John Key On Trial

Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 27 comments
Categories: election 2014, International, internet mana party, john key, making shit up, Minister for International Embarrassment, Politics, same old national, Spying - Tags:

The latest instalment in the saga of John Key’s struggle to maintain his image as someone above suspicion has produced the amazing spectacle of a Prime Minister in free fall.

Faced with the threatened revelation that he has been – not just economical with, but contemptuous of – the truth as to whether or not he authorised our spy agency to spy on our fellow-citizens, he began with an embarrassing attempt to divert attention by name-calling a respected international journalist.

That was bad enough; it surely does our international reputation no favours to see our Prime Minister resort to insults, rather than address the real issues.

But worse was to come; as those issues have become impossible to ignore, we have seen a Prime Minister in a kind of grotesque pastiche of a slow-motion strip-tease – compelled from one hour to the next to reveal, layer by layer, something that gets closer and closer to the naked truth.

It was, after all, only a day or so ago that he assured us that there was “no ambiguity – I’m right, he’s wrong”. But then we learned (after he denied that there had ever been any such intention) that there had indeed been a “business case” prepared (how reassuringly run-of-the-mill that was meant to sound) to allow the GCSB to collect metadata about New Zealanders and then pass the information on to the Americans. He then explained that he had decided that the plan, though well-advanced, should be abandoned so that it had not been implemented.

At this point, the Prime Minister resorted to talking gobbledegook in an attempt to persuade us that it was all too complicated for ordinary mortals to understand. The plan had concerned, he said, “cyber protection” – a phrase that was meant to convey somehow that this was something quite different from, and therefore more acceptable than, collecting metadata about large numbers of ordinary citizens – a difference not apparent to the experts.

Another hour, another layer removed; he had not actually stopped the plan, but had “narrowed its scope”. It would not therefore place everyone under surveillance – but large, unquantifiable and unverifiable numbers of New Zealand citizens would still have their right to privacy disregarded.

A further qualification was then provided. The GCSB, we were told, did not have the resources to secretly monitor large numbers of people – which begs the question as to why a government that had gone to such lengths to please the Americans with such an elaborate plan would stop short at providing the resources needed to put it fully into action.

And then, a little bit of wishful thinking, before the Prime Minister resigned himself to being fully exposed. The revelation, he suggested, would be embarrassing in terms of showing that we had spied on friends and allies, rather than that he had lied about spying on New Zealanders.

The reaction of New Zealanders to this spectacle has been mixed. There remain those, of course, who – whatever their predilection for striptease might be – have little interest in the Prime Minister baring all. For them, anything political is of no interest, and they are hardly aware, if at all, of John Key’s embarrassment; they notice only the smile.

Then there are those who have no doubt watched in horrified fascination as the various layers of misinformation have been discarded, but who are determined not to allow their faith in the Prime Minister to be shaken. They made up their minds, even before John Key told them it was so, that this has all been brought about by a “left-wing conspiracy”, though it isn’t clear quite how it came about that “they made me do it”.

And then we have those who prefer to front-foot it. Yes, they say, the Prime Minister did authorise spying on the whole population. Yes, he did conceal it from us and he did lie to us. But he did it because the threat from terrorist attacks is so great that we have to go beyond monitoring suspicious individuals. We all have to give up our civil liberties and the rule of law; we may not like Big Brother but he is there to protect us – the argument used by repressive regimes from time immemorial.

What should the rest of us think? Perhaps the best way to approach it is to think of ourselves in terms of a jury. The Prime Minister is certainly on trial and there is a list of serious charges against him – and, as in this case, the evidence is produced only in dribs and drabs.

We might want to choose whether this is a civil case – so that we decide on “a balance of probabilities” – or is more akin to a criminal trial in which case we will look to be satisfied “beyond reasonable doubt”. But, in either case, absolute proof, one way or the other, may never be achieved.

We still have a duty, though, to reach a view. A jury will not usually just accept the word of the person being charged or sued; our task is to reach a conclusion, having assessed the evidence, without fear or favour.

