Kiwi values

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, October 1st, 2018 - 106 comments
Categories: alcohol, human rights, identity, immigration, national, nz first, Politics, racism, religion, sexism, winston peters - Tags:

New Zealand First had its conference on the weekend.

The headline was created by new President Lester Gray calling for immigrants and refugees to “respect New Zealand values” which he said were founded on Christianity. Gray was heavily pushed by Clayton Mitchell. I wonder who has been advising them.

Lucy Bennett at the Herald has some of the details:

Migrants and refugees will have to respect New Zealand values or be shipped back to “where they came from” under a bill to be discussed by the New Zealand First caucus.

The Respecting New Zealand Values Bill, drawn up by NZ First’s Clayton Mitchell on behalf of the party’s Tauranga members, was put to the vote by delegates at NZ First’s annual convention in the city this morning.

The idea already has the backing of leader Winston Peters.

He wasn’t at the conference when it was being debated but told reporters later if people coming to New Zealand “didn’t want to salute this country’s law”, they shouldn’t be here.

“If you’re coming to this country as a refugee, surely you respect the country you’ve come to. In the case of some refugees, if you’ve gone past 42 other countries that have your religion for one that does not, why wouldn’t you actually have some respect for the new country you’ve come to and their religions,” Peters said.

Mitchell said that under the bill “immigrants must agree to respect New Zealand’s values and to live a life that demonstrates that they respect New Zealand values.”

His justification for the Bill is apparently in the preamble and was noted by Jo Moir at Television New Zealand:

New Zealand is a tolerant society. Our tolerance means that if an individual wants to immigrate to New Zealand, they must accept, respect and adhere to the tolerance our society expects,” it said.

“Immigrants must agree to respect New Zealand’s values and to live a life that demonstrates that they respect New Zealand values.”

We shall not tolerate intolerance!

The feedback from NZ First members was interesting, “this is our country and these are our rules” and “when in Rome you have to do what the Romans do” were two comments. One poor member was incensed that he had gone into a shop and the shopkeeper had spoken a different language to him.  Talk about first world problems.

David Seymour supports the proposal. Alarm bells should be ringing.

So what are these New Zealand values? And where is this evidence of rampant refusal of recent immigrants to respect New Zealand values?

As for the values Jo Moir at Radio New Zealand reported that they include gender equality, all legal sexual preferences, religious rights, and the legality of alcohol.

It is interesting there is no mention of the Treaty of Waitangi.  It is our founding constitutional document.  And there should be respect for Tangata Whenua.  But failure to do so is not something that is exclusively the behaviour of immigrants, at least more recent immigrants.

And surely racial tolerance should also be included in core values.  And the underlying requirement to respect “Christian values” underscores a lack of tolerance of religious diversity.

As for sexual preferences and gender equality it is interesting that a party that is essentially conservative should want to be at the forefront of these articles.  As asked by Andrew Geddis on Twitter, where does this put the 32 National MPs, all seven NZ First MPs and the four Labour MPs who voted against Louisa Wall’s Same Sex Marriage law?

I presume that one of the targets is child brides.  I have not seen any evidence of this being a local problem myself and the laws regarding marriage and also prohibiting sexual contact with young people under the age of 16 would presumably solve this issue.  All you need is to require all immigrants, as citizens do, to swear to uphold the laws of New Zealand.

And if it is not illegal why should it be proscribed?  For instance why require anyone to agree that alcohol should be legal.  Does this mean that the Temperance movement is suddenly a terrorist movement?

The bill will create a discussion and give New Zealand First and especially Clayton Mitchell publicity.  But I would prefer that we celebrate the fact that we have a multi cultural society where everyone gets on pretty well and where diversity is celebrated rather than have a debate suggesting that crushing uniformity of culture should be the norm.

106 comments on “Kiwi values ”

  1. ropata 1

    According to RNZ, Peters emphasised the exploitation of migrant workers.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/367631/the-country-would-be-a-hell-hole-without-nz-values-winston-peters

    Mr Peters told Morning Report people signing up to NZ values would help to deter the mass exploitation of migrants including of Indian students and of new nationals in the restaurant trade.

