Fonterra’s Capital Restructure

Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, December 7th, 2021 - 32 comments
Categories: business, Deep stuff, Economy, exports, farming - Tags:

Fonterra is in the middle of a big restructure of its capital. It is still the case given its dominance over us that where Milk Supertanker Fonterra goes, we go.

The Fonterra Annual General Meeting on Thursday has a fair bit riding on it, and the Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor and MPI know it.
(I’m only focusing on share ownership in this piece, not the economic and social and environmental footprint of Fonterra. For those who wish to chew over their broader strategy, it is here.

When Fonterra was legislated into existence 20 years ago, it took the simple and pragmatic approach of adopting the capital structure format used by its predecessors; farmer shareholders had to own one share for every kilo of milk solids they supplied.

If you wanted to supply Fonterra you had to buy shares from Fonterra, and if you chose to exit Fonterra would buy those shares back.

But what occurred was a tsunami of cash that pushed in and rolled out pretty fast.

The mass-irrigation boom happened particularly in Canterbury and Otago and since most of these new conversion farms had no choice but to supply Fonterra, way more shares were being bought than sold.

But then competitor businesses started up there and the milk price crashed in 2006-07, and each mid-Canterbury dairy farmer with an average 300,000 shares that walked off to the competitors was costing Fonterra an average of $1.35m in share redemptions each.

That made for massive instability on Fonterra to invest, which was also more broadly doing badly every way you looked at it.

So this is another major go at stabilising itself financially, after selling off nearly everything that stood up since 2018. The Chief Miles Hurrell is most certainly working to a long term plan.

The consultation with the farmer owners has been extensive this time around, which is positive.

For those interested in the detail of what is proposed here’s a quick summary.

Retaining local control of a much smaller but much more profitable Fonterra is very important to us all.

Fonterra itself says “We see total New Zealand milk supply as likely to decline, or flat at best. Our share of that decline depends on the actions we take with our capital structure, performance, productivity and sustainability. If we do nothing, we are likely to see around 12-20% decline by 2030 based on the scenarios we have modelled. Protecting a strong New Zealand farmer-owned Co-operative of scale is in all of New Zealand’s interests.”

Right now these moves feel optimistic: the milk solid price per kilo is heading for $9.00 and will sustain a South Island + Waikato + Taranaki boom through 2022. But we’re not in an agricultural stress test like we were a decade ago, which is where these capital-defensive proposals really matter.

The democratic thresholds to changing Fonterra’s capital structure are high: for the proposal to be approved, it would require 50% support from the Co-operative Council (which is made up of representatives elected by farmers), followed by 75% support from eligible farmers at this week’s AGM.

Fonterra’s voting thresholds, and its consultation requirements, are higher than anything our Parliament does. Given the impact on New Zealand as a whole, it is an important set of votes to watch.

Fonterra are pretty confident in the result coming up.

The interesting staging of this vote now means that the policy and political debate about its impact on Fonterra and the Dairy Industry Reform Act will play out in the first half of 2022.

Fonterra are aiming to have this all tidied up by June 1 2022. Not gunna.

In the note Fonterra put out yesterday, they are clear that “Government is not in a position to support DIRA changes to facilitate the proposal at this stage, but understands the Government was to work together to reach an outcome that works for both parties. Fonterra is confident there is a regulatory framework that would support the Flexible Shareholding structure.”

It’s smart politics for the Minister to first let Fonterra gain its owner shareholder mandate, before he steps in with a view on it in terms of the legislation. That stops the mess the last time Fonterra tried this in 2012. It’s also showing the government to have a more active role in Fonterra than before. Vital.

The likelihood that in the next 6 months this share ownership debate will spill over into the water reforms and the RMA reforms is high. Whether or not that’s pertinent to who owns what shares in Fonterra, more permanent policy scrutiny of Fonterra will pull the NZ politics of Fonterra more out into the open.

