Good call from Ardern

Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, October 3rd, 2017 - 86 comments
Categories: election 2017, greens, jacinda ardern, labour, nz first - Tags: ,

I have very mixed feelings about a Labour Green NZF government. I certainly don’t think that Labour should “pay any price”. So I’m pleased to see Jacinda Ardern acknowledging the Greens (even though dumping on them would smooth the path with Winston):

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern won’t sideline Greens in coalition negotiations

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has rejected leaving the Green Party on the crossbenches as part of negotiations to form a government.
…
Asked whether she would entertain a hypothetical request for the Greens to be locked out of government position, Ardern on Tuesday told Newshub’s The AM Show she opposed the idea.

“I have had it suggested to me that they could simply sit on the crossbenches because they’re easier to deal with. I’ve said I don’t think that is a fair way to treat their support,” she said.

But she would not confirm whether that meant she excepted Green MPs to have ministerial positions in Cabinet, outside Cabinet or just a confidence-and-supply agreement.
…
“Just because the Greens have indicated where their support will go, does not mean we should disrespect the vote and support they bring,” Ardern said. …

If a Labour Green NZF government is formed in October I hope to see the Greens as an equal and active part of it.

86 comments on “Good call from Ardern ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Stephen Doyle 1
    3 October 2017 at 9:51 am

    Julie Anne Genter as Minister of Transport, yes please!

    • cleangreen 1.1
      3 October 2017 at 11:23 am

      Julie Anne was sitting next to Winston at the North Auckland rail debate last month and they both supported regional rail restoration so yes this would be good to see Julie Anne in the rail portfolio.

      Though I am demused since after the last labour lead Government re-nationalised our rail system so I would like to see the return of a stand alone “Minister of Rail” as we had when we owned it last in pre-1992?

      Winston or another strong rail advocate within NZF could assume this portfolio?

      • Skinny 1.1.1
        3 October 2017 at 2:04 pm

        Few people know National were set to go down the privatisation route again with our Railway. It would have been business as usual. Pity the MSM haven’t done an OIA on talks between the Reserve & the Kiwi Rail board.

        That is however effectively dead now since either NZ First or Greens will be needed by National.

  2. marty mars 2
    3 October 2017 at 9:56 am

    Yes I like what Jacinda is saying – true and smart.

    ‘Dumping’ on the greens would not smooth the negotiations but actuate the worst fears of Green supporters and there would be no good things to come from that, I promise.

    • Wensleydale 2.1
      3 October 2017 at 11:23 am

      True. The only thing the Greens would offer Labour after that would be contempt, and justifiably so. And Labour, for the sake of political expediency, would find themselves in National’s uneviable position — frantically casting about in desperate search of friends they no longer have. Because they burned them all.

  3. Bearded Git 3
    3 October 2017 at 10:00 am

    I’m sure Winston could coexist with Shaw and Genter in the Cabinet….whether Shaw/Genter enjoy the experience of being in a Cabinet with Winston is another matter.

    • Shona 3.1
      3 October 2017 at 10:08 am

      Who cares?/ Really is it feelings that matter now??? Labour are fucking lucky they have a shit show of gaining power thanks to NZ First. All respect is due to Peters and his party needs to be shown.Labour needs to get over itself. They suck and we the public know this!

      • r0b 3.1.1
        3 October 2017 at 10:10 am

        You seem very angry Shona. Is it a nice day where you are? Maybe try a walk outside in the fresh air?

      • cleangreen 3.1.2
        3 October 2017 at 11:33 am

        10000% agree with Shona.

        We really need to show the thee Coalition groups equal respect now as we get coalition talks going forward.

        • red-blooded 3.1.2.1
          3 October 2017 at 11:54 am

          So how does saying Labour “suck” and “need to get over themselves” help to promote respect then, cleangreen? Because that’s what Shona said. She wasn’t saying all 3 parties need to respect each other, but that “all respect” was due to Peters – a very different message.

        • tracey 3.1.2.2
          3 October 2017 at 12:09 pm

          How does respecting Green on 5.8% of votes disrespect NZF with 7.5%. Genuinely want to understand.

          • red-blooded 3.1.2.2.1
            3 October 2017 at 12:44 pm

            Sorry, tracey, was that query aimed at me? Because I don’t understand how my comment could be interpreted as meaning that any of the 3 parties should be disrespected. Care to clarify?

