If a thousand baby flamingos die in the desert does anyone hear them howl?

Written By: - Date published: 3:06 pm, July 16th, 2021 - 43 comments
Categories: climate change, disaster, Environment, farming, food - Tags:

This was meant to be a post about #howlofaprotest and it kind of still is. I was going to talk about the collapse of the National Party as a driver of farmer unrest who are feeling the weight of the vacuum where there should be political power, and how the left still thinks we can safely ignore and laugh at ute protestors because god Jacinda right is on our side. And I kind of am still saying that.

Because I saw this,

Full Reuters piece here. Whatever finely balanced truth of that particular situation, there are a million others that can easily be put up in its place (so please spare me the reductionist rearranging of the deck chairs).

And here’s the list of Groundswell NZ’s demands (PDF), basically a short inventory of self-serving, climate and ecology denying rhetoric that seems to be saying that farmers can be trusted to do the right things. Despite the evidence. Not even going to unpack that, because All the right words on climate have already been said.

Let me summarise. Climate change is here now, not some distant future for the grandkids to worry about. So is ecological collapse. Life on earth is at serious risk in our lifetimes if we don’t take radical action now.

Let the farmers howl*. I’m more interested in what the people who understand the climate and ecology crises are doing. All the people criticising farmers and ute-owners today, how much are we willing to change our own lives to save life on earth? Or is it just other people that should be making sacrifices and cognitive shifts?

There’s a bit of ironic schadenfreude, hoisted on all our own petards here. The protest’s punchline appears to be no farmers/no food. But the industrial farming model being fought for here is a massive part of why in the end even New Zealand will have food shortages. Yes in New Zealand we want the cheap food the global supply chain serves up and that farmers enable. We’re less concerned about the poor countries that will starve first, and we’ve yet to connect the dots around our own footprints being part of the mass flamingo deaths on the other side of the world.

Farmers aren’t the problem here, they’re the mirror New Zealand is holding up to itself. We say we want change, despite the evidence.

 

*shout out to the farmers who are doing the right things, and the ones who are moving in the right direction. My apologies for talking about farmers as if a single group, but the hour is getting late.

43 comments on “If a thousand baby flamingos die in the desert does anyone hear them howl? ”

  1. roy catrtland 1

    shout out to the farmers who are doing the right things

    That's why it's so hard to have much sympathy for these protests. Their arguments are not in good faith. The polluters and destroyers piggyback themselves onto the good work of all those progressive farmers who are trying to, and often succeeding in, doing the right thing.

    There was one photo of a protest sign threatening food insecurity for city folk: so unless they're can export 95% and sell up to foreign corporates, we can all go hungry? If someone plants a flax bush by some river they've destroyed, that let's the rest off the hook?

    • weka 1.1

      please fix your username on next comment

    • weka 1.2

      I know. It's hard to see the pushback against climate action. And the arguments don't stack up. But if we think they're the problem we have massively taken our eye of the ball (which we have).

      Follow up post: why incremental land use change (that leftie townies want) won't save us or the planet from the flamingos fate.

      • Cricklewood 1.2.1

        I have some sympathy outside of water pollution issues we have a productive sector getting pointed at re co2 methane etc when the crypto industry is now a bigger co2 emitter than Greece… and someone trading a relatively small number of coins here actually has a very large carbon footprint we just dont count it becausenits offshore.

        Climate change is a global problem and getting rid of or forcing crypto mining to renewable energy will make a helleva big difference in that regard.

        I would love Jacinds to use her megaphone to start a global conversation around the coal fired crypto currency.

        Having trouble linking to crypto stats sorry

        • Cricklewood 1.2.1.1

          Adding to the above I'm also thinking being lectured about water quality is a slightly bitter pill when Auckland and Wellington probably others are literally pouring shit in enormous quantities into the harbours due to a failure of us city folk to maintain and develop our infrastructure.

          That needs a serious conversation as well. Stones glass houses etc

          • greywarshark 1.2.1.1.1

            Well I'll eat less and hold in for a day if you will Cricklewood.

          • Roy cartland 1.2.1.1.2

            Totally agree, it's a disgrace. Infrastructure improvement would create jobs as well as enviro benefit.

            Problem is, each farm produces hundreds more waste per person than a city, and with it all being shipped overseas they even holds for near-eaters; farms now owned by foreigners, the benefit to the country is scant.

