DoC Staff Striking during Conservation Week

Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, November 3rd, 2015 - 30 comments
Categories: Conservation, Environment, uncategorized - Tags:

How far removed from a ‘cloth-capped mob of union-stirrers and industrial saboteurs’ would the staff of the Department of Conservation be? These people would have to be among the most valued and generally respected public sector workers in the country. And now they are reduced to this.

DOC staff to take industrial action as Conservation Week begins

1500 Public Service Association (PSA) members working at the Department of Conservation (DOC) have overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action starting on Wednesday, the middle of New Zealand’s Conservation Week.

Erin Polaczuk, PSA national secretary, said “It is time for DOC to start valuing the staff who fight every day to make 100% pure a reality.”

“DOC staff don’t take action lightly, but they are finding it increasingly hard to continue to do their jobs when their employer doesn’t value them.
“The offer from DOC management was rejected overwhelmingly with 95% of the vote against it.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1511/S00028/doc-staff-to-take-industrial-action-during-conservation-week.htm

(Hat tip to Scoop.)

This is a direct consequence of the way Al Morrisson disrupted the organisation with a spectacularly incompetent re-structuring and the on-going contempt this government has treated them with. I’m not pulling this statement out of my arse – friends of mine are insiders.

Yesterday I made this comment:

It’s estimated that about 200,000 New Zealanders will go tramping at least once a year, and a similar number of hunters and/or anglers. In my experience most are pretty down to earth people who put a high value on our Conservation Estate. And again I’ll make a punt – a large majority of these outdoors people would be more likely to vote left than otherwise.

And certainly the vast majority of these voters would like to see DoC better funded. Much better.

There you go Labour – a relatively clean up and down issue that will get you votes.

/fouling-our-nest/#comment-1089711

In support of this contention here is a thread on a popular site on the same topic:

Tramper.nz

Ok so it’s a very small sample – but I guarantee you – in my experience, also very representative. It’s long been my contention that the people who spend the most time in the Conservation Estate are the ones who value it the most – and are the ones most likely to act on that motivation. And into total there must be 500,000 odd people who will be paying attention to this. Here is a straightforward issue for Labour to make a stand on; that National have spent seven years neglecting and de-valuing the work of DoC and they will turn this around.

You can point to the legacy of Helen Clark even, whose leadership and example certainly didn’t see 95% of Department staff voting to strike.

30 comments on “DoC Staff Striking during Conservation Week ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. vto 1
    3 November 2015 at 12:46 pm

    95% of an entire government department?

    Voting to strike?

    That has to be a first ……….. come on labour, step up and make hay

    ………..

    meantime in moneyland, the government has set aside $400,000,000 to fund environment-destroying irrigation schemes

    ………..

    the right wing nutter ideology is destroying New Zealand

  2. maui 2
    3 November 2015 at 1:19 pm

    That’s great to hear the staff showing solidarity. A couple of concerning things I’ve heard is that the restructuring can take years for the staff to adjust to, that’s if it can work properly at all with staff split into doing the real ground work and others working in marketing, business relationships, and volunteer workers.

    The other issue is the guru people within Doc nearing retirement that just quit instead of putting up with reapplying for their jobs and going through a pointless restructure.

    • RedLogix 2.1
      3 November 2015 at 2:34 pm

      The other issue is the guru people within Doc nearing retirement that just quit instead of putting up with reapplying for their jobs and going through a pointless restructure.

      Tick. One of my mates did just that. Bloody sad to watch – this was a man I’d looked up to most of my life and to see him treated like that left a bad taste.

  3. weka 3
    3 November 2015 at 1:30 pm

    hmm, that PSA press release is pretty light on detail. Is that normal?

  4. mickysavage 4
    3 November 2015 at 1:58 pm

    I spent the weekend on Great Barrier Aotea and saw a few DOC campsites over there. They really are jewels but the DOC estate has huge pressures that need to be addressed.

    I see MBIE is also going on strike …

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/73179233/union-workers-at-mbie-to-go-on-strike-next-month

  5. tc 5
    3 November 2015 at 2:06 pm

    Good post RL when are kiwis going to wake up to the rampant pillage of our environment and wilful deconstruction of our public services ability to look after it.

  6. M. Gray 6
    3 November 2015 at 2:37 pm

    When are NZers going to wake up National will sell and privatise everything they can they are already making inroads into our Education system.