    “One of our values is that we do have a minimum wage, we do have minimum work standards and if people are massively exploited then there has to be consequences for those people that do that. Frequently, it’s been done to their own.”

    These things should be unacceptable, he said.

    “If they’re coming into the country, then they should be asked before they actually sign up, ‘do you understand what it entails?'”

    “Canada does it, Australia does it, France does it, what’s the big deal here?”

    • Bill 1.1

      If New Zealand’s employment laws are such that people can be “ground” by employers, then New Zealand’s employment laws need to be overhauled. And as a corollary, workers need to be properly empowered.

      But then, the past 30 odd years would suggest that allowing power to grind people is somewhat of a “kiwi value”…

      • shadrach 1.1.1

        “If New Zealand’s employment laws are such that people can be “ground” by employers…”

        They aren’t. The point Peter’s is making is that some immigrants bring their own values (in this case around the people they employ) to NZ and knowingly break our laws in the process. It isn’t just the exploitation that is wrong, it is also the seemingly flagrant disregard for the laws of their adopted country.

        • Bill 1.1.1.1

          Yeah, except I know what NZ Employment Laws are and how they are crazily tilted to the advantage of employers. I worked in the area for years. They’re shot.

          • shadrach 1.1.1.1.1

            In my opinion they are not perfect, but neither are they ‘shot’. NZ has it’s share of problem employers and employees, and the law has to try to deal with both. When properly enforced, the law generally works well.

            • Chris 1.1.1.1.1.1

              So with employment law things are fine if it’s enforced properly? Surely this must suggest requiring people to sign up to what ever the heck it is is unnecessary, then.

              This silly idea is likely to end up in the place as Peters’ code of social responsibility. It’ll die a similar death because of how meaningless and stupid it is.

              • Shadrach

                I’m not sure I understand the point you’re trying to make in relation to my comment.

                An employment relationship is a contractual one. Most (all?) contractual relationships are subject to one form of legal framework or other. Bill would have us believe that in NZ employment legislation is dramatically oriented in favour of employers. This is of course a myth. It is not the law that is the problem, it is the lack of enforcement.

                • UncookedSelachimorpha

                  “Bill would have us believe that in NZ employment legislation is dramatically oriented in favour of employers. This is of course a myth. It is not the law that is the problem, it is the lack of enforcement.”

                  Not at all.

                  The law allows McDonalds to pay its staff less than is needed to live decently ($16.50/h – and many of their workers given less than 40h/week) while making $52.8m profit in NZ in 2016. The law also creates the environment that results in those workers having zero bargining power.

                  • shadrach

                    Most of the people McDonalds employs at $16.50 per hour are not trying to live independently. They are people like my daughter, paying her way through university. You’ll need to find another example.

                • Chris

                  The point I was making is that if you’re okay with current employment laws and that the problem is with enforcement, why is Peters’ idea of signing up to what ever the fuck he sees as “kiwi values” necessary? Isn’t the problem you’re talking about solved simply by addressing the enforcement issue?

                  I then said that this idea, how ever far it ends up going, will still end up in the same place as his code of social responsibility.

                  • shadrach

                    Hi Chris. Yes, I see your point. My impression was that Peter’s idea relates to our overall way of life, not just employment law.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.2

      Exploiting migrant workers and even citizen workers is obviously a ‘Kiwi value’ as we’ve been doing it for decades with little more than a wringing of hands. National made exploiting workers even easier as well.

      No government seems interested in holding these exploiters who are damaging our society to account in any meaningful way.

  2. ropata 2

    IMHO Peters is absolutely correct. We have no obligation to accept migrants who have no interest in our culture, our history, and have no intention to integrate. There is a basic set of Western values that is quite alien to some cultures, and yet we naively assume that “everybody is the same” and “all cultures are equally valid”. What childish nonsense. Clearly NZ needs to up its game in this area, that’s why we are increasingly punished by Australia, NZ is a soft touch for scam artists. Also why we see endless stories of migrant worker exploitation and even sex trafficking!

    But TS has to indulge in liberal hand wringing and reflexive Peters phobia.

    Pathetic

    • mickysavage 2.1

      Exploitation of immigrant labour is a major problem. But citizens as well as immigrants are engaging in it.

