Key’s earthquake ‘fun’

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 29th, 2013 - 76 comments
Categories: disaster, Gerry Brownlee, john key - Tags:

I missed this news somehow – no doubt in the excitement of the Labour leadership contest – but the government suffered a major court ruling against it over their ungenerous Christchurch earthquake pay-outs.

Their 50% offer for uninsured land (including vacant land that cannot be insured) was ruled to be inequitable and not in accordance with the law by the High Court.  Gerry Brownlee wasn’t in the spirit of helping those who’ve struggled for 2.5 years in the quake aftermath though and immediately announced an appeal.

But Key went one further, threatening to pull even the 50% deal:

“One option is the Government says: ‘Thanks very much, it’s been a lot of fun. If you don’t want to take the offer, that’s where it’s at’.”

Yup, a devastating earthquake and then finding your land red-zoned and worthless and the government discriminating against you, leading to a long expensive court-case is ‘a lot of fun‘ according to John Key.

As Rebuilding Christchurch have it:

hi-from-chch

 

Key’s since issued a Clayton’s apology (‘sorry if anyone was offended’), but given his high words and promises to the people of Christchurch in the wake of the disaster, one can seriously understand why most Kiwis struggle to believe him.

76 comments on “Key’s earthquake ‘fun’ ”

  1. BM 1

    What’s the difference in investing in a block of land and investing in a finance company?
    The way I see it, there’s no difference at all

    How many of these people brought sections as investments?

    • Pascal's bookie 1.1

      Ahem. SCF.

      • BM 1.1.1

        And?
        Its that some precedent, some politician did something unbelievably stupid and from that point on, the tax payer has to pick up the bill every time someones investment goes pear shaped?

        • Pascal's bookie 1.1.1.1

          You implied that investors in finance compnaies don’t get bailed out.
          But they do. For a lot more money, and when they should have been aware of the risks.
          It’s not my fault your distrcation turned out to be a bit foolish.

          • BM 1.1.1.1.1

            So you think these people should get bailed out because of SCF.?

            That’s the bench mark, does seem a bit fiscally irresponsible, but hey it’s only tax payers money,right?

            Plenty more where that came from.

            • Colonial Viper 1.1.1.1.1.1

              bailed out not “because of SCF”, but because the government should be willing to help ordinary people out, not just multi-millionaire mates.

            • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1.1.1.1.2

              Its cheaper than Funding another RWC or Americas Cup

              Then theres Meridian and Rio Tinto.

              Rio Tinto got a $30 mill ‘Golden hello’ fornsticking around after their previous contract they signed ‘went pear shaped’

        • geoff 1.1.1.2

          It is called a double standard, BM. National is happy to bailout corporates but will it help a handful of
          earthquake victims? Nope. National hates people. You support National. Why do you hate people, BM?

          • BM 1.1.1.2.1

            They’ve offered these people 50%, they’re lucky to be offered that.

            Maybe you could stump up with the balance Geoff, if you care so much about these poor investors.

            • geoff 1.1.1.2.1.1

              Yes, we’ve already established you hate people but we still dont why. Not enough hugs as a child?

            • vto 1.1.1.2.1.2

              Why did Brownlee offer others 100%?

              You will need to think carefully and comprehensively, taking into account all factors around the earthquakes, the red zones and their purpose, insurance, insurability, and the CERA legislation, in answering this. Oh and also the High Court case.

              Somehow I suspect that is all too much for Brain Minimum. You’re a waste of space on this issue bm.

            • Colonial Viper 1.1.1.2.1.3

              They’ve offered these people 50%, they’re lucky to be offered that.

              Why did SCF multi-milionaires and FOREIGNERS get offered 100% of their money back PLUS INTEREST?

              Why do you prefer rich foreigners to be helped, but say that ordinary NZers can’t be helped?

              Your sicko attitude is why Kiwis are going to kick National out in 13 months time. It’s embarrassing.

              • BM

                Why did SCF multi-milionaires and FOREIGNERS get offered 100% of their money back PLUS INTEREST?

                Because Cullen let them, you’d have to be a mug not to take up that offer.

