Has John Key jumped the shark?

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, March 18th, 2013 - 50 comments
Categories: business, energy, john key, Privatisation - Tags: , ,

Micky savage of Waitakere News looks at John Key’s involvement in the Solid Energy fiasco. National’s undeserved reputation as sound economic managers takes another hit…

Has John Key jumped the shark?

Key-jump-the-shark

 
Happy Days was a highly successful American sit com that screened for a decade.  Its popularity was legendary.  The primary reason was one character Fonzie who was so cool that nothing seemed to be beyond his ability.  But the show declined dramatically after in one episode Fonzie jumped a shark while water skiing.  For a decade he was the epitome of cool.  But jumping a shark while on water skis caused too many people to think he had pushed things too far.  “Jumping the Shark” has since become part of our lexicon.

In my humble opinion recent events surrounding Solid Energy may be John Key’s jump the shark moment.

I have spent a bit of time on boards.  Directors tend to be business orientated and relatively right wing but my experience is that they are dedicated and intelligent and they enjoy a competition of ideas.

Professional directors are usually from one of four groups, ex politicians, engineers who are usually process and result driven, accountants who focus on the finances, and lawyers who present a mixed bag.  The difference between board meetings and political meetings are that the board discussions are mostly far more civlilsed and people are interested in addressing the merits of the argument rather than score points.  There may be an ideological bias, but it is an ideological bias that usually pays attention to reality.  Directors have to be realistic.  When they serve under a Labour administration they have to make sure that the Government’s ideals do not take them too far, when they serve under a National administration they have to make sure that the desire to maximize profit and minimize cost does not destroy the entity.

National has a natural advantage with Directors who could be described as generally being part of National’s core constituency.  They enjoy the privilege and the pay and are willing to fulfill the wishes of their master, whether it be to maximize profit or maximize overall benefit, depending on the preference of the ruling administration.

There is a pecking order in terms of board appointments.  Solid Energy have been one of the most prestigious boards to be appointed to.  Being a director for an entity that was worth $2 billion in happier times has a whole lot of mana attached.

And so recent events have been startling and directors throughout the country must be thinking twice about accepting appointments to the boards of any crown entity.

National has this habit of blaming individuals for any adverse outcome.  Whether it is lawyers about legal aid, Christchurch Council for the rebuild, Auckland Council for housing not being more affordable or the Solid Energy Board for Solid Energy’s woes National does not hold back.

The trouble is that this has the definite appearance of being a pattern of behaviour.  And journalists are startling to check the claims that National makes, rather than accepting these at face value.

Key has made various recent claims about Solid Energy.  He claimed that Solid Energy wanted a billion dollar cash injection to fund business expansion, that the Government was in a pitched battle with Solid Energy over the sale of part of the business and that the company’s woes were because of investments in risky areas.  But there are problems with each of these claims and they all reek of hyperbole.

Former Chair John Palmer, a respected Company Director, said that the request for the billion dollar cash injection did not occur.  Key replied by releasing a Treasury briefing to the Government which he alleged recorded the request for a billion dollars of funding.  The only problem is that the paper actually backs Palmer’s statement.  It recorded the company’s current business plans for the Lignite deposits in Southland and some general proposals for expansion into other areas of activity but the paper states that this would be funded through retained earnings.  Solid Energy was not looking for direct funding but was outlining its plan to Government for it to expand into different markets.  Given that the Government had put a great deal of emphasis on the exploitation of the country’s natural resources the fact that Solid Energy saw itself as a possible leader in the area was not unusual.  Such arrangements have worked well in other countries, for instance Petrobas in Brasil is responsible for the return of considerable wealth, and Norway’s and Venezuela’s healthy economies can be directly attributed to their decisions to keep as much of their wealth local as possible.

The paper also does not support Key’s claim of a pitched battle over 18 months over sale of parts of the business.  The only project with any sort of development was the Urea extraction project in Southland and the proposals to increase Solid Energy’s area of activity would require specific Government support.  Besides it was a battle that Solid Energy would always lose.  Ministers as shareholders control who sits on the board.

