Kerekere quits Greens

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, May 6th, 2023 - 65 comments
Categories: election 2023, greens, political parties - Tags:

This is unfortunate.  Elizabeth Kerekere has announced that she is quitting the Green Party, will stay on as an independent and not stand again at the next election.

From Craig McCulloch at Radio New Zealand:

Under-fire MP Elizabeth Kerekere has resigned from the Greens after earlier hitting out at the party’s co-leaders over their handling of an investigation into her behaviour.

Kerekere – a first-term MP – has been under internal review since last month when she was caught speaking ill of her colleague Chlöe Swarbrick in a message sent to the wrong group chat.

Since then, multiple sources close to the party have spoken to RNZ anonymously, criticising Kerekere’s broader treatment of caucus colleagues and staff.

In a statement issued to media late Friday night, Green co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw said Kerekere tendered her resignation shortly after 8pm.

“Dr Kerekere has notified the Green Party caucus of her intention to sit as an independent MP until the general election, when she will retire,” the statement said.

The co-leaders said they would not use the waka jumping provision to eject Kerekere from Parliament, in keeping with the party’s position when the law was passed.

“We have been informed that Dr Kerekere made a number of statements whilst addressing party members tonight, that we consider to be untrue.

“We do not intend to address these tonight, but will do so over the coming days.”

Kerekere criticised the party leadership in her statement to Green Party members about the matter.  Again from Radio New Zealand:

The development comes after Kerekere spoke to party members in a conference call on Friday evening and accused Davidson and Shaw of dragging out an investigation into her behaviour.

In a roughly 10-minute address, the Tai Rāwhiti-based MP criticised the weeks-long process and said the co-leaders were making it very difficult for her to continue working in the party.

She claimed a fellow MP had purposely leaked the group chat messages and said the Greens’ processes were not well-suited to “bad-faith actors”.

Kerekere told members she had apologised unreservedly to Swarbrick for her remarks and admitted she had been envious of her colleague when she wrote: “Sucks that her bill goes through during list ranking!”

But she said her follow-up comment – “omg what a crybaby” – had been misinterpreted and was meant in a self-deprecatory manner towards herself.

RNZ has been leaked a new screengrab of the group chat conversation which shows one of Kerekere’s initial responses on the night: “I am sorry I wrote down crybaby.”

The comment goes on: “I am jealous Chloe [sic] has a bill going up during list ranking because it’s great timing and I genuinely hope my bill gets pulled tomorrow.”

Speaking on Friday evening, Kerekere told members she categorically denied any allegations of bullying.

To be frank I have a great deal of sympathy for Kerekere.  Her original text was unfortunate but the leaking and timing of the text, the coordination of multiple members to speak anonymously and even the leaking of this news from last night and the revenge leaking of the apology text suggests a rather concerted campaign against her.

And happening during the Green Party list process you have to wonder if the motivation was to reorganise the final list.

And she is right about the handling of the complaint.  Something like this needs to be dealt with quickly and decisively.  Otherwise she is left hanging and damaged at a time when decisions about her future are being made.

I suspect John Tamihere has been busy trying to locate her cell phone number to have a chat to her.

This will I am afraid not help the Greens nor for that fact Labour.

The waka jumping legislation will not be used which is appropriate given the Green’s fundamental opposition to it.  But I wonder if there is a temptation to rethink this.

65 comments on “Kerekere quits Greens ”

  1. bwaghorn 1

    ""The waka jumping legislation will not be used which is appropriate given the Green’s fundamental opposition to it. But I wonder if there is a temptation to rethink this.

    I can't see how a list mp gets to stay on, shes got no electorate ffs.

    Ditch her give some else a taste of government before the election

    • weka 1.1

      I'm in two minds. One the one hand, she can use the rest of the term to finish up work she is doing rather than leaving suddenly. On the other hand, if she left now, Steve Abel would come in on the list, giving him some time in parliament before the election, and more profile during the election campaign (this would be a very good thing for the Greens).

  2. Tiger Mountain 2

    The Greens have long had one of the most open–and convoluted–candidate selection processes among NZ parliamentary parties. Apparently voting rights were conferred in 2020 for identity interest groups, which assisted the good Doctor’s rapid rise.

    Some long time Greens are happy to languish in lowly list positions to make up the numbers. The final rankings will show where the party majority is at really.

