Embarrassed for NZ

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, April 30th, 2015 - 87 comments
Categories: grant robertson, john key, Minister for International Embarrassment - Tags:

A feisty speech from Grant Robertson on the international embarrassment that is our PM. Seems he is not alone: “Kiwis embarrassed to be the home of the ‘creepy hair fetish guy as a PM’“.

87 comments on “Embarrassed for NZ ”

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  1. TheContrarian 1
    30 April 2015 at 7:58 am

    That was really quite funny.

    • newsense 1.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:43 pm

      I love how they are still calling out- she forged a painting for charity…the right’s idea of moral equivalence…

  2. Tracey 2
    30 April 2015 at 8:45 am

    Bravo

    Especially bravo because people like Gosman and all the left leaning people he talks to say this is not going to win votes… sometimes you have to have the courage to call people out on their behaviour because it is the right thing to … and the person holding the highest post in education of our young people? Forced to play it all down to support the PM…

  3. Sable 3
    30 April 2015 at 9:08 am

    Very entertaining. Keys is a laughing stock with everyone but his apologists in the MSM.

  4. les 4
    30 April 2015 at 9:19 am

    good to see Robertson in action…thought he had vanished.

  5. Skinny 5
    30 April 2015 at 9:26 am

    No too smart Robo especially when Key is sucking up to the Oil Kings. Better off letting the public judge Key’s dumbarse antics instead of trying for your own moment of fame.

    • felix 5.1
      30 April 2015 at 9:31 am

      Nah, got to do both.

      Mostly just let Creepy John trip himself up, but nothing wrong with giving him a shove from behind now and then.

      As long as the Leader isn’t going on about it, all good.

      • vto 5.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 9:39 am

        “but nothing wrong with giving him a shove from behind now and then.”

        Exactly.

        Being shoved from behind is the same for men as pulling on a ponytail is for women.
        (excuse the gender generalisations)

      • Tracey 5.1.2
        30 April 2015 at 9:44 am

        Yup, and how much mainstream coverage did it get? This can be as much for the supporters/member base as anything else.

  6. Sabine 6
    30 April 2015 at 9:29 am

    it appears that National did not show up for work?

    willful abandonment of their duties? Can we fire them? 🙂

    • Puckish Rogue 6.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:10 am

      Sure can, in 2017 🙂

      • tracey 6.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 11:48 am

        serious question for you PR. What kind of behaviour do you think should prompt a resignation/sacking

        • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1.1
          30 April 2015 at 11:55 am

          Thats hard to answer definatively as every case should be considered on its own merits but I don’t believe the PM should resign for this (if thats what you’re asking)

    • freedom 6.2
      30 April 2015 at 10:43 am

      National did abandon the House with particular haste after question time yesterday. More so than usual? Open to interpretation. Those few left behind however seemed particularly unhappy to have drawn the short straws. But even before the House emptied, the strained faces scattered amongst the government benches suggests there are some very heavy dialogues occurring behind the scenes. Louise Upston in particular looked very stressed when caught on camera, then put on her performance face when required to answer Q4, but quickly slumped back into whatever malaise was occupying her.

      Jo Hayes was another to watch, her normal chirpy willingness when delivering the vapid navel gazing questions of the government appeared forced and unconvincing, compared to the expression she carried when not realising she was on camera.

      Throughout question time most of the women, especially the front bench Ministers did spend an inordinate amount of time busily staring at whatever papers they could distract themselves with.

      Are some of the women in National questioning the prescribed focus of their support?

  7. The Murphey 7
    30 April 2015 at 9:54 am

    Never let an external entity transfer or dictate ‘your’ sense of emotion

    Ashamed would be more appropriate to use

    Ashamed of what has become of NZ politics

    Ashamed of ‘our’ contribution to the political landscape

  8. tc 8
    30 April 2015 at 9:57 am

    Agreed and where are the education, EQC, Finance and Industrial relations shadow members lately. Attack on all fronts like you are paid to do lazy troughers.