The final claim about the company’s woes being related to risky investments directly contradicts a letter that Labour unearthed whereby in 2009 Solid Energy was instructed by then Minister Simon Power to increase debt and the payment of dividends.  Key has claimed that Solid Energy’s view of the future price of coal was bullish and out of kilter with the Government’s view but if this is so then you really have to wonder about why the Government still insisted on increased debt and dividends. Interestingly the letter reinforces this and in the letter Power says the following:

I am disappointed with the forecast decline in Solid Energy’s financial performance over the next three years, in particular the dramatic decline in profitability and dividends.  While this is understandable, given the significant decline in forecast coal prices, it is far from clear why Solid Energy forecasts [redacted].”

So the Government knew that Solid Energy was predicting worsening performance and the significant decline in forecast coal prices but still required Solid Energy to increase debt.  The company’s current predicament has a certain amount of looking in the rear vision mirror inevitability about it.

There is a further development which may haunt the Government.  Acting chief executive Gary Diack and Board Chair Mark Ford were both questioned by Clayton Cosgrove at the Commerce Select Committee on Don Elder’s then apparent unavailability to give evidence.  Ford said that Elder had not approached him and Diack said that he was not aware of Elder approaching anyone on that basis.

Elder subsequently confirmed to the committee that his lawyer had written to Solid Energy’s lawyer and copied the letter to Diack and offered to appear but was told that he was not required to attend.  Although Diack has written and corrected his answer this needs to be investigated further.

The Solid Energy fiasco has the potential to hurt the Government in a number of areas, in its reputation for being sound economic managers, in removal of a significant company from the privatisation process and attendant reduction in the sale proceeds and through National’s relationship with an important part of its constituency.  And most importantly through the dawning realization that John Key is not the multi talented businessman his PR says he is.

Has John Key jumped the shark?

50 comments on “Has John Key jumped the shark? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. One Tāne Huna 1
    18 March 2013 at 9:46 am

    There won’t be any major shift in public opinion until the headlines change from “Key says” to “Key caught out lying again”. The real story has always been that our Prime Minister is a pathological liar.

  2. ghostwhowalksnz 2
    18 March 2013 at 10:21 am

    What fascinates me is Keys ability to dig the hole even deeper:

    He makes even wilder claims to cover up that he was speculating in the first place.

    Same happened with the TVNZ land for Sky City convention centre. When challenged at first he claimed the TVNZ spokeswoman ‘wasnt in the loop’ and he knew better.

    There is a pattern though- there seems to be an elephants graveyard of Keys outright lies!

    We all know they exist but such is his power that the journalists dont go there.

    My guess is that his office makes it clear they should drop it or else.

    Remember what happened about the claim early on that Key said he didnt want wages to rise.

    It was open and shut, yet Keys henchmen went to media board level to make it go away

    • SpaceMonkey 2.1
      18 March 2013 at 10:41 am

      And it looks as though they’ve done the same again. A quick once over Stuff and NZ Herald and Solid Energy isn’t on the front page of either.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 2.1.1
        18 March 2013 at 12:21 pm

        The online versions dont really have front pages as it changes every couple of hours.

        Ive also noted that Nationals research unit spends a lot of energy in digging up contradictions – sometimes years back from Labour , Greens, NZ First

        These are usually passed on to Oily Orca and Farragoblog.

        But of course if its Shearer , they push these in the media, often with some success.

        At some occasions Keys minders will quickly try and correct a real clanger right away.

        There seems to be major effort going into Keys credibility. Making it look better than it is.

    • Tiresias 2.2
      18 March 2013 at 3:57 pm

      “What fascinates me is Keys ability to dig the hole even deeper:

      He makes even wilder claims to cover up that he was speculating in the first place.”

      As we saw from the US Congress investigation last week into J.P.Morgan’s ‘London Whale’ fiasco this is par-for-the-course behaviour for trading floor operatives:

      http://dealbreaker.com/2013/03/senate-subcommittee-feasting-on-whale-today/

  3. MaxwellS 3
    18 March 2013 at 10:29 am

    Wrong title for this piece. Betteridges’s law of headlines states that “Any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no.”

    Clearly this isn’t the case as JK has jumped the shark half a dozen times now.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines

    • Lanthanide 3.1
      18 March 2013 at 12:45 pm

      “Clearly this isn’t the case as JK has jumped the shark half a dozen times now.”

