I can’t afford billboards but I can afford a night out smashing em up, you put em up i’ll pull em down or use the bill boards with a little artistic can sprays. Few Hitler stashes here, few swastikas here..all good.

          See us common folk we adapt.. and since you have the money for them, maybe we can save costs.

    • roy cartland 7.2

      Of course not. Bit of a straw-manning on your part there I think.

    • I guess Psycho Milt is wondering whether the National Party will exploit this new ruling as the election approaches.
      Of course they will.

    • shorts 7.4

      that is a crass symbol you use as your avatar isn’t it?

      if it is please re-read your comment and remember the many things Crass did to battle Thatcher including the Thatchergate tapes

    • Siobhan 7.5

      Says the guy with the Crass logo. ‘Cause you know, nothing they hated more than politically motivated art work.

      There must have been a list a mile long of people who thought they were lacking in talent creativity and bloody obnoxious to boot.

      Thats the thing about free speech, its for everyone, even rich bastards.

    • bg 7.6

      No no no… you forgot the rules. ‘its OK when the left do it’

  8. Puckish Rogue 8

    Sounding like a be careful what you wish for kind of thing

  9. Poor wee Maui’s dolphin!
    What a monster!

  10. weka 10

    That Planet Key video is very good too. I hope they update it for next year.

  11. save nz 11

    Great outcome.

    However the mistakes of the electoral commission in banning it and therefore illegally censoring negative sentiment to the National party and their subsequent legal harassment of Darren Watson should mean that those who made that decision lose their jobs at the electoral commission.

    Don’t forget nothing happened to the ALL blacks illegally tweeting Vote National on election day.

    The election was not free and fair and the electoral commission is clearly not politically neutral. Apparently only about 10,000 votes were in the election result and with the illegal censorship of anti National freedom of speech, illegal pro Natz tweets, and banning certain sectors of society from voting while pushing as many new voters into NZ, we could have had a change of government last election. Clinging onto power at all costs, and suppression of ideas and truth (aka Campbell Live being shut down) is how the National party operates.

    If most members of the public can see the Darren Watson song is freedom of speech but the electoral commission can not, then they are not fit to be in the job.

    • save nz 11.1

      And don’t forget the previous election Phil Goff was purposely smeared and humiliated by the SIS.

      And the Brethren scandal.

    • Leftie 11.2

      That’s telling it like it is Save NZ. The Electoral Commission cannot be trusted. I know I am not the only one to have lost confidence in our electoral processes. And that’s what’s worrying people I know as well, and I am sure there are others out there too, and the fear is, is that John Key will effectively get away with rigging the election in his favour again.

    • Leftie 11.3

      To add. Lets not forget too that the Electoral Commission changed it’s rules to accommodate Peter Dunne when he had a hissy fit over producing the hard copies of United Future’s membership.

      United Future: Electoral Commission changes rules over physical proof

      “The Electoral Commission has changed its rules meaning United Future will not have to provide original signed application forms to prove it has more than 500 members.”

      <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10891656

  12. Sam C 12

    Does anyone really give a shit about this? Nope.

    • Invisible Axe 12.1

      Yeah the Electoral Commission has been exposed as National Party poodles, who gives a shit eh?

      • Puckish Rogue 12.1.1

        I’d suggest the Electoral Commission is toothless when it comes to any party, not just National

        [Weak PR and totally off point. Links deleted – MS]

        • Leftie 12.1.1.1

          Never seen the Electoral Commission act like this until John key.

          • Puckish Rogue 12.1.1.1.1

            Really?

            http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10373214

            “The Labour Party has escaped prosecution for breaching electoral law with its pocket-sized pledge cards, despite police finding there was a prima facie case against it.”

            Please note I’m not saying, in this case, that because Labour have done it National should do it, I’m saying the commission is toothless and needs a major overhaul

            • Leftie 12.1.1.1.1.1

              That’s not what I was referring to, but since you brought it up, National did it too Puckish Rogue “He said Labour were given a warning rather than prosecuted because it was clear a number of other parties had also used similar tactics and it would have been unfair to single Labour out.
              He also said the offending was because of a general misunderstanding of electoral rules.”

              So yes really Puckish Rogue, my original comment “never seen the Electoral Commission act like this until John key” still stands. Agreed that it needs an overhaul, it needs to be cleaned out of National party interference for a start.

      • Leftie 12.1.2

        I for one, bloody well give a shit.

    • The rapid response to this post is proving you wrong, Sam C. In my mind’s ear, I hear cheering across New Zealand and laughter as people remember the clip.
      Mockery is the thing the vain and the powerful just can’t abide.

    • save nz 12.3

      You obviously do Sam C, because you bothered to post, to try to minimise the impact.