                • One Anonymous Knucklehead

                  “Cullen let them”? Are you sure, BM, because I’m sure I recall something rather different. You wouldn’t be telling lies, as a perfect expression of everything you represent, now, would you?

                  I note the High Court has ruled the government acted illegally. Why are you cuddling up to low-life crims, BM?

                • Colonial Viper

                  Cullen? Why are you lying? It was a National Government which resigned SCF then made those decisions, why doesn’t a National Government choose to help out NZers but choose to help out dirty rich foreigners instead?

                  Key has just lost National another 20,000 Christchurch votes with his cocked up comments. Another 45,000 or so lost, and National will win the next election. He just burnt up a third of the National electoral lead, with one quip.

                  You’re fucked mate, the Tory government deserves to go out on its ear.

                • Lanthanide

                  Actually the deposit gaurantee scheme covered the initial deposits only, not the investment returns.

                  National decided to pay the investment returns anyway. So you can’t blame that on Cullen.

                  Then there’s the whole fact that actually the 1st scheme Cullen had created expired, and it was Bill English that signed SCF up to the 2nd tranche of it, without doing due-diligence as to whether all companies invited into the 2nd tranche had been properly playing by the rules. Had due diligence been done, nobody in their right mind would have allowed SCF to sign up.

                  How much of the above is actually news to you, or did you just conveniently hope that none of us here know the details of what really went down?

                • Jackal

                  Even Fran O’Sullivan doesn’t think the SCF was bailed out because “Cullen let them” BM. But don’t let the facts of the matter hit you on the ass on the way out.

            • Tracey 1.1.1.2.1.4

              BM, let me interrupt you with some facts.

              Cullen did not enable the payout to foreign investors in SCF, John Key did.

              “the Government had extended the payout to cover people not in the scheme, such as foreign investors,…” John Key 31/08/2010 as reported on Stuff

              The government “offer” to the red zone residents was not a genuine offer

              “…red zone residents faced with a Crown purchase offer, had no or little option but to accept it. In the first place the offers were pitched at a level sufficient to make them attractive, given that the subject land was not only damaged, but within the red zone. Particularly as areas became depopulated, infrastructure fell into disrepair and essential services came under threat, the outlook for property owners was bleak. In reality, they had but Hobson’s choice.” [93] High Court decision

            • ghostwhowalksnz 1.1.1.2.1.5

              What about the CBD ‘frame’ . The government is compulsorily purchasing the land there.

              No red zone, its perfectly build able and well located, some still have occupied buildings

              But no , Nanny state has decided to prop up land values in the CBD by reducing the land zoned commercial. By government fiat they are given their land value wheter they like it or not

              Christchurch is riddled with inconsistencies like this. THis is the core of the Court decision

              • Tracey

                +1

                The core of the decision is condemnation of inequity and acting without authority. This government doesn’t care about the first and believes the second is ok cos they “know what’s best”

                That smacks not of nanny state but authoritarian state.

                I have read many legal decisions in my life. This decision is squarely accusing the government of being bullies.

            • quinnjin 1.1.1.2.1.6

              Land is not a risky investment, earth quakes are not relatively foreseeable market events. losses due to earthquakes are not down to mismanagement, unlike the SCF situation. Your comparing apples with oranges. therefore, your argument is invalid. Now quit your whining. National party fan boy.

              • quinnjin

                Also, the land owners are only asking for market value, also making your “investment risk” argument invalid.

    • Tracey 1.2

      In residential areas you can expect the land to have a home built on it.

      Bothered to read the decision yet BM?

      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-28082013/#comment-687063

      “I see no difference at all”

      The difference is outlined below.

      The Government drafted the earthquake legislation. They actually drafted two pieces, one after the first earthquake and another later. So they had two chances to get it right.

      They also made lots of statements in public and private about the intention of their legislation.

      The High Court decision is that they then dealt with these people contrary to the very legislation (and its purpose) that they (Govt) had prescribed.

      vacant land owners could not get insurance. It is not a question of them not wanting it.

      The bottom-line however is that this government made statutory promises through the ACT and its purpose and then acted contrary to it.