  7. ExRaynja 7
    3 November 2015 at 2:42 pm

    My partner resigned from DOC earlier in the year, after 15 years. They started as a vollie and finished as planner with responsibilities for a third of an islands biodiversity spend. Within a few weeks of them leaving, their former manager, their current manager, and several other colleagues in the same office resigned, taking almost 75 years of experience with them.

    They were overworked and underpaid as a result of the most recent restructure – when I started at DOC in 2004 staff were paid 1/3rd less than the public service average and when I left in 2008 they were still paid signficantly less, and its only gotten worse as the perqs of the job (mostly light handed management and organisational culture and time in the bush) have been progressively eroded. Staff used to fight to attend fires and whale strandings for the extra pay for gods sake!

    Last month my partner did a talk at my eldest’s primary school using borrowed props from DOC as no one has the time to do school visits or other similar advocacy work, and with the centralisation of ranger services, rangers can spend more time in vehicles travelling than they do actual field work. The field work itself has been reduced to a bare minimum with the expectation that the public will pick up the slack, with the made up capacity now being spent on trying to wrangle effective conservation work from well-meaning but often far less effective volunteer groups.

    They almost struck just before last Christmas and were already working to rule up to that point, but were enticed back to the bargaining table, but obviously things didnt get any better. Good on them. The trouble with striking DOC staff is they are by no means essential personnel to the running of the country, unlike nurses, cleaners, garbos, cops, teachers et al. And, for the most part and circumstances have definitely changed over the last few years as the older staff have jumped ship, they were a dedicated and passionate bunch who cared too deeply for the work that they do to not be doing it.

    DOC has been consistently rated as one of the best regarded organs of the public service in polled rankings thereof. However they were/are basically over a barrell with regards to the effectiveness of striking but best of luck to them. Al Morrison left a turd sandwich for Lou Sanson and the rest of the organisation to digest and they are doing what they can, but the organisation is a hollow shell and whatever spark it had is almost extinguished.

    • RedLogix 7.1
      3 November 2015 at 4:43 pm

      Thank you for this.

      And for all the service you and your partner gave to our nation. Those of us who are out there in the back country appreciate what you do for us enormously. (I know – there is always a minority of noxious idiots to put up with when dealing with the public – and that’s part of the job too.)

      with the made up capacity now being spent on trying to wrangle effective conservation work from well-meaning but often far less effective volunteer groups.

      That’s entirely valid – I believe volunteer groups can be a valuable part of the mix, but they cannot be effective on their own.

      Al Morrison left a turd sandwich for Lou Sanson

      I’ve heard only good things about Lou. I hope he gets a chance to turn this around.

  8. Ad 8
    3 November 2015 at 2:55 pm

    Absolutely amazing people DoC staff.

    They also work really hard to ensure people don’t die.

    Like the Israeli troupe who tried to do the Routeburn by buying bin liners and poking holes in them for their arms and legs.

    Or the Argentinian who was told to turn back trying to do the Milford Track taking their airport wheelie bag and some jandals.

    Or the German guy we picked up who having finished the Caples was sitting in a shelter, in wet cutoff jeans, FFS, near the road but with no idea how to get back to town, going rapidly hypothermic.

    Or the DoC guys last week at least five k’s away from base on the Abel Tasman rebuilding a fallen section with a spade. Just a spade.

    If I ever become a squillionaire I’m just going to upchuck and manage a hut for free. Honest work with the best views in the world.

    Pay the field staff triple. I think they are utterly awesome.

  9. Tautoko Mangō Mata 9
    3 November 2015 at 3:22 pm

    Al Morrison needs to be added to the wall of Shame along with all of the other hatchet wielders. How do these people sleep at night?

    • Ad 9.1
      3 November 2015 at 4:45 pm

      They sleep at night in the top floor apartment overlooking Wellington Harbour,
      without a care in the world, between silken sheets,
      dreaming the great 1-percenters’ dreams,

      beside a companion

      whose beauty

      would make you weep

      with desire.

  10. Tory 10
    3 November 2015 at 4:04 pm

    So under the CA4, 1 July 2012, pay bands were:
    BAND A. $32,632 to $44,149
    BAND B. $37,146 to $50,256
    BAND C. $42,246 to $57,157
    BAND D. $49,075 to $66,396
    BAND E. $57,439 to $77,712
    BAND F. $68,020 to $90,957 (I have gone up to F as this is generally the top band in area offices).

    With 23 allowances (wet time, obnoxious, over night, back country, diving etc.), flexible working hours, job sharing, redundancy (capped at $42,000, but more if employed prior to 1 July 1992), just what are the issues regarding pay and conditions that are have staff so undervalued?