  9. Puckish Rogue 9
    30 April 2015 at 10:00 am

    As embarrasing as trying to pretend your husband isn’t in the bar with you?

    • felix 9.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:03 am

      Desperately seeking deflection.

      • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 10:12 am

        Not a deflection, a deflection would be bringing up the Darren Hughes affair this was merely pointing out that in order to be the leader of Labour GR was quite happy to hide his husband from the cameras

        Which I would have thought was pretty embarrasing but then i’m not a politician

        • emergency mike 9.1.1.1
          30 April 2015 at 11:47 am

          Is it possible PR, the GR’s partner simply didn’t feel like going on the telly?

          Either way, is it as embarrassing as your repeated pulling of a waitress’ hair for months until she starts crying then shoving some JK wine in her face making headlines all over the world?

          I’m gonna go with no, not even remotely close.

          • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1.1.1
            30 April 2015 at 11:57 am

            Well possibly but if you watch the video you can see him grinning in the background

            • emergency mike 9.1.1.1.1.1
              30 April 2015 at 12:22 pm

              I’m not sure what that would prove or why anyone would care at this point. But like I said, no matter how it went down it’s nothing compared to the embarrassment that the Parnell Puller has brought upon himself.

              Which was the question you wanted an answer to.

        • tracey 9.1.1.2
          30 April 2015 at 11:51 am

          Darren Hughes resigned for what as seen by some as unbecoming behaviour but not criminal…. I can see why the Nats wouldn;t want to bring that up…

          • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1.2.1
            30 April 2015 at 12:02 pm

            Mutually Assured Destruction works wonders

            • tracey 9.1.1.2.1.1
              30 April 2015 at 12:11 pm

              Unwanted advances toward another person = resignation

              But only from one Party PR…

              Now, you see why the Nats have stayed away from the comparisson…

            • emergency mike 9.1.1.2.1.2
              30 April 2015 at 12:13 pm

              Apparently not or John Key wouldn’t be pulling a waitress’ hair.

              • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                30 April 2015 at 12:22 pm

                At least JK’s complainant wasn’t naked.

                • tracey …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:30 pm

                  Ahhhhh, is that what makes it different? Not that it was unconsented touching… thanks for clarifying the law for me.

                  • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                    30 April 2015 at 12:33 pm

                    All unconsented touchings are not equal, tracey.

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 12:42 pm

                      Didn’t say they are, that is what sentencing discretion is for. Do you agree that unconsented touching is actually a crime in NZ?

                    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:34 pm

                      Had a good look, trace, can’t find an offence of “unconsented touching” in the Crimes Act.

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:53 pm

                      nice try at being cute Gormless

                      “assault means the act of intentionally applying or attempting to apply force to the person of another, directly or indirectly, or threatening by any act or gesture to apply such force to the person of another, if the person making the threat has, or causes the other to believe on reasonable grounds that he or she has, present ability to effect his or her purpose; and to assault has a corresponding meaning”

                      mens rea is important but so too is consent. For example if I say to someone please pull my hair, that isn’t assault. If I ask someone to stop, say, pulling my hair, and they do it again… then any claim they didn’t know it was not wanted by me falls flat (legally speaking).

                      So, we know that Key touched the waitress on a number of occassions, including when he was asked not to, and threatened to do so… we have no evidence of whether Hughes ever touched the complainant. So… the police Gormless, have they begun their investigation of Key?

                      Or are you a proponent of one set of laws for some people and another for Key?

              • Puckish Rogue …
                30 April 2015 at 12:27 pm

                Theres no comparison with what Darren Hughes (allegedly) did and what John Key has done

                A young man laid a police complaint of a sexual nature against him

                Witnesses reported seeing the complainant outside and naked that morning

                The victim laid a complaint with the police and the police decided that they did not have enough evidence to press charges against Hughes

                • tracey …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:37 pm

                  http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/police-decide-not-charge-darren-hughes-ck-94906

                  A young woman was touched many times without her consent by a 50 year old man who does not know her. Even after she explicitly told him not to touch her, he touched her again.