    • weka 2.1

      Apparently voting rights were conferred in 2020 for identity interest groups…

      what does that mean?

      • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1

        Got the impression from social media comments that factions get an extra bite in the selection process, and this article…
        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/efeso-collins-among-list-of-likely-green-candidates-for-2023-election/NE4S33V6VFDSTF7GSSCHQYTZRA/

        happy to be proved wrong, am not a member now, was in the “EcoNation” days when Nandor and Sue were there, and still vote Green.

        • weka 2.1.1.1

          sorry, I still don't know what you mean. Do you mean that in 2020 they changed the selection process? And this gave more power to identity politics?

          • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1.1.1

            I can’t put it much clearer, the Greens are painstakingly balanced down the levels to co-conveners etc. and most parties and organisations have sectors which is fine, unless they are ignored or engage in “special pleading”, diverting from the main focus, which is where some prominent Greens have been heading imo.

            “There are a number of identity or interest-based networks across the party. These include:

            • Green Women
            • Inclusive Greens (a network for members living with a disability)
            • Pasifika Greens (a network for members with ancestry)
            • Rainbow Greens (a network for LGBTQIA+ members)
            • GreenLeft (a network for left wing & anti capitalist members)
            • Te Roopu Pounamu (Māori network)
            • Union Greens
            • Young Greens”
  3. Francesca 3

    For me the crybaby txt is the least of it .Her behaviour flouting covid regulations, while Greens covid spokesperson,her visible contempt towards those submitting in good faith on the self ID legislation, and her part in destabilising the Greens leadership re Shaw nominations has led to my view of her as a divisive force.

    She's better off being out of parliamentary politics and instead focusing on the activism she espouses

    • Thanks for that Francesca…I didn't know she had been involved in the behaviour you describe. How she could expect a high list ranking after undermining the party leadership beggars belief.

    • weka 3.2

      It wasn't hard for me to believe there's been a history of issues. She comes across as a liability for the Greens in election year, and this has been confirmed by what she's done in the past few days. Whatever politicking has been done behind the scenes (on both sides as far as I can tell), and whatever unfairness to her in that, she is damaging the party on her way out the door by her current actions and that confirms she is not a good fit. Incredibly tone deaf to what happened in 2017.

      There's room for criticism of Genter and Ghahraman in their reactions to the texts/messages in the house on the day. They must have known that they were in camera shot behind Swarbrick. That was just fodder for the MSM hounds. Not acceptable from experienced politicians in election year, I hope they all sort their issues out and focus on what matters. I'm glad this happened now and not in a few months time.

      It's means to be the climate election. The other issue is whether Kerekere would have pushed gender ideology and that derailed the election into the sex/gender war. The MSM would have a field day and it had the potential to cost the Greens big time. Maybe the left as a whole.

    • Shanreagh 3.3

      Agree with this Francesca. The list of concerns goes far further back than the 'crybaby' text though the text seems to be on par with the reception that many submitting on the Self ID provisions received.

      While the investigation has taken a while and this is bad, this does not seem to me to as egregious as her prior behaviour. I feel that perhaps selection procedures need looking at in the Greens as well as everywhere else.

      To me she espouses the concept of a mean girl.

      https://www.verywellfamily.com/signs-of-a-mean-girl-460512

      Having been a an all girls boarding school for 5 years you get the ability recognise these types and avoid them, if you can. But sometimes they just come for you…….as she was probably doing to Chloe Swarbrick who is typical of the type that was high on the mean girls' radar.

    • Sabine 3.4

      yes, that was a right spectacle of privilege in the hand of arrogance. Good riddance. May someone better – and in this case that can literally be anyone – gets the spot.

  4. weka 4

    just realised that many GP members will already have voted on the list ranking (28 April to 12 May), so what happens to that process now? What a mess.

    • Belladonna 4.1

      I have no idea of the actual process in the Greens. But common sense would dictate that if any ranked member is suddenly unavailable, all those ranked below would just move up one space.
      Members can very conceivably become unavailable due to a whole raft of reasons – anything from health onwards.

      Much the same happens to the next placed list member when a list MP retires during the term – the next on the list has the opportunity, but sometimes declines, and the offer goes on down the list ranking until someone accepts.

  5. Peter 5

    One of the complications with the Kerekere situation is the same as that in the Guarav Sharma one. Reality and truth are secondary.

