Goldsmith removing Goldsmith signs

Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, November 16th, 2011 - 80 comments
Categories: election 2011, national - Tags: ,

Most politicians crave attention, especially when they’re trying to win an electorate.  Not so National’s Paul Goldsmith!  A Standard reader (ht Jaynam) snapped these pictures of Goldsmith removing (apparently “unofficial”) Goldsmith electoral signs.  It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to get elected!

80 comments on “Goldsmith removing Goldsmith signs ”

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  1. Craig Glen Eden 1
    16 November 2011 at 10:45 am

    Thats sad, or should that be sharfted, for John Key’s Gimp no less!

  2. Uturn 2
    16 November 2011 at 10:50 am

    I have to stand up for the principle here. Today, photos taken of National party candidates removing signs – without their knowing – getting into their cars and driving away. Tomorrow, photos of everyday people getting into cars, being taken without their knowing, with possibly some of those cars having a road accident. Would you really want that on your conscience? I’m calling the cops.

    • felix 2.1
      16 November 2011 at 10:59 am

      I agree.

      I’m not at all bothered about these photos, but what if a married couple were out one night setting fire to trees and you snapped a picture of them and then their children were burned at the stake as heretics?

      Eh? What about that?

      • Uturn 2.1.1
        16 November 2011 at 11:03 am

        It would be unethical. I have it on good authority that the person who took these photos lay in wait. Yes, it’s true. No accident at all. Not only are they linked to a left-leaning website, but they actively encourage further incidences. When will the Left decry this vicious behaviour?

        • Ari 2.1.1.1
          17 November 2011 at 1:22 am

          I’d be perfectly happy for a right-leaning journalist or citizen to engage in similar behaviour against a left-wing politician who was doing something I consider unethical, so I don’t see why it should be decried. Paul Goldsmith doesn’t have an expectation of privacy when he’s doing things that relate to his campaign or policies.

          Now, I’m all for leaving people’s love lives out of the media when they don’t show family values types up as hypocrites, but that’s a different thing from saying that we shouldn’t have citizen journalists snapping photos of politicians doing idiotic things.

      • Blighty 2.1.2
        16 November 2011 at 11:08 am

        This is just like when the paparazzi took photos of Princess Diana dying in a Parisian tunnel.

        • mickysavage 2.1.2.1
          16 November 2011 at 12:32 pm

          Well I guess perversely this will result in the death of Goldsmith’s desire NOT to be elected.

          In a really weird way this photo of his removing his advertising may INCREASE his chances of being elected the MP for Epsom.

          My head hurts … 

      • Lanthanide 2.1.3
        16 November 2011 at 11:22 am

        It’s all a terribly slippery slope.

        What happens next when two politicians in a marriage of convenience talk about doing away with their doddery old godfather, only for that to be published in the Sunday news paper and then the doddery old godfather was done away with?

        h/t: boyfriend.

        • lprent 2.1.3.1
          16 November 2011 at 11:33 am

          Terrible invasion of privacy. Even more since those dastardly politicians put in laws that could make you a criminal for not reporting such conspiracies to break the law…

          Terrible how they insist that you do the right thing… (while doing something different).

          It’s all just so BORA

    • fmacskasy 2.2
      16 November 2011 at 11:56 am

      Heh heh heh… I missed your satire at first… I need more coffee in my bloodstream…

  3. jaymam 3
    16 November 2011 at 10:56 am

    The signs are identical to his official business card here:
    http://i44.tinypic.com/6tkcr5.jpg

    There’s a valid authorisation statement, and Goldsmith was handing out smaller versions last week to anyone who wanted one.

    I think we could all help Paul Goldsmith immensely if thousands of those were printed out and put everywhere around Epsom, Remuera, Mt Eden and Parnell. And in letter boxes. We don’t want him to lose the seat do we? And National must be running out of money if they don’t have any Goldsmith signs up. I’ve not seen any election pamplets from National in my letter box. How will the Epsom voters know who to vote for?

    There is a precedent for these small signs. Last election Rodney Hide had lots of them around Epsom and the Council didn’t remove them after being asked to several times.
    http://i42.tinypic.com/2rpuvld.jpg

    National also had similar small signs. So, it’s obviously OK to put little signs everywhere.

  4. mickysavage 4
    16 November 2011 at 10:56 am

    Oh that is cruel.  Pauley was only wanting to make sure that his signs did not get wet and I am sure that he will put them back up.  He does want to get re elected, doesn’t he?