                  Witnesses saw that the woman was uncomfortable (including a manager and the perpetrator’s wife).

                  A police presence with the perpetrator also witnessed the touching.

                  The woman has made it clear in her statement that it was unwanted. The perpetrator has admitted the behaviour

                  Are you saying that only unwanted touching that can be construed as sexual is wrong?

                  You see Darren Hughes may have thought the feeling was reciprocated? That the young man was interested in consensual touching? Maybe he stopped when he realised it was not reciprocated/consented.

                  So it’s the fact that someone was making a pass at the other that is objectionable to you, and puts it in a different category, yes?

                  “Some media organisations had received an anonymous letter about Mr Hughes while police were investigating the complaint, he said.

                  “I can confirm those allegations contained in the letter have been investigated and there were no matters which arose that required police attention.”

                • felix …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

                  And that’s the first and last time you or anyone else from National has ever complained about the Police not taking sexual complaints seriously.

                  🙄

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    30 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

                    Not true, all complaints should be treated equally and investigated properly

                    Name suppression should be used for victims and thier relationship and for the alleged perp and then if found guilty name suppresion for the guilty should be lifted

                    But above all the victims voices should be first and foremost in the process

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:17 pm

                      I wonder why the police havent started an investigation into the unconsented touching of a stranger by a guy called John key?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:25 pm

                      Because when he was asked to stop he did and there wasn’t anything sexual about it?

                    • arkie …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:27 pm

                      @PR

                      You are incorrect in your statement that he stopped when asked.

                      But I feel like you already knew that.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:37 pm

                      Well in that case I agree lets have the police investigate and see if its worth bringing a case against the PM

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:58 pm

                      You don’t even have all the facts PR.

                      threatening is also a crime …

                      You do understand that assault is a crime that doesn’t need any sexual element?

                      “assault means the act of intentionally applying or attempting to apply force to the person of another, directly or indirectly, or threatening by any act or gesture to apply such force to the person of another, if the person making the threat has, or causes the other to believe on reasonable grounds that he or she has, present ability to effect his or her purpose; and to assault has a corresponding meaning”

                      194 Assault on a child, or by a male on a female
                      Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who—
                      (a)assaults any child under the age of 14 years; or
                      (b)being a male, assaults any female.

                      “196 Common assault
                      Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 1 year who assaults any other person.”

                      Now, the police know this, they know it inside and out… and yet…

    • thatguynz 9.2
      30 April 2015 at 10:06 am

      In fairness that was pretty poor form by GR but I do recall him being called out about it at the time.

  10. cogito 10
    30 April 2015 at 10:01 am

    Saudi’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to John Key: “I follow your tweets, more than a year”….
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68145274/prime-minister-john-key-meets-saudi-arabias-prince-alwaleed-bin-talal

    Probably unexpected and potentially quite embarrassing! LOL. Poor Key.

    • freedom 10.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:14 am

      At least he caught himself before handing out Cameron’s phone number.
      If Cameron wanted the Prince to have his digits, he could probably manage it.

    • Hayden 10.2
      30 April 2015 at 10:47 am

      “I follow your tweets, more than a year”
.

      He’s almost certainly read more of them than Key has.

    • tracey 10.3
      30 April 2015 at 11:52 am

      I thought all Nats stopped tweeting months ago on command from the Leader?

  11. sckiwireddevil 11
    30 April 2015 at 10:09 am

    ”The Parnell Ponytail Puller”….love it.

  14. Old Mickey 14
    30 April 2015 at 10:17 am

    Excellent work by Robbo, very funny. Should see National support at 55% in next poll.