32 comments on “Fonterra’s Capital Restructure ”

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  1. Tiger Mountain 1
    7 December 2021 at 3:40 pm

    There is relative truth in “where Milk Supertanker Fonterra goes, we go”–but the dialectic is that it is always up for change, particularly as we are in the age of tipping points, some already passed, and others approaching.

    ADVANTAGE could appear to have delivered a TINA post, but the reality of eventual flattening, and shrinkage even! for the “Milk Powder Republic” is admitted in Fonterra’s own statements. The NZ Dairy Workers Union Te Runanga Wai U, in its November 2021 magazine, said “the national dairy herd is set to reduce by 15% over the next 5-10 years” as they looked at plans by corporate players for two new Waikato dairy factories in Ōtorohanga and Tokoroa.

    Fonterra knows the game is up and is rearranging things for the most profitable outcome regardless. Less water hogging, less ECAN debacles, less bloody nitrogen put on land in the first place perhaps.

    The overseas adventures in Mexico and South America and various other places and acquisitions etc. did not achieve international cut through or dominance as perhaps originally envisaged. It is a changed world people. I eat plant based burgers these days, and they are getting pretty damn good.

  2. Simbit 2
    7 December 2021 at 9:12 pm

    I saw 122 comments on the National party reshuffle and only 1 in this. Thought I'd try and redress the imbalance, picking up on the interplay of capital and labour noted above. Value can flip pretty quickly. I've had plant based burgers too, and will have more going forward. Someone told me of a joint that serves up cricket burgers. I'm in Canterbury and have a growing disdain for ECan, and the dairy sector. Years of mismanagement of strategic resources (water, soil, public support) put a key national earner at high risk. Ironically, and giving a nod to the 122 comments on the Queen's opposition, it may well be a National led govt that gets the hospital pass as global capitalists try and squeeze labor and the environment to breaking point.

  3. Blazer 3
    7 December 2021 at 9:22 pm

    Fonterra is an anathema to free markets.

    It is an attempt at monopoly…and is a failing construct.

    The cry was for 'value added'….then it wasn't…!

    Stick to the knitting…today lets produce bulk products in the most efficient manner.

    Hire international 'talent'….$40 million later ,Theo Spering departs after overseeing a billion or so in losses.

    Be surprised if it exists in 10 years.

    Plant based substitutes will devour this industry imo.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 3.1
      8 December 2021 at 9:17 am

      Why switch from milk produced from sunlight and grass and water to highly industralised synthetic plant based substitutes- hint it doesnt grow like that

      The dairy cows only to the works to make hamburger patties after their milking days are over

  4. vto 4
    8 December 2021 at 7:26 am

    If I might correct an incorrect assumption held by so very many New Zealanders about the size of dairy and agriculture and its effect on us… "where Milk Supertanker Fonterra goes, we go"

    Dairy is only 3.5% of our gdp

    Agriculture in total is only 5.5% of our gdp

    Industry on the other hand is 20%, services 65%, construction 5%

    Agriculture and dairy are not the behemoths we are told. In fact they could shrink substantially and we would be fine. In fact, like the disappearance of the foreign tourism, it may in fact be that we would be better off as those resources, people and money tied up in inefficient agri and dairy (low-paid workers etc) get re-tasked to more efficient and valuable activities.

    Imo 90% of agri should be canned (the 90% that gets exported). Imagine the boost to our environment. Imagine our recovered landscape. Imagine…

    I know… heresy… but lets look at the hard facts.

    Agriculture and dairy are way overblown. Waayyy overblown…

    • Ad 4.1
      8 December 2021 at 7:53 am

      This one business is still 80% of our dairy industry.

      Dairy contributes $7.8b to our GDP, comprising dairy farming $6b and dairy processing $1.8b.

      Dairy is our largest goods export sector at over $15b and rising.

      Dairy accounts for more than 1 in 4 goods export dollars coming into New Zealand. Yup 25% of our goods exported.

      Dairy export growth has averaged 7.2% per year over 26 years.

      Dairy exports are 200% more than the meat sector, and almost 4X as much as the wood products sector, and 9X bigger than the wine sector.

      Other sectors like export education and tourism have now just fallen away.