      The whole point of “jumping the shark” is that in retrospect it is a clear demarcation of when things went bad. By definition you can’t have multiple of them.

  4. ad 4
    18 March 2013 at 11:34 am

    Rather than “jump the shark”, partial privatisation plays into the Government’s hands by enabling analysts to claim that it will increase public scrutiny, transparency and accountability. (See NZHeraldn Business B4). For all the warnings that COMU may or may not have given, for all the claims the Prime Minister makes that there were apparently “18 months of robust discussions” between his Cabinet and the Solid Energy Board, they were not made public.

    Linking accountability and privatisation plays into the Government’s hands, more by accident than design.
    Both Solid Energy and Mighty River power have in different ways illustrated that the Boards have hidden how they were planning from their public shareholders.

    In Mighty River power’s case it was the US$250m offshore managed fund – of which they were the sole beneficiary – which they just had to spend US$24.8m unwinding from the management company. And their wilful refusal to front this to Parliament.

    Solid Energy’s transparency sins have been well canvassed.

    It enables the Prime Minister to show that transparency of decisionmaking can only be achieved through sharemarket listing.And with the listing cover the whole thing in glamour and greed.

    This is a singular confusion of ownership and accountability.

    At base the corporate model within the State Owned Enterprises Act is sick. It may not be popular, but if a progressive government wants to alter the economy, it has to turn these entities back into Departments or similar. Just wipe out this myriad of Boards and the elite that they manufacture out of thin air.

    Public sector corporatisation has given us the worst of all worlds: no policy implementation, no direct Parliamentary oversight to speak of, no accountability, and a junkie’s relationship to dividends in exchange for doing whatever they want. And this goes for Ports of Auckland as well.

    Either we will go down the route of more and more power being taken off Parliament and given to regulators and stock analysts, or a new government has to completely reform the State Owned Enterprises Act. Rather than jump the shark, they need to pull the shark to the boat and transfer it to a glass aquarium for all to observe and tame.

  5. ghostrider888 5
    18 March 2013 at 11:54 am

    on the subject of the extraction economy; Taranaki performing the best of the provincial economies, lazily extracting fossil fuels (great standard of living, for now, though)
    Manawatu / Tararua regions given go ahead for “prospectors” (security guards overseeing machinery and operations; this is what it is coming too; maybe Fracking next) Go NAct!

  6. red rattler 6
    18 March 2013 at 12:28 pm

    The SOE’s were designed to prepare themselves for privatisation. Their boards took this seriously.
    They are monopolies so can deliver big dividends to the state and the Clark Labour Govt preferred this option of robbing its worker consumers in order to pay them WFF etc trickledowns.
    But SOEs contradict the NACTs position that monopolies should be privately owned. NACTs can lose power and SOEs are capable of being easily returned to State Departments, horrors.
    So you can privatise by maximising dividends to get a good sale price (MR), or the state can asset strip to bankrupt and flog off to mates for next to nothing (Solid Energy).
    This latter suits what the NACTs see at the big growth opportunity, and rather than have it under a Kiwibras or a PPP under residual public accountability, they want to open it to the big boys for rip,shit, bust.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1
      18 March 2013 at 1:46 pm

      +1

      Everything that National have done since gaining power is about transferring more wealth to the rich.

      • Green machine UpandComer 6.1.1
        19 March 2013 at 12:15 am

        Apart from increasing welfare for rich people like pregnant women, or reducing the taxes of two thirds of everybody to 17.5 cents in the dollar, or maintaining student allowances, WFF, giving people max house prices in the red zone, keeping inflation low by not printing money like lunatics, etc etc

        • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1
          19 March 2013 at 12:29 am

          Bill English’s household got a $1500 per week tax cut. He doesn’t need you shilling for him mate.

          keeping inflation low by not printing money like lunatics, etc etc

          How is this better than borrowing that same money from loansharks who source it from the US and Japan, where they are printing the money like lunatics?

          or reducing the taxes of two thirds of everybody to 17.5 cents in the dollar

          So that’s income tax.

          Did you miss the increases in GST and petrol which hit the lower income the hardest?