    • Puckish Rogue 14.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:43 am

      Thats a bit unlikely, I’m thinking 47% for National, 27% Labour and Winston beating Little in the preferred PM %

      • freedom 14.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 10:45 am

        which poll are you referring to this time? 🙂

        • Puckish Rogue 14.1.1.1
          30 April 2015 at 11:22 am

          The next poll of course, doesn’t matter which one 🙂

          • freedom 14.1.1.1.1
            30 April 2015 at 11:31 am

            ever have a xmas when you got socks instead of the bike? 😉
            but I have as much faith in the ethics of Herald Digi Polls as I do in the health claims of fast food manufacturers
            so you may well be correct

            • Puckish Rogue 14.1.1.1.1.1
              30 April 2015 at 11:41 am

              To be honest its not the hardest prediction to make

              • freedom …
                30 April 2015 at 12:08 pm

                true,
                a better challenge might be your predictions on a replacement for dear leader

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:39 pm

                  Hmmm if we’re speaking National it does depend on how long John Key goes for but short term guess would be Paula Bennet, long term maybe Jami-Lee Ross

                  For the Greens it’ll be Kevin Hague and they won’t need to worry about sticking to any promises they make as they won’t be in power for a very long while

                  NZFirst is looking like Ron Mark but a suprise bolter could be Shane Jones

                  Labour would be best suited to putting everyones name in a hat and picking one out and waiting for John Key to retire however Stuart Bridges does have a name behind him, some charisma and can win a seat so they could do worse

                  • tracey …
                    30 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

                    Jamie Lee Ross? On what basis PR?

                    • rawshark-yeshe …
                      30 April 2015 at 12:51 pm

                      dare I suggest a suitable vacuity ?

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 1:57 pm

                      I am pleased to see that he is needing some time to think about the reasons why…

                    • felix …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:02 pm

                      On the basis that he works for Slater/Collins.

                      And with Collins name being as low as dogshit right now, even worms like PR can’t bring themselves to sing her praises.

                      Apparently it doesn’t bother Slater/Collins (which is all PR is) that Lee-Ross is thick as pigshit, has no identifiable talent or special area of knowledge, and can barely string a sentence together without spitting and frothing about communists.

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:06 pm

                      Well, apart from that.

                      Now he is a career politician… City Council at age 18 (?)?

                      He has no formal qualifications… but has gained a commercial pilots license. That is an expensive pursuit so clearly the public service has treated him well.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:19 pm

                      Sorry Tracey but sometimes i do need to do some work, as a small busines owner I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate an employee that spent all their work time on a blog instead of doing the job for which you pay them 🙂

                      Hmm a career politician with no formal qualifications…hes in the wrong party then, sounds like the Greens or Labour would snap him up

                  • tracey …
                    30 April 2015 at 3:03 pm

                    indeed but you didn’t answer my question…

                    On what basis do you rate JLR as next leader of National Party of Bennett is only to be short term). Attributes? Experience? Qualifications?

                    As for being in the wrong party. I dunno there is that career bureaucrat Bill English for him to learn from…

  15. Paul 15
    30 April 2015 at 11:02 am

    Key in Saudi meeting his Citibank mates.
    And continuing to behave like a 12 year old wannabee obsessed with money and celebrity.
    Look at some of his comments below.

    ‘With a net worth of some NZ$60 billion, Prince Alwaleed is an investor in Citibank, the Four Seasons Hotel chain, Fox Entertainment and Twitter. Which is where their colourful conversation started.’
    “You own Fox News, wow,” Key wrongly asserted.

    On the table in front of them was a model of the prince’s latest project: a 1100m tower which will be the world’s tallest.
    Key wanted to know the cost.

    “Gosh, the Four Seasons is an amazing chain, fantastic hotels
at our Maui house the Four Seasons is in front of us, it’s a great place for dinner.”