      The dairy sector employs over 40,000 of us: 27,500 on farm and 13,000 in processing. And dairy employment has grown more than 2X as fast as total employment at an average of 3.7% per year.

      The dairy sector accounts for 15% of Southland's economy, 11% of Waikato's economy, 12% of the West Coast (likely more now after tourism's collapse), and 8% of Taranaki's economy.

      And it is Fonterra that supports 80% of all of it.

      Just a few of the reasons we need a strong policy lens over it are well traversed here:
      https://www.productivity.govt.nz/assets/Inquiries/frontier-firms/a977484e51/The-dairy-sector-in-NZ-TDB-Advisory.pdf

      • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.1
        8 December 2021 at 9:22 am

        Dairy processing only $1.8 bill ?

        Fonterra is a $20 bill revenue business ( incl both Cooperative and Ltd business)

        Even if you take the dairy farmers milk payments out of that ($13 bill as its a Cooperative ) still leaves $7 bill for the added value of processing not $1.8 bill

      • vto 4.1.2
        8 December 2021 at 9:58 am

        Thanks Ad, I understand all those other statistic, damn statistics and lies… as they say… and also that within the small dairy industry it is a heavyweight, but that is all relative. In the same way Fletchers proportion of the construction sector.

        but dairy is still only 3.5% of gdp.

        it is no bigger than anything else

        • Ad 4.1.2.1
          8 December 2021 at 10:29 am

          Wishing for a replacement to the dairy industry doesn't make it happen.

          And it isn't going to happen.

          The post is about Fonterra's ownership.

          • vto 4.1.2.1.1
            8 December 2021 at 3:30 pm

            Yes, sure, and I commented on your second sentence.

            One thing I always note to people about Fonterra ownership is that it is a full blown socialist model.. while most all farmers decry socialism… bahahahaha…

            talk about head in the sand

            if they can't understand the basics it is no wonder that they keep getting things wrong

            • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1.2.1.1.1
              8 December 2021 at 4:00 pm

              Good point. They all receive the same farm gate milk price wheter they are in same town as the milk plant or 75 km away.

              The type of ownership- a cooperative- I think predates the 'invention of socialism'

      • Patricia Bremner 4.1.3
        8 December 2021 at 10:19 am

        Both of you are right to a degree, but Ad, no bottom line for Dairy is included for environmental damage and contribution to climate change. That is looming, and what was the sector's reply? "tractors through towns" and cries of "Too many regulations too fast".
        Farming on marginal land is a real problem.
        Like Covid deniers we have some Farming practice deniers.

        • Ad 4.1.3.1
          8 December 2021 at 10:33 am

          The post doesn't deny any farming practise at all. I specified clearly what it was covering.

          It does point to Fonterra's ownership and the need for sustained policy engagement.

  5. Blazer 5
    8 December 2021 at 8:10 am

    We export' over 5billion annually to aussie banks!

    Dairy is 3.5% of GDP-property 42% (recent report).

    I was horrified to learn dairy could not survive without importing foreign,mainly Philipino workers!

    Surely there are young kiwis out there who would embrace farm work with decent pay.

    Christopher 7 said on Q&A,that he was not in favour of lowering herd numbers.

    The impact of this industry on our water ways and emmissions need more attention.

    • Ad 5.1
      8 December 2021 at 8:21 am

      Have you been to Southland recently?

      Dairy farm workers are on average the best paid farm workers.

      • Blazer 5.1.1
        8 December 2021 at 8:31 am

        I thought Southland was a problem area.

        Land not really suited, converted to dairy with huge irrigation systems.

        If farm workers are generally poorly paid,being the best paid of that sector ,doesn't really say much…at all.

        • Ad 5.1.1.1
          8 December 2021 at 8:40 am

          You sound a bit out of touch with what workers are paid here.

          Go down to Southland and ask them what the dairy industry means to them. Take a look around.

          • Blazer 5.1.1.1.1
            8 December 2021 at 8:53 am

            Well put me in touch…how much are they..paid?

