Killer Cars?

Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, March 17th, 2011 - 39 comments
Categories: disaster, transport - Tags: , ,

Reports from up and down the coast of Japan have commented, almost as an aside observation, that the roads out of towns were essentially gridlocked as the tsunami approached. Now I’d guess that a lot of people will conclude that roads came to a stand still because somewhere a building had blocked the road, or a car had broken down at the head of the traffic or because of some other external factor. In other words,  that the people trapped in their cars were unlucky; that they had given themselves the best of all chances to escape but had been foiled by circumstances beyond their control.

But that’s very far from the reality.

See, if you  receive a tsunami warning, you  might intuitively  jump into your car reasoning that it’s your best chance of out running  a 60km/h wall of water. And there’s only one flaw. In the situation of a town evacuation, the moment you jump into your car to escape  you more or less guarantee that you will die.

While it may be the case that some roads become impassable due to physical barriers, it will make no difference to the efficacy of escape by car if there are no obstructions and no broken down vehicles blocking the roads. And even if the total volume of traffic doesn’t exceed the carrying capacity of the roads, traffic will come to a stand still and people in cars will be going nowhere as the wave hits.

A study was conducted on this phenomenum. Researchers were curious  as to why motorways often came to a standstill even where there are no road works, bottlenecks or accidents. The study found that if the volume of traffic is heavy enough (ie, if the actions of the car in front elicits a response from the car to it’s rear…as like in a mass evacuation) and somebody travelling at 100km/hr applies their brakes for a split second, then that will unleash a momentum of deceleration travelling back  through the column of traffic that will result in traffic coming to a dead stop.

And as we all know from sitting even just six or seven cars back from a green light,  a time lag comes into play when we are looking at getting a stationary column of traffic moving again. Meantime, if somebody towards the front of the column accelerates a little too quickly and has to touch their brakes…

It’s pointless to speculate on the numbers of  people who died unnecessarily because they put their faith in a car as being the fastest means of escape. Sure, some might have had enough time to get to safety by foot or bicycle. And for some there would have been no possible means of escape no matter what.

But  it’s worth noting out that in the case of a reasonably sized population looking to get itself away from a tsunami, that a car offers no means of escape at all and instead becomes, quite literally a death trap.

39 comments on “Killer Cars? ”

  1. Bright Red 1

    yup. roads just clog in a panic, and main ones tend to follow the path of least resistance up valleys, just like the water will. you’re probably best to run for the closet high point on foot – a hill or a large steel/concrete building.

    and don’t think just because you’re over 10m elevated that a 10m high tsunami can’t get you, it’ll wash up a hillside – check out this vid

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzvZy1zY8U8

  2. Colonial Viper 2

    Agreed. A slight momentary disturbance on a packed but moving road will rapidly bring the whole back half of the traffic to a dead stop.

  3. ianmac 3

    At very busy times in NZ the passing lanes are closed off because of the factors you describe. Seems to be daft but constantly flowing traffic at a slower speed is better that brake/hesitate/slow/go.
    One of the helicopter tsunami views showed a dozen cars stationary at an intersection with the flood approaching from the right. One car started moving and turned left and away. But I found myself willing the other cars to move, move. The clip then ended. Haunting.

    • M 3.1

      ianmac, on TV7 recently there was an excellent documentary on traffic and the stop-start flow and the conclusion echoed yours in that slower moving traffic often moves much more efficiently. The stop-start phenomena was compared with a plague of locusts jockeying for position against the steady and uniform procession that ants and fish tend to favour.

      Also a town in the Netherlands was profiled where there weren’t traffic lights but many roundabouts and the change in accidents and fatalities was marked. The premise was that people were such much more careful of other motorists, pedestrians and cyclists because they had to read facial expressions and catch each other’s eyes in order that everyone’s safety was preserved. The reporter was completely flummoxed that this apparent lack of order in fact increased people’s safety.

      It was delightful to actually watch something worthwhile, informative and thought-provoking for a change.

      • Colonial Viper 3.1.1

        If I recall correctly in some European towns they removed all existing traffic lights, and the number of accidents plummeted.

        Amazing what happens when you force people out of their auto-pilot world.