    Immediately problems were obvious everything Kerekere and Sharma said and claimed were going to have gold standard quality attributed to them.

    Not to do with knowledge or rational analysis but because doing that would mean trouble for their respective parties. Sharma could make stuff up, claim anything and it would equal, "They are all scum, they have treated me like I'm scum."

    It may have been best if right from the outset with indications of questionable behaviour, the 'system' had rallied and said, "Bugger off, you're acting like an arse."

    Bullying is common in workplaces and organisations, it's not right and should be handled. And there is arrogant shithouse behaviour from which individuals which is tolerated on and on in workplaces until the environment there is poisoned. All I can do is observe. I reckon the mass of the other people in the groups Kerekere and Sharma were attached to are well shot of them.

    • Incognito 5.1

      Nope, Sharma and Kerekere are completely different situations. Sharma went all out and ballistic, attacking many people in a kamikaze manner while Kerekere stayed quiet until now. Note that Kerekere’s message was leaked.

  6. Psycho Milt 6

    I see this as fortunate, not unfortunate. It makes it a little less likely that I'll cast a spoiled ballot this year, for one thing. The only voter demographic Kerekere appeals to is fellow Queer Theory extremists, which is not an electoral advantage. Te Pati Māori would be made to take her on.

    • RedLogix 6.1

      TPM fast becoming the dustbin of Parliament, a refuge for malcontents and ethno-state radicals united only in their sense of resentful entitlement.

      Ya gotta think Tamihere is going to have his work cut out paddling this waka in a straight line.

      • Psycho Milt 6.1.1

        Yes, Whaitiri's departure from Labour was a shambles. I get the feeling that having blown her chances of a leadership role in Labour, she's looked at the polls pointing to TMP being kingmaker after the election and seen it as a better vehicle for her personal ambition. I wouldn't be keen to endorse that with my party vote.

      • adam 6.1.2

        Waaah, Waaaahhhh, Waaaaahhhhh.

        Poor wee babies of the beige tory fear mongering sect.

        It's too hard to have actual politics, so lets bad mouth everyone we disagree with, so we can feel safe…

  7. Incognito 7

    I agree with the OP that the process has taken way too long.

    Justice too long delayed is justice denied

    • MLK 1963 –

    My impression of the Green Party is that they are so adamant on following principles of fairness and natural justice that they get dragged down by time-consuming trivia that don’t serve political expedience and efficiency. This, in turn, leaves an impression of an ineffective neutered political ‘faction’ that is more show than substance. If I were an arch-pragmatist, I would not vote for the Green Party.

    • weka 7.1

      the bit I find odd about the timeframe is the lack of explanation. The Greens are usually more transparent than this. In the end we don't know if the timeframe makes sense or not.

      • Incognito 7.1.1

        Apparently, they were still going through the process, whatever that process entailed. Undoubtedly, this delicate situation needed to be treated with sensitivity and confidentiality. But the communication was handled poorly and it created a vacuum that MSM and SM were all too happy to fill.

  8. Another distraction. I am sorry if I am old fashioned, but in my mind we are in a fight for our lives, our working people, our country, our world. Yes, Labour is not perfect, nor the Greens, but FFS can we just talk about what's at stake here, not about individuals having what seems to be much more about them than the cause? I heard Rawiri on Newshub Nation saying they are not left or right but down the middle. So what the hell does that mean when it comes to our current parliamentary system? Because that's what we have right now and come the election it will be the numbers that count. And do those on the Centre Left think it is a good idea to eat each others' lunch in the name of perfection? Because we will lose and the prospect fills me with dread,

    • Sabine 8.1

      Can we talk about the last 5+ years, three of them in full majority and the failure to produce anything of value to the people that have nothing of value?

      No you actually can't deflect from this. The Green Party rules out working with anyone other then Labour or 'the left', and thus in the end will always end up in bed with Labour, for better or for worse, and in this case for worse.

      Between this person, and the comments of other uterus having persons of the Green Party a lot of damage has been done, and no one is to blame but the persons who state stupid things life on telly and post pictures/comments on twitter/social media for all to see, read and digest. To the point where people that normaly would support Green instead of Labour are not longer considering doing so. Ditto for Labour.

      And one can only blame the electorate/;voters for wrong think and wrong vote for so long before it becomes clear that the fault lies not with the one that are to vote, but for the ones that got themselves elected and then refuse to work for their electorate, the good of the country and those that are hardest done by. Arrogance before the fall.