            Farmers can either be part of the solution now, or it will come for them later.

    • Jenny how to get there 1.3

      roy catrtland

      16 July 2021 at 3:12 pm

      …..There was one photo of a protest sign threatening food insecurity for city folk:

      Photos and video of this protest show more than one sign making veiled threats to food production.

      How should 'city folk' respond to such threats?

      Personally; I will respond by spending more time in our local community garden.

      Collectively; Urban authorities could respond to these veiled threats by putting more funding toward addressing food insecurity, by supporting initiatives like community gardens and even urban farming.

      Household Food Insecurity Among Children: New Zealand Health Survey

      This report describes the prevalence of household food insecurity among our tamariki….

      …..for almost one in five children their household experienced severe to-moderate food insecurity

      https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/household-food-insecurity-among-children-new-zealand-health-survey-jun19.pdf#:~:text=In%20New%20Zealand%2C%20food%20insecurity

      URBAN FARMING 101

      Urban farming is the act of growing plants or raising animals in or around the city….

      https://www.freightfarms.com/urban-farming?utm_campaign=Google%20Ads%20-%20Product%20-%20Urban&utm_source=ppc&msclkid=102340a496d5157a9181205613352664

  2. Jenny how to get there 2

    Suggesting that the ute tax and the water protection measures proposed by the Government, will be the end for farmers, one of the signs held at the farmers protest, read.

    "NO FARMERS NO FOOD.

    It could just have easily read, "NO CLIMATE NO FARMS".

    It is my considered opinion, that the collapse of modern industrial agriculture due to extreme weather events resulting from climate change, drought, heatwaves, super cyclones, flooding, sea level rise and infrastructure collapse, is a more likely outcome, if we do nothing about cutting our emissions.

    http://www.viruscomix.com/carmageddon.html

    (Most commercial farming in New Zealand is less about feeding New Zealanders than it is about exporting for the bigger profits made in overseas markets).

    • Jenny how to get there 2.1

      A howl of ugliness

      Friday, July 16, 2021

      …… with signs displaying racism, gun nuttery, more racism, and of course sexism, misogyny, and an obsession with dead political ideologies. And we haven't even got to the weird conspiracy theorist stuff yet!

      http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-howl-of-ugliness.html

      Do protesters who publicly espouse fascist and racist and sexist messages deserve our support?

      A howl of ugliness

      Friday, July 16, 2021

      ….The core message of their "howl of protest" is meant to be "no farmers, no food"

      http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-howl-of-ugliness.html

      Two can play that game.

      The government could announce that they are putting major investment into Urban Farming to protect Food Security from all threats.

      Let us find out who really needs who.

      • Incognito 2.1.1

        Why do you push polarisation and sow division? You did it with the walking & cycling bridge and now you’re doing it with the farmers, in several comments today. Do you like power play at the expense of others? Do you like Hollywood movies? Oh yes, you do!

        • Jenny how to get there 2.1.1.1

          Incognito

          18 July 2021 at 7:47 pm

          Why do you push polarisation and sow division? You did it with the walking & cycling bridge and now you’re doing it with the farmers, in several comments today……..

          Hi Incognito,

          I am not pushing polarisation I am trying to create unity.
          I don''t know how you make out that my post on the cycling & walking bridge and associated comments, was pushing polarisation and sowing division.

          My post on walking & cycling bridge was about uniting the cycling community with the public transport community.

          Public transport, to complement cycling? « The Standard

          In my post and related comments I argued that making public transport fare free over the Harbour Bridge could possibly create the room for a cycle lane, which is what the cycle protesters wanted. Negating the need to build a separate stand alone bridge for bikes and walkiers.

          I suggested that making the busway fare free would compensate commuters for losing one traffic lane to bikes, so as not to widen the existing division between cycllists and commuters..

          The Auckland Harbour Bridge was designed and built and (added onto) as a motorway for vehicular traffic only.

          To change this after the fact has proved difficult..

          It's a matter of physics.

          Unfortunately the government election promise of a skyway attached to the existing structure could not be realised.
          Engineers have since determined that the existing structure cannot be added to.