        I’ve also seen footage of crowded museum floors or train platforms – hundreds of people moving in different directions, successfully making little course and speed changes, avoiding crashes and smashes with each other, without even thinking about it.

        • Rex Widerstrom 3.1.1.1

          Amazing what happens when you force people out of their auto-pilot world.

          Not just that, either. I found in many cities in NZ, the lights were well co-ordinated. I could sit at the top of Queen St and, provided I did the limit (and the traffic was light enough to permit me to do so) I would see the lights in front of me turn green sequentially and I could get all the way to the bottom without stopping. Therefore I happily obeyed the limit.

          Over here in WA, where the government assumes its citizens are drooling lunatics who, left to their own devices, will happily drive over hand-holding schoolchildren on a crossing, they phase the lights so they stop you every few metres. So you sit at one set and see the set in front of you go green, but you can’t go. Then you get a green but the set in front are going orange.

          So some people slow down, accepting the stop-start nonsense as a cost of living here, while others speed up to try and actually get 100 metres or so in one push of the accelerator.

          Meanwhile, a driver heading across the intersection anticipates the green light he’s about to get by a millsecond and starts to cross and… bang.

          Sometimes it’s driver inattention. Sometimes it’s driver frustration with traffic authorities’ stupidity.

          Either way, roundabouts are definitely better (unless you’re in Hamilton, where I saw an old man in a hat hestitate, then go counter-clockwise, presumably because he wanted the exit immediately to his right :-/ )

          • Carol 3.1.1.1.1

            There’s a lot of that timed stopping of traffic in Auckland too. Often it means queues of traffic are sitting staring at each other for a long time, with no-one able to go. What a waste of petrol & time!

      • john 3.1.2

        yeah i saw that no traffic lights worked,it was cool

  4. Rob A 4

    I would love to hear your alternative means of escape.

    The trains would have stopped as soon as the earthquake hit in case they tracks were damaged, they were parked up for days around canterbury and running miles in some cases inside half an hour is beyond most people, esp if carrying children. And how high is high enough?

    I’ll happily wager that many more people escaped in cars then were killed in one, and those that did die were screwed anyway.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.1

      Sure, some might have had enough time to get to safety by foot or bicycle. And for some there would have been no possible means of escape no matter what.

      Try reading the full article.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.1

        Its hard to find out how much warning people had before the tsunami hit the coast of Japan.

        Was it 15 mins or was it an hour?

        If it was the former, there wasn’t much a lot of people could do. If it was the latter, relatively few people should have perished.

        • Bill 4.1.1.1

          I listened to a report where a survivor said there was a warning of a potential tsunami about one minute after the earthquake and a second warning of a definate tsunami aroound one minute later.

          I don’t have the figures to hand, but a tsunami moving at 500-600km/h and slowing as it came into shallower waters and that originated at x distance would take how long to hit?

          It’s all kind of academic though. Living in a place like Christchuch, as opposed to a Wellington, would afford you bugger all chance of escape.

          And I’d guess that Japan is composed of a similarily widely different topography.

          • Armchair Critic 4.1.1.1.1

            Living in a place like Christchuch, as opposed to a Wellington, would afford you bugger all chance of escape.
            IIRC Wellington has a high risk of seiching within the harbour, and the potential impact is greater than the likely impact from a tsunami outside the harbour. Due mostly to the bathymetry of the harbour and especially that the mouth of the harbour is comparatively shallow. Seiching can start so quickly that warning systems are ineffective.
            Christchurch – tsunami – yes, very little chance of escape. Survival would come down to luck.
            And I’d guess that Japan is composed of a similarily widely different topography.
            There has been a lot of reclamation in Japan. Tokyo Bay alone has almost 100sq.km more reclaimed land than the total area of the old Auckland City (i.e. from Herne Bay to Onehunga, and from the Whau to the Tamaki River), volcanoes and all.
            Reclaimed land is susceptible to tsunami risk, by definition. Allowing high population densities on large areas of reclaimed land can only be considered to be a planning failure.

    • Jenny 4.2

      “I would love to hear your alternative means of escape.”

      Rob A

      Buses.

      Buses can take up to fifty people – roughly, at one person per car that equates to half a kilometre of traffic removed from the road.

      capcha – “flew”

      • Rosy 4.2.1

        Normally I’d agree that if transport is the problem – public transport is the answer. But in this case it would take more than 30 mins to roster the drivers.