      • Anne 3.1.3
        3 October 2017 at 3:52 pm

        All respect is due to Peters and his party needs to be shown.Labour needs to get over itself. They suck and we the public know this!

        This part of your comment is codswallop Shona.

        Are you getting Labour confused with National? They are the ones who have consistently tried to bring Peters down and have spread wildly inaccurate rumours about him – the latest being the superannuation faux scandal. Labour, as far as I can tell, has always been friendly with NZ First (except perhaps in 1996) and treated Peters with the utmost respect.

        Get your facts right before you go off the deep end!

    • cleangreen 3.2
      3 October 2017 at 11:28 am

      Yep Bearded Git.

      I would love to see the greens work with Winston as he has the most senior experience that is need to get our team through the minefields National leaves behind?

      I agree.

      • Bearded Git 3.2.1
        3 October 2017 at 12:00 pm

        @clean green fair enough, perhaps I was too negative above… it may well be that Winston will work positively to keep a stable and progressive government working for the next three years.

        Let it be so.

  4. Sacha 4
    3 October 2017 at 10:00 am

    Sidelining the Greens now would weaken Labour’s hand in negotiations with Winston, no matter how Ardern or her advisors feel about it. Not taking it as a sign of anything more at this stage.

    • red-blooded 4.1
      3 October 2017 at 10:30 am

      How would it weaken their hand, Sacha? If anything, it may well be easier to deal with Winston if he knew Labour were prioritising NZF and he didn’t have to consider dealing with the Greens in some sort of power-sharing arrangement. (We all know how he’s spoken about and treated the Greens in the past.)

      I hope Labour are able to negotiate a 3-way coalition. I wouldn’t want to see the Greens locked out of cabinet or relegated to confidence and supply. I certainly acknowledge that Winston may have different ideas, though, and I think it’s great to hear Ardern acknowledging the Greens and making it clear that she wants them included meaningfully.

      BTW, Anthony, your link takes us to a different Herald article (about Ardern finding Peters “in good spirits”).

  5. Robert Guyton 5
    3 October 2017 at 10:02 am

    I listened to Jacinda talking with Garner and batting him about most satisfactorily, with panache and humour and I thought, “she’s good”. Her “fair to the Greens” comment was encouraging, but she was keeping the expectation levels down and not saying something that would need to be unsaid later. She says, “50-50” in terms of Labour and National’s chances and that was the only time I felt she was hedging politically. I reckon the proportions are strongly in favour of the Left 🙂

    • Wensleydale 5.1
      3 October 2017 at 11:31 am

      I have to say, Jacinda’s mastered the art of the ‘mild reprimand’ — where she makes it clear she thinks you’re a muppet prone to asking stupid questions, but with a smile. Always with a smile.

  6. veutoviper 6
    3 October 2017 at 10:09 am

    IMHO Jacinda Ardern is handling this whole situation/hiatus with great skill – to date anyway.

    Her silence for the last week followed by her very short succinct press statement yesterday re the fact that she had spoken to Peters with a meeting planned for later this week has been in sharp contrast to the diatribe/diarrhoea of opinions, conjecture etc emanating from the press and retired politicians etc on possible coalition options.

    The interview with Duncan Garner this morning on the AM show is well worth watching for Jacinda’s good hearted but firm handling of the leading questions.
    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/jacinda-ardern-it-s-not-winston-peters-fault.html

    As well as her clear position on the Greens as per your post above, her references to the position Winston finds himself in at present not being his fault per se show much better diplomacy etc than we have seen from the other side (eg English, Bennett – where’s Joyce ???). That approach should go down well with Peters.

    • Anne 6.1
      3 October 2017 at 10:41 am

      You beat me to it veutoviper. Her responses reminded me of the pre-Muldoon era when politicians were generally respectful of one another and played the game fair and square.
      And look at how the two women (I don’t know any of their names) responded so positively when Jacinda gently reprimanded Duncan for asking a pointless question.

      “God loves a trier” she said. She won him over!

      • veutoviper 6.1.1
        3 October 2017 at 11:11 am

        Amanda Gillies is the woman with the short blonde hair; don’t know who the other one is. Amanda and Mark Richardson are the two usual presenters on with Duncan. The faces of the two women in the first glimpse of them this morning in the interview are quite skeptical; but as you say Jacinda won them over. Loved her remark that the call was not like a call after a first date – and so did the two women!