    I have no issues arguing for more $ into conservation, I am a big user of National Parks and want to see more money in the conservation budget but this should be kept separate from the argument over pay and conditions as DOC staff are pretty well looked after.

    • McFlock 10.1
      3 November 2015 at 4:34 pm

      and all that depends entirely on who and how many are on what band.
      So thanks, that’s nice, but irrelevant.

    • RedLogix 10.2
      3 November 2015 at 4:39 pm

      See ex-Raynja at 7.0 above.

      Seem that as with almost all employee satisfaction studies – the money here is only a part of the story.

      • weka 10.2.1
        3 November 2015 at 4:46 pm

        it would be useful to know what they are wanting specifically though. The PSA press release didn’t say. Do you know?

        • RedLogix 10.2.1.1
          3 November 2015 at 4:54 pm

          I don’t know anymore than what the PSA have released. As you say it’s light on detail.

          But frankly – for the level of responsibility many DoC staff undertake – some of those bands Tory is quoting above look pretty lightweight by current standards.

          • DoublePlusGood 10.2.1.1.1
            3 November 2015 at 5:21 pm

            I’m guessing they’re one of those swell organisations that has pay bands and then proceeds to pay everyone well below the midpoint of the band.
            Also, good luck retaining experienced staff in many of those job bands.

    • ExRaynja 10.3
      3 November 2015 at 8:23 pm

      In 2008, a D-Band programme manager with 25 years on the job, 6-8 direct reports and a yearly budget of around a million dollars opex plus up to a few hundred thousand a year of new capital projects to manage, plus do boat ops plus do CIMS work in fire season and endless other after hours meetings with community groups could still only be on 55k, which was middle of the band at that time.

      My partner left the job this year in part because, with two children under seven and wanting to only work three days a week instead of five, DOC wouldnt split the role, or allow job sharing. Flex time was useful, she would arrive at work at 730am and work until 330pm but it was hard fought to do those hours. Job sharing and flex hours are fine on paper but pretty hard to actually get your managers to agree to. At 37 with an MSc and 15 years in the Dept and very highly rated in every performance evaluation, they were still on 50k pro-rated in a D-band role, again part of a team of two travelling between offices over 1/3rd of an island and divying up $4 million a year.

      Your comment that “DOC staff are pretty well looked after.” comes from a place of total ignorance, or if not, perhaps from knowledge of Head Office, whose staff have always been much better paid, role for role, than in the areas, conservancies and regions.

  11. Coaster 11
    3 November 2015 at 5:41 pm

    The walking tracks down here on the west coast are in a bad state of repair. One only a short distance from a main town has numourous spots with danger tape covering parts of the track to warn people, in many cases its been there for 6 months or longer.

    Anyone remember cave creek, i hate to say it but i can see that happening again soon.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 11.1
      3 November 2015 at 5:44 pm

      The thing to do is to invite Cabinet Club members on sight-seeing trips, and stand well back 😈

  12. Lara 12
    3 November 2015 at 8:58 pm

    It just breaks my heart to see our native species so under threat, our forests dying, and our dedicated conservation staff underfunded, underpaid, under-resourced and undervalued by this government.

    We have one of the most beautiful countries in the world and a truly unique flora and fauna.

    WHY CAN’T WE LOOK AFTER IT FFS!

    All my support to DoC staff. I donate whenever I can and look after the bush and beaches when I go… all the time.

  13. Alex Stone 13
    4 November 2015 at 8:14 am

    One per cent please 23 July
    How much does it take to run our country? Take a look at a website page from the Treasury titled ‘Total Crown Expenses by functional classification’, and you’ll see government spent $92.170 billion in the 2014 financial year.
    The big ticket items were $27.266 billion on social security. Fair enough – you gotta pay pensions, and look after the vulnerable. Next was $14.344 billion on health. Fair enough – you gotta take care of the crook people. Closely followed by $13.064 billion on education. Fair enough – we must educate our kids, and pay the teachers. So far, so logical.
    But scroll down to the bottom of the list, and you find $579 million spent on an un-identified ‘other’, and below that, the very smallest single line item, $538 million spent on environmental protection. Do some more digging, and you’ll find the budget for the Department of Conservation accounted for $430.8 million of that environmental protection spend.
    That’s 0.44 % of the total.
    Our environmental assets are more than important – they are a defining feature of our nation. John Key, in introducing Nationals environmental policy in 2008, said this: “National will never forget that New Zealand’s outstanding physical environment is a key part of what makes our country special. Kiwis proudly value our forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans. They are part of our history and they must continue to define our future.

