GCSB Bill: & Dotcom versus FBI, “NZ Intelligence Community” et al

Written By: - Date published: 10:21 am, May 8th, 2013 - 47 comments
Categories: accountability, activism, capitalism, copyright, democracy under attack, john key, nz first, slippery, Spying, telecommunications, us politics, winston peters - Tags:

You’ve got to hand it to Kim Dotcom for his great choice of timing and ability to make the MSM headlines. John Key is leading the House into unnecessary, and politically motivated urgency to push through his anti-democratic Big brother GCSB surveillance Bill.  Meanwhile, Dotcom’s lawyers have released a 39 page white paper making a range of allegations.

Dotcom’s arrest and the subsequent legal proceedings have set in motion activities that Key has opportunistically used to legally increase the state’s ability to spy on activities of any individual or organisation within the country that they choose.

john key trust me

People should take heed of Chris Trotter’s well-considered warnings; ones based on past evidence of NZ state authorities spying on Kiwis, sometimes for politically and/or commercially motivated reasons.

Using the enhanced powers of surveillance bestowed upon it by the new legislation, and operating entirely within the expanded legal parameters it establishes, the “New Zealand Intelligence Community” (as Rebecca Kitteridge calls it) will very soon have the authority to spy upon organisations as old as the trade unions and as new as the groups determined to prevent New Zealand signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement. Greenpeace’s latest campaign against deep-sea oil exploration could also be targeted. The grounds? That it poses a direct threat to “the economic well-being of New Zealand”.

Protecting the economic well-being of the nation has been one of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service’s (NZSIS) objectives for nearly two decades. We simply do not know how many times it has been used to secure interception warrants directed at the activities of fair trade and environment activists. (The release of such information would, of course, prejudice New Zealand’s national security!)

my_big_brother_loves_me_sticker

Meanwhile, another clever political operator, who knows how to get his lines into the MSM, Winston Peters, holds his cards close to his chest.  Will he or won’t he support Key’s Stazi-style Spy Bill?  He has said that the law needs to be amended quickly.  However, he is publicly snubbing key’s request for a meeting, by which Key would aim to get Peters’ support for his Bill.

“Why would I do that? We can work this through on the facts and on the legislation, we don’t need to have to go and have a private sitdown like some parties want to do every five minutes.”

He said NZ First had also been offered a briefing on the bill from officials, but said: “Those are the same people who screwed it up in 2003 and screwed it up in 2009 and onwards so we don’t think that’s going to be very helpful.

“It’s better we just work our way calmly through the legislation ourselves and say what we think.”

However, this Bill is too important to rush through quickly.  I don’t understand why Peters sees it as so urgent?  And his suggestions for strengthening oversight of the intelligence services look to be inadequate – papering over some cracks.

The White Paper released by Kim Dotcom’s lawyers today, makes accusations against the FBI, the US motion picture industry bosses, Obama, and the “NZ Intelligence Community.”  This shows how much NZ’s domestic and external intelligence services are cordinated with US state surveillance services.  NZ’s economic, social and political sovereignty is also at stake here.  David Fisher in today’s NZ Herald reports,

Kim Dotcom has called for an investigation into the FBI case against Megaupload in a legal review which accuses Prime Minister John Key of being misled by the United States.

The “White Paper” released by Mr Dotcom last night also alleges the illegal spying by the GCSB went on for 10 days longer than the spy bureau has previously admitted. …

It calls for investigations by US Senate oversight committees, linking the motives for the prosecution to Hollywood studios’ political contributions and support for President Barack Obama….

Dotcom alleges that Obama influenced the proceedings against Megaupload, because the president aimed to,

“… mollify the motion picture industry in exchange for campaign contributions and political support”.

Well, Dotcom probably supports the values of “neoliberal” capitalism, and is no great (US style) Democrat.  So the detailed White Paper, and its legal and political implications need careful consideration.  But so too do any changes to the laws responsible for the gathering of “intelligence” by NZ state authorities.  Note also that Trotter indicates there’s another related Bill on the table:

If you think I’m being alarmist, just take a look at the Government’s next brick in the “national security” wall: the Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Bill.

In an earlier post, Trotter exposed how Key has been working towards the amalgamation of NZ’s intelligence services under his sole authority since 2009.  This is evident from the Kitteridge Report in which:

The first clue Ms Kitteridge supplies is her reference to something called the New Zealand Intelligence “Community” (NZIC). This new kid on the national security block is the sum arrived at by adding the parts known as The NZ Security Intelligence Service, The GCSB and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).

