Key’s racist government

Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, September 9th, 2010 - 62 comments
Categories: john key, racism - Tags:

John Key came to power promising higher standards of government. It turned out to be another lie. The list of rorts, incompetencies, and abuses of power goes on and on. So, it’s hardly any surprise that Key doesn’t have a problem with Maurice Williamson’s racist comments. Make no mistake – it is Key’s decision that Williamson and the rest are ministers in our government. It is his failure to lead and enforce standards.

Seriously, this is Key’s response to Williamson’s racist jokes:

Mr Williamson’s jokes should be taken as the humour that he intended

“In the last 12 months he’s managed to cause offence to the Jews and the Arabs, so it’s one-all at this stage.”

Oh, a joke from the head clown himself! How unusual.

I don’t see how offending both Jews and Arabs makes things OK. And I’m neither a Jew nor an Arab and I’m offended.

I think it’s offensive for a minister of the crown to be making racist jokes in public. It doesn’t matter which group he’s insulting.

I think it’s offensive that the Prime Minister, who let’s not forget made that cannibal joke himself, thinks it’s a laughing matter when one of his ministers makes bigoted comments.

What this all reflects is that Key and co aren’t really concerned about other ethnic groups than their Pakeha elite. They are the government of and for that elite, everyone else doesn’t really exist to them except as economic units and wedge-able voting blocs.

I can’t think of any government in New Zealand history where the Prime Minister refused to enforce any expectations of good conduct on his ministers. We know why Key really won’t fire ministers who misbehave, of course – it would be an admission of his personal mistake in appointing them in the first place.

So much for higher standards.

62 comments on “Key’s racist government ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Pascal's bookie 1
    9 September 2010 at 10:22 am

    Williamson didn’t insult ‘Arabs’. His joke was that Muslims stone adulterers and aren’t kiwis.

    • Bill 1.1
      9 September 2010 at 11:51 am

      “His joke was that Muslims stone adulterers and aren’t kiwis.”… and by implicit extension that Christians don’t (untrue) and that Muslims aren’t Kiwis (also not true) and that beatings and murders or families disowning sons or daughters for marrying across cultural bounds doesn’t happen in NZ (also not true)?

  2. M 2
    9 September 2010 at 10:42 am

    If Key has concerns about certain groups in NZ then taking the piss out of them is not the way to go about making a better society. If he worried about, say Shari’a law getting a foothold in NZ why doesn’t he just state that NZ’s laws are based on the Westminster system and that there won’t be any stonings, female genital mutilation clinics openings or compulsory burqua wearing here anytime soon.

    He just comes off as a K Mart version of the Duke of Edinburgh, but then he’d probably relish such a comparison as his lust for a title is palpable. His speech at anytime is annoying – hell, drunks slurring their words next to Key would appear models of diction.

  3. Joe Smith 3
    9 September 2010 at 10:57 am

    Come on. Get a sense of perspective. You’re promoting a PC gone mad world. Jokes don;t make people racist. You’re opposed to teh National government and will use any excuse at all to try and have a dig. Perhaps next time you could find something that matters to complain about.

    • Mac1 3.1
      9 September 2010 at 1:15 pm

      Nope, jokes don’t make people racist. They do indicate that the joker is, though.

      ‘PC gone mad’- righty talk for why can’t I be as rude, insensitive and intolerant out loud as my world view is?

    • Draco T Bastard 3.2
      9 September 2010 at 2:05 pm

      The list of rorts, incompetencies, and abuses of power goes on and on.

      Plenty to point at, this is just one more indicating that this government is peopled by Neanderthals.

    • Vicky32 3.3
      9 September 2010 at 5:30 pm

      “Jokes don;t make people racist. ”
      No, but they show that people are racist!
      Deb

  4. pollywog 4
    9 September 2010 at 11:04 am

    Given the excuse that Williamson had ‘had a few’, so his tongue had been loosened, I would have loved for him to provide us with some joking epithets, in the style of a drunken Mel Gibson, regarding Key’s religion and ethnicity…then we’ll see who’s laughing.