      Having immigrants and refugees pledge to these values will have no effect. There are existing laws. The solution is proper policing of existing laws.

      • shadrach 2.1.1

        “The solution is proper policing of existing laws.”
        Exactly.

        • SaveNZ 2.1.1.1

          Not much enforcement from immigration… government is deliberately turning a blind eye. Unless are already caught, they don’t have the budget to investigate and apprehend even the most blatant violations…

          “Investigators joke about having a ‘whip around’ or ‘raffles’ to pay for deporting target after budget blowout, according to Immigration NZ emails.
          Immigration New Zealand was forced to stop deporting all but the riskiest illegal immigrants after a budget blowout earlier this year.

          No one was to be deported unless they were named on a list created by Immigration management when the funding shortfall was discovered in January.

          On the list were 22 inmates due to be released from prison, 48 alleged criminals and 14 individuals whose refugee claims had been rejected.”

          “Money was so tight, one investigator who asked for $500 to deport someone who had been living here for 14 years – “this is a case of flagrant disregard of immigration law” – was rejected.

          The emails also reveal frustration in management about how the budget cut forced the freeze on deportations.

          Alistair Murray, a senior manager in Auckland, queried why the budget was $1.2m when they had spent nearly $1.8m the previous year, and $1.6m the year before that.

          His boss, Pete Devoy the assistant general manager, replied: “I can only [hazard] a guess but I would expect that is is viewed as an area where the budget can be cut and not have a visible impact on INZ’s business.”

          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12111595

          • shadrach 2.1.1.1.1

            That’s exactly what I’m saying. We need to police the existing laws around employment and immigration.

      • SaveNZ 2.1.2

        Yes, but what percentage of ‘citizens’ exploiting people were actually born in NZ?

        If I went to China or India or France, Germany and spent a few years there and on paper became a citizen of that country, does it really make you a citizen when you barely understand the language, culture etc… it takes decades to understand a new country (and that is if you speak the same language, clearly longer if you don’t) and it is the next generations who really become the citizens in terms of culture and understanding…

        That is why the NZ government need to make it a lot longer before a person is able to call themselves a NZ citizen and show through (not breaking laws for example) they earn the right to call themselves one.

        A friend was going through Heathrow and astonished to see an entire family of people with zero English all on NZ passports… it is too easy to become a NZ citizen, people can just do it by scamming, having a job like a beauty therapist, chef, restaurant ‘manager’ or even sex worker used to be on the skills list, being ‘friends’ with government, just spending 11 days here as a famous example or glitches like Handley having not spent enough time in NZ just swept away…

        Time to have at least a decade before you get the NZ passport and you earn the right to it over time, not the NZ lazy government free citizenship with every dodgy degree or fake job… or ‘investment’ that seems to cost Kiwi taxpayers and benefit the applicants or big business, not the other way around.

    • Bill 2.2

      We have no obligation to accept migrants who have no interest in our culture, our history, and have no intention to integrate.

      So, in those old Star Trek episodes, you were cheering on The Borg?

      • Incognito 2.2.1

        The Borg forced assimilation, which is not the same as integration. The question is what does NZF actually mean by “respecting”?

    • Enough is Enough 2.3

      ‘yet we naively assume that “everybody is the same”’

      No we don’t.

      We either have red necks who want everyone to be the same and sign up to a set of values acceptable to Winston’s very small constituency. Or we have everyone else who by and large embraces our multi cultural society.

      We have a parliament who creates laws that we must all abide by. We don’t however have a universal set of values, and should not have one imposed on us by someone as unpopular as Winston Peters.

    • simbit 2.4

      I’ve never been screwed over by a migrant, unless you count 4th, 5th generation Pakeha…

    • AsleepWhileWalking 2.5

      I agree with Peters.

      We need to define what our welcome mat looks like so refugees and immigrants have the option to go elsewhere WITHOUT wasting years figuring out we are not a match.

      • Incognito 2.5.1

        LOL, “welcome mat” is a euphemism for filtering demanding tourists refugees and making sure they behave themselves and wash their hands after they’ve gone to the toilet. The ones that obviously don’t fit here, and never will, will just have to go somewhere else in their cruise ships leaky unsafe boats. Let’s just hope other countries have lower entry standards than Aotearoa-New Zealand and are more accepting of ‘undesirables’.