            • Ad 5.1.1.1.1.1
              8 December 2021 at 10:28 am

              According to the New Zealand government website on dairy careers:

              – Dairy farm assistants get between $42k and $80k per year

              – Assistant dairy herd managers between $48k and $88k

              – Dairy herd managers $51k – $90k

              – Dairy farm managers $61k – $160k

              – Operations managers for multiple farms $66k to $160k

              – Sharemilkers are the next step above that

              – Then there's farmers with herds … which is where the discussion about Fonterra shares comes in

              Dairy Farmer (careers.govt.nz)

              • KJT …
                8 December 2021 at 12:19 pm

                Until recently local youngsters were competing with 15 Philippines per cow shed, for working 70 hours a week at the minimum wage for 40 hours.

                Don't even get me started in the real life stories I have about how local kids were treated by farm employers. I have several pages of them.

                • Ad …
                  8 December 2021 at 12:21 pm

                  Agree. Not that I would dare call something so harmful as COVID an economic blessing in disguise.

                  • KJT …
                    8 December 2021 at 7:13 pm

                    I had to bite my tongue on my thoughts of "good on them" when one of the more exploitative local cockies was moaning about his Phillipino workers leaving for "greener pastures" elsewhere in NZ. When the requirements to stay with the same employer were relaxed.

              • Blazer …
                8 December 2021 at 3:42 pm

                So entry level is just over $20 an hour @40 hours a week.-$807 b4 tax weekly.

              • pat …
                8 December 2021 at 7:28 pm

                As KJT says..when looking at those declared salaries start asking the hard questions….how many hours, what rotation. how much charged for accomodation, etc?

                Theres a very good reason why the bulk of dairy farm labour are migrants

          • Hunter Thompson II 5.1.1.1.2
            8 December 2021 at 10:11 am

            For a reality check, look at the excellent TV doco "Milk and Money" by Baz Macdonald (it's on demand and Facebook).

            Some real issues there, Southland included, which the blarney over Three Waters has obscured.

            • ghostwhowalksnz 5.1.1.1.2.1
              8 December 2021 at 10:52 am

              3 waters excludes the '4th water' which is streams and rivers in rural areas.

                • ghostwhowalksnz …
                  8 December 2021 at 3:58 pm

                  I would think a river or stream isnt a 'stormwater system'

                  Stormwater systems are more complex than drinking water or wastewater systems. Most stormwater systems are made up of both a dedicated reticulated stormwater network and above ground, secondary, and overland flow paths.

                  I would see it as the man made systems, not the natural ones, but the stormwater would end up in streams – rivers-bays but isnt owned by a council

  6. Ian 6
    10 December 2021 at 9:10 pm

    A lot of you guys need to escape your echo chamber and learn some facts about Fonterra and the farmer shareholders that own it.

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    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    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
    5 days ago

  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Sanity break
    Cheers to reader Deane for this quote from Breakfast TV today:Chloe Swarbrick to Brook van Velden re the coalition agreement: “... an unhinged grab-bag of hot takes from your drunk uncle at Christmas”Cheers also to actual Prime Minister of a country Christopher Luxon for dorking up his swearing-in vows.But that's enough ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • National’s murderous smoking policy
    One of the big underlying problems in our political system is the prevalence of short-term thinking, most usually seen in the periodic massive infrastructure failures at a local government level caused by them skimping on maintenance to Keep Rates Low. But the new government has given us a new example, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • NZ has a chance to rise again as our new government gets spending under control
    New Zealand has  a chance  to  rise  again. Under the  previous  government, the  number of New Zealanders below the poverty line was increasing  year by year. The Luxon-led government  must reverse that trend – and set about stabilising  the  pillars  of the economy. After the  mismanagement  of the outgoing government created   huge ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago

  • KARL DU FRESNE: Media and the new government
    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    6 days ago

  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • The stupidest of stupid reasons
    One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • A website bereft of buzz
    Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being  sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found ….  Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at last
    Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon's Breakfast.
    The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item:   Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki:     “Section ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    7 days ago

  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago

  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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