    “Your trip to Turkey was interesting. Prince Charles, Prince Harry,” the prince changed the subject.
    Key: “He’s coming to New Zealand in a couple of weeks.”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68145274/prime-minister-john-key-meets-saudi-arabias-prince-alwaleed-bin-talal

  16. aerobubble 16
    30 April 2015 at 11:15 am

    A serious abuse of power occurs, the ruling party accepts the politician needs to go, so instead going out for some heinous abuse of power. Like a mate running the intelligence organisation, the immigration rules opened up to let a known criminal apply and get residence, so the US copyright industry can make a bogeyman… ..with e collateral consequences to housing prices and stress on exporters. The ruling party starts find non state issues, pony gate, even Sabin arguably a decision that would inevitable undermined Key.

    Key is gone, knives sharpening in backbench room.

    • tracey 16.1
      30 April 2015 at 12:39 pm

      For Key to be assured of a knighthood he needs to

      a. resign while Nats still in power so they can bestow it on him
      b. ensure they get re-elected in 2017, then resign

      • aerobubble 16.1.1
        3 May 2015 at 1:17 pm

        B. Roll judy out to distract further from northland, ponytailgate, not so secret troop movements hush hush its oh so secret.

        But wait. Deficit. So here’s the thing. Chch earthquakeadd a percent to the economy, key would be no where near getting into surplus had no earthquake hit.

        Worse. The economy is hurting, companies can’t move to chch to avoid paying higher rents as they would do, and the infrastructure in s.Auckland is dead man walking.

  17. Puckish Rogue 17
    30 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Mutually Assured Destruction does work really well

  18. Psycho Milt 18
    30 April 2015 at 12:38 pm

    From the Andrea Vance article linked by Sacha above:

    In Saudi society that would be seen as quite an offensive activity, indeed it would be seen as an assault.”

    Perhaps this was why Key chose not to directly raise women’s rights when he spoke to the monarch about human rights concerns. He was hardly speaking from the moral high ground.

    Absolutely. Gulf Arabs aren’t going to be lectured by a waitress-molester on how to treat women, and he’d have been crazy to raise the subject. Fortunately (for him) he was only there to talk business.

  19. emergency mike 19
    30 April 2015 at 12:50 pm

    The Andrea Vance article is sad reading regarding our post-pony tail gate PMs international reputation.

    “No ruler was impolite enough to mention it. “Only you,” Key tersely told reporters.

    But they knew. “It is something [King Salman’s] advisers have a pretty good handle on,” Saudi expert and business consultant John Lockwood said ahead of the meeting.

    “They will be smiling behind their hands when he, perhaps, raises other issues. In Saudi society that would be seen as quite an offensive activity, indeed it would be seen as an assault.”

    Perhaps this was why Key chose not to directly raise women’s rights when he spoke to the monarch about human rights concerns. He was hardly speaking from the moral high ground.

    … international coverage of his behaviour towards Amanda Bailey made him a laughing stock.”

    There are real consequences on the international stage here. It’s a bit difficult to start complaining about human rights issues when you are famous for pulling a woman’s hair until she starts crying. So much for setting an example. Wait what am I talking about. As if John Key would ever offer more than a mumbled proverbial wet bus ticket to human rights violating trade partners.

    In Saudi Arabia, a country not exactly known for its progressive attitude towards women’s rights, pulling a woman’s hair is unthinkable. And there are other consequences, not just for John Key.

    “In Dubai he was lavished with traditional (and extravagant) Arab hospitality. In the scorching Saudi desert, the welcome was slightly cooler.

    Key was muted when talking about the chances of a free trade pact with the Gulf Cooperation Council. He’ll return from trade mission with nothing tangible to deliver…”

    • tracey 19.1
      30 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

      “No ruler was impolite enough to mention it. “Only you,” Key tersely told reporters.

      So Key does understand that a “ruler” has to behave differently to an “ordinary bloke” and there are social mores about what is and isn’t appropriate. That is particularly pertinent given his behaviour toward a certain waitress, over a period of months, and his attitude toward it..

    • tracey 19.2
      30 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

      “No ruler was impolite enough to mention it. “Only you,” Key tersely told reporters.

      So Key does understand that a “ruler” has to behave differently to an “ordinary bloke” and there are social mores about what is and isn’t appropriate. That is particularly pertinent given his behaviour toward a certain waitress, over a period of months, and his attitude toward it..