      • SaveNZ 2.5.2

        Bear in mind we have a very small allocation of refugees just a 1000 or so a year but apparently have 70,000 new citizens a year through migration aka work permits, relatives, marriages, 180,000 work permits given out… etc etc

        The volume of people coming to NZ is nothing to do with the refugee quota and everything to do with big business wanting to create NZ into a low wage consumer economy.

  3. Ad 3

    We just had our PM at the UN setting out New Zealand’s values to the world. Read it again in light of this NZF view.

    Living up to NZs values in that speech was no mere minimum: it was a clear expectation from the government to align every policy, every behaviour, every goal.

    Winston is simply making that a real debate. The only question is how to summarise BORA and a few more into the new law.

  4. Bill 4

    This immigrant says that Winston and the rest of them can go fuck themselves.

    Is that a “Kiwi value”?

    This immigrant remembers three distinct instances on two entirely separate occasions when Winston Peters told him to go back where he came from. On one of those occasions he was the Deputy Prime Minister of NZ.

    This immigrant doesn’t give a toss whether another person is a German or hails from China or wherever. This immigrant doesn’t give a toss if another person’s religion is Christian or Muslim, or Hindi or whatever.

    This immigrant does give a toss about right and wrong (not ‘the law’). And this immigrant does give a toss about bigotry and discrimination and injury being inflicted on others.

    Are those “Kiwi values”?

    • Bit personal I see.

      Seems like nzf are saying the values they value are the key. As I noted (link below) i’d scrape that all off and start the conversation from the treaty. All immigrants after that can fit in or not. As an immigrant would you have been okay learning about the treaty and Māori stuff – is hope so.

      https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01-10-2018/#comment-1530528

      • Bill 4.1.1

        When I came into NZ, I didn’t pursue citizenship because of the friction involved in unnecessarily appealing to an authority that’s illegitimate (to my mind).

        Instead, I pursued a path that involved being granted permission by local iwi – a source of legitimate (though not unproblematic) authority to my way of thinking.

        • marty mars 4.1.1.1

          Awesome. It’s a great point re authority.

          I’m not sure what permissions Ngāi Tahu gave.

          Whānau is not a blood relationship, it is connection, shared values, love imo. Everyone and anyone pretty well can be welcomed into the waka. The greater the welcome, the stronger the mana of the welcomers.

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.2

          When I came into NZ, I didn’t pursue citizenship because of the friction involved in unnecessarily appealing to an authority that’s illegitimate (to my mind).

          Ah, so you’d be one of the ones that’s not following NZ values at all.

          Instead, I pursued a path that involved being granted permission by local iwi

          As far as I know they don’t have that authority.

          a source of legitimate (though not unproblematic) authority to my way of thinking.

          You don’t get to make up the laws of the country as you please or to follow some laws because you like them and ignore others because you don’t.

          If everyone did what you did there’d be chaos.

          In other words, you’re the problem that NZ1st is going on about.

          • Bill 4.1.1.2.1

            So, what the value underpinning your first statement? The value that says we are free to embrace that which is being pushed on us?

            Your second statement is limiting authority to a legal sense. What about moral authority?

            Your third statement is similarly limiting. And I didn’t allude to any right on my part to make up the laws of the country. They are what they are. Some of them are wrong. (eg, and only most obviously – jail time for smoking a plant or being in possession of plant).

            Your fourth statement is funny. It’s Winston Peters and his crew who are demanding everyone does as they do and think as they think. I can’t say I’ve read any comments suggesting that chaos will result.

            If I’m the problem NZ1st are going on about, then I’ll proudly stand up, embrace the reality of being that problem and face down NZ1st or any other xenophobic prick who fancies their chances 🙂

            • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.2.1.1

              Your second statement is limiting authority to a legal sense.

              No, I’m limiting it to the only legitimate option – our democracy.

              What about moral authority?

              The government is the only entity that has the moral authority to set the laws.

              And I didn’t allude to any right on my part to make up the laws of the country.