  5. randal 5
    16 November 2011 at 11:26 am

    when is kweewee going to start whingeing about this.
    call the cops immediately.

  6. lprent 6
    16 November 2011 at 11:43 am

    Amusing. While I was looking up goldsmiths elected record, I saw that TV3 picked up the story.

    http://www.3news.co.nz/Nationals-Epsom-candidate-removes-National-billboards/tabid/419/articleID/232913/Default.aspx

  7. ghostwhowalksnz 7
    16 November 2011 at 12:14 pm

    Even his standard candidate signs of the normal size , have been changed in the last weeks to only be a picture of Key and party vote national.

    Reminds of the old war story : The Man Who Never Was. But this is the reverse,
    The Man who no longer isn’t

  8. Craig Glen Eden 8
    16 November 2011 at 12:25 pm

    John Key: Ok enough is enough first the left put the correct and truthful wording on our billboards now the left are choosing to help our candidate win Epsom, morally Im outraged our paid contractors get paid good money to put up signs the left have like volunteers like free volunteers who do it for political reasons.How can we compete with that? Don’t ask me about this tomorrow because I wont remember and no I don’t want to see the transcript of what I just said Duncan!

  9. Rodel 9
    16 November 2011 at 1:03 pm

    I don’t vote for Winston but he summed it up. (Stuff.co.nz)

    ‘Peters said it was “bizarre” that Key was “telling” people of an electorate to vote for another party.
    “It is bizarre for a candidate to campaign for an opponent,” he said. ‘

    When you think about it it really is bizarre behaviour…almost…unstable?

    • Nick C 9.1
      16 November 2011 at 6:59 pm

      Bizzare that they are campaigning for an opponent?

      By that I assume you mean it is bizzare that left wing activists are sticking up hoardings of Paul Goldsmith?

      • Ari 9.1.1
        17 November 2011 at 1:27 am

        No more bizarre than National saying they wouldn’t be undisappointed if you don’t vote for John Banks in Epsom.

  10. jaundiced 10
    16 November 2011 at 1:04 pm

    Is the left so short of policy that we resort to these sorts of tactics to get to the voters?

    • Lanthanide 10.1
      16 November 2011 at 1:16 pm

      I’m not sure if you noticed, but the photo is of Goldsmith, the National candidate, removing signs for Goldsmith.

      This post is about National’s candidate deliberately trying to lose the electorate he’s contesting. It has nothing to do with “the left” “[trying] to get the voters”.

      • jaundiced 10.1.1
        16 November 2011 at 1:31 pm

        I did notice this, but also noticed the “apparently ‘unofficial'” comment in the opening sentences that indicates Goldsmith is removing something that is not his publicity material, plus what seems to be paparazzo-like stalking to get photos, plus Jaymam’s comments @10:06am, plus the work of the Green Party activists revealed yesterday.

        It all adds up to a rather poor showing. I can’t help thinking that if this were happening to Labour’s campaign then the cries of outrage would be deafening

        • jaymam 10.1.1.1
          16 November 2011 at 1:57 pm

          The signs were merely a copy of Goldsmith’s publicity material that he was handing out last week which were authorised by him.
          Goldsmith was not being stalked. The photographer was merely photographing who was removing the signs. Now that it looks like it’s Goldsmith removing them, that is perfectly fine. If he doesn’t want to publicise his candidacy in Epsom that is his choice. But that makes the Epsom election look like a sham.

          • Andrew Scobie 10.1.1.1.1
            16 November 2011 at 4:25 pm

            question … why would you say: “The photographer was merely photographing who was removing the signs” in this reply, and then say … “I lay in waiting to see who it was and took a lot of photos” 

            So when you say, “the photographer”, were you actually talking about yourself?  

          • Andrew Scobie 10.1.1.1.2
            17 November 2011 at 3:10 pm

            I also note that you have this to say: “Goldsmith was not being stalked”. But then in your comment on the other post, you say “I lay in waiting to see who it was and took a lot of photos”

            I don’t know about you, but if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then ………  

      • Andrew Scobie 10.1.2
        16 November 2011 at 1:37 pm

        “I’m not sure if you noticed, but the photo is of Goldsmith, the National candidate, removing signs for Goldsmith.”

        I guess the question i want answered is: were they his own signs, or had someone else made them up and put them everywhere, in which case he should be removing them. 