      TPM will either go left or right, depending on whom has the most to offer. Anyone thinking differently is sleepwalking through life.

      If labour is deluding themselves into believing that stacking the TPM with ex – Labour diversity picks is going to help them pass the hurdle again just shows the arrogance of Labour. TPM have used Labour and National equally to their benefit, sometimes it works sometimes not, but Labour should not even think that TPM is a partner that will save their behinds come the next election. TPM will go with whomever has the best proposal for them, and that might be National – the other pea of the purple colored pod that is NZ politics.

      If you are filled with dread today, you can lay that squarely at the feet of the Labour/Green party, drunk on their own idea of importance, devoid of any humanity for those that they choose no longer to represent, and in the end, unelectable at best, despised at worst.

      Those that used to vote L or G will have no one really to vote this time around. That should fill you with dread. The politically homeless and politically abandoned who nevertheless still have the right to vote, as this time around, holding their noses to lock out the stench and who find it does not work anymore.

      As for the person that just left the Green Party, good riddance, i don’t think they did a single thing for the people that elected them.

      • Corey 8.1.1

        This.

        Every word.

        Labour and the Greens have delivered absolutely nothing meaningful or for the people with nothing, stuff all for the middle class but have really really delivered for the rich.

        The "lefts" obsession with identity above all else, their increasingly authoritarian views on speech and debate and social engineering when all we want is houses for EVERYONE, to seriously tackle inequality rather than tinker round the edges and to fix the clusterfuck that is the housing system

        It's going to be really really hard to bother voting this time, fear of national and act ain't going to cut it

    • bwaghorn 8.2

      "" I heard Rawiri on Newshub Nation saying they are not left or right but down the middle.

      I heard those words but what I really heard is tpm aims to be the center of importance that everyone must humble themselves to.

    • These natural occurrences are blown up in importance by some, but I agree with you Darien, we are in "The fight of our lives".

      A few will self aggrandize in spite of that because they are totally self aware.

      There is no perfect party, or perfect way and the best we may hope for is a coalition of good will and belief in preserving the best of our cultures and environment.

      Now, none of that will happen in a vacuum. MMP will rule again, and that requires compromise. A word that some hate, because it means sharing and having to work collectively for a larger community, rather than self.

  9. DS 9

    Not a Green myself, but she's only in Parliament because of those people who list-voted Green in 2020 – people she is no longer representing. While she hasn't pulled a full Alamein Kopu and started voting with the Nats, I do think there's an implicit betrayal of Green voters here. She really ought to quit as an MP.

    • Incognito 9.1

      Are you suggesting that List MPs can and do only represent people in Parliament who voted for them?

      • bwaghorn 9.1.1

        I certainly think that's the case, list mps are there for the party that bought them in. Leave the party leave the house.

      • Belladonna 9.1.2

        That was certainly the justification given at the time for the Waka jumping legislation.

        I think it's a bit more nuanced when it comes to electorate MPs. But it's a lot harder to argue that Kerekere had a whole lot of individual support aside from her membership of the GP.

        • Incognito 9.1.2.1

          Ok, these are two things. Firstly, the waka jumping legislation has not and will not be triggered in this case. An independent MP can still represent in Parliament. Secondly, forget about Kerekere for a moment, who is a List MP, and try to answer the question more generally.

          • RedLogix 9.1.2.1.1

            I see no problem if you are elected as an Independent – but to be elected on a Party list and then choose to jump to being an Independent I cannot see why the Electoral Integrity Act should not apply in principle.

            Both of these resignations look shabby, and regardless the carefully parsed defenses being made here, neither passes the pub test.

            • Incognito 9.1.2.1.1.1

              Thanks for replying. However, like the other replies, it wasn’t really answering my question, at least not directly. Personally, I’ve never quite worked out the exact role(s) of political parties in representation in Parliament. I mean, do MPs represent the people, all people or some people, or their Party, which represents (some) people, or a bit of both? I’m still meaning to read On the Abolition of All Political Parties by Simone Weil (HT to Eleanor Catton). I think Weil’s arguments with strike a chord with me because the title certainly has a certain appeal.

              • RedLogix

                Well yes I am not unsympathetic to that view – but surely if we had abolished political parties, then the Electoral Integrity Act itself would serve no purpose. And we would not be having this conversation.