  20. Charles 20
    30 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

    What a waste of four good speaking minutes. His best points come in the last minute, but still rate at around 50% effective.

    What Labour have to understand, if they aren’t just writing these speeches for their own amusement, is the mindset of the people they are trying to influence i.e. not the people who already vote for them.

    That whole first four minutes of talking was offered in a way that would simply bounce off the heads of “right-thinking people”. It’s not that some of them don’t know, it’s that if you ask them to occupy a mindspace they don’t normally occupy, from a perspective they can’t sympathise with, they’ll just ignore it. Ask a “logical thinker” to appreciate your talking points like a “empathetic intuitive” and it’s game over. It’s like he’s never met anyone in business. Doesn’t look good, either, when you truncate and fracture the meaning of regression into something it’s not, and hope that the word “psychologist” impresses people.

    I wish I was surprised. I wish I was surprised none of the special interest groups he should know well didn’t tell him he was minimising and apologising for John Key’s crimes with his “we’re all embarrased” approach. Has he never met anyone who’s gay? (???!!) Or any feminists? Or any lawyers? Or anyone who isn’t embarrased because it’s a serious matter about specific people and laws, not a optional opportunity to project one’s own sense of associated collective worth onto; not some failure to salute the flag on The Queen’s Birthday.

    Why should politicians apologise for a corrupted culture? Because they are the representatives, leaders, supporters and drivers of said culture. When shouldn’t a politician apologise for a corrupted culture? When they don’t plan to do anything about it.

    The opposition must call for John Key’s resignation. He isn’t going to resign, but they must realise this is the time to be serious. No screeching necessary: simply outline the truth of the matter, sans Woman’s Weekly style long distance psychologist reports, and go on record for making a stand against crimes against workers in the workplace. That’s the very least that should happen, and probably the most they can do.

    • Stuart Munro 20.1
      1 May 2015 at 5:21 pm

      The opposition should call for Key’s summary execution and parlay it down to a resignation & prosecution for sexual harassment.

  21. Tom Gould 21
    30 April 2015 at 2:42 pm

    Moreover, today’s National Herald carries this little gem:

    With our currency effectively at parity with the Australian dollar and house prices booming everything must be great in the “rockstar” New Zealand economy, right?
    I’m not so sure. Let’s look at the economic growth achieved in 2014.
    Headline real GDP growth was a very impressive 3.5 per cent. However, population growth was 1.6 per cent so per capita GDP growth was only about 1.8 per cent.
    Commodity prices – in particular dairy – had a big run up in 2014 resulting in a positive impact of around $5 billion to nominal GDP. Working out the contribution to real GDP growth is difficult, but if we assume about half of this fed through directly into GDP, then that accounts for about 0.9 per cent of growth.
    Likewise the Christchurch rebuild got into full swing and probably added a further 0.6 per cent. So real GDP growth per capita, excluding the one-off effects of surging commodity prices and the Christchurch rebuild, was about 0.3 per cent.
    Not quite so flash.

    Indeed. Not too flash at all.

  22. dukeofurl 22
    30 April 2015 at 3:46 pm

    Keys next stop is obviously IRAQ.

    A big photo op with those kiwi soldiers who have been ‘teleported’ there.

    After the Anzac celebrations he can wow his local hosts with the line:

    “Occupying Muslim countries since 1915”

    • cogito 22.1
      30 April 2015 at 4:47 pm

      “Keys next stop is obviously IRAQ”

      And he’ll no doubt talk about it with the local media before he tells anyone in NZ.

  23. linda 23
    30 April 2015 at 4:54 pm

    Its not just serial creepy ponytail puller he’s also creepy freely kids hair to, he’s a fucken pervett creepo werdo creep okey it guess all his supporters are deviants as well

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    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet


    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KƍreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te PokapĆ« Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kƍrero, he kƍrero, he kƍrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kƍrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

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