          This caused a lot of disappointment amongst the cycling community, leading to cycle protesters pushing past police to trespass on the carriageway. Asking for one lane of the Harbour Bridge to be set aside for bicycles and pedestrian for a 3 month trial.

          Rather than take one lane away from the vehicular traffic, (even as a trial), as was asked for by the cyclists, the government offered the cyclists a separate stand alone cycle walking bridge to be built beside the existing bridge, estimated cost $785 million..

          It can be reasonably argued, that it is this hugely expensive and controversial project, that has caused polarisation and division.

          If you ask me, it is the proposed stand alone $785 cycle Bridge that has caused polarisation and sowed divisions, being opposed by leading cycle activists, and giving ammunition to our political opponents in the National and Act Parties to attack us as wasteful tax and spend socialists.

          My post was about uniting people around equity for both cyclists and commuters. I don't see how you can make out that this is polarising and sowing division.

          Some/many have noted that ferries can transport cyclists across the harbour, (and already do),

          I have suggested that every commuter that boards a ferry (or train), with a bike, which represents one less car on the road be granted free passage. I can't see how voicing such ideas is 'divisive'. Especially as various forms of free public transit has proved successful in number of overseas countries.

          How is that divisive?

          Some have suggested that crossing the harbour bridge on foot or bike is not about commuting but more about the experience.

          To scratch that itch, Michael Wood the Minister for transport, has suggested that every Sunday one lane of the Bridge be closed to cars and given over to cyclists and pedestrians.

          This is a wonderful idea and I hope it can be trialed very soon. I am sure it would be wildly popular with Aucklanders of all political persuasions. (And way cheaper than building a whole new bridge that nobody asked for)

          I also wrote it would be a shame for the iconic heritage houses and the mature Pohutukawa and other mature trees on the Northern approach that make our bridge so unique and iconic to be removed to make way for the cycle bridge, amounted to cultural vandalism.

          Auckland’s Northern Pathway « The Standard

          You have made it quite clear that you hold completely different political views to myself, that's OK,

          In an effort to determine the best outcomes, it would be a sad world if people didn't hold, (and air), trheir different view points,.and I respect that…
          I am forthright in putting my own pollitical views different to yours, I make no apology for that.
          I am sorry that you find different political views to yours irksome, unfortunately that is the nature of polemics.

        • Jenny how to get there 2.1.1.2

          Incognito

          18 July 2021 at 7:47 pm</a>

          Why do you push polarisation and sow division? You did it with the walking &amp; cycling bridge and now you&rsquo;re doing it with the farmers, in several comments today……

          I am sorry you feel that way.

          My intention is not to creat division. What I was trying to do with my post and related comments on the proposed cycle bridge is create equity in outcomes for taxpayers and cyclists and commuters and the climate. In effect I am trying to turn the existing divisions into unity.

          I am not creating divisions,, I am trying to bridge (pun iintended) the divisions.between the various stakeholders with an interest in the future or our city's transport network, in this case as relating to our much loved and iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge.

          The divisions already exist, nothing I have written or said has created them.

          Cycle campaigner says, 'no to bridge'

          ….Bevan Woodward, a cycling campaigner who has clashed with Waka Kotahi – the New Zealand Transport Agency – in the past, was wondering why the government had just committed to spending close to a billion dollars without even trying an obvious alternative.

          &quot;That is to take the westernmost lane for walking and cycling. Do it initially as a trial to see if it works. We know it's worked many times overseas. Let's try it out – if it works, then that should be the solution,&quot; Woodward said.&lt;/i&gt;

          Radio New Zealand 5 June 2021

          https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/444079/auckland-harbour-cycle-and-pedestrian-bridge-facing-criticism-from-both-sides</a>ugc

  3. Janet 3

    You say “Environmentalists blame farming practices along with climate change for the drought, “ I blame unfettered human populations that need more and more food to survive.

    Farmers’ current offending farming practises are the result of our scientists leading them to implement them over the last 7 decades– now scientists are back tracking so must lead and educate the farmers back to better environmental farming practises. This has already been under way for about two decades. It is the laggers that need prodding along not all farmers.

    You say “All the people criticising farmers and ute-owners today, how much are we willing to change our own lives to save life on earth?

    To begin with those of us who have been farming sustainably for the last 2 – 3 decades look to be the bigger losers the way SNA is shaping up.