          Wake up man you’re suffering from a shit case of right wing snow job blindness

      • Green machine UpandComer 6.1.2
        19 March 2013 at 12:22 am

        opps I meant even richer folks like pregnant teenagers, oh and reducing prison numbers, oh and also making health a non-issue, oh and heck even with all the problems with Novopay it’s still about 25% less error rate then the previous system, so teachers are getting paid what they should finally. Novopay has a 2% error rate. What else have they done to transfer money to the ‘rich’, oh yes they removed some of those tax write offs on investment properties that always lost ‘the rich’ so much money, oh yes and recoupled the company and personal tax rates, so that rich people could pay more tax etc etc

        • Colonial Viper 6.1.2.1
          19 March 2013 at 12:26 am

          Novopay has a 2% error rate.

          Fuck this is a disasterous error rate that you couldn’t achieve with untrained monkeys.

          Computerised systems need to run error rates 100x lower than this.

          • McFlock 6.1.2.1.1
            19 March 2013 at 12:42 am

            Fuck computers. If a checkout operator had a 1% error rate in the accounts at the end of each day, including $11,000 bananas and 20c champagne, they’d be gone by lunchtime.

    • Murray Olsen 6.2
      18 March 2013 at 8:48 pm

      The secret of being a successful businessman in Aotearoa is to be mates with NAct. At least in the US and A they lobby Congress to get what they want. NAct MPs grovel in front of them and do it all for free.
      The SOEs being sold off is far more than just selling plant and assets. There is also years of institutional knowledge and research, paid for by the taxpayer. There was also the contribution the old Departments and Ministries made to communities in terms of employment. This went well beyond a railways tarpaulin at the back of every house in Northland. Whole communities flourished because of the employment provided and the goods and services bought by employees. We’ve swapped this for a failed pig farmer’s dream of America’s Cup yachts and Hawaiian mansions for a select few, with her majesty’s loyal opposition making boring meaningless speeches until they can slot into a UN job. We’re well past the hour of taking it all back, and changing things drastically so it can never be taken off us again.

      • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1
        18 March 2013 at 9:43 pm

        +1

        Nice and succinct.

      • Green machine UpandComer 6.2.2
        19 March 2013 at 12:16 am

        yes we all remember the glory days when NZ had the atmosphere, look, productivity and popularity of a Polish Shipyard, and two types of chocolate. Except in the Polish shipyard the workers at least looked like they were doing something.

        • rosy 6.2.2.1
          19 March 2013 at 1:50 am

          No, actually I don’t remember the days before the neo-liberal revolution being like that at all. I remember my dad working extremely hard at his blue collar job, a deposit for a house via capitalisation on the family benefit, free education and plenty of good healthy food with dessert (sometimes chocolate) once a week.

          Your 2 types of chocolate throwaway line is as much an issue of changing consumer preferences creating demand rather than problems with a closed economy. An yes, I know there were restrictive import tariffs. In fact if it wasn’t for those import tariffs Cadbury’s would not have been made in NZ.

          I’d swap my increased chocolate choice for cheap healthy food and full employment any day, but I reckon I wouldn’t have to do that.

  7. ghostrider888 7
    18 March 2013 at 12:33 pm

    Leather Tuscadero *sigh*

  8. Treetop 8
    18 March 2013 at 12:48 pm

    Simon Power had to have seen the writing on the wall regarding Solid Energy and he probably tried to explain the dire situation to Key. Had Key listened to Power about bleeding Solid Energy dry, Solid Energy may not have fallen over.

    Key does not have the pride to stop the energy asset sales. The asset sales are a distraction to the government’s running of the country. Key has the time to go to South America to discuss alternative energy and in his own country he drops the ball again and again.

    I actually have some sympathy for English because he is the one who has to be the messenger.

    • tc 8.1
      18 March 2013 at 2:16 pm

      ‘The asset sales are a distraction to the government’s running of the country’
      No the assets sales are a huge part of why they are there and an essential part of their ‘running’ the country.

      ‘I actually have some sympathy for English because he is the one who has to be the messenger.’
      Not me, you lie down with dogs, awake with fleas. Sympathy for a born trougher, unlikely.

      ‘Key does not have the pride to stop the energy asset sales’ No he doesn’t have any directions from the hollowmen to do so. It’s not about pride it’s about the trnasfer of wealth, what bankers do best.