      Put it this way, the majority of vacant and uninsured have already been fucked by the Govt acting outside its power (and this decision wont change that), so you can take some solace.

      The total cost of to the country to top up the first unlawful offer by the government is

      $12.54m

      BTW there is no proof, and none was offered by the Crown in its case that people will not insure if the govt pays the uninsured 100%

      Remember when the Govt paid out $20m to foreign investors in SCF? Wouldn’t a good kiwi bloke like the Pm think these Canterbury kiwis are more worthy of our support than the foreign folks taking a roll of the dice on investments? Investor beware and all that? AND this payout was done after English had a chance to cancel the govt guarantee scheme of Cullen… he knew the implications, he had advice it was going to fail, and he did it anyway.

      How about that for a precedent?

      • One Anonymous Knucklehead 1.2.1

        Nice one Tracey. Keep hounding the lying little twerp.

      • vto 1.2.2

        Yes well spelled out Tracey, although there is one other fact worth highlighting….

        The cost to the taxpayer of topping up the 50% offer is $12 million.

        The cost to the taxpayer of paying out South Canterbury Finance investors was $1,700 million.

        To picture that difference try this… Here is one $ representing the cost for these red zoners

        $

        Here are the $ representing the cost for SCF investors

        $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

      • bad12 1.2.3

        Yes the High Court ruling was based around the Governments own CERA Legislation, there cannot be then a precedent in Law from this decision which effects some future event or disaster,

        BM’s continual whine here is reflective of the little temper tantrum thrown by Slippery the Prime Minister and Brownlee as the CERA Minister over the High Court decision,

        Discriminating against property owners who had not taken out private insurance beforhand or had allowed their insurance to lapse is something we all ‘know’ might leave us without recourse should the house catch fire or some other ‘known’ disaster occur,

        Discriminating against people not insured because bare-land property cannot be insured in this country is another story entirely,

        The decision from the High Court was an excellent effort from the Bench relying simply on the clauses of the CERA Legislation to come to it’s conclusion and the cost to the Government is a mere raindrop in comparison to the total cost of the rebuild…

        • Tracey 1.2.3.1

          Mostly BM just doesn’t want to address the appalling machievellian response of Key to not “winning”.

          • bad12 1.2.3.1.1

            The only thing ever proved by the likes of BM and the other shills who wash up on these shores for an occasional burst of invective is that (a) the constant call for a better class of wing-nut is obviously based upon the fact that the current crop are basically useless, mere functional idiots,

            And (b), Did they really all go to private schools, if so they should all be demanding their money back and readying the bulldozers to demolish such shoddy institutions of learning…

        • vto 1.2.3.2

          “the cost to the Government is a mere raindrop in comparison to the total cost of the rebuild”

          I feel another representation coming on…

          Dollars to top up the 50% offer people

          $

          Dollars the government is spending in Christchurch

          $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

          • bad12 1.2.3.2.1

            Vto,Lolz, Ouch, that does things to my eyeballs what eyeballs were not meant to suffer,

    • One Anonymous Knucklehead 1.3

      In actual fact, BM, this is about Key’s clumsy, callous words, and more particularly his failure to apologise for them.

      I note that when your opinion differs from that of the High Court, it’s irrelevant, and when it agrees, it’s redundant.

      • Sable 1.3.1

        BM’s an ignoramus.Why waste words when the facts drown out his/her inane bleating.

        • Tracey 1.3.1.1

          Because, presented with facts, someone who believes BM’s drivel on this topic, might see through the bullshit.

          SCF

          “All assets have now been realised from the liquidated finance company, with $774.4m recovered, the latest report from receivers Kerryn Downey and William Black states…

          The receivers were appointed on August 31, 2010, and on June 7 last year, liquidators PricewaterhouseCoopers were appointed.

          The 2-year receivership has cost $936,852 in legal fees.