        I think this is essence of Darwinism – survival of the physically fittest, least encumbered, smartest and luckiest. Spooky how much like neo-liberalism this sounds, although the richest doesn’t come into it. If the happened in NZ the richest who weren’t the smartest would be first to suffer- living on the coast and all that – and as Bill explains those fast cars won’t get them anywhere soon.

        • Jenny 4.2.1.1

          “Normally I’d agree that if transport is the problem – public transport is the answer. But in this case it would take more than 30 mins to roster the drivers.”

          Rosy

          Hi Rosy. Not if they were already on the road.

          • Jenny 4.2.1.1.1

            .
            Could Auckland be evacuated in an emergency?

            If what happens every holiday weekend is any indication, there is no way.

            Could buses do it?

            At present Auckland, a city of a million, or so people, is served by 800 buses.

            So on the surface of it, this also would be inadequate.

            But if the $billion earmarked for Auckland’s motorway expansion, was instead switched to expanding the bus fleet, Auckland could have over 3,000 brand new, low emission buses and run them fare free, 24/7 for thirty years, running to every corner of the city.

            In a disaster if given priority over private cars, ie cleared lanes on the highways. Then in the first hour, using these buses, 15,000 people could be moved beyond the city limits. With a return trip, 15,000 people could be evacuated every two hours.

            Buses with their huge fuel tanks can run continuously for days without refuelling.

            Obviously for sudden disasters with little warning even this would be inadequate.

            But with any sort of approaching disaster that had any sort of lag time, ie hurricane, or Tsumani with a distant epicentre, or even slowly building volcanic emergency – buses would indeed be the most efficient method of evacuating a city.

            For further info check out Fare Free New Zealand.

            • Rosy 4.2.1.1.1.1

              I agree with you totally for all the other emergencies you mention, just not when you’ve got 30 mins lead in time. I’m a pessimist on this one.

            • Jenny 4.2.1.1.1.2

              For an even quicker response in an emergency, all buses, which as a rule are already connected by radio, could have an emergency hailing frequency, to alert their drivers. Police on the same frequency would be directed to clear their route.

              With centralised direction and best information the safest destination would be communicated to all the bus drivers and police escorts.

              If a major disaster was about to hit, trying to leave town in our cars will jam all the roads out of city within minutes.

              All the people in the jammed cars will be forced to pull over and abandon their cars. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all get aboard the passing buses, with a police escort to clear the way.

  5. Carol 5

    Might depend on the circumstances, but my little (mountain) bicycle might be handy as a getaway vehicle.

    • Gosman 5.1

      Not as handy as a motorbike though, especially over broken ground requiring a little more power than average.

      • Carol 5.1.1

        It does depend on the situation, as I indicated above. I have spent many years in the past driving both motorbikes and bicycles. When I lived in London, I found that it was easier to get to work on my bicycle than on my motorbike after a big dump of snow. Motorbikes are very dodgy over slippery ground, although using one’s feet/boots as stabilisers helps. Bicycles have the added advantage that they are easier to wheel or carry over obstacles and extremely rough ground.

      • Jenny 5.1.2

        It’s a nice fantasy to imagine that you will be able to escape past everyone else on your motorcycle, or bicycle.

        But what if you weren’t near your motorbike or bicycle?

        (Which under normal circumstances would be most of the time.)

        Would you try to get back to it?

        And if you did get back to it, would you know where to go?

        Or would you be better off on the nearest emergency bus, with an experienced driver in contact with the authorities? (remembering that with a much expanded service they could be city wide, 24/7.)

        • Carol 5.1.2.1

          It all depends on the circumstances and the quality of the roads after whatever disaster. If loads of people are capable of getting to their cars after a disaster, they are equally capable of getting to their bikes or motorbikes. Furthermore, after a disaster, a bicycle would be handy if there were any petrol shortages. A bus maybe a good way out, but I wouldn’t count on it in the face of any kind of disaster.

          If I was working in Auckland CBD at the time, I’d probably have no choice but use public transport, as that’s how I travel in there. If I was out west, working or at home there…. well, buses are not all that reliable, or readily accessible to all areas. If I was at home, or fairly near there, I’d jump on my bicycle.