    And finally, while farmers are adjusting and many people are adjusting their lives to help fit the environments needs, why are we worshipping rocket ship technology .

    Space launches can have a hefty carbon footprint due to the burning of solid rocket fuels. Many rockets are, however, propelled by liquid hydrogen fuel, which produces ‘clean’ water vapour exhaust, although the production of hydrogen itself can cause significant carbon emissions. Rocket engines release trace gases into the upper atmosphere that contribute to ozone depletion, as well as particles of soot.

    Rocket launches are nonetheless relatively infrequent, meaning that their overall impact on our climate remains much smaller than aviation’s. But it’s not just our immediate environment: ‘space junk’ is a growing concern as disused satellites and other objects accumulate in our planet’s orbit.”

    This is pure hypocrisy and if it isn,t then needs explaining.

    Why are we throwing 1080 pellets over large tracts of our lands when the world wants “pure and natural?” And there are other very effective alternative ways to pest control to help save our environment.

    And so on …. Its not just the lagging farmers that have to change their ways, it is big business, it is little business, it is the affluent people and the poor, it is everyone that must look to fit within the environment’s restraints.

  4. Patricia Bremner 4

    Just to underline your post Weka, a "Code RED" weather event in Buller, and in Germany and Belgium where freakish weather is washing away homes.

    Rivers in our overheated skies, patterns changing faster than life can adjust. We all need to change how we do things and how we live, including land hungry developers and factory farmers.

  5. greywarshark 5

    About five huge tractors in a line, washed and looking as if they are out for a run to town. All seem the same type – a chance for a dealer to display his wares? They don't look like the impoverished farmers that they have come in to complain about.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/447045/farmers-protest-across-new-zealand-against-government-regulations

    In fact some of them have so many farms they have gobbled up which if they are buying them on leverage – small deposits and then counting on profits squeezed during the good times to pay them back, then of course any increase in spending per farm multiplied by 5-15 farms is going to mount up, may be unmanageable. Oh dear, get rich quick, off NZ isn't working as planned.

  6. Koff 6

    As Patricia Bremner points out there are many, many examples right now of how climate chage is ruining human existence on the planet… the excessive heat in the Pacific NW of America, the drying up of the Amazon, excessive rainfall in Germany, Belgium…. what more evidence do NZ farmers need of the need to change..fast. I'm up on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland at the moment… another place where climate change is causing deterioration of this beautiful ecosysystem through coral bleaching. Unesco is about to delist the Reef as a World Heritage Area, primarily because the Unesco Comittee thinks that the federal government here is doing sweet FU to reduce emissions, which is the primary reason for the deterioration in the reef. The Australian government response is similar in some ways to sections of NZ's farming community…denial that anything they are doing is at fault…a pity that the huge climate change demonstrations seem to have fizzled out worldwide…there needs to be some sharp response to the Howl mob.

    • Patricia Bremner 6.1

      One brave lady who had her sign grabbed sadly Koff. I think most who disagreed realised they could not compete with brand new tractors for spectacle.

      Many Australians and their pollies think "climate change" is bumff!! Even those affected by the terrible fires. Alan Jones is always slinging off.

      I think it is called denial. The Reef, Antarctica… and thousands of species being lost.

  7. All the rural protesters said was what they don't want; ranging from over-zealous rural water regulations to "Commie Prime Ministers".

    Totally negative comments, nothing constructive but that is what the protest organisers aimed at – a massive moaning session for anyone with an axe to grind.

    In the end, we all need to change our lifestyles significantly. Nature is now in control.

  8. Byd0nz 8

    I am a farmer, Moan moan moan, Pollute the river, Groan groan groan.

    Vote for National, Just for fun, Bashed wharfies heads in fifty-one.

    Drive me cows, with a heavy load, Let them shit, All over the road.

    I'm still a farmer………. GROAN GROAN GROAN.

  9. Muttonbird 9

    Grant Robertson made very good points on the radio today. That the government is looking to work in partnership with farmers in the same way they did when bailing them out after Mycoplasma Bovis. And in the same way they have helped ensure export mechanisms are still operating in a Covid world.

    The way I see it farmers are grizzling most because of a) the increased regulatory requirements around nitrate pollution – they hate paperwork and that can be seen in the way they dismissed NAIT which invited M Bovis to spread. Well, time to be responsible like the rest of the country, guys and gals.