Professors Kevin P Clements and Richard Jackson of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago express their concern over the proposed Spy Bill.

This is no time to be complacent.  We need to keep watching the watchers, and to actively support those that resist Key’s blatant disregard of democratic processes!

[Update:]

The first reading of the GCSB amendment Bill began in the House this afternoon.

In his speech in the House, Peters appeared to be aiming at a statesmanlike position bringing both sides of the House together. He claims to want adequate security for Kiwis against nasty “terrorists” but also wants adequate insurance that Kiwis’ privacy won’t be breached. He said NZ First will vote against the bill at this stage.

Later today Peters released a statement:

New Zealand First has accused the Government of “bully boy” tactics in trying to stampede the Government Communications Security and Related Legislation Amendment Bill through Parliament. …

“We received a copy of the legislation and a letter from the Prime Minister yesterday morning.

“We studied the legislation, listed our concerns and made a constructive response to the Prime Minister today.

“Our response was ignored – except for a brief phone call – and the legislation was introduced under urgency. It is flawed, draconian and unacceptable in a free, open and democratic society.

“We believe the legislation has been drafted in haste and it should go back to the drafting office before proceeding any further,” says Mr Peters.

47 comments on “GCSB Bill: & Dotcom versus FBI, “NZ Intelligence Community” et al ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. mickysavage 1
    8 May 2013 at 10:25 am

    As has been mentioned by Gordon Campbell (http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2013/05/07/gordon-campbell-on-the-gcsbs-enhanced-role/) this is the ultimate bare knuckled steel bar jack booted example of nanny state that you could ever imagine.

    It puts some of Farrar’s hyperbole into perspective. He apparently said:

    “First they came for our light bulbs, and then they came for our showers!! Is there no limit to the nanny state?”

    Well based on National’s behaviour apparently not.

    • Colonial Viper 1.1
      8 May 2013 at 10:52 am

      Yeah I trust Farrar will be attacking this proposed expansion of state powers any day now. He knows better than most what increased surveillance, interception and recording of internet traffic means.

    • AmaKiwi 1.2
      8 May 2013 at 11:03 am

      @ mickysavage

      You are a lawyer. I am not.

      How great is the risk that Kim Dotcom can sue New Zealand for the destruction of his $1 BILLION company?

      • mickysavage 1.2.1
        8 May 2013 at 1:01 pm

        I am sure he will think about it although the US Government looks like it is in his sights at this stage.

      • King Kong 1.2.2
        8 May 2013 at 1:48 pm

        He will have more on his mind than suing NZ when he is someones girlfriend in a federal penitentiary.
        The man is a thief and it really amuses me that those on the left are championing a stealing billionaire. Any enemy of John Key…

        • karol 1.2.2.1
          8 May 2013 at 2:03 pm

          Dotcom is no more a “thief” than other neoliberal capitalist. He’s just a bit out of step with the dominant capitalists in the way he has found entrepreneurial opportunities via the Internet.

          And, as I said in my post, I do not see Dotcom as a leftie or US style Democrat.

  2. joe90 2
    8 May 2013 at 10:51 am

    Perhaps we’re already there.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/04/telephone-calls-recorded-fbi-boston

    “All of that stuff” – meaning every telephone conversation Americans have with one another on US soil, with or without a search warrant – “is being captured as we speak”.

    • muzza 2.1
      8 May 2013 at 11:03 am

      NSA have been working inside of companies like AT&T for a very long time, thats well documented.

      NSA are also building the worlds largest data centres, all for your safety course.

      Amazing how many *conspiracy theories*, are turning into conspiracy reality!

      Problem, Reaction, Solution!

      • Ben 2.1.1
        8 May 2013 at 3:51 pm

        Thank god for AES encryption.

        As far as is currently known there’s no way to break it in a meaningful period of time, but as touched on in the referenced article, this may be changing very quickly.

        I’m seeing a need for a method of encrypting all communication with AES very soon, because if it’s encrypted when it’s captured, it’s likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Applying that to SMS and regular email, etc, may prove problematic, and there’s still the problem of protecting the key.

        • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1
          8 May 2013 at 6:36 pm

          Yeah except you’ll be flagged quick smart if you start using strong encryption on a regular basis.

          • infused 2.1.1.1.1
            8 May 2013 at 9:54 pm

            As far as I know, it’s legal here. It’s not legal in the us to use anything above 128bit.