          • Jenny 5.1.2.1.1

            ” well, buses are not all that reliable, or readily accessible to all areas.”

            Carol

            But Carol there is no reason at all why this should be the case. For the same projected spend on motorways, Auckland could have 3,000 brand new buses and run them fare free to every corner of the city for 30 years.

            Compare this to spending the same amount on motorways, which seem to clog up as soon as they are built.

            Where this has been tried overseas, tens of thousands of commuters voluntarily abandoned their private cars in favour of the free bus service. The existing motorways were left relatively empty, even in rush hour.

  6. Afewknowthetruth 6

    When I saw the title I thought it might be about cars killing society, or cars killing the planet (which they are, of course)..

    No such luck. Kar kulcha is sacrosanct in NZ.

    Fuel will soon be too expensive for most people to afford, so we won’t have to worry about the role of cars for much longer.

    • Jenny 6.1

      Come on Brain, I know you can do it.

      Rather than just telling us the problem.

      How about offering us a plan.

  7. Armchair Critic 7

    Depends very much on the circumstances.
    In some cases walking, running or biking are the best option, and cars are deadly.
    In other cases it’s not possible to evacuate quickly.
    Auckland, for example, would take days to a week to completely evacuate by car.
    I’d hate to think how Wellington could be evacuated.
    The long term solution is either expensive protection works, or relocation of the town or city (voluntary or compelled by nature) and acceptance of the risk in the interim.

    • Bill 7.1

      The post isn’t about days long or weeks long evacuation. It’s point is that in a mad dash rush, our initial and intuitive option is potentially the worst of all options.

      • Armchair Critic 7.1.1

        Yeah, I got the point of the post, Bill.
        It’s pretty difficult to disagree with, so rather than try to disagree I thought I could try to explore related subjects. Like how trying to escape impending disaster in a car can be a bad option in other types of disaster, or how in some locations it may well be difficult to to get to safety at all. Hope that’s okay by you.
        IMO the best solution is to completely avoid the need for the mad-dash rush. This will be difficult, for sure, but it’s far from impossible.

      • Oblimova 7.1.2

        Surely a truly “intuitive” response is still to run for it not jump in the car.

  8. feijoa 8

    My understanding is there was 30 mins from earthquake til when the tsunami hit. I could definitely walk to higher ground in less than 30 mins here in Welly

    • ianmac 8.1

      Agreed feijoa. Except would you really believe that there was a significant tsunami coming? In hindsight………..

  9. JS 9

    Since they lowered the speed limit to 80kmh and made the coastal highway near Paekakariki one lane each way, the traffic along there moves much more easily too.

    • Bill 9.1

      An 80km limit as opposed to a 30 or 100 km limit would make absolutely no difference in an escape scenario.

  10. Tel 10

    There was some footage shot from helicopter last Friday of a convoy of cars (a dozen or more) heading inland to evade the tsunami, which was catching them at a decent rate (maybe 50% faster tops?), only for the camera to break away before engulfing the car at the back of the convoy. I remarked to my partner, that the Japanese news coverage showed a lot of respect for their citizens by breaking away from what likely to become a tragedy. These particular cars were probably doing the speed limit, and all the time the opposite lane which was completely empty. It probably says a lot about their culture of being law abiding, conformist, having manners, safety and respect?

    I just hope that none of them got caught up in natures version of a front loader wash.

  11. wtl 11

    Issues in escaping a tsunami by moving inland like this have led to suggestions that ‘vertical evacuation’ is the more appropriate, i.e. evacuating up tall buildings or structures. Definitely worth keeping in mind if the situation ever occurs. As with many such things, the most intuitive means of escape is not necessarily the best.

    • Colonial Viper 11.1

      Yes certainly, if the building chosen was tall enough and built strong enough.

      However many of the areas hit in Japan seemed to be fishing villages and small towns. Not much over 2-3 stories.

  12. wtl 12

    Indeed. It might be worth considering building such structures in tsunami prone areas, if the population density warrants it. (reply to CV above)

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    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    1 day ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    1 day ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    1 day ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    1 day ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    4 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    5 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
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