          The six-month liquidation cost $50,000 in fees ” 2013 stuff.co.nz

          “While it laid out $1.775 billion yesterday, the Government expects its eventual loss will be reduced to about $600 million once the company’s assets are realised over three or four years. That is included in $900 million it has set aside to cover its net losses under the guarantee…

          WHAT IT WILL COST

          * $1.7 billion

          What the Government spent yesterday bailing out South Canterbury’s investors

          * $1.17 billion

          What the Government expects to recover from South Canterbury’s receivership

          * $600 million

          Final bill for taxpayers”

          from stuff.co.nz in 2010 “

          • Sable 1.3.1.1.1

            So present your own argument Tracey rather than responding to BM’s. In that way you don’t validate their comments in any way…

            • Tracey 1.3.1.1.1.1

              um… okaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

              I feel like I just got caught running in the hallway.

              • Sable

                Up to you Tracey but if you bite down on their comments it does tend to suggest they may have a point, even if its a bad one.

                • Tracey

                  how I felt when I got caught running in the hallway was

                  “Damn I know I shouldn’t do it but it’s hard to resist.” So, I took your comment onboard.

                  • Tautoko Viper

                    Great effort, Tracey. Keep running in the hallway. Sometimes you have to explain facts in several different ways before comprehension dawns. Teachers understand this.

                • Bastables

                  So we should just not pull up liers. One should never confront a lier at all . . .
                  Sod that if some one talks bullshit like BM he should be pulled up on it. Tracey bothered to and highlighted how much of a lier BM is, it is proper and right.

                • freedom

                  Sable, I think you are overlooking one of the many advantages of blogs in dealing with propaganda based lies, especially when those lies pertain to government spin junkies such as BM.

                  Although a casual visitor may agree with the view expressed by BM they may simply not be aware of the reality that contradicts it. By being exposed to the facts of a situation, such as those outlined above by Tracey, many people have their views challenged. I am convinced there are numerous posts all over The Standard that have been fundamental in building a platform of reconsideration for many National voters.

                  BM, srylands, and a few others are merely tools to be used in the constructive and practical presentation of fact based dialogue.

                  • bad12

                    It does become tiresome tho, we could be forgiven for suspecting that we are being ‘gamed’ by the shills who simply bring up the same old bullshit time after time and once the effort is put in to provide the proof to these wing-nuts that their bulls**t is just that a BM is then replaced with another and the process of education must start all over again..

                    • freedom

                      which is why some tools end up being thrown at the wall and you are left with the emptiness of wasted effort

                      so you pick up the next tool and try to learn from your mistakes 🙂

  2. Sable 2

    I remember a few posts back how right wingers were commenting on how no one could manage the Christchurch crisis like National and they were right. No one could handle it as badly or callously.

    I did say that Keys and co would face a legal backlash over their mishandling of the disaster and surprise, surprise, here we are.

  3. Appleboy 3

    BM has to take the prize for the right winger with the most vile and violent persona I have ever come across. I have never seen a thread of comments spewed forth so lacking in decency, caring or empathy. This much greed and self interest always gets them, one dayor obey won’t solve your issues.

    • Sable 3.1

      Take a look at the Whale Oil site if you want a real insight into how these people think. I don’t believe in concepts such as good or evil but these creeps are about as close as you will get to the latter in my humble opinion…

      • chris 3.1.1

        Sending people to read “Whaleoil” is inhumane punishment. Probably outlawed by the UN 🙂

      • Tracey 3.1.2

        don’t go there. You click and you are indirectly generating revenue and ratings for them.

        • Plan B 3.1.2.1

          agree re Whale Oil. yes someone has to make the sacrifice and go there so everyone else can know what they are on about but we should not all visit the site.
          1. It is pure poison
          2. It makes them money

        • chris 3.1.2.2

          I did not know that… thank you for the heads up.

          Rarely go anyway, but occasionally something has piqued my interest.

        • Pete 3.1.2.3

          And the vast majority of posts there are items reposted from Reddit

  4. burt 4

    Their 50% offer for uninsured land (including vacant land that cannot be insured) was ruled to be inequitable

    I added that emphasis ….

    It’s simply not fair that the government isn’t using more of our tax payers money to make sure private property owners who didn’t have insurance….

    Oh yes, lets make sure socialism rewards the land owners by extracting money from renters all over the country…..