          • Ben 2.1.1.1.2
            9 May 2013 at 1:14 am

            In my view that’s basically another way of saying “nothing to fear, nothing to hide.” I take my privacy a lot more seriously than that. To suggest everyone who uses encrypted email must be guilty of something is bordering on paranoid.

            I encrypt most of my data because it’s sensitive *to me*, not because it’s illegal (to be abundantly clear, it isn’t illegal – it’s family pictures etc which, if I lost the device, I wouldn’t want anyone else to have access to). To me it’s no different to having a lock on your front door, or your diary.

            I know there are laws about exporting certain types of encryption technology outside US borders – I’ve come up against it with various distributions of Linux. I don’t know the exact details, but I’ve never been in a situation where AES simply isn’t available.

            Now if governments were to make encryption itself illegal, that would be very interesting indeed.

            • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1.2.1
              9 May 2013 at 1:23 am

              Uh, my comment had nothing to do with the contents of your communications, your reasons for using encryption or the legal status of your communications.

              All I said was that if you use encrypted communications on a regular basis, it will be noticed.

      • Paul 2.1.2
        8 May 2013 at 6:21 pm

        The words ‘conspiracy theory’ are used to stop dissent, by linking perfectly reasonable and rational questioning of the official stories presented to extreme positions and ideas without any rational evidence to back them up.

  3. Ugly Truth 3
    8 May 2013 at 11:07 am

    Intelligence gathering based on telephone traffic was part of Israel’s espionage activities when the 9/11 attacks took place.

    http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/spyring.php

    What Israel has done in return was to set up government subsidized telecommunications companies which operate here in the United States. One of these companies is Amdocs, which provides billing and directory assistance for 90% of the phone companies in the USA. Amdocs’ main computer center for billing is actually in Israel and allows those with access to do what intelligence agencies call “traffic analysis”; a picture of someone’s activities based on a pattern of who they are calling and when. Another Israeli telecom company is Comverse Infosys, which subcontracts the installation of the automatic tapping equipment now built into every phone system in America.

    • AmaKiwi 3.1
      8 May 2013 at 12:44 pm

      I return to my previous question to micky savage (and anyone else out there with professional legal knowledge):

      “How great is the risk that Kim Dotcom can sue New Zealand for the destruction of his $1 BILLION company?”

      If Dotcom can sue us (NZ) for destroying his business, this is the elephant in the room. Dotcom won’t mention it because he wants to remain popular with the NZ public and judges.

      If it is a possibility, this is part of the conversations between governments today. “We pulled off this stunt to get your president re-elected. It has put us in deep political shit with our voters and we could have a huge budget blow-out. Why? Because we did your dirty work for you. Make us an offer or we do a deal with Dotcom now.”

      • veutoviper 3.1.1
        8 May 2013 at 12:52 pm

        Dotcom is currently on a Live Chat hour on the Herald online and this is the answer to a question on this very issue:

        “When you are acquitted, are you still adamant that you will not seek compensation at the expense of the NZ taxpayer?

        The US and Hollywood are responsible for what happened. Our expectations is that down the road there will be lawsuits filed in the US. But of course I also have legal bills in the millions in NZ and will seek orders here to be able to pay those. I don’t want to burden the NZ taxpayer and anything that is awarded to us in NZ (beyond legal fees) will go to charities like Starship Children Hospital which I have supported in the past.

        The Live Chat (still going on) can be viewed here

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10882223

        • AmaKiwi 3.1.1.1
          8 May 2013 at 2:34 pm

          Please pause for a moment of prayer:

          “We pray Dotcom does not change his mind.”

          Amen

      • Ugly Truth 3.1.2
        8 May 2013 at 1:34 pm

        “Make us an offer or we do a deal with Dotcom now.”

        NZ politicians are in no position to threaten the US. Key’s “misstatement” about the Christchurch earthquake being man-made is significant given the US officials who were visiting at the time.

        http://www.guerillamedia.co.nz/content/was-christchurch-earthquake-terrible-natural-disaster-or-was-it-terrible-man-made-disaster