        • McFlock 10.1.2.1
          16 November 2011 at 3:25 pm

          Why?

          If they are NOT his signs, then surely they belong to someone else? Is he stealing signs?! Egad!
          If they are copies of his publicity material, then they are hardly misleading.

    • Ianupnorth 10.2
      16 November 2011 at 1:23 pm

      What tactics? Goldsmith is removing HIS signs to encourage his electorate to vote in Act!
       
      At least left leaning parties actually have new policy and have attempted to debate these, except the Nats fail to front.

      • rosy 10.2.1
        17 November 2011 at 1:49 am

        I did wonder why he was doing this and not some supporter. Surely Goldsmith something better to do with his campaigning time… and then I remembered he doesn’t.

  11. jaymam 11
    16 November 2011 at 1:46 pm

    The sign that Goldsmith removed was in an area authorised by Auckland Council for election billboards. It was not under the dripline of a tree. The sign was not put there by Labour or Green members or supporters but by someone who has been a long-time National supporter who is disgusted by the tactics of Brash and Banks and doesn’t want them in Parliament again.

  12. In Vino Veritas 12
    16 November 2011 at 1:49 pm

    What a crock of shit (and apologies for the language). This is just a beat up by some LLWT who has blown up a copy of Goldsmiths business card. Have a look at the sign he’s taking away (which he is legally obliged to do, but that’s also probably escaped everyones attention as well).

    I guess desperate times call for desperate measures jaymam, don’t they?

  13. randal 13
    16 November 2011 at 1:49 pm

    ghost who walks.
    the wairarapa national candidate wont even put his piccy on his billboards.
    he has become repugnant to the whole electorate.

    • Hami Shearlie 13.1
      16 November 2011 at 2:45 pm

      Don’t blame them – what a twit!! Ever seen him on BackBenchers? JK talks about old people – John Hayes looks about 90!

  14. Brett Dale 14
    16 November 2011 at 2:27 pm

    So its come to this huh.

  15. travellerev 15
    16 November 2011 at 2:45 pm

    As a relative new comer to NZ political machinations, can anyone explain to me why Banks has to win and why voting for Goldsmith who obviously does not want to be elected would be a bad thing for National. I’m flumoxed!

    • Ianupnorth 15.1
      16 November 2011 at 2:57 pm

      Because Banks would win an electorate seat which means Act would be entitled to list MP’s comparable to the total party vote they gain. If they fail to get 5% of the party vote and do not win an actual electorate seat they would be out of government.

    • Uturn 15.2
      16 November 2011 at 3:01 pm

      It’s a bob-each-way bet from National. Earlier internal National Party polling showed their support dropping below what they’d need for a majority government, so they needed an ally like ACT to make certain. ACT of course would disappear if they didn’t get a seat handed to them, because their support is projected at below 5%. So everyone was waiting for Key to have the now infamous tea party to tell Epsom National supporters to hand ACT a seat in the form of electing Banks.

    • Carol 15.3
      16 November 2011 at 3:02 pm

      The Nact coalition would get more MPs. If the National candidate for Espom gets elected, that’s one MP. If the Act candidate gets elected, being a small party, he can bring with him to parliament up to maybe 3 more MPs, based on the percentage of party votes that Act gets, even though it’s below the 5% threshold for party votes. Without an electorate candidate, Act would have to rely on getting over the 5% threshold of party votes to get any MPs.

      A loophole in MMP that needs to be fixed.

      • travellerev 15.3.1
        16 November 2011 at 3:24 pm

        Thank you so much for the information. Now I get the hold the nose and vote for Goldsmith remark. National must be getting scared. Sounds to me like Epsom progressive voters are going to have to have to swallow a dead rat and vote for Goldsmith to get the racist bigoted bastards out of government.

        • Fermionic Interference 15.3.1.1
          16 November 2011 at 4:22 pm

          Not so much holding the nose to be honest EV.
          Goldsmith will enter parliament next term off Nationals list.
          It’s that simple to anyone who abhors Act, vote for Goldsmith hell be there anyway.
          What could be so hard about voting for a candidate who will be in parliament next
          term no matter what.

          As I have always understood the way to vote (this was especially true under FPP)
          has a major structural point in regard to voting for the least evil option in a two
          horse race.