                • Incognito

                  True, but we don’t always and forever have to like and agree with Acts, do we? All we need to do is to abide by them, for the time being aka impermanence. Generally speaking, we seem wedded to this type of representative democracy and lack the imagination and courage to contemplate or even consider the possibility of other forms of governance …

                  • In Vino

                    Sorry – I feel fundamentalist about this. If you get in on a party list vote, it is then your obligation to represent those who voted you in, and be loyal to that party. No subtleties allowed.

                    She should have been thrown out of parliament instantly, and the speaker's prevarications serve only to demonstrate the effect of having rules that are poorly drafted, allowing such prevarication.

                    • Incognito

                      All good, thanks. Usually, when dealing with a ‘fundamentalist’ there is no discussion possible.

                      I’m interested in here compelling opinions on what representation in Parliament means. So far, I’ve mainly heard (legal-technocratic) reasons why a deserter needs to be turfed out of Parliament and that all (?) representation starts and stops with being in the Party of which the recalcitrant and rebel List MP was a member. However, nothing much compelled to form a firm opinion.

                    • weka []

                      … and that all (?) representation starts and stops with being in the Party of which the recalcitrant and rebel List MP was a member…

                      I don’t think it’s all. Kerekere (or anyone) could stand as an independent candidate at the next election. I think it’s more that MMP means that she became an MP because of the party.
                      She wasn’t voted in herself, her party was. For instance, if she was an electorate MP and she left parliament there would be a by-election because she was voted in directly. But as a list MP, if she left parliament, she would be replace from the list because people voted for the party with the list.

                      I don’t have strong feelings one way or the other, but I can see why some people feel it’s unjust to continue as an independent list MP.

                    • Incognito []

                      I think there is a Post in this, i.e., the special power & sway political Parties hold and the fact that independents apparently or allegedly stand no chance in a General Election even though there is no rule or Law against it. There have been examples of sitting MPs defecting, of course. I realise that this may sound like heresy on a site that has a strong foundation in the labour movement.

                      I’ll leave it at this – it is not the right Post anyway to pose such general questions.

                    • weka []

                      a post would be great. Or a discussion at another time in OM/DR etc. The idea of independents standing in GE, and why we need political parties etc.

          • Belladonna 9.1.2.1.2

            Regardless of whether or not the Waka Jumping legislation will or will not be triggered (by some form of specious pleading).

            If someone has been elected on a Party list then they are, by definition, representing the people who voted for that party and it's policies. If they then decide to become independent, exactly who are they representing?

            The net result is a reduction of representation from the Party (and it's policies) in Parliament, against the intent of the electorate at the previous General election.

            It doesn't arise in the makeup of this Parliament, with its overwhelming single party majority; but has the potential to be significant in a more evenly divided Parliament, with one or more parties holding the 'balance of power'.

            If you will conceive of a situation where the GP combined with Labour hold a 1 seat majority – then the defection of a single MP has the potential to bring down the Government. We have had single seat majorities in the past, and may well again, following the election this year – certainly the majority will be considerably slimmer than currently enjoyed by the current government.

            It was precisely this situation which the Waka Jumping legislation was intended to prevent. The intention was that, once an MP was no longer voting with their Party, their seat was vacated, resulting in either a by-election (cf Sharma) or a new list MP (cf Mallard) [Yes, I know he retired, but it’s the same end result, a new list MP]

            This results in the balance of parliament, as voted for in the last General election (list replacement), or the opportunity for the electors to determine their representative (by-election)

            While I don't entirely agree with the WJ legislation (I think that there is a reasonable argument that an electorate MP has sufficient endorsement aside from their Party membership to remain in Parliament. Remembering, here Anderton.). I do think that Rurawhe's reasoning is entirely against the intent of Parliament, when the legislation was enacted. And does the office of Speaker little credit.

      • pat 9.1.3

        I think there is a nuance that needs to be considered….once an MP becomes part of the Government then they are obliged to represent the interests of the country as a whole (that dosnt however mean they aspire to such nor that they succeed) whereas if you are not in the governing body you are freer (note the extra 'r') to act as an advocate for your 'constituency/cause/ideals'.

        • Belladonna 9.1.3.1

          Certainly I'd agree with you over someone who is a Minister. And that's what a lot of the cabinet manual is about – balancing the duties and responsibilities of being an electorate MP and being a part of the government.