    Cos yeah, as a Pasifikan and bearing in mind Williamsons ‘Are your papers in order’ comment directed at Oscar Kightley, reminds me of not only the hilarious dawnraids of the 70’s, targetting Pasifikan overstayers, but also the side splittingly funny Holocaust, that has had jews ROFLing in the aisles for the last 60 years…and to which David Fane recently got publically raked over the media coals for.

    It really is one standard for Pasifikans and one for eurocentric cultural supremacists.

    So as long as we got chumps like Maurice Williamson, acting in an official capacity representing Oww Tear Raw, pandering to the redneck majority in spewing forth degrading, humiliating ethnically targeted insults masquerading as humour, while smiling, waving incompetent dipshits like Key and Co are running interference and support for NATIONAL NZ LTD, like everyday is a white christmas for them and their mates…

    …ain’t a damn thing gonna change anytime soon

  5. Roflcopter 5
    9 September 2010 at 11:43 am

    “And I’m neither a Jew nor an Arab and I’m offended.”

    I have arabian ancestry, and I’m not, so STFU you posturing half-wit.

    • bbfloyd 5.1
      9 September 2010 at 1:27 pm

      Robbo..if you weren’t offended, then why the emotional response?

    • Mac1 5.2
      9 September 2010 at 1:27 pm

      According to today’s Press, NZ Muslim leaders are chiding Williamson for ‘totally inappropriate and offensive’ jokes. Joris De Bres seems to agree about ‘pretty poor taste.”

      I have Irish, Scots, English ancestry and I get pissed off if someone comes talking about thick, pugnacious paddies around me, or mean Scots, or whinging Poms.

      I also get pissed off if people talk similar crap about other ethnicities not their own.

      Put downs are put downs.

      • Roflcopter 5.2.1
        9 September 2010 at 2:01 pm

        Ban stand-up comedians then?

        • Mac1 5.2.1.1
          9 September 2010 at 2:14 pm

          Nah. Just never watch them.

          Especially Williamson, who is a joke. As is his boss.

          I prefer my humour totally relaxed.

        • Maynard J 5.2.1.2
          9 September 2010 at 10:42 pm

          Ah the Right. Roflcopter wants Ministers to be stand up comedians. Must be the sort of idiot who wants a PM to smile and wave and make him swoon and go weak at the knees, as opposed to a prime minister who gets things done.

      • nzfp 5.2.2
        9 September 2010 at 2:18 pm

        Ka pai Mac1! Right on!

  6. tc 6
    9 September 2010 at 11:50 am

    This is maurice williamson we’re talking about here…..one of a few albatrosses sideshow’s forced to carry around by the Nat rank and file as a reward for all those years of ‘service’.

    Labour have their fair share also….just nobodys listening to them or they’ve nodded off before the first point’s been made which in Goff’s case at least 100 words or so…zzzzzz

    Whereas the msm follow the NACT around knowing it’ll gurantee some gaffs or at the least they can report that ambient level of incompetance….that’s if the journo-kiddies have been schooled in exactly what that would look and feel like.

  7. deemac 7
    9 September 2010 at 12:01 pm

    it is not “PC gone mad” to object to this. It is shaming to NZ to be represented by people who think this sort of language is a joke – a joke should be funny, not crudely offensive. I can think of no other OECD country where this would be tolerated.

    • The Voice of Reason 7.1
      9 September 2010 at 12:53 pm

      Well, there is Italy.

      Not that I’d want to compare Williamson to Berlosconi. Berlosconi is a far right loony, full of self importance and bigoted bluster, who can’t speak in public without offending people and wouldn’t be in his job if the media weren’t timid, brain dead sycophants.

      Hmmm, maybe there are some similarities, after all …

  8. jbanks 8
    9 September 2010 at 1:04 pm

    People are allowed to say whatever they like as long as it’s within the law. If the general public don’t like his humour although it’s legal, then they won’t support him.