  16. The Pink Postman 16
    16 November 2011 at 3:31 pm

    The past voting records of the majority of Epsom,voters show they are a lot of Tory sheep. The majority are a lot of rich selfish die inthe wool Tories. They deserve a prick like Banks and they are welcome to him.

  17. jaymam 17
    16 November 2011 at 3:37 pm

    It has been suggested in replies to news stories elsewhere that there is no evidence that Goldsmith was actually removing the sign.

    Here he is striding towards the inoffensive sign:
    http://i44.tinypic.com/2vns0p3.jpg

    Is he taking a cellphone picture of it, or just telling HQ “we have a problem”?

    Here he is taking the sign away to put into his 2009 Toyota Highlander:

    http://i40.tinypic.com/2u3xenl.jpg

    • r0b 17.1
      16 November 2011 at 3:44 pm

      Jaymam – Radio NZ wants to interview you – see comment here: http://thestandard.org.nz/a-wee-reminder/#comment-401617

    • Uturn 17.2
      16 November 2011 at 6:32 pm

      Ah, I see where the misunderstanding has occurred. In the first photo he is merely taking an innocent lunctime stroll. It’s election time and grass is scarce in Epsom. Why wouldn’t he pass one of his own signs?

      In the second photo he is actually walking from his car, to place the sign… backwards… for efficiency’s sake. It’s clear he did not have relations with those signs.

      You don’t need to search the vehicle. These aren’t the signs you’re looking for. Move along. MOVE ALONG.

  18. Michael 18
    16 November 2011 at 4:09 pm

    Forgive me, but a question, did not those photos provide clear evidence of an act of theft by a prospective member of parliament?

  19. Herodotus 19
    16 November 2011 at 4:23 pm

    Should Lab or a left leaning govt be formed, that the election campaign encompasses 1st April. Then this, the stickers, a rumoured walk out would be appropiate. We could co-ordinate them all to fall on the 1st, I would how many people would get the jokes- perhaps even the leaders debate could be scheduled. Especially with the seriousness of students these days 1st has lost alot of its lustre. Anyone remember the mickey mouse add ons to the town clock in Jafaland?? 😎
    Even the seriousness of an election can have lighter hearted moments

  20. anne 20
    16 November 2011 at 4:32 pm

    You can bet that he has been ordered to by the head honcho’s,we may just get a ‘Im out of the
    race statement’ but would those souls in epsom want to see act,brash,banks in parliament?
    I doubt it,but who knows.

  21. Carol 21
    16 November 2011 at 5:06 pm

    Goldsmith, on National Radio, has accused a Standardista as being complicit in a dirty tricks campaign:

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/election-2011/91233/epsom-candidate-says-party-sign-incident-a-set-up

    Mr Goldsmith was campaigning on Shore Road in Remuera on Wednesday morning when he says he discovered five purported National signs, that did not carry party authorisation as required by law.

    He said photographs of him removing the signs and putting them in his car were put up a short time later on a left-wing blog.

    “Clearly someone was lying in wait with a camera, and I’m not interested in those sorts of silly games.

    “It’s quite a serious matter to stick up signs in an unauthorised manner, and it’s dirty tricks.”

    At least this time an MSM article has referred to The Standard as left wing, and not associtated it with “Labour”.

    • jaymam 21.1
      16 November 2011 at 5:27 pm

      “National signs, that did not carry party authorisation as required by law”
      Well that’s not true, because the signs all said “Authorised by Paul Goldsmith” with his address.

      Here’s a copy of the sign that I found on the web:
      http://i44.tinypic.com/6tkcr5.jpg
      See the authorisation at at bottom left.

      However the whole point is that he appears to not want any signs promoting him as a candidate.
      There are all these National people out here who want to vote for him, and they should at least know his name. We might accidentally vote for the wrong person.

    • Ianupnorth 21.2
      16 November 2011 at 5:33 pm

      I heard him, sounding like a little cry baby – just like his cry baby, dummy spitting, bully boy boss.

    • ianmac 21.3
      16 November 2011 at 6:51 pm

      Well there you are. The Standard will be referred to the Electoral Commission and the Police as clearly it is a conspiracy of the Standard organisation.
      Actually is it unlawful to put signs out for a candidate, as opposed to removing a candidate’s signs?

      • lprent 21.3.1
        16 November 2011 at 7:21 pm

        Yeah right. One of the authors (not even an aucklander) sees a link to newsworthy photos in the comment stream and pops them up as a post. Goes up as The Standard since it wasn’t material from the author.