    • vto 4.1

      Here is a representation of the number and complexity of issues involved in the red zone buyout offers;

      issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue issue

      Here is a representation of the things Burt thinks are relevant in this matter;

      iss

    • Tracey 4.2

      I can’t find this statement “Their 50% offer for uninsured land (including vacant land that cannot be insured) was ruled to be inequitable” in the actual decision of the court.

      I did find statements from the judge that the issue of inequity was applicable to “ALL APPLICANTS”

      “[95] The lack of even-handedness argument however, has I think considerable merit. Clearly, the main impetus for the June 2011 decision to make 100 percent offers to insured property owners was the need to provide certainty and create the confidence necessary to enable people to move on with their lives, given that “many people have their life savings tied up in their homes”, to borrow the Prime Minister’s phrase. Importantly, these considerations apply equally to many of the applicants, particularly those who are the owners of uninsured house properties.

      [96]
      Yet it is apparent that payments of 50 percent of the land rating value will not enable many property owners to make a fresh start. This is clear from the questionnaires completed by applicants in the Outcasts’ proceeding. Many owners are people of modest means, some are elderly and it is commonplace that their land and home is their one substantial asset. I am satisfied that the plight of this relatively small group has not been adequately considered in light of the purposes of the Act.”

      • Tracey 4.2.1

        sorry my attempt to bold the last part of [95] failed (so ignore emphasis added)

        “particularly those who are the owners of uninsured house properties.”

        [Bunji: I added the desired emphasis…]

      • vto 4.2.2

        Keep going Tracey, you’re all over it in highlighting the nastiness of John Key and Gerry Brownlee towards “people of modest means, some are elderly”

      • burt 4.2.3

        given that “many people have their life savings tied up in their homes”

        Yep, people who don’t earn enough to own a property should be having their tax used to insulate people who invested all their eggs in one basket – socialism at it’s finest … steal from the poor to give to the rich !!!!!!! Can’t have the rich loosing out on their poorly managed investment capital can we….

        • framu 4.2.3.1

          isnt the issue the forced aquisition of land by the govt and the recompense from that – not the issue of who had insurance and who didnt?

          • burt 4.2.3.1.1

            Perhaps the issue is people were compensated a lot more than the land is now worth but less than it use to be worth….

            Is it right for people to be compensated with tax payers money for private property investment that didn’t work out like they had hoped it would ?

            • Tracey 4.2.3.1.1.1

              Is it right for elderly and low income people to lose their home when the Govt promised (on behalf of us all) to allow them to get on with their lives.

              yes, one party is a developer, but it is a mixed group.

              The people I suspect you are really angry about have already got their 100% payouts.

              • burt

                I’ve not known many genuine low income people who own central city real estate – but hey – the expedient definition of low income is possibly something I’m not understanding?

                • Tracey

                  I was referring to your earlier comments as well, about the court decision or are you only talking about the CBD? Sorry, my confusion

            • framu 4.2.3.1.1.2

              burt – pull your head in and stop being a dick

              1) the council and govt through direct aquisition of land or by denial of services are forcing people of the land

              2) the red zone is more than the inner city

              sure theres going to be some uninsured, and some developers mixed in there but they arent the main issue here – its about the people who wrote law, not abiding by the law they wrote and not being consistant with the application of the law

              Would you change your tune if the govt made a retrospective change?

  5. Craig GlenEden 5

    Great Stuff Tracey thanks for all the work. BM totally owned what a twat.

  6. Adrian 6

    I think the point is that the Government is ” compulsarily acquiring” the land, with a view to development and sale or use in the distant future.
    Correct me if I’m wrong but the last time we did this, acquiring land for a fraction of value, a few muskets etc, it didn’t turn out all that well.
    A reverse corollary is the conversion of high country leases to freehold for huge capital gain for, oh bugger me, lifetime Tories. Fancy that.

    • Tracey 6.1

      Interesting points Adrian.

      definition of red zone in the HC decision

      “The red zone was reserved for areas where rebuilding was not likely to occur in the short to medium term due to significant land and infrastructure damage, and a high risk of further damage from aftershocks, flooding or spring tides.”