        I am not sure whether Jacinda won Duncan over. He blows with the wind.
        Jacinda has appeared with Duncan many times and he is all friendly etc when she is on but can be scathing about her when interviewing others such as English. Last week he had a particularly nasty rave after the preliminary election results were known. Bascially threw his toys because National had not had an outright win.

        But Jacinda is well versed in communications (her degree is in Communications) and not naive as to people like Duncan – and I understand she knows many presenters, press etc not just through her work, position but also on a different level through her relationship with Clarke Gayford and his many years of working and mixing with people in TV, radio etc.

        • Anne 6.1.1.1
          3 October 2017 at 11:20 am

          I am not sure whether Jacinda won Duncan over.

          I was thinking more in terms of the interview. Well aware Garner is one of those who hunts with hounds and runs with hares. He has a checkered back history.

        • Ed 6.1.1.2
          3 October 2017 at 11:30 am

          The blonde woman in that shot is the weather reporter Ingrid Hipkiss.
          Wonder if Mark Richardson was removed after his shaming by Ardern before.

    • CHCOff 6.2
      3 October 2017 at 11:44 pm

      Good Grief, that AM show style of interviewing makes for terrible listening.

      When did interviewing become ‘interrogating’?

      The only thing informative about that interview was that it was about fishing for controversy and got none. The actual information in it, had no time to breathe and little to none of it would stick with the average listener apart from the afore mentioned point, that is if they hadn’t already switched channel.

      Who on earth has ‘mutual intelligible’ conversations’ like that????????? !!!

  7. ianmac 7
    3 October 2017 at 10:12 am

    Rob, “I certainly don’t think that Labour should “pay any price”.
    Agree totally. Time is on the Labour/Green side as they have prospects for 2020. National are desperate but if going for broke they could self destruct. I hope.

  8. Michelle 8
    3 October 2017 at 10:23 am

    I for one would like to see our Greenies have some form of power why ? because they have more social policies that align with helping our people ( Maori) and our Pacific peoples and our poor Pakeha whanau + some of our refugees and our immigrants that are being treated badly. ( taken advantage of ) Many in the above groups are marginalized they are also over- represented in bad statistics. But the gnats are not keeping true stats and they are minimizing issues by hiding social problems and victim blaming. Hence why we have such a divided country = a divisive government = the gnats.

  9. Carolyn_nth 9
    3 October 2017 at 10:45 am

    Like you, Anthony, I have mixed feelings about an NZF-Lab-GP government.

    It probably all depends on the kind of coalition it is – there are various options of ministers inside and outside cabinet to C&S – and the way it is managed.

    It also depends on the numbers of MPs for a Labour-led coalition – there does need to be a cushion against loss of an MP or 2 – or deflections from NZF to the Nats.

    In contrast a Nat-NZF government would also be as strong as the numbers, the kind of deal and how that is managed. And it is questionable whether it is an alliance that would hold for any length of time.

    It would be interesting to see how NZF weakened neoliberal capitalism in a Nat-NZF government.

    Plus some NZF MPs seem to me to lean right (Shane Jones & possibly Ron Mark). Whereas the likes of Tracy Martin always seem to me to be very like some Labour MPs.

  10. Sparky 10
    3 October 2017 at 11:23 am

    A lot of us have mixed feelings too. I had hoped to see the Greens get a bigger slice of the vote and Labour support shrink. Especially given the latter’s mostly uncommitted stance on the TPPA. Good to see the Greens and NZF as potential partners as there is no doubt where they stand.

    • red-blooded 10.1
      3 October 2017 at 11:51 am

      Sparky, you must be pretty much the only person who has no doubts where NZF stands! After all, if they are so anti the TPPA, then there’s no chance they’ll buddy up with the Nats. And yet..?

    • Sabine 10.2
      3 October 2017 at 11:56 am

      i would assume that many that usually vote Greens might have given their party votes to Labour just to assure it a greater slice of the cake. It would not be the first time this happened, it did under Clark – i think it was the third term?

      • Matthew Whitehead 10.2.1
        3 October 2017 at 8:03 pm

        I definitely ran into this doing a lot of volunteer campaigning for the Greens. It is a sad misunderstanding of MMP and it was relatively easy to talk genuine supporters out of that behaviour, but some people “went back to the mothership” for more nebulous reasons. It’s reasonably likely that most of the Greens’ loss of fortune was actually due to this effect, not the party’s recent internal struggles, but We’ll Never Know™ because there’s very little polling info separating them out.