  22. Paul Campbell 22
    16 November 2011 at 8:59 pm

    It seems to me that it’s Mr Goldsmith who needs to be referred to the police, he’s stealing other people’s signs.

    (as are the greens who are removing other people’s paste ups from the nat’s signs)

  23. fmacskasy 23
    16 November 2011 at 9:06 pm

    I thought the object of the exercise was to get elected?

  24. Jenny 24
    16 November 2011 at 9:54 pm

    It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to get elected!

    Of course he doesn’t.

    As ACT and National are both party to a conspiracy to get an unelectable extremist (Don Brash) into parliament through back door methods.

    Don Brash seized control of the ACT Party leadership while still a member of the National Party. On replacing Rodney Hide as the leader of the ACT Party, Don Brash then went on to sack Hide as the Epsom candidate.

    Despite taking Hide’s leadership role and sacking him as the candidate for Epsom. Brash as the new leader of ACT chose not to stand in Epsom himself, deciding instead to get into parliament by putting up a front guy, (John Banks) to run for him.

    The inescapable conclusion is that Brash knows that his views are considered to extreme even in the most conservative electorate in the country.

    However it seems that the voters of Epsom can’t be taken for granted after all. All polls show that Paul Goldsmith is leading as across the board the people of Epsom are wisely rejecting this stitch up.

    The canny voters of Epsom are wary of letting an unacountable extremist who seeks no mandate, even from them, into parliament.

    • Mac1 24.1
      16 November 2011 at 10:01 pm

      Especially one who was out-performed as he was in the minor party’s leader debate- by all.

      • Jenny 24.1.1
        17 November 2011 at 9:11 am

        ‘
        The only ones mad keen on seeing Brash in parliament are his billionaire paymasters.

        When Brash, after being pitchforked into the leadership of the National Party by this lobby, proved to be a disaster for all. Brash’s backers then used their money and power in a raid to take over the ACT Party.

        The hope was to parley ACT’s position as a support to party for the government, to get their ‘man’ into a cabinet position. (preferably finance minister)

        Greed and power and money and back door double dealing and insider trading, may be the normal mode of behaviour for the money traders.

        But under the antiseptic light of day, and under the public scrutiny of the democratic process it all looks sordid and grubby and corrupt.

  25. fender 25
    16 November 2011 at 11:06 pm

    Nice work and keep on the trail jaymam, I want to see a photo of Goldsmith driving an ACT vehicle.

  26. Mike 26
    17 November 2011 at 8:26 am

    It is not the first time that National have shafted one of their own candidates to allow one of their rubberstampers to enjoy an easier ride to the top. Question is: do Epsom voters want someone in parliament to represent them, or just someone who is only interested in pushing his own extremist agenda with scant regard for any of the electors he claims to represent. Judging from the last election it seems to be the latter but there is wisdom in the old saying: be careful what you wish for, it might come true.

  27. In Vino Veritas 27
    18 November 2011 at 9:05 am

    How very funny. I see in the Herald this morning that Goldsmith says the signs were a sill stunt by left wingers and put out in an unauthorised and illegal spot. The dim witted moron that produced them, and put them up couldnt even get that right. Symptomatic.

    • jaymam 27.1
      18 November 2011 at 9:44 pm

      Why would anyone trust anything that Goldsmith says? He’s wrong. The signs were in an area allocated for election signs. Rodney Hide had one there last election.
      They were not put there by a left winger.

  28. jaymam 28
    19 November 2011 at 3:28 pm

    A new completely legal Goldsmith sign in Epsom:
    http://i43.tinypic.com/f3b3a0.jpg

    As we know, there is a surprising absence of billboards for the Epsom candidate who will almost certainly win the seat. This actual sign was given to me by Paul Goldsmith himself last week. It has an authorisation notice as legally required. It is installed an area designated by Auckland Council for election billboards. There are quite a few there already. There is allowed to be only the one sign per candidate on any one site. That’s fine because there are no others for Goldsmith anywhere. This is it! There’s a National Party sign behind it, plus the biggest Banks sign you’ve ever seen.

    That is the same actual site where Goldsmith was photographed removing a sign advertising himself that was not of legal height above the ground. You may have seen that photo in the Herald, TV3 etc. Feel free to use these photos anywhere, especially TV3 and the Herald (who already have my email address).