      “rebuilding not likely to occur in short to medium term.”

      and then

      “What will happen to my property if I decide that I do not want to accept the Crown’s offer?
      If you decide that you do not want to accept the Crown’s offer you should be aware that:
      The Council will not be installing new services in the residential red zone.

      If only a few people remain in a street and/or area, the Council and other utility providers may reach the view that it is no longer feasible or practical to continue to maintain services to the remaining properties.

      Insurers may cancel or refuse to renew insurance policies for properties in the residential red zones.

      While no decisions have been made on the ultimate future of the land in the residential red zones, CERA does have powers under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 to require you to sell your property to CERA for its market value at that time. If a decision is made in the future to use these powers to acquire your property, the market value could be substantially lower than the amount that you would receive under the Crown’s offer.

      Mr Brownlee and Mr Sutton made similar remarks to these in media interviews”

      • jaymam 6.1.1

        I can’t see if this is mentioned anywhere in the thread, but when land is originally subdivided into sections, the developer has to pay a rather large “reserve contribution” to the Council. I believe that means that the Council is therefore guaranteeing that the land is suitable for building on. So if the land becomes unsuitable, the owners should be compensated, out of the “reserve contribution”.
        In the case of Christchurch it is clear that the Council did not require the developer to have engineers test the land like other councils do, e.g. in Auckland. The known history of earthquakes in Christchurch from 1970, and allowing subdivisions near rivers makes the Council even more culpable. They should pay up!

  7. tricledrown 7

    Lanthanide don’t forget rio tinto’s $546 million bail out the appointment of trougher shipley at $400,000+.
    Rio Tinto get $476 million subsidized electricity $30 million cash .Nact govt covering up the real cost of meridian by selling $160 million wind farm in Australia.
    The Eastern suburbs of ChCh are labour strong holds that’s why MurKey and Brownoselee are laughing and don’t care.
    Remember Key and Brownlee promising no one will miss out every one will be looked after straight after the quakes.
    As per usual the only ones not missing out are Nationals mates.

  8. tricledrown 8

    Ed Hillary showed the world the selflesness sharing and caring that NZ is famous for!
    Now SmurKey is showing how selfish NZ is becoming under his narcisistic flipant bullying leadership!

    • burt 8.1

      Yes indeed. Developers and speculators owning bare central city land which they plan to develop for a large profit deserve to dip into the pockets of struggling renters when things don’t go their way !!!!!!!!

      • framu 8.1.1

        did you even read any of either the court decision or the articles linked to?

        your engaging in derailment and distraction – stop generating your usual one man, one trick side show

  9. BrucetheMoose 9

    In a nut shell, the government has abused it’s authority and used the earthquakes and it’s invented legislation to corner a minority and try and force them to give up their properties on the cheap. Now Key and His Corruptness don’t like being challenged on it and are throwing their toys out of their cots like spoilt brats that they truly are.
    If they thought it was “very very fair” and justified as they always claimed, then why did they deliberately wait to announce the decision so far down the track so as to make sure they were a smaller group to deal with?
    Why did they announce the decision on the same day as the school closure debacle to purposely create a smoke screen for the public and media diversion.?
    Why did they tell those who initially challenged the decision, specifically not to go to the media, and once the media did get traction on this subject, why did Brownlee and Sutton immediately embark on a concerted campaign of trying to portray most land owners as “Well off Developers” and irresponsible for not insuring their properties, when in fact most were honest hard working kiwi families and couldn’t insure their land even if they tried?

  10. RedBaronCV 10

    Pity John Key doesn’t reserve some of his odium for the insurance companies who are making out like bandits to the tune of about $1 billion a year from all us home owners.
    Link below is to an earlier post on this. I saw on a business page a comment that supported house premiums as being in the $750 to $1250 range.
    After all EQC had about $12 billion from our tiny $50 per house per annum.

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    Here's a bike on Manchester St, Feilding. I took this photo on Friday night after a very nice dinner at the very nice Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon, on Manchester Street.I thought to myself, Manchester Street? Bicycle? This could be the very spot.To recap from an earlier edition: on a February night ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    17 hours ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies, Excerpt Five.