    “Our environment isn’t just a bonus. It’s part of being a Kiwi. It underpins our enviable quality of life. It gives us an in-built edge over many of our economic rivals.”
    http://www.johnkey.co.nz/archives/454-SPEECH-Environment-Policy-Launch.html
    Now consider the 100% PURE campaign. It’s selling New Zealand’s unique proposition to the world of international tourism. You don’t see pictures of hospitals, schools, suburbs, or open cast mines in the billboards. You see stunning images of our natural world – almost all taken within the Conservation Estate.
    New Zealand has a very high level of land that is held as conservation estate – around 30% of our total land area. Or put another way, about 8 million hectares of native forests and islands and beaches and rivers and lakes and alpine land. Stunning stuff. Plenty of scope for those 100% PURE photographers. And plenty space to tuck away a tourist or two.
    There’s money in them green spaces too. Tourism earned $10.3 billion in the year ending March 2014 – or 15.3% of our foreign exchange earnings. In total, the tourism expenditure in that year was $23.8 billion. An overwhelming majority of those visitors were enticed by the splendours of our natural environment. Just like they saw in the 100% PURE posters and billboards. They came to experience that for real. Good on them.

    But then, don’t get too excited, says our leader.. Our Prime Minister, in the infamous BBC World’s Hardtalk interview by Stephen Sackur in 2012, said of the 100% PURE campaign, “It’s got to be taken with a pinch of salt.”
    This was the same interview where Key attacked the scientific rigour of the research of Dr Mike Joy, who had been revealing the truth about the poor quality of the nation’s freshwater ways.
    “He’s one academic, and like lawyers, I can provide you with another one that will give you a counterview,” said a clearly-cornered Key. So, in his mind environmental academics and researchers can be bought to give you the comfortable opinion. Nice.
    Previously, in 2009, British environment writer Fred Pearce, in a piece in The Guardian, announced his “prize for the most shameless two fingers to the global community” to New Zealand, accusing this country of a “greenwash” for trading on an increasingly shaky notion of eco-credibility.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/8023412/100-Pure-Fantasy-Living-up-to-our-brand
    We are slipping on this front, no doubt about it. In 2006, New Zealand stood at the top of the Yale University Environmental Performance Index, in which 178 countries are ranked on how well they perform on high-priority environmental issues in two broad policy areas: protection of human health from environmental harm and protection of ecosystems.. The Assessments are made in the areas of health impacts, air quality, water and sanitation, water resources, agriculture, forests, fisheries, biodiversity and habitat, climate and energy.
    In the 2014 listings, we were at number 16.
    http://epi.yale.edu/epi/country-profile/new-zealand
    So why then do we spend so little on caring for our greatest asset?
    It’s a mystery to me – and, I imagine to the huge majority of New Zealanders (79.2%) who want action on ‘environmental problems’, according to a Roy Morgan Poll of August 2014.
    How about a new campaign to sit beside 100% PURE? We could call it the ONE PER CENT, PLEASE initiative. That’s not asking for much – just one per cent of our annual spend on looking after the forests, the rivers, the mountains, and those who look after them in turn.
    But no. In the past few years, we have seen budget cuts for the Department of Conservation, and more than 150 jobs lost. Good people, doing good work. Now less of them must do it all with less resources. Why can’t we set aside just one per cent of government spend for this important entity?
    No-one who sets budget figures could refuse that, surely? It all makes good sense. It’s the ultimate in business and brand sustainability. It would also help future generations of our own citizens.
    Just ONE PER CENT, PLEASE. Ironic, isn’t it, to think this level of investment would be more that double what is currently being done. Puts things a bit into perspective.

    • RedLogix 13.1
      4 November 2015 at 9:39 am

      Well that’s so comprehensive it should have been the OP.

      all makes good sense. It’s the ultimate in business and brand sustainability.

      This. Even in the right’s own terms and framing – more funding for DoC is consistent and rational. What holds them back I suspect is an ideological and emotive distaste for anything that looks green.

  14. Sookie 14
    4 November 2015 at 8:49 pm

    Ex DOC here. They just could not compete with market rates for Planners and after restructuring they didn’t want Planners anyway (I was on Band D, hey its gone up!). I will vote for anyone, including Act, that quadruples the DOC budget. Lovely bunch of selfless, hard working pragmatic people who do work that is far, far more important than the usual useless crap the government spends money on. It makes me furious.

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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