    • simbit 12.4

      Preservation of free speech brah. I care…

  13. ropata 13

    The same shitbags also complained about the child poverty doco aired on Maori TV before the 2011 election. Apparently we aren’t supposed to air ‘political’ topics before an election FFS
    https://bsa.govt.nz/decisions/4340

  14. Takere 14

    Great! Still Relevant and … isn’t there an election coming?

  15. Tory 15

    It was a shit song, give me The Knobz any day
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n8frPD7DgqI

  16. Has the Chester Borrows case been decided yet, anyone know?
    (on the topic of songs and thinking about sing-sing)

  17. Groundhog 17

    Have we totally lost our sense of humour? This video is actually quite clever, and compared to the satirical brutality we witness overseas, moderate to say the least.

  18. rsbandit 18

    The EC were wrong, but, in the end, big so what?

    Key couldn’t care less about a song, just as I’m sure Little couldn’t care less about a song about Labour by some random ACT supporter. In fact, probably flattered.

    Preaching to the converted.

    • The ‘big so what’ is that they won’t be able to shut down NZ artists and musicians again. That’s a pretty big win for freedom of expression.

      Oh, and Key cared enough at the time alright. One day he was saying he wasn’t bothered by it and the very next he was framing it as part of some vast, covert left-wing version of ‘dirty politics’.

      I would personally LOVE to hear the efforts of a right-wing musician (is there such a thing in NZ?) with the intestinal fortitude to nail his/her political colours to the pole. Fill your boots ye ACT-supporting musicians I say. All none of you.

      • Leftie 18.1.1

        Well said Darren!!

      • rsbandit 18.1.2

        The Knobz appear to be demanding lower state taxes.

        With respect, a left wing attack on Key is the safest thing in the world. The luvvies will all cheer. That’s the real point, isn’t it?

        • Darren Watson 18.1.2.1

          If a “left wing attack on Key is the safest thing in the world” (your words not mine) why have we had to engage a legal team and fight this for over two years all the way to the Court Of Appeal?

          The Knobz’s single was moaning about a 40% sales tax on records in the context of Muldoon saying ‘rock music wasn’t culture’ or some such shit – not about lowering taxes in general.

          And nobody tried to ban the Knobz.

          • rsbandit 18.1.2.1.1

            The EC isn’t left, right or John Key. They are a state entity applying the law, a law in place before National were the government. In my view, they were wrong in their interpretation and it is good the Court Of Appeal agrees.

            I don’t think Key cares about a song. He might have cared about the OTT attack job on him as a whole from the usual suspects, although he need not have worried as they were all preaching to the converted.

            National’s popularity increased.

          • Chuck 18.1.2.1.2

            “If a “left wing attack on Key is the safest thing in the world” (your words not mine) why have we had to engage a legal team and fight this for over two years all the way to the Court Of Appeal?”

            Its called legal process, when there are two opposing positions on a certain matter. What you should be saying is thanks to the NZ legal process we were able to advance our argument, and on the day it was proved correct.

            Look forward to the 2017 version, and maybe others might jump on board and do a Andy Little or Winston version as well.

      • save nz 18.1.3

        “I would personally LOVE to hear the efforts of a right-wing musician” – of course right wingers don’t believe in paying artists either aka Eminen shows, just some random intermediary who takes the money from the artist. The trickle down strikes again.

        • rsbandit 18.1.3.1

          Do you want to be retrospective about paying money for chord progressions?

          There wouldn’t be much music being played…

      • mickysavage 18.1.4

        +1 Darren!

  19. repateet 19

    I got into the the spirit of the Electoral Commission ban on Darren Watson. I was sure they’d support my contention about the Rugby News cover with John Key.

    That wasn’t election advertising according to them. Go figure.

    • Leftie 19.1

      The Electoral Commission were being selective and turned a blind eye for their master, John key. Of course that was election advertising.

  20. simbit 20

    Who is/are the Electoral Commission?

    Can’t find out on their/her/its webpage…

    http://www.elections.org.nz

  21. Dale 21

    Yep,bunch of hairy faced fucktards are gonna win the next election!

    • reason 21.1

      …. your writing is very creative dale ……. !

      for a dick pic 😉 ………. as troll=human dick pic

      angry trolls are most always male*……. why is that ? 🙂

      ………… *Kactus kate being a dishonorable offensive exception

  22. Marcus 22

    The Electoral Commission’s comment basically added up to an admission that they knew they were wrong in the first place.
    If that is so, then that raises an important question: who told them to ban it?
    Obvious answer: John Key and the National Party.
    So when did the EC start taking orders direct from the National Party?
    From the last election apparently.
    Does anyone care that this is absolutely illegal?
    The EC is supposed to be independent and politically neutral. It is very hard to argue that they still are now.

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    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    12 hours ago
  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    13 hours ago
  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    13 hours ago
  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    16 hours ago
  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    23 hours ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    1 day ago
  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    2 days ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    2 days ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    2 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    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:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    4 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    5 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    5 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    6 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    6 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    6 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    7 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    7 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
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