    Freedom of speech . . . bitches.

    • Pascal's bookie 8.1
      9 September 2010 at 1:08 pm

      Good thing no one is saying he should be arrested then, fuckwit.

      • jbanks 8.1.1
        9 September 2010 at 1:17 pm

        Temper temper little one.

        He’s done nothing wrong, his constitutes agree, so get over it.

        • BLiP 8.1.1.1
          9 September 2010 at 1:25 pm

          His constitutes? Perhaps you can explain why his boss has had to rush into the media with not one, not two, but three apologies for Williamson? Wankspider.

          • jbanks 8.1.1.1.1
            9 September 2010 at 1:32 pm

            Pure politicking. That’s what that nice man JK does best. That’s why he’s the king of the preferred prime minister polls.

            You love it.

        • Mac1 8.1.1.2
          9 September 2010 at 1:33 pm

          @ jbanks. “Temper, temper little one.” You dare chastise someone for calling you a fuckwit when you’ve called all of us ‘bitches’?

          How about some justification for the statement “his constitutes (sic) agree” while we’re at it, little one?

        • bbfloyd 8.1.1.3
          9 September 2010 at 1:33 pm

          bj..sorry jb..so how have you managed to find this out? are you some kind of super psychic? being able to tap into over thirty thousand minds in order to get a definitive opinion is awesome. why hasn’t john(stanley) key got you on to his staff instead of all those expensive pollsters?

          can you see through walls too? they could use you in christchurch.it would save hundreds of hours worth of engineers fees…

    • infused 8.2
      9 September 2010 at 1:08 pm

      Yep. It is PC gone mad. Sick of it. New Zealand has gone overboard.

      • BLiP 8.2.1
        9 September 2010 at 1:31 pm

        In what way is it correct, politically or otherwise, for a Prime Minister to call Maori cannibals? Is he a highly-paid public servant representing the voice of all Aotearoa or is he a talk show comedian? Careful – its a trick question.

      • bbfloyd 8.2.2
        9 September 2010 at 1:38 pm

        can’t help but assume you would have been pointing as hard as you could if it had been a labour minister. well most of us are sick of halfwit right wing apologists.

    • The Voice of Reason 8.3
      9 September 2010 at 1:25 pm

      Actually, the last I heard, race bating was against the law, jbanks. And I’m also looking forward to Williamson explaining the subtleties of his ‘humour’ to the Race Relations Office.

    • Draco T Bastard 8.4
      9 September 2010 at 2:10 pm

      legal != moral

      • jbanks 8.4.1
        9 September 2010 at 2:17 pm

        No shit Draco. Morality is a subjective term relative to power not truth.

        • Draco T Bastard 8.4.1.1
          9 September 2010 at 2:54 pm

          Morality isn’t subjective, it is dependent upon truth. Ask any philosopher and they will tell you that. As you think it is dependent upon power I’d say that shows you as the psychopath that you come across as.

          • jbanks 8.4.1.1.1
            9 September 2010 at 5:10 pm

            Um . . . maybe a religious philosopher. MANY philosophers have a nihilist base.

            Newsflash – there is no God. There is no ultimate standard to measure one persons morals against another. “Contextual absolutes” doesn’t get around this.

      • nzfp 8.4.2
        9 September 2010 at 2:21 pm

        Yeah that’s right – everything the Nazi’s did was “legal” and it sure as hell didn’t make it right – ask any Kiwi who survived WW2!

        • Draco T Bastard 8.4.2.1
          9 September 2010 at 2:55 pm

          Actually, jbanks argument is that what the Nazis did was also moral because they had the power.

          • jbanks 8.4.2.1.1
            9 September 2010 at 5:13 pm

            No, my argument is that it was moral from their perspective.

            Again, power is knowledge because those with power get to legitimise the knowledge.

          • nzfp 8.4.2.1.2
            9 September 2010 at 5:59 pm

            Interesting, I wonder if that makes morality relative or maybe subjective?