        • One Anonymous Knucklehead 3.1.2.1
          8 May 2013 at 1:42 pm

          🙄

          • Ugly Truth 3.1.2.1.1
            8 May 2013 at 2:01 pm

            1. 9 members of US Congress were in Christchurch for a summit meeting on Feb 21 & 22 but left Christchurch 2.5 hours before the earthquake hit and relocated to Wellington even though the meeting was not due to finish until the evening of Feb 22nd. (http://chemtrailsnorthnz.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/report-nine-us-congressmen-left-christchurch-right-before-quake-hit/)
            2. The US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, was supposed to be visiting Christchurch and speaking at the summit meeting on Feb 22, but on Feb 18 announced she was cancelling her visit
            3. The Deputy Administrator of FEMA (US Federal Emergency Management Agency), Timothy Manning, just happened to be in Christchurch at the time with a US delegation. (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2011/02/fema_official_in_new_zealand_w.html) All of the rest of the delegation left Christchurch shortly before the quake hit except for Mr Manning who stayed behind, and then after the quake hit he assisted with directing the emergency response. Exactly the same thing happened with FEMA delegates with the Haitiearthquake. In Haiti , the FEMA delegates just happened to be there at the time conducting training exercises for responding to major earthquakes.
            4. Recently retired US Admiral Thad Allen just happened to be in Christchurch at the time of the earthquake. Admiral Allen directed the US federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the Gulf Oil disaster. (http://chemtrailsnorthnz.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/admiral-thad-allen-in-christchurch-at-time-of-earthquake/)
            5. 116 members of the Singapore army just happened to be in Christchurch at the time for training exercises and were also able to assist with the response operation
            6. Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez stated on Fox News shortly after the Haiti earthquake in 2010 that ‘the United States apparently possesses an earthquake weapon that set off the catastrophic quake in Haiti’ and also said that ‘the Haiti quake was caused by a US test of an experimental shockwave system that can also create weather anomalies which cause floods, droughts, and hurricanes (our Australian and Queensland cousins may be interested in that last piece of information)
            7. Following the Haiti earthquake, Venezuelan news also reported ‘the US government’s HAARP program may also be to blame for the 7.8 earthquake in China in 2008’, and said ‘the cataclysmic ruin in Haiti was only a test run for a much bigger game: the coming showdown with Iran’

            http://chemtrailsnorthnz.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/was-the-christchurch-earthquake-a-terrible-natural-disaster-or-was-it-a-terrible-man-made-disaster/

            • One Anonymous Knucklehead 3.1.2.1.1.1
              8 May 2013 at 2:04 pm

              We’re having trouble sourcing really high quality drivel, but this is just the thing.

              More drivel please.

              • Ugly Truth …
                8 May 2013 at 7:18 pm

                Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Nicola Tesla is one of this century’s greatest scientists. A prodigious inventor of electronic devices and pioneer of free energy, Tesla never gained the recognition he deserved because his scientific breakthroughs were deemed to ‘sensitive’ by the ruling corporate and government powers of the day. Thus much of his research was suppressed and stolen.

                In a book entitled Tesla – The Lost Inventions, a section is titled “Man-Made Earthquake”. It discloses Tesla’s fascination with the power of resonance and he experimented with it not only electrically but on the mechanical plane as well. In his Manhattan, USA lab, Tesla built mechanical vibrators and tested their powers. One experiment got out of hand.

                Tesla attached a powerful little vibrator driven by compressed air to a steel pillar. Leaving it there, he went about his business. Meanwhile, down the street, a violent quaking built up, shaking down plaster, bursting plumbing, cracking windows, and breaking heavy machinery off its anchorages.

                Tesla’s vibrator had found the resonant frequency of a deep sandy layer of subsoil beneath his building, setting off a small earthquake. Soon Tesla’s own building began to quake. It is reported that just as the police broke into his lab, Tesla was seen smashing the device with a sledge hammer, the only way he could promptly stop it.

                In a similar experiment, on an evening walk through the city, Tesla attached a battery powered vibrator, described as being the size of an alarm clock, to the steel framework of a building under construction. He adjusted it to a suitable frequency and set the structure into resonant vibration.

                The structure shook, and so did the earth under his feet. Tesla later boasted he could shake down the Empire State Building with such a device. If this claim was not extravagant enough, he went on to say a large-scale resonant vibration was capable of splitting the earth in half.

                An article from the 11 July, 1935 issue of the New York American entitled ‘Tesla’s Controlled Earthquakes’, stated Tesla’s “experiments in transmitting mechanical vibrations through the earth – called by him ‘the art of telegeodynamics’ – were roughly described by the scientists as a sort of controlled earthquake.”

                The article quotes Tesla as stating:

                The rhythmical vibrations pass through the earth with almost no loss of energy. It becomes possible to convey mechanical effects to the greatest terrestrial distances and produce all kinds of unique effects. The invention could be used with destructive effect in war…

                http://globalresearch.ca/articles/JEF401A.html

                • infused …
                  8 May 2013 at 10:01 pm

                  That stuff about Tesla was actually pretty interesting.