  11. Stuart Munro 11
    3 October 2017 at 11:28 am

    The challenge, it seems to me, is not so much how to cobble a coalition together, but how to optimize it so that it works strenuously to reverse the long decades of massive governmental underperformance.

    I hope Labour is relatively generous with ministerial and associate positions, for several reasons. It will make the coalition more stable. It will improve the talent coverage of some ministries. And there is by golly a lot of work to be done – sharing the load will in some areas be prudent.

  12. tracey 12
    3 October 2017 at 12:14 pm

    If the 11000 who signed that petition had voted Green how much, if any, would Green vote share percentage shift?

    • Craig H 12.1
      3 October 2017 at 3:22 pm

      About 0.5% or so.

    • Matthew Whitehead 12.2
      3 October 2017 at 8:05 pm

      If they were Green voters and wanted to influence the coalition decisions maybe they should have joined the party and been part of discussions. It is a democratically run party and if the bluegreens really care about the environment but want a future National-Green coalition we are open to their ideas, so long as they support the party’s fundamental values.

  13. Carolyn_nth 13
    3 October 2017 at 12:52 pm

    James Shaw categorically rules out going into government with the Nats – he says it’s all boring noise & his job is to try to form a government with Labour.

    RNZ reports a couple of minutes ago:

    But Mr Shaw said that speculation was getting a bit boring.

    “Our job is to form a government with the Labour Party, that’s what I said on election night, that’s what I campaigned on for the last 18 months and that’s what we are busy working on.

    “I said on election night that I think the numbers are there for a new government and that’s what we are working on, so everything else frankly is noise and no signal.”

    Mr Shaw said talk of a ‘Teal Deal’ is all being fed through proxies and is all PR and fluff, saying there was no substance to it.

    Asked whether he believed it was a paid campaign to promote the idea of a National-Greens deal, Mr Shaw said he did not know, and he did not care.

    “I’m busy trying to form a government with the Labour Party and presumably with New Zealand First as well, and I said on election night if Bill [English] wants to call, I’m happy to take the call and to have a conversation with him, but he hasn’t called, so as far as I’m concerned, everything else is pure speculation.”

    • red-blooded 13.1
      3 October 2017 at 1:33 pm

      Well said by Shaw. He’s worked helluva hard and strikes me as someone with firm convictions, strong leaderships skills and a well-developed team ethos. He and Ardern both impress as the right people to be handling this situation and trying to make things work both for their respective parties and for the benefit of NZ.

      • AB 13.1.1
        3 October 2017 at 4:26 pm

        Yep – Shaw and Ardern seem like real NZers – actually I could imagine BM having a beer with them.

        • Wayne_2 13.1.1.1
          3 October 2017 at 6:31 pm

          They should make Shaw PM, and Ardern can stay at her lets save the world lets save the kids and cry on TV minister of altruism or whatever, and carry on cultivating her fan base of kindergarten and primary school children.

          Shaw has actually worked in real jobs and had a successful career pre-politics. Ardern has not.

          Little was a better leader and did far more for Labour than Ardern ever will. Ardern was put in just to attract the thickest 10% of the population into voting for labour. It was an appeal to the lowest common denominator who identify with her because she is one of them

          • Matthew Whitehead 13.1.1.1.1
            3 October 2017 at 8:14 pm

            Sure, before going into Parliament Shaw has had a pretty successful career. But Ardern has been immersed in politics her entire life. Neither approach is more valid than the other, but all governments need both types of people, IMO.

            • Wayne_2 13.1.1.1.1.1
              4 October 2017 at 12:09 am

              That’s complete and utter BS. Immersed in politics? Immersed in self-promotion you mean —its all about promoting herself as a ‘nice’ person.

              Ardern has 9 years of parliamentary experience.
              So what? Someone with experience in the real world and perhaps a year or two of parliamentary experience easily trumps 9 years of being a lazy and ineffectual MP – only thing she is not lazy at is self promotion

  14. Wayne_2 14
    3 October 2017 at 6:25 pm

    Ardern is a lightweight. Cliches and platitudes and completely devoid of any substance. A simple minded, naive schoolgirl.

    Compared with Kirk, Lange, Palmer, Clark, how far have Labour fallen.

    • Ed 14.1
      3 October 2017 at 6:30 pm

      Who did you vote for?

    • Ma Rohemo 14.2
      3 October 2017 at 6:50 pm

      That second to last paragraph is the most cliche riddled that I have read since Ardern took over.