  9. grumpy 9
    9 September 2010 at 1:52 pm

    The only thing this thread proves is that the Left have no sense of humour. Probably sad that no Labour pollie could come up with anything to make the greater public smile. I bet Michael Cullen could have dropped a few similar one liners.

    • BLiP 9.1
      9 September 2010 at 2:01 pm

      The only thing this thread proves is that the Left have no sense of humour.

      Or you’re too stupid to get the jokes.

    • Mac1 9.2
      9 September 2010 at 2:09 pm

      Grumpy, the first refuge for being called offensive is to play the “PC gone mad” card.

      The second is to say that we lefties don’t have a sense of humour.

      I cite the latest Caption Contest here on the Standard as proof positive that is just not so.

      BTW, do you see the logical conflict between sentences one and three in your posting?

      Bob Jones used to say that the Left had no humour. He, however, was joking.

    • nzfp 9.3
      9 September 2010 at 2:16 pm

      grumpy really “the Left have no sense of humour”? What’s “left” I’m not left, right or center. Those designations mean nothing – there’s only right or wrong – which side do you sit on?

    • The Voice of Reason 9.4
      9 September 2010 at 2:21 pm

      Quite right, Grumpy, the left have no sense of humour. Which explains why Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are so unpopular. Not to mention George Carlin, Ben Elton, Janeane Garafalo, Bill Maher, Chris Morris and a heap of others.

      And on the right we have, um, er … Glenn Beck?

      • Pascal's bookie 9.4.1
        9 September 2010 at 3:40 pm

        Mind you they do have all the best songwriters and musicians, oh nah, I mean film makers, no? oh shit, umm, playwrights? novelists? no? Revisionists, they totally kick at arse at revisionism.

  10. nzfp 10
    9 September 2010 at 2:14 pm

    On Thursday 19th August 2010 RussiaToday (Youtube Newsreport) interviewed Grant F. Smith, author of “Spy Trade: How Israel’s Lobby Undermines America’s Economy” and Director of the “The Institute for Research Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep)”. Smith reported that:

    Files declassified in America have revealed covert public relations and lobbying activities of Israel in the U.S. The National Archive made the documents public following a Senate investigation. They suggest Israel has been trying to shape media coverage of issues it regards as important

    In a PR News Wire article titled “Declassified Senate Investigation Files Reveal Clandestine Israeli PR Campaign in America” Smith further notes that:

    “It is frightening how easily some in the American news media surrendered to a foreign public relations campaign that spent the 2010 equivalent of $36 million over two years. Time has proven most of the planted content to be misleading, if not dangerous. These historical documents hold many important lessons for Americans who have long needed—but rarely received—straight reporting on key Middle East issues.

    Considering these revelations – it may be worth asking if Williamson has received any financial support for his Muslim bashing comments.

    [lprent: That last paragraph just barely (and only just) moves this comment into relevance of the topic. I read the the rest with my finger on the move button to OpenMike. ]

  11. Rex Widerstrom 11
    9 September 2010 at 3:07 pm

    While I’d never elevate Williamson to the stature of Lange in any respect, least of all wit, it’s worth remembering that, when told at a Cabinet retreat in Fiji that attendees could get Chinese food all day but anything else required a specific order” Lange quipped, “So it’s wok around the clock?”. And when the contribution to exports of the dairy industry was drawn to his attention he said “What a friend we have in cheeses”. And so on…

    The first relies on the “racist” attribute that Asians cannot pronounce the letter “r”. The second mocks a hymn. So what? I’m sure Lange wasn’t intending to belittle Asians or Christians (being one of the latter himself). Rather he was fond of puns (as am I, which is why I remember them) and assumed his humour would be seen fr what it was.

    I find it more offensive that Williamson stole, without attribution, his “stoning” line (it comes from “Yes Prime Minister”, and I don’t recall howls of outrage when that first came out) and, more importantly, that he had the hypocrisy to refer to NZers who oppose foreign ownership of our country as “racists”.