                • Murray Olsen …
                  8 May 2013 at 11:07 pm

                  Tesla was a very interesting guy, who was responsible for a number of breakthroughs. Almost none of the rubbish on the internet about him has any relation to anything he actually did.

                • Clockie …
                  9 May 2013 at 1:28 am

                  I’m a sure any vibratory device that can “make the earth move” as much as that has a real commercial future. Coming to an adult store near you soon.. 🙂

                  • ghostrider888 …
                    9 May 2013 at 2:06 pm

                    that was a long the lines of my thoughts Clockie, although…

                    • Clockie …
                      9 May 2013 at 2:12 pm

                      although.. might be a bit much? 🙂

                    • ghostrider888 …
                      9 May 2013 at 2:16 pm

                      i do value Tesla’s contributions, buy other people? not so much 😀 (although U T can be Infectious sometimes).

                • One Anonymous Knucklehead …
                  9 May 2013 at 6:20 am

                  Now mention the Templars.

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.3
        8 May 2013 at 10:03 pm

        “How great is the risk that Kim Dotcom can sue New Zealand for the destruction of his $1 BILLION company?”

        I hear that the Crown very recently gained a billion or so, so maybe it could go to Dotcom.

    • McFlock 3.2
      8 May 2013 at 1:01 pm

      Similar allegations have been made about Huawei, and of course Roosevelt got his buddies (not even govt services) to read trans-atlantic signals via the exchange pre-US involvement in WW2.

      Your focus on Israel and 9/11 seems a bit random.

      • Ugly Truth 3.2.1
        8 May 2013 at 1:25 pm

        The reason that I focus on Israel is because of the strong role of religion within terrorist activity. The Zionist state of Israel was largely a product of WW2, both from Hitler’s overt support of Zionism and from the Balfour Declaration in response to Nazi judenhass. Hilter was nominally a Catholic, and Germany was predominantly a Christian nation.

  4. js 4
    8 May 2013 at 12:58 pm

    The Waihopai appeal is going on as well today. Cases linked.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8647335/Spy-base-trio-use-Dotcom-defence

  5. BLiP 5
    8 May 2013 at 4:05 pm

    ‘

    Whew! John Key has had a busy week and its only Wednesday . . .

    – Wellington City is dying.

    – the GCSB has been prevented from carrying out its functions because of the law governing its functions

    – because the opposition is opposed to the GCSB law ammendments, parliamentary urgency is required

    – the increasing number of cyber intrusions which I can’t detail or discuss prove that the GCSB powers need to be extended to protect and work with private enterprise

    – it was always the intent of the GCSB Act to be able to spy on New Zealanders on behalf of the SIS and police

    – National Ltd™ is not expanding the activities of the GCSB with this new law

    – National Ltd™ has been working on a number of things with New Zealand First one of which has a financial component but I can’t talk about it

    – the best way to get growth in the economy is to reduce public debt

    . . . moar items for the list. Keep it up, John, I’m lovin’ it.

  6. karol 6
    8 May 2013 at 5:30 pm

    The first reading of the GCSB amendment Bill began in the House this afternoon.

    Peters’ speech was delivered with gravitas, and with strong rhetorical emphasis on some points.

    He appears to be aiming at a statesmanlike position bringing both sides of the House together. He pointed out the parts of the Bill he doesn’t agree with, to do with inadequate oversight of the GCSB. He stressed what he wants to see in the Bill and said that, at this stage NZ First would be voting against the Bill.

    He claims to want adequate security for Kiwis against nasty “terrorists” but also wants adequate insurance that Kiwis’ privacy won’t be breached.

  7. Paul 7
    8 May 2013 at 6:11 pm

    So the GCSB and the police will start trawling through the Standard and other threats to the free market.

    • Anne 7.1
      8 May 2013 at 6:47 pm

      @ Paul
      What makes you think the GCSB (especially under the present Director, Ian Fletcher who answers personally as well as professionally to John Key) hasn’t already charged his minions with the task of checking us all out. After all we are far left (Johnny boy says so) and therefore dangerous subversives in the making. 🙂

  8. fear all 8
    12 May 2013 at 10:37 pm

    the worst I suppose that can happen to any offending Kiwi is death by some US agency hopefully it will only be our money and lively hood
    I WILL CHECK my bank balance in the next 24hrs and wait for a raid by some govt agency
    Yes enough reason to be worried

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    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago

  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    6 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
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