              Yes you did as you said that you involved in unnecessarily appealing to an authority that’s illegitimate and then ignored the only legitimate authority of the country.

              • Dukeofurl

                I can see the problem with getting permission from an iwi- when a lot of employers will look for the passport stamp from another sort of authority.
                I cant even see how even Ngai Tahu have any sort of process for approving people as migrants.
                What happens when you need hospital treatment or if you have children and they go to school. That illegitimate authority that runs these things is quite particular about some of these things. Same goes if you leave and wish to return.

                • I am pretty sure Ngāi Tahu are not doing anything. I think bill is talking moral authority but I’m sure he’ll clarify.

                • Bill

                  Approaching Maori was in lieu of seeking citizenship because…see above and below.

                  As a permanent resident, I have all the passport stamps and visas that are required. And being a permanent resident, there’s really nothing to prevent me leaving the country and coming back again. I think I might have to be mindful of how long I was out the country, if it was going to be months stretching to years.

                  • Draco T Bastard

                    As a permanent resident, I have all the passport stamps and visas that are required.

                    And you shouldn’t have those rights because you’re not a citizen.

                    • Bill

                      And you shouldn’t have those rights because you’re not a citizen

                      It’s not that you’re thinking you have the authority to set the laws after what you said above about the government being the only legitimate authority on that front Draco, is it?

                      The rights and responsibilities that accrue to permanent residents are a matter of law.

              • Bill

                Yes you did as you said that you involved in unnecessarily appealing to an authority that’s illegitimate and then ignored the only legitimate authority of the country.

                Oh Christ, you can’t be that thick given we’ve had this conversation before Draco!

                There is residency, and hoops to jump through in order to satisfy the NZ government as represented by NZ Immigration Services. Don’t do that, and you either become an “over stayer” or leave the country.

                Citizenship, on the other hand is not a requirement. As such, it’s unnecessary for me (or any other permanent resident) to appeal to the authority of the NZ government for citizenship.

                And, for me, I sought to achieve an “augmentation” of my residency through a form of acceptance – an “okay” – from Maori because for me that means something.

                I’ve no intention of ever becoming a citizen. If I ever think to be a representative in the NZ Parliament, or to represent NZ overseas in sport or some such (not bloody likely), then of course, that decision would have to be revisited.

                • “And, for me, I sought to achieve an “augmentation” of my residency through a form of acceptance – an “okay” – from Maori because for me that means something.”

                  What does that mean?

                  Are you a Barry Brailsford follower?

                  • Bill

                    I see you’ve been repeating comments.

                    What don’t you understand? I come from a culture that was obliterated by capitalist colonisation. What meaning could there possibly be for me – to turn to those self same institutions that reproduced themselves here by way of a settler colony – for some form of “permission”?

                    And I’d not heard of Barry Brailsford before.

                    • You said you received an ‘Okay’ from Māori. I am asking what you mean by that as in what and who and how. You haven’t answered this question.

                    • Bill

                      You said you received an ‘Okay’ from Māori.

                      Sorry marty. That wasn’t what I said, but I can see how you took that away from my comments. I said I pursued a path, and sought to achieve.

                      The approach was made and the ball was set rolling, but then death and life got in the way. And, well…time had passed and it somehow didn’t feel right to seek retrospective “permission” (or whatever other term you might want to use).

                    • Thanks for clarifying.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  Citizenship, on the other hand is not a requirement.

                  Which is, IMO, a major problem in itself. People who aren’t citizens should not have a say in the running of the country.

                  As such, it’s unnecessary for me (or any other permanent resident) to appeal to the authority of the NZ government for citizenship.

                  Yes you do and until you do you’re not a citizen.

                  And, for me, I sought to achieve an “augmentation” of my residency through a form of acceptance – an “okay” – from Maori because for me that means something.

                  And you could have got that if you’d bothered to become a citizen as well.

                  I’ve no intention of ever becoming a citizen.

                  If you’re not bothered to become a citizen of this country then WTF are you staying? WTF should I or anyone else take you seriously if you simply can’t be bothered?

                  • Bill

                    People who aren’t citizens should not have a say in the running of the country.