    • Robert Guyton 14.3
      3 October 2017 at 7:04 pm

      Wayne_2 is a lightweight. Cliches and platitudes and completely devoid of any substance. A simple minded, naive troll.
      I don’t find your comments to be genuine, Wayne_2.
      2 ticks Green?
      I doubt it.

      • Ed 14.3.1
        3 October 2017 at 7:45 pm

        The two tick green claim seems at odds with much she/he posts here…..

      • Wayne_2 14.3.2
        3 October 2017 at 11:50 pm

        Only because I want National out. I could not bear to vote Labour under such a skank, so voted Green.

        I realise this will help her become PM, but am confident her weaknesses will show sooner or later, and she will be rolled by Robertson, Parker, or even Twyford.

        • Stuart Munro 14.3.2.1
          4 October 2017 at 12:00 am

          You seem to be confused – only the other day you were giving the Gnats a B+.

          Jacinda is new to the role certainly, but she is a skilled communicator. She might do very well, especially with a bit of wily support from Winston, the Green’s research skills, and the institutional heft of old Labour.

          Let’s not count her out just yet – it’s not hard to be better than the outgoing government.

        • tracey 14.3.2.2
          4 October 2017 at 6:37 am

          Anyone but a woman ay Wayne 2.

    • AB 14.4
      3 October 2017 at 7:40 pm

      “Ardern is a lightweight. Cliches and platitudes and completely devoid of any substance. A simple minded, naive schoolgirl.”
      That was John Key – you should have gone to Specsavers eh?

      • Wayne_2 14.4.1
        3 October 2017 at 11:54 pm

        Agreed, John Key was a detestable knob, and his son Max is even worse.

        Key made his money purely through speculation, not from doing anything productive for society. His bloodlines no doubt helped him get ahead in the banking financial and world.

        • tracey 14.4.1.1
          4 October 2017 at 6:38 am

          Sexism followed by anti semitism. What a charmingg piece of work you are.

          • Stuart Munro 14.4.1.1.1
            4 October 2017 at 12:12 pm

            And he still got it wrong. Max is a mere young entitled lout – he never ripped off the people he was paid and sworn to defend.

    • tracey 14.5
      4 October 2017 at 6:36 am

      Could you take your thinly veiled sexism and pop it up your arse with your head? TIA

  15. Ma Rohemo 15
    3 October 2017 at 6:53 pm

    I did mean Wayne-2’s opening paragraph #14

  16. Stuart Munro 16
    3 October 2017 at 7:11 pm

    Had he claimed to be a TOP supporter no-one would’ve been particularly surprised.

    • NewsFlash 16.1
      3 October 2017 at 11:52 pm

      Wayne 2 is a Nat nut, just pushing another angle of the G/Nat combo, remember, National will sink to any depth to retain power, and atm, they’ve pushed the panic button.

      • Wayne_2 16.1.1
        3 October 2017 at 11:56 pm

        Are you saying that all Green or left voters have to conform to a stereotype, a cookie cutter template?

        • Hanswurst 16.1.1.1
          4 October 2017 at 5:18 am

          No, I think they’re identifying you as conforming to a fairly obvious troll stereotype with your unsubtle baiting via misogyny and anti-Semitism.

        • tracey 16.1.1.2
          4 October 2017 at 6:39 am

          No but you are the first sexist, anti semetic green supporter I have ever encountrred.

          • tracey 16.1.1.2.1
            4 October 2017 at 6:40 am

            Snap

          • alwyn 16.1.1.2.2
            4 October 2017 at 12:26 pm

            ” I have ever encountrred.”.
            Really? You must have led a very sheltered life.
            On second thought I have met quite a number who were anti-Semitic but they weren’t sexist as well.
            Mostly these people rail against the Rothschild family and how they rule the world.

            • tracey 16.1.1.2.2.1
              4 October 2017 at 1:00 pm

              Perhaps it is just that I am mostly surrounded by National supporters who are the first in spades and the second when drunk.

        • Stuart Munro 16.1.1.3
          4 October 2017 at 12:13 pm

          Holy smokes he’s tumbled us! Quick, hide the cloning vats…

        • NewsFlash 16.1.1.4
          4 October 2017 at 9:13 pm

          No, I’m saying you fit the “cookie cutter template” of a NAt nut, had you actually criticized National for being the party YOU don’t support, I might have believed you, But, you didn’t, did you………..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

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