    And b) the Three Waters roll out. This is huge for farming lobby groups. The current situation sees them dealing with small regional councils with limited funding and pliable, familiar, and weak governance. When the model goes to 4 large water industry bodies, their lobbying power will be greatly diminished. They are terrified of this.

    Also c) the reduced access to cheap foreign labour. Everyone loves to aspire to the increasing NZ's mysterious low productivity. There's nothing mysterious about it, we are too reliant on a model which produces primary goods at low cost. A few powerful primary industry heads and bodies are complicit in maintaining this environment of low expectation.

    Farmers need a rocket up their arse. Glad someone has finally stood up to them.

    • Craig H 9.1

      That point on export markets is critically important to farming, not just in terms of maintaining export facilities during Covid, but the general point that farmer lobbies around the world struggle to compete with NZ agriculture and lobby extensively for protectionist measures, and that we are signed up to a bunch of climate treaties and free trade agreements. It's not terribly difficult to imagine us being kicked out of some of those, or various carbon sanctions/tariffs being applied because of our perceived unfair advantage over farmers "doing the right thing" in the export market suddenly closing its doors to us.

  10. I watched the protest tractors utes and cars bring our provincial town to a standstill for way too long.

    Some had signage on them. None of it logical.

    I became depressed. That parade portrayed farmers as illogical, ignorant, arrogant spoilt playground bullies For the first time in my life I felt that farmers do not deserve respect.

    Talk about two year old tantrums? Time they grew up and became rational members of a fair society.

  11. Maurice 11

    "Without Farmers you would be naked, hungry and SOBER!"

    One of the more humorous (but true?) placards …. angel

    • Graeme 11.1

      The people reading the placard would probably be ok, the produce those holding the placard produce is mostly consumed somewhere other than New Zealand. A lot of what we consume comes from outside New Zealand. Our farmers also produce way more than we can ever consume

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/whoseatingnewzealand/446357/who-s-eating-new-zealand

      We could have a lot less farming, or a lot less intensive farming and it wouldn't make a lot of difference to those not involved in farming. A lot of farmers might find themselves naked, hungry and sober however.

      We've had the complete destruction of the inbound tourism industry in the past year. This industry was touted as being the equal of farming. Not making any claims re the veracity of that, there's some pretty wild coolaid passed around in that game. Has anyone outside the industry been affected negatively? Or even noticed?

      For most New Zealanders, probably 95% of, the change has been quite positive.

      • weka 11.1.1

        I expect some of the negative effects will be felt over time. Thinking about towns like Te Anau that don't have a winter season and now a much reduces summer season.

        Some of the effects won't be being measured eg the impacts on women via flow on job loss, or domestic violence.

        But I think your point is fair. Farming sector deserves critique for a range of reasons. Farmers are still people and should be treated as such rather than evil overlords.

        Tourism is different imo, because it's replaceable. We will always need farming and landcare.

        • Graeme 11.1.1.1

          Don't see the distinction that tourism is replaceable where farming isn't.

          We will still have tourism, even if international travel never returns to being the commodity it was pre covid. People will still need to get out of their home space to preserve their sanity. Go somewhere and have a break, re-create. Just they will do that within, or close to, New Zealand. Tourism will still be there, just we won't have massive amounts of inbound and out bound. Much more domestic focused, like in 60's and 70's.

          Agriculture is the same, it changes with changing market demands. Southland used to be predominantly sheep and cropping, now dairy is the main sector. Same in Canterbury, dairy has taken over what was once sheep and cropping. Weren't very many vineyards or kiwifruit orchards before the 70's either.

          Quite agree that the effects of the tourism transition will be felt over quite a period from the pov of those within. There's a grieving process going on and it's lengthy and emotional process, both for us within the industry and our customers.

          Our market is going through huge swings or bursts. One month you can't do anything wrong, customers are having great time and loving what we have in the gallery and the till's breaking records. The next we're taking 5% of our rent and people are abusing us from the street, even had a few come in and let rip.

          We've got a couple of online presences as well that aren't tourist focused and there's a similar variability but not to the degree we're seeing across the counter.