                    Well, there’s a kind of spectrum on that front, isn’t there? I mean, whereas I can’t be representative member of parliament in NZ unless I take up citizenship, French residents of Scotland can sit as representatives in the Scottish parliament.

                    Then there’s the whole question of dual citizenship (Australia) or whatever rights (or lack of) accrue to Israeli Palestinians.

                    And in the US (in some states at least), any citizen with some given level of criminal record is denied the right to vote. And in New Zealand, incarcerated citizens and permanent residents were denied the right to vote too, yes?

                    And away from the “tick a box every three years” scenario, non-citizen and non-residents of New Zealand with access to institutional power at an international level (bankers and financiers to name two) exercise more sway over the running of this country than even some domestic politicians.

                    It seems you’ve got some obsessive and pointless hang up about citizenship though.

                    • Incognito

                      Well said.

                    • “And, for me, I sought to achieve an “augmentation” of my residency through a form of acceptance – an “okay” – from Maori because for me that means something.”

                      What does that mean?

                      Are you a Barry Brailsford follower?

        • OnceWasTim 4.1.1.3

          Sounds like someone I know @ Bill – in fact someone I’m related to. That someone, born to a Maori mother and Scottish father who took his 6 month old son to Scotland when the relationship broke up.
          2 or 3 decades later, having to appeal to such an ‘illegitimate’ authority in order to return ‘home’ with family and settle. Maybe he didn’t ‘look’ Maori enough, or perhaps it was the broad Scottish accent, I’m not sure.

  5. Sacha 5

    Morning Report story including interview with a representative of Winston First (3mins): https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018664821/nz-first-members-vote-for-migrants-to-sign-nz-values-contract

    Seems one of the things they don’t like is migrants who are ‘arrogant’. Guess servility is an old-fashioned value ..

  6. Cynical Jester 6

    I love that we live in a multicultural society however as an lgbt+ who campaigned to more than tripple the refugee quota I gotta say any immigrant or refugee who is homophobic,transphobic, sexist,racist,holds theocratic veiws or treats their children like livestock to be traded and bartered is not welcome in nz.

    We already have enough bigots in nz without importing more.

    And you’ll be hard pressed to find a many average kiwis who’d disagree that if you’re a dick you can’t come here.

    I don’t want the NZ left to end up like the Swedish left, so yes we are adamantly pro refugee and pro multiculturalism but no we are not push overs and if you can’t abide by our rules and way of life you are not welcome in nz. We have enough bigots here already that I’d like to ship back to England.

  7. UncookedSelachimorpha 7

    This bill is rubbish IMHO, built on uninformed prejudice.

    – Trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist, except in the minds of the bill’s promoters

    – All issues can and should be dealt with by general NZ law and policies (e.g. support for the vulnerable), not by special targeting of immigrants

    – Plenty of non-immigrants with dodgy values!

    – Did they do this for the first Polynesian and later European immigrants? Not at all – in fact convicts featured rather largely in some cases!

    The main issue I have with our selection of immigrants is our preference for rich / wealthy. Assuming such people bring positive things to NZ is a nonsense. Data proves rich people are less empathetic and more anti-social than the average – how do you think they got rich back in their home countries? Often by exploiting those around them.

    There is no such data re refugees – more likely the opposite in fact.

    • Bill 7.1

      I’d suggest the majority of refugees tend to be from the middle class of their respective countries. For one, it takes money to transit to another country where refugee status might then be claimed. And countries like NZ choose from among those deemed as refugees in various refugee camps. I’d guess there’s an unwritten and unspoken ‘rule’ that goat herders need not apply.

      • bwaghorn 7.1.1

        That kinda makes it sound like refugees are using their wealth to get better life ,not escaping immediate danger which is what I thought it was all about.

        • Bill 7.1.1.1

          It’s not meant to sound like that.

          All I’m pointing to is the fact that if you want to “get out of the way” – out of somewhere, then “wheels of progress” usually need to be greased. And since the grease is money (or some agreed equivalent), there are some sectors of society are generally better positioned, connected and endowed for that than others.

          • marty mars 7.1.1.1.1

            There are lots of different refugees like there are lots of different immigrants. Take a brave or silly person to generalise too much and thus potentially denigrate poor refugees escaping death and imo a lot are doing that as probably you and I would.