Bryan Gould

15 September 2014

 

 

27 comments on “John Key On Trial ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. karol 1
    15 September 2014 at 4:41 pm

    Intercept/Greenwald has just released the NZ/KEY/GCSB/NSA stuff.

    It begins:

    AUCKLAND, New Zealand—The New Zealand spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), worked in 2012 and 2013 to implement a mass metadata surveillance system even as top government officials publicly insisted no such program was being planned and would not be legally permitted.

    Documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden show that the government worked in secret to exploit a new internet surveillance law enacted in the wake of revelations of illegal domestic spying to initiate a new metadata collection program that appeared designed to collect information about the communications of New Zealanders. Those actions are in direct conflict with the assurances given to the public by Prime Minister John Key (pictured above), who said the law was merely designed to fix “an ambiguous legal framework” by expressly allowing the agency to do what it had done for years, that it “isn’t and will never be wholesale spying on New Zealanders,” and the law “isn’t a revolution in the way New Zealand conducts its intelligence operations.”

    Snowden, in a post for The Intercept published today, accused Prime Minster Key of fundamentally misleading the public about GCSB’s role in mass surveillance. “The Prime Minister’s claim to the public, that ‘there is no and there never has been any mass surveillance’, is false,” the former NSA analyst wrote. “The GCSB, whose operations he is responsible for, is directly involved in the untargeted, bulk interception and algorithmic analysis of private communications sent via internet, satellite, radio, and phone networks.”

  2. JanMeyer 2
    15 September 2014 at 4:47 pm

    “the amazing spectacle of a Prime Minister in free fall”

    Serious? Whatever your politics surely we can agree a PM with over 65% personal support leading a party with 50% support, is not in “free fall”!

    • McFlock 2.1
      15 September 2014 at 4:50 pm

      We’ll see in five days 🙂

    • Tracey 2.2
      15 September 2014 at 5:00 pm

      It is fascinating that 65% people wanting him as PM only translates to 46-50% in the polls. People are odd indeed.

      Whatever your politics surely you can agree that he has presided over a pretty low standard of Cabinet behaviour

      • Tom Jackson 2.2.1
        15 September 2014 at 5:09 pm

        I guess people don’t care, which raises serious questions about the value of NZ democracy. If it’s going to be no more than most people voting their wallets, then we might as well not bother.

        Democracies cannot function if people value their personal political preferences over the integrity of the system. There’s a disturbing pattern of behaviour which demonstrates that National and their supporters do not.

    • Hanswurst 2.3
      15 September 2014 at 5:25 pm

      Whatever else you may pluck out of your arse, “I’m right, he’s wrong” → “It was a business proposal” → “It was actually much narrower” sounds like free fall, especially when there is a pinch of, “little henchman” and “loser” thrown into the mix.

  4. Tom Jackson 4
    15 September 2014 at 5:07 pm

    All you need to know about New Zealand is that if David Cunliffe had been subject to the smallest fraction of these accusations, most major media outlets would be howling for his resignation.

  5. karol 5
    15 September 2014 at 5:12 pm

    Snowden’s rousing post published in the last hour – about John key’s mis-truths – and a call to stand up for democracy.
    It ends:

    National security has become the National Party’s security. What we’re seeing today is that in New Zealand, the balance between the public’s right to know and the propriety of a secret is determined by a single factor: the political advantage it offers to a specific party and or a specific politician. This misuse of New Zealand’s spying apparatus for the benefit of a single individual is a historic concern, because even if you believe today’s prime minister is beyond reproach, he will not remain in power forever. What happens tomorrow, when a different leader assumes the same power to conceal and reveal things from the citizenry based not on what is required by free societies, but rather on what needs to be said to keep them in power?

    • Chooky 5.1
      15 September 2014 at 5:39 pm

      phew …that just about says it all…thankyou Edward Snowden!

      • AmaKiwi 5.1.1
        15 September 2014 at 10:05 pm

        But will we ever see it in the MSM? That is the test of our freedoms.

        MSM, are you journalists or stool pigeons? This is YOUR test as much a Key’s.