  9. AmaKiwi 9
    18 March 2013 at 2:13 pm

    The increased gearing (borrowing) and increased dividends to the government are a Ponzi scheme.

    The increased dividends made the government’s income look better than it actually was. Solid Energy could NOT afford to pay them but did because they were ordered to.

    The increased gearing was in reality the government borrowing more money to make it look like its SOE was profitable. But the borrowing was concealed because it showed up on the books of an SOE instead of the Crown itself.

    Ponzi scheme. Pretend you are making handsome profits and therefore pay generous dividends. But in reality, you are losing money and the so-called “dividend” is money you borrowed and probably can’t pay back.

    Bernie Madoff made billions doing it.

    • DH 9.1
      18 March 2013 at 3:27 pm

      “The increased dividends made the government’s income look better than it actually was. ”

      Agreed. It’s disgraceful behaviour and there really isn’t any doubt it was a deliberate ploy to make the Govt books look better. When you consider it’s at the behest of the Finance Minister it doesn’t set a good example for accountants in this country, small wonder there’s so much creative accounting these days.

      English’s only mitigation is that Cullen played the same games. Doesn’t make it right though.

    • mickysavage 9.2
      18 March 2013 at 8:38 pm

      Yep.

      It was all part of the give everyone a tax cut effort. The only problem was that tax cuts are permanent whereas driving up debt only has a limited time during which it can be sustained. Eventually it no longer is an option.

      What is really bizarre is that the Government knew that coal prices were weakening yet still insisted in increased dividends and debt.

      Solid Energy was a train wreck waiting to happen.

      • Anne 9.2.1
        18 March 2013 at 8:52 pm

        Hi mickysavage:
        This is off topic but I asked a question on today’s Open Mike (24) and you can probably answer it. There’s a reason why I ask, it’s not just nosiness. I might elaborate on that reason in due course.
        Thanks.

  10. handle 10
    18 March 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Key was a money trader. He knows very little about business.

    • Tim 10.1
      18 March 2013 at 3:27 pm

      That’s actually an observation, and one of the ‘keys’ as to why a semi-financially-literate electorate has been conned by this “ultra krismetic, evrudge Koiwoi”, son of the supposed struggling solo-mum Proim Munster.
      The assumption that because JK worked on Wall Street, he MUST know how to handle a Con – me.

      It’ll take a while for Hobbits to awaken, but the good thing is that when they do – they’ll be all the more pissed off.
      Such a shame that the people that actually understand the capabilities of JK, his Munster of Foinence, and his Munster of ALL are the ones that are out of favour, and who feel threatened by what’s fast becoming a rabble of an opposition.
      I hope any and all of them aren’t too concerned about their respective legacies. (Some, though it’s sad – have spent most of their careers actually being FEKTUV in FISHINT – yet seem prepared to have their reputations fucked over by the Man from the UN).

  11. aerobubble 11
    18 March 2013 at 3:53 pm

    Solid Energy fell over because John Key did not act as a competent CEO, or PM, but a merging of the two. Any competent government would have rolled a new entity to investigate bio-fuels, or lignite, or whatever. Any competent CEO who have ring fenced their money cow. So what did the hybrid monster our PM has become do? He run up debt in a risky industry where Coal prices jump and drop. The board has a ‘out’, it can argue the banks did their due diligence when loaning the money, how were the banks or the board to know Key would cut the biofuel component in petrol.
    And Key also has advice, surely the 100% shareholder knows best that about the future of coal prices, for the government does have a much large budget and also backtop if anything goes wrong.
    i.e. its was government right to take the risk.

    So Key ran the show, pulled the biofuel strings, and the show came to a almighty clanging stop.
    Key does not believe the GFC was so bad, for a long time the term-idea never crossed his lips. Then
    Key raise debt levels. Then Key did not see the effect biofuel changes would have. But hey its not Key’s money, he didn’t get rich risking his own money.

    Public private partnerships don’t work if the government doesn’t believe in government.

    • Tiresias 11.1
      18 March 2013 at 4:09 pm

      Kind’a like Thinking Big without thinking.

    • mickysavage 11.2
      19 March 2013 at 5:56 am

      Yep.