            Edit. Sorry that was meant to be under your other comment above.

            • greywarshark 7.1.1.1.1.1

              Well why don’t we say what we don’t want and let the immigrant/refugee decide whether they want to apply or change?

              Too hard. Oh we might be turning away someone with millions that they might sprinkle here like fairy dust. Or buy up a NZ business catering to their own ethnic background and keeep the money in the family.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.1.2

        Quite likely refugees who make it are not on the bottom rung in their home societies, agreed.

        But they are generally not comparable to the “investor” class of immigrant that NZ loves – which requires possession of $millions and little else:

        https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/investing-in-nz/visas/investor-visa

    • Dukeofurl 7.2

      No such data ?

      Not directly when refugees arrived that I can find ( but should have some background info somewhere)
      However there is this
      Accounting for the business start-up experiences of Afghan refugees in Christchurch, New Zealand
      https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/10336

  8. bwaghorn 8

    Oh absolutely this is good the 1 in 100 immigrant that is a crook or wife better will not sign Winstons rag in a fit of honesty and say yeah na I can’t come in soz.

  9. Skinny 9

    Vote mining noise. A lot of ears pricked up. After 25 years it is business as usual for the old fox.

  10. AB 10

    I don’t want immigrants who:
    – have an aggressive approach to their economic self-advancement and exploit or disdain those lower in the tree
    – treat the environment as merely a resource to be used rather than our great mother

    But then I don’t like native NZers who do these things either – and there are plenty.

    So my preferences in this matter have nothing to do with protecting something that already exists (as the NZF initiative wants to imply), but in wanting things to be a certain way. I imagine there would be Nat-Act voters who are completely comfortable with the sorts of immigrants I described above, because that’s the sort of society they want.

    Once we rid ourselves of the notion that there is a immutable Kiwi culture that needs protecting, it frees us to acknowledge that this is actually political – and that is fine.
    The left should be perfectly comfortable in shaping immigration policy to favour people who (as far as we can tell, which we can’t very well) will favour egalitarian and social democratic processes.

  11. jeremy 11

    Regarding the legality of alcohol.
    I would assume this means NZFirst is beholden to the Alcohol Industry?

    • greywarshark 11.1

      Jeremy
      Think about it. It is the case that alcohool is forbidden in some countries. I think NZ First promoters of that microcosm of legisation like their tipple and want to make sure that it stays okay.

  12. Anybody know which Kiwi values Peter Thiel has embraced?

    • Morrissey 12.1

      ACT values. Bob Jones values. Mike Hosking values.

    • bwaghorn 12.2

      Values are only for the poor what what tellyho old chap . Nowwhere is that pigs head with a girls ponytail.

      • fender 12.2.1

        “Now where is that pigs head with a girls ponytail”

        LOL

        Sounds like the menu for a dinner party with David Cameron and John Key in attendance.

  13. CHCOff 13

    It is quite true that many immigrants from other cultures have no clue about New Zealand’s egalitarian way of life and it’s value system (which the neo-liberal form of economic socialism has not driven out of the country) which had been firmly established as the social compact of the society with it’s British heritage. These two factors combined in a way in making the shared New Zealand identity and experience.

    For many of them, they will just see the opportunism of the media/political cycles as the license of law of the jungle only, from which they may know from their prior less fortunate cultural contexts, & which can often lead to creating racial & cultural resentments that there was prior no feeling about at all in a society. That said, it is not immigrant’s fault that they are being used for the purposes of economic hegemony by anti capitalist free market feudalism.

    While there are many ameliorations to the situation of the media, which is the result of structural neo-lib unbalances, that would all have alot of merit and be worthwhile; the best one i think would ultimately be a constitutional issue, where lobbying is put on the table directly and in full sight, and even better given due automatic representative power via the good shared common sense of local supply and demand.

    NZ1st!

  14. Stuart Munro 14

    “And where is this evidence of rampant refusal of recent immigrants to respect New Zealand values?”