      • pat 11.1.2

        Dont know that holds water……the Ag sector would i suspect be considerably net positive in terms of FX earnings whereas all indications are that tourism may be neutral….and we like to import, indeed over the past few decades we have placed ourselves in the position where we have to.

        • Graeme 11.1.2.1

          Would be interesting to see just how much of dairy returns actually stays in the economy. A lot of expenditure on things that are imported, along with the debt servicing for that. Then you've got overseas ownership of so much of the industry, at all levels, which will be sucking money out of the economy. Sure there's some really good sides to agriculture that are funnelling net overseas cash into the economy, but there's a lot that I'd be pretty doubtful there's actually a net gain for the economy, especially when socialised costs are included.

          Really don't see a lot of difference to tourism.

          • pat 11.1.2.1.1

            As you say it would be interesting to see…we may be falsely assuming a net benefit to NZ Inc as we did with international tourism for years.

            I wonder if that work has been done?…I suspect its one of those questions that no one in a position to evaluate wants to know the answer to.

  12. Sabine 12

    Currently in Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg,

    2 month worth of rain in two hours.

    Currently standing at 125+ death, 1300 people missing, thousands homeless, and villages that stood for several hundreds of years washed away. This death toll will go up by the hour.

    This is not something that one can fix with the help of EV cars, or some tinkering around the edges to make some groups feel superior to other groups.

    This is only something that we can adjust to if we actually understand that it is not one group alone but our collective future.

    Yet, here we think that if we all drive 'clean energy cars' or we designate a swath of land to 'SNA' areas will bargain us out of this messy, uncontrollable and deadly future.

    How much water goes down the drain in our big cities alone for showering/bathing/flushing the toilets?

    Our old waste water infrastructure, and the overflow goes into the harbour.

    Our need for our single serve car, fossil fuel all of them, and yeah, i put EV into there too. Cause that Electricity needs to come from somewhere, the rare earth minerals need to come from somewhere.

    WE need to rip up streets and other concreted over spaces to green over and re-create green spaces, but we are not doing that.

    Climate Change is happening, has been happening for a time now, and no we can't bargain us out there with cheap and meaningless rethoric about designating spaces as SNA or with the purchase of a 30.000+ dollar that pretends to be a smidgen more environmentally friendly.

    Blade Runner comes to mind, the world is orange, billboards galore, grubs as protein and flying cars. 🙂 Maybe we are all replicants.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/germany-floods-latest-belgium-map-b1885532.html

  13. barry 13

    Groundswell have a lot of demands, but no answers. They are effectively saying that some farmers are good, and shouldn't have to suffer regulations. But they don't talk about the others that are the problem, and how to improve their practices.

    In the end it is the fact that farming now is not what it was a generation ago. Some farmers are not very good business people (no matter how good they are at looking after the land and their stock), and in another industry they would have gone bankrupt a long time ago.

    It sounds very much like Trump followers in the US. Longing for a past time that never really existed. They are blaming Labour for their local (right leaning) council not fixing roads. or regulations brought in by National.

    The Ute tax seems to have been a catalyst, but it will make up a very small portion of their costs.

  14. Ed 14

    I cannot believe New Zealanders cannot look at the weather events in the past week in Canada, Belgium, Germany and New Zealand, and then turn up to protests wanting to rip up regulations about the environment.

    No climate.

    No food.

    • Sabine 14.1

      and I can not believe that Kiwis look at what happened in all of these places and think that EV's, SNA's etc will help stem the tide.

  15. Jake 15

    The huge tractor I saw driving in a narrow one way street in Ak Central yesterday was straight out of the showroom..no wonder some one who doesn’t like being told ‘what to do by a girl’ would like to take it for a joy ride. A photo of a home made placard on the scoop of a tractor said Say NO to Gobby and her Communism

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    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep 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 thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats 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. Heres 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. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen 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 ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    5 hours 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 ...
    12 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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 ...
    13 hours 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
    14 hours 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 ...
    15 hours 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 ...
    16 hours 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, ...
    16 hours 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, ...
    16 hours 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
    16 hours 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
    17 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    20 hours 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
    21 hours 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 ...
    22 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    22 hours 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
    23 hours 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 ...
    24 hours 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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
    2 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 ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    3 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
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    5 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    6 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    6 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    6 days ago
  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    6 days ago
  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days 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
    10 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    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 Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
    The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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