    Military politics as a distinct “partial regime.” Notwithstanding their peripheral status, national defense offers the raison d’être of the combat function, which their relative vulnerability makes apparent, so military forces in small peripheral democracies must be very conscious of events … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago
  • Leadership for Dummies

    If you’re going somewhere, do you maybe take a bit of an interest in the place? Read up a bit on the history, current events, places to see - that sort of thing? Presumably, if you’re taking a trip somewhere, it’s for a reason. But what if you’re going somewhere ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Home again

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Dead even tie for hottest August ever

    Long stories short, here’s the top six 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 Cathrine Dyer:The month of August was 1.49˚C warmer than pre-industrial levels, tying with 2023 for the warmest August ever, according ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 7

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the debate about how to responde to climate disinformation; and special guest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Have We an Infrastructure Deficit?

    An Infrastructure New Zealand report says we are keeping up with infrastructure better than we might have thought from the grumbling. But the challenge of providing for the future remains.I was astonished to learn that the quantity of our infrastructure has been keeping up with economic growth. Your paper almost ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    2 days ago
  • Councils reject racism

    Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The final councils voted today, and the verdict is in: an overwhelming rejection. Only two councils out of 45 supported National's racist agenda ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Homage to Simeon Brown

    Open to all - happy weekend ahead, friends.Today I just want to be petty. It’s the way I imagine this chap is -Not only as a political persona. But his real-deal inner personality, in all its glory - appears to be pure pettiness & populist driven.Sometimes I wonder if Simeon ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Government of deceit

    When National cut health spending and imposed a commissioner on Te Whatu Ora, they claimed that it was necessary because the organisation was bloated and inefficient, with "14 layers of management between the CEO and the patient". But it turns out they were simply lying: Health Minister Shane Reti’s ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • The professionals actually think and act like our Government has no fiscal crisis at all

    Treasury staff at work: The demand for a new 12-year Government bond was so strong, Treasury decided to double the amount of bonds it sold. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 6-September-2024

    Welcome to another Friday and another roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. As always, this and every post is brought to you by the Greater Auckland crew. If you like our work and you’d like to see more of it, we invite you to join our regular ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies; Excerpt Four.

    Internal versus external security. Regardless of who rules, large countries can afford to separate external and internal security functions (even if internal control functions predominate under authoritarian regimes). In fact, given the logic of power concentration and institutional centralization of … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    3 days ago
  • A Hole In The River

    There's a hole in the river where her memory liesFrom the land of the living to the air and skyShe was coming to see him, but something changed her mindDrove her down to the riverThere is no returnSongwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie RaynerThe king is dead; long live the queen!Yesterday was a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bright Blue His Jacket Ain’t But I Love This Fellow: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power E...

    My conclusion last week was that The Rings of Power season two represented a major improvement in the series. The writing’s just so much better, and honestly, its major problems are less the result of the current episodes and more creatures arising from season one plot-holes. I found episode three ...
    3 days ago
  • Who should we thank for the defeat of the Nazis

    As a child in the 1950s, I thought the British had won the Second World War because that’s what all our comics said. Later on, the films and comics told me that the Americans won the war. In my late teens, I found out that the Soviet Union ...
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36 2024

    Open access notables Diurnal Temperature Range Trends Differ Below and Above the Melting Point, Pithan & Schatt, Geophysical Research Letters: The globally averaged diurnal temperature range (DTR) has shrunk since the mid-20th century, and climate models project further shrinking. Observations indicate a slowdown or reversal of this trend in recent decades. ...
    3 days ago
  • Media Link: Discussing the NZSIS Security Threat Report.

    I was interviewed by Mike Hosking at NewstalkZB and a few other media outlets about the NZSIS Security Threat Report released recently. I have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and oversight of the NZ Intelligence Community, and although the … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    3 days ago
  • How do I make this better for people who drive Ford Rangers?