  6. Potato 6
    15 September 2014 at 5:38 pm

    A timely reminder of JK’s lying in the past….

    (uploaded April 2011) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxRCjwYcc1I

    (uploaded March 2014) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFUHAuwEe_Q

  7. Draco T Bastard 7
    15 September 2014 at 6:05 pm

    Double Trouble.

    The impact of such revelations will outweigh the repercussions of the domestic surveillance aspects of the Snowden leaks. With the nature and extent of NZ’s espionage made public, its reputation as an independent and autonomous “honest broker” in international affairs will be shattered. Its pursuit of a UN Security Council seat could well go up in smoke. But above all, the response of the states that have been and are targeted by the GCSB will be negative and perhaps injurious to NZ’s national interests. The response can come in a variety of ways, and can be very damaging. It can be economic, diplomatic or military in nature. It could involve targeting of Kiwis living in in the states being spied on, or it could involve bans or boycotts of NZ exports. The range of retaliatory measures is broad.

    It seems that National have been so busy kowtowing to the US that they’ve now really screwed our economy and international relations.

  8. Ad 8
    15 September 2014 at 6:15 pm

    So what’s the collective view:

    Is the complete oxygen-suck of stories around Key worth the effective silencing of Labour and Greens’ campaigns in this last week of the election?

    Some would say its the corrosion of Key that accounts for so much early voting. We can’t tell.

    Others, that the GCSB stories have collectively stunted the left’s campaigning so much that we are now likely to get close to the same election result as the last election.

    • Tom Jackson 8.1
      15 September 2014 at 6:41 pm

      Issues of political corruption are prior to partisan policy in my view. This government has been dogged by accusations of political corruption and the news media have for the most part let them off. For example, Collins should have gone months ago.

  9. repateet 9
    15 September 2014 at 6:34 pm

    “…in a kind of grotesque pastiche of a slow-motion strip-tease …” as just seen on TV3 News. The tedium, the “I don’t want to be here with the baby” on the election campaign.

    The sort of grotesque performance of John Banks caught with his metaphorical helicopter-forgetting pants down or Robert Muldoon on that fateful night.

  10. Sable 10
    15 September 2014 at 6:54 pm

    Good article. The big question is will people care enough to rid themselves of this man or will they wait until the consequences of his and his governments actions start to bite them personally….

    • AmaKiwi 10.1
      15 September 2014 at 10:06 pm

      Will the MSM report the damning criticisms?

      If they don’t, tonight might just as well have never happened.

  11. David H 11
    15 September 2014 at 11:46 pm

    Tomorrows Breakfast news with the Airheads on One, and the slightly better airheads on TV3 will be interesting, not for what they say, but for what they ignore , spin, or get ‘specialists’ in to obfuscate, the whole rotten mess. But this time, the genie is well and truly out of the bottle, and having way too much fun to go back in. Sorry Johnny boy but this time you are royally screwed.

  12. Tracey 12
    16 September 2014 at 5:28 am

    Does this mean the Debate is going to be an hour again?

    • CnrJoe 12.1
      16 September 2014 at 6:22 am

      Ah, the debate. Said on hoskings he was looking forward to it.
      Release the hounds, show me the dogs of xkeyscore

      • Tracey 12.1.1
        16 September 2014 at 7:04 am

        This is Cunliffe’s last chance to nail key on his meme that he can be trusted.

        McCarten needs to front up with some decent lines, succinct and comparative which show Key speaks with forked tongue…

        Pithily show how one minute he knows nothing about GCSB and SIS activities the next he is an expert (as he should be).

        It’s NOT a game, although most of us are being played.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Speech to New Zealand China Council
    Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today.    Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
    The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Government recommits to equal pay
    The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Transforming how our children learn to read
    Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.  “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
    Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
    Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government saves access to medicines
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.    “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pharmac Chair appointed
    Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
    Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.  “Every day, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • New sports complex opens in Kaikohe
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Diplomacy needed more than ever
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.    “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery Belgium
    Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service.  It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk Bair
    Distinguished guests -   It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders.   Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, Türkiye
    Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia.   Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-02T23:38:18+00:00