      Remember National’s hundred days of action back in 2008? Labour had just mandated the inclusion of biofuels in petroleum and there was a requirement for petroleum to be supplemented by environmentally sourced biofuel. The change was going to save NZ $17 million a year in Kyoto credits and in the first four years as it started to ramp up it would have resulted in over a million less tons of CO2 being produced. National was that concerned about it that it destroyed the industry as a matter of urgency.

      Astounding.

      • aerobubble 11.2.1
        19 March 2013 at 3:01 pm

        National screwed the carbon trade by allowing foreigners to buy credits, now at all time low in price. Most countries have a limit on foreign sales. So essential your some big russia company wanting to offset your carbon admissions and there’s this island in the pacific selling them cheap. Low and behold the NZ$ dollar jumps….

        …I don’t know the consequences but it can’t be good when someone starts asking for us to balance the carbon – which I presume is what a credit is, a promise.

  12. AmaKiwi 12
    18 March 2013 at 4:10 pm

    Key “didn’t get rich risking his own money.”

    Are we sure he’s not getting rich on these government deals?

    How would we know if a hidden off-shore account loaded up on Sky Casino shares or NZ dollar futures contracts?

    • UpandComer 12.1
      19 March 2013 at 2:49 pm

      Well David Shearer might have another account that he’s failed to declare stacked full of money/shares/bonds/God knows what, he also won’t say he’ll buy the shares back…

  13. Peter 13
    18 March 2013 at 6:16 pm

    Unless the Left come up with Solid Energy sound bites that register with Middle New Zealand our teflon PM will once again avoid jumping the shark and continue his commanding lead in the polls.

    Having Left leaning sympathisers despair on the sidelines is of no significance and the Nats know it.

    • Colonial Viper 13.1
      18 March 2013 at 8:42 pm

      Just give the Labour PR team another day or two to come up with something pithy for a soundbyte

    • mickysavage 13.2
      18 March 2013 at 8:49 pm

      You are right to an extent Peter.

      The reality is that National are crap economic managers. They are like a bunch of cost accountants trying to nickel and dime stuff to make next week’s accounts look slightly better. And they have no idea of the complexity of Human nature and what is needed to get the best out of people. They are too loud, their opinions of themselves are hyper inflated, and they do not have the decency to accept that they are less than perfect.

      But you are right. The best way to counter National’s propaganda is by the use of well targeted truth.

    • tc 13.3
      18 March 2013 at 10:19 pm

      yup plenty of evidence here but can the opposition do its job.

  14. Anne 14
    18 March 2013 at 9:03 pm

    And they have no idea of the complexity of human nature and what is needed to get the best out of people. They are too loud, their opinions of themselves are hyper inflated, and they do not have the decency to accept that they are less than perfect.

    The perfect truth.

    Unfortunately, we have an MSM who aspire to be like them. The false values of materialism and greed is all pervading and none of them are equipped to see the folly of their own behaviour. I can think of a few former National leaders who would be spinning in their graves at what was being done to their beloved National Party.

    I can think of a few long gone Labour leaders who would be doing the same…

  15. paul scott 15
    19 March 2013 at 12:17 am

    Yes punters and you are correct MickySavage , Solid Energy , Don Elder is a disgrace,but I read in the news paper today he is highly employable because he is so mercenary venal, so suck that.
    jump the shark.
    It is New Zealanders that are dumb, don’t balme the PM for understanding how stupid we are, it means he is bright, and you Labour can have Winston Petyers and Nationalisation and Green and print money, and devaluation of NZ dollar, and you will lose the next election

  16. Green machine UpandComer 16
    19 March 2013 at 12:18 am

    Can I just ask. What do you people think of a Labour leader who has not declared at least $50k of an offshore account for the past few years even though it has been reminded to him by IRD every financial year? Given that you are so consistent, will you apply the same standards as you would to John Key and money?

    • Colonial Viper 16.1
      19 March 2013 at 12:24 am

      even though it has been reminded to him by IRD every financial year?

      Where did you get this please?

  17. pollywog 17
    19 March 2013 at 2:54 pm

    Major Stumblefuck…stumbles from one major clusterfuck to the next.

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    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    8 hours ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    10 hours ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    11 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    12 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    14 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    15 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    15 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    18 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    19 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five 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 ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    20 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    21 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    22 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    24 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Government backing mussel spat project
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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