    • Pascal's bookie 11.1
      9 September 2010 at 3:37 pm

      I dunno Rex. Doesn’t Lange’s wok pun just refer to the idea that chinese food is quite often cooked in a wok?

      What I don’t like about Williamson’s joke is that it’s premised on the ideas that all Muslims stone adulterers, and that Muslims can’t be kiwis. Neither of which are true, and both of which have more in common with OBL’s thinking than any western liberal democratic thinker.

      It’s hardly a stretch to say that it’s tied to the current Iranian case, given his supporters are making the link, and I don’t think joking about how all Muslims are just like the Iranian mullahs is all that helpful. Key jumping in and blathering about ‘arabs’, apropos of fucking nothing, is also about what I’d expect.

      • Rex Widerstrom 11.1.1
        9 September 2010 at 5:02 pm

        I get what you’re saying Pb, but I’m inclined to agree with those who point out that most jokes are at the expense of someone (which is why, on the hustings, I always try to stick to self-deprecating humour… that way I can control the target’s reaction 😀 ).

        I think it’s a little disingenuous to overlook the fact that Lange’s joke relies on “Rock around the clock” and the Asian mispronunciation of “r” to make it funny.

        The balance of humour vs offence is usually a question of degree, and I’d accept Williamson’s jokes display a greater degree of prejudice than do Lange’s, especially since the former’s were cribbed and Lange’s were an example of his brilliant off-the-cuff wit.

        But I make the point not to denigrate Lange in any way (one of my proudest possessions in a photo of he and I together) but simply to argue that Williamson is guilty of two far greater offences which are getting overlooked as we parse his “jokes”: his insulting a large number of NZers (me included) for our beliefs on foreign ownership, and the hypocrisy that reveals.

        • mcflock 11.1.1.1
          9 September 2010 at 7:17 pm

          “Lange’s joke relies on “Rock around the clock” and the Asian mispronunciation of “r” to make it funny.”

          I disagree – given that he’s talking about Chinese food being available at all hours and and the implement used to cook said food, “wok around the clock”, it’s simply rhyming humour.

          Or, at the very least, can be camouflaged as such. The racism in Williamson’s stoning ‘joke’ is not so easily fobbed off.

          • Bill 11.1.1.1.1
            9 September 2010 at 8:48 pm

            This is all bullshit.

            Bottom line is that I or you can crack some joke or other in whatever given company. And it might be considered funny given the make up of that company and the context. Or it might be considered offensive and really fucked up.

            And the whole scenario is private and quickly forgotten. ie, it’s basically irrelevant.

            But a minister…or any public figure for that matter, is talking to all audiences simultaneously. And so obviously just shouldn’t indulge in edgy or dodgy humour.

            Dead fucking easy.

            And if the guy is too thick to get that, then he should be jettisoned from the public sphere for being fucking stupid, if for no other reason.

            edit. piss taking on aspects of accents, ie not stupid mimicking which will inevitably tread a line, is safe… as anyone with an accent will attest to. It’s only when it’s way overdone that the piss taker looks like an arse. Which is fine. There is no offence involved.

    • comedy 11.2
      9 September 2010 at 3:53 pm

      …”it comes from “Yes Prime Minister””

      Now there was a great programme..some classics below

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBtDIVfhh8k&feature=related

  12. cardassian 12
    9 September 2010 at 10:21 pm

    I don’t see how this can be seen as anything but inappropriate and disgraceful.
    Looking at stuffs online poll however it appears that most of my fellow countrymen disagree.
    Makes me glad I don’t live there anymore tbh, brain drain ftw.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Report provides insights into marine recovery
    New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region.   The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu.    “New Zealand has deep and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Low gas production threatens energy security
    There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co.  Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
    Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
    Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
    It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government.  I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
    New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Daily school attendance data now available
    A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.  The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Ambassador to United States appointed
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.    “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says.    “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
    The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
    Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
    New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
    Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
    New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • OECD reinforces need to control spending
    The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
    The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today.    "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of Plenty
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-08T11:37:34+00:00