    Home, home again to a long warm embrace. Plenty of reasons to be glad to be back.But also, reasons for dejection.You, yes you, Simeon Brown, you odious little oik, you bible thumping petrol-pandering ratfucker weasel. You would be Reason Number One. Well, maybe first among equals with Seymour and Of-Seymour ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • A missed opportunity

    The government introduced a pretty big piece of constitutional legislation today: the Parliament Bill. But rather than the contentious constitutional change (four year terms) pushed by Labour, this merely consolidates the existing legislation covering Parliament - currently scattered across four different Acts - into one piece of legislation. While I ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Nicola Willis Seeks New Sidekick To Help Fix NZ’s Economy

    Synopsis:Nicola Willis is seeking a new Treasury Boss after Dr Caralee McLiesh’s tenure ends this month. She didn’t listen to McLiesh. Will she listen to the new one?And why is Atlas Network’s Taxpayers Union chiming in?Please consider subscribing or supporting my work. Thanks, Tui.About CaraleeAt the beginning of July, Newsroom ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies

    The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler I love thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is like your mom: it may not tell you what you can do, but it damn well tells you what you can’t do. I’ve written a few previous posts that include thermodynamics, like one on air capture of ...
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.

    The notion of geopolitical  “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Venus Hum

    Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • I Went to a Creed Concert

    Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

    The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • A Time For Unity.

    Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

    National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

    Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    5 days ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    5 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    6 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    6 days ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    6 days ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    7 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    1 week ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    1 week ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    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 from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    1 week ago
  • Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    1 week ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off

    One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Gravity

    Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Ditch the climate double speak and get real

    Long stories short, here’s the top six 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 Cathrine Dyer:The Government announced changes to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill on Sunday, backing off from the contentious proposal to give ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to August 30

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest science of changing sea temperatures and which emissions policies actually work; on the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • This Govt’s infrastructure strategy depends on capital gains taxes & new road taxes

    Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024

    Kia ora and welcome to the end of another week. Here’s our regular Friday roundup of things that caught our eye, in the realm of cities and transport. If you enjoy these roundups, feel free to join our growing ranks of supporters by making a recurring donation to keep the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Table Talk: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.

    That’s the sort of constitutional reform he favours: conceived in secret; revolutionary in intent; implemented incrementally without fanfare; and under no circumstances to be placed before the electorate for democratic ratification.TO SAY IT WAS RAINING would have understated seriously the meteorological conditions. Simply put, it was pissing down. One of ...
    1 week ago
  • Big Norm and Chris Hipkins

    It’s 50 years ago today that “Big Norm” Kirk died of a heart attack in Wellington’s Home of Compassion. Home of Compassion. Although he was Prime Minister for only 623 days, he has an iconic place in New Zealand history, particularly Labour history. When Labour leaders like Jacinda Ardern recite ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
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    4 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
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    4 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
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    4 days ago
  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

    The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
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    5 days ago
  • Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government backs women in horticulture

    “The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says.  “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout

    The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
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    5 days ago
  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants.  “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
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    5 days ago
  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

    Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
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    6 days ago
  • Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti

    A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...
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    6 days ago
  • IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand

    The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...
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    6 days ago
  • Delivering priority connections for the West Coast

    A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington

    A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...
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    6 days ago
  • Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...
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    6 days ago
  • Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki

    A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...
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    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland

    A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...
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    6 days ago
  • Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland

    A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...
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    6 days ago
  • Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure

    A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...
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    6 days ago
  • Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui

    A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...
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    6 days ago
  • Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay

    A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We are committed to making sure that ...
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    6 days ago
  • Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne

    A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury

    A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...
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    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Getting transport back on track in Auckland

    A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...
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    6 days ago
  • Record investment to get transport back on track

    A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “New Zealanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy

    Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has welcomed the start of Gambling Harm Awareness Week by encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on the next three-year strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm.  “While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • JOINT STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON

    1.    Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim hosted Prime Minister Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon on an Official Visit to Malaysia from 1 to 3 September 2024. Both leaders expressed appreciation for enduring and warm bilateral ties over 67 years of diplomatic relations. The Malaysia – New Zealand Strategic Partnership 2.    The ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

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