          I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that it's inevitably the case for a back bench MP in a party which is part of a coalition government.

          Having said that, I'd certainly advocate for a much freer style of parliamentary debate (as is practised in the UK) – where back bench MPs frequently disagree (sometimes vehemently) with their Party over issues. I think that our rather rigid 'whipping' system, results in poorer democracy.

          • pat 9.1.3.1.1

            They may 'disagree' but they are still expected to vote in support of the Governments policies….crossing the floor is not without consequence

      • Grey Area 9.1.4

        Yes. How else did they get there?

    • Shanreagh 9.2

      I think she is after the election..ie she is retiring then. I am not sure why she cannot go now. The waka jumping legislation seems to be more honoured in the breach and perhaps if she put a note in a bottle it might get to the Speaker before the legislation is triggered. Or does the WJ legislation only apply to electorate seats?

      I can see she could create merry hell in the next few months with nothing to lose.

      • Tiger Mountain 9.2.1

        Dr Kerekere certainly seems not a great unity fan, as per a ZZ Top number…

        You know I gotsta get paid”…

      • Belladonna 9.2.2

        Of course she could go now. And, if she had any serious loyalty to the GP – that's exactly what she would do (giving the next ranked list MP a taste of parliament – and a leg up for the election campaign).

        However, that would mean no further parliamentary salary…..

        She can resign at any point – it just needs a letter (on paper, with a handwritten signature – apparently) to the Speaker using the magic formula "I resign".

        The Speaker has made it clear that all 3 elements must be present for a resignation – either from a Party – triggering the waka jumping legislation) or from Parliament to be valid.

        The GP have made it clear that they won't trigger the WJ legislation provisions with the Speaker (a principled stance, since they've opposed the legislation all the way through).

        However, I'd be surprised if Kerekere turns up much. There will be little, if any, opportunity for her to speak as an independent MP. And Parliament is pretty boring for backbench MPs in any case. I think that the Speaker is generally fairly liberal with granting leave (certainly Ardern wasn't present in the house between her resignation as PM, and her valedictory speech). And lots of other MPs have been liberally granted leave of absence for 'stress' related reasons.

    • Psycho Milt 9.3

      Absolutely. A list MP is in Parliament because people cast list votes for their party. If they quit the party, integrity would require them to quit Parliament as well and stand in a by-election (or just quit). Unfortunately, integrity seems to be in short supply among the kind of people who want to become MPs.

    • Mike the Lefty 9.4

      If you get elected on a party list then leave that party that should automatically mean you leave the list – effectively resigning – and the next available person on the list takes your place. The legislation is too loose and easy to get around.

  10. Stuart Munro 10

    My impression of EK during the leadership spill around Shaw, was that she believed she should take his place. I recall Marama smiling sympathetically at her, as one does to a child that cannot do the math. With one Maori woman co-leader already, Green preferences for a representative party in parliament gave EK no advantage over any other aspirant for that position – she did not seem to understand this however.

    Now she's off, like the young of the spade-footed toad, to meditate on fratricide until the rains return.

    • weka 10.1

      What was EK's role in the leadership thing?

      • Stuart Munro 10.1.1

        I couldn't say with certainty, though she was involved. My impression was mostly based on a brief media appearance – though the issue had surfaced in January of last year. Particularly damaging to Shaw was a revelation of a promise made to Labour without or in advance of Green party support – for which he was rebuked even by Jeanette Fitzsimons – a fairly centrist Green voice one would think.

        Most of the critique of Shaw came from outside the current parliamentary party however, and the spill failed when EK declined to challenge for Shaw's position on the 25th of July.

  11. weka 11

    Shaw and Davidson speaking on the issues

    https://twitter.com/NewshubNZ/status/1654735003182329859

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 hour ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 hours ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    3 hours ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 hours ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 hours ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    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): ...
    8 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 ...
    15 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 ...
    16 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 ...
    16 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 ...
    16 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 ...
    16 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 ...
    16 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 ...
    16 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 ...
    16 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
    18 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 ...
    19 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 ...
    19 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, ...
    19 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, ...
    19 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
    19 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
    20 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
    23 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
    23 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
    23 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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 ...
    1 day 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

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 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
    19 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
    20 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
    22 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
    22 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    4 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
    5 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
    1 week 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
    1 week 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

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-18T23:25:05+00:00