    This sign has 1500mm clearance above the ground, is securely braced with supports at 45 degrees to the sign etc.
    Here’s another photo of the sign.
    http://i40.tinypic.com/16jk32p.jpg

    It’s not very big is it? But it’s completely legal, so there is no justification for removing it. I think it would be nice to have one at all the other Epsom sites as well. Paul is not giving his cards away at candidate meetings any more so he has plenty to spare. And they are printed already! I’ll donate the timber.

    As I’ve said before, I am not a supporter or member of any left wing party. I’ve voted for National more than any other party, and I shall vote for Goldsmith this election. I think ACT have lost their way, even though I agree with a few of their policies.

    • lprent 28.1
      19 November 2011 at 3:46 pm

      Ummm. This could be interesting to watch.

      • jaymam 28.1.1
        19 November 2011 at 7:08 pm

        I meant to mention that there are 10 CCTV cameras in this area (that I am aware of), in order to catch taggers and vandals and thieves. This is now a lovely crime-free area.

        Thank you for allowing me to post at The Standard.
        Since Whaleoil changed his blog to a new layout, I have been unable to post there since my browser doesn’t work on the new layout. And I have trouble logging in to Kiwiblog so have not posted there in ages. My name is slightly different at those blogs.

    • fmacskasy 28.2
      19 November 2011 at 4:31 pm

      Oh my gods – Jaymam, your sense of humour and ability to think outside the square make you one-of-a-kind…

      I hope you’ve sent these pics to TV3, et al. This is the kind of off-beat humour that the media luv!!

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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    3 days ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 7

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?

    An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • Councils reject racism

    Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Homage to Simeon Brown

    Open to all - happy weekend ahead, friends.Today I just want to be petty. It’s the way I imagine this chap is -Not only as a political persona. But his real-deal inner personality, in all its glory - appears to be pure pettiness & populist driven.Sometimes I wonder if Simeon ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Government of deceit

    When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all

    Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024

    Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies; Excerpt Four.

    Internal versus external security. Regardless of who rules, large countries can afford to separate external and internal security functions (even if internal control functions predominate under authoritarian regimes). In fact, given the logic of power concentration and institutional centralization of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • A Hole In The River

    There's a hole in the river where her memory liesFrom the land of the living to the air and skyShe was coming to see him, but something changed her mindDrove her down to the riverThere is no returnSongwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie RaynerThe king is dead; long live the queen!Yesterday was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Bright Blue His Jacket Ain’t But I Love This Fellow: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power E...

    My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago
  • Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis

    As a child in the 1950s, I thought the British had won the Second World War because that’s what all our comics said. Later on, the films and comics told me that the Americans won the war. In my late teens, I found out that the Soviet Union ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36 2024

    Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.

    I was interviewed by Mike Hosking at NewstalkZB and a few other media outlets about the NZSIS Security Threat Report released recently. I have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and oversight of the NZ Intelligence Community, and although the … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • How do I make this better for people who drive Ford Rangers?

    Home, home again to a long warm embrace. Plenty of reasons to be glad to be back.But also, reasons for dejection.You, yes you, Simeon Brown, you odious little oik, you bible thumping petrol-pandering ratfucker weasel. You would be Reason Number One. Well, maybe first among equals with Seymour and Of-Seymour ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A missed opportunity

    The government introduced a pretty big piece of constitutional legislation today: the Parliament Bill. But rather than the contentious constitutional change (four year terms) pushed by Labour, this merely consolidates the existing legislation covering Parliament - currently scattered across four different Acts - into one piece of legislation. While I ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Nicola Willis Seeks New Sidekick To Help Fix NZ’s Economy

    Synopsis:Nicola Willis is seeking a new Treasury Boss after Dr Caralee McLiesh’s tenure ends this month. She didn’t listen to McLiesh. Will she listen to the new one?And why is Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union chiming in?Please consider subscribing or supporting my work. Thanks, Tui.About CaraleeAt the beginning of July, Newsroom ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies

    The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler I love thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is like your mom: it may not tell you what you can do, but it damn well tells you what you can’t do. I’ve written a few previous posts that include thermodynamics, like one on air capture of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.

    The notion of geopolitical  “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Venus Hum

    Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • I Went to a Creed Concert

    Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

    The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • A Time For Unity.

    Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

    National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

    Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    7 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 week ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Honours Maori King ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 weeks ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 weeks ago

  • Action to grow the rural health workforce

    Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost

    Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians

    Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris.  “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
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