    Property speculation by Chinese “investors”, some of whom have become citizens, is rife. They were big on trying to smear Twyford about it so records wouldn’t be kept, but the head of the Auckland Chinese association was boasting that he owned 25 houses, and Canada has good data on it if we haven’t.

    Of course that vice isn’t confined to Chinese, there’s a kiwi couple with over a thousand, but it is a trope, and it has substantial negative consequences for the many doomed to intergenerational poverty by the greed of the realtors, slumlords, and banks.

    One might also point to Donghwa Liu’s attempts to sabotage of David Cunliffe’s campaign as promoting foreign values – keeping the utterly corrupt Key kleptocracy in power for its resemblance to the corrupt governments of home countries.

  15. Incognito 15

    I’m all for a broad public debate on values but without the political grandstanding and dog-whistling of one minor monopolising political party.

    The way it’s framed suggests that there’s a problem that needs fixing. To be fair, National under John Key had its own fancy project that tried to fix something that wasn’t broken either.

    I haven’t seen to original full text of the proposal (link, anybody?) but it seems to confuse values with laws of the land. To add to the confusion there’s mention of religions, plural, not just Christianity – one assumes the Anglican-Protestant ‘school’ of Christianity. How many religions were listed on the Census form? Quite a few for a small secular state; Jedi was one of them …

    Maybe we should throw the debate wide open and discuss whether NZ should become a republic and/or whether we need a formal written Constitution. These might align better with “the NZ values” than the current situation?

    One more thought: all New Zealanders should respect New Zealand democracy and democratic values, fulfil their civic duties and vote. Oh, and pay their taxes.

    • Dennis Frank 15.1

      My guess is that NZF members remain paranoid about the toxic effect of separatist ethnic immigrant enclaves in Europe being replicated here. Naive expectations that a law could bind immigrants here into assimilation-mode seem to be promoting this solution to a potential problem.

      Most commentators here won’t acknowledge the potential social problem until it becomes actual. Imagine a news story featuring an islamic man telling a court why he had to kill his kiwi wife: “She told me her rights were equal to mine. Everyone knows Islam requires women to be subservient to men. She refused!”

      If, when he arrived here, this man had been required to sign a statement accepting that men and women had equal rights in this country, would he have subsequently decided that his traditional privilege to subordinate his kiwi wife endowed by his islamic faith had been eliminated by his signing of the entry statement accepting kiwi values? Is our law more powerful than his religion?

      In his mind, this balance will be determined by a bunch of cultural and psychological factors. Consider hundreds or thousands of such islamic male immigrants in Aotearoa. Estimate the percentage who are likely to be more sociopathic or psychopathic than reasonable and democratic! When you arrive here with the world’s most powerful entrenched patriarchy in your head, what changes? That patriarchy evaporates?

      • Incognito 15.1.1

        You replied to my comment @ 15 but I fail to see what you’re actually addressing!?

        I find your example weird and unfortunate (and it begs the question why the Kiwi woman married the guy in the first place if she had no intentions to play the part that was expected from her).

        Why not use an imaginary example of a white homophobic well-educated middle class man from Luxembourg who bashes his gay neighbour in NZ to death because of perceiving (!) him making a pass at him and justifying it by some non-religious slur.

        Signing a piece of paper doesn’t change anybody’s habits or beliefs, obviously. When they break a law, commit a crime, they will be dealt with a most likely deported under current law & regulations. In any case, I think this is a red herring when we’re debating values and whether we can and should enforce them upon immigrants to this country. And what/which values, and whose …

        TBH, I cannot see a healthy mature debate resulting from this political stunt by NZF going by the indications so far …

        • Dennis Frank 15.1.1.1

          You wrote “The way it’s framed suggests that there’s a problem that needs fixing.” I noticed that you were the only commentator here who intuited that. Since the kiwi conservatives that NZF has catered for since the Nats abandoned them see excessive influx of islamic immigrants as potential toxic culture shock, their motive for fixing that problem is obvious (except to commentators here blinded by their leftist ideological blinkers).

          The example I gave is typical of cross-cultural marriages where mutual attraction masks the deep cultural divide at first. When the divide emerges between them, it often destroys their relationship and we have seen victims featuring in headline news stories in consequence. I noticed this pattern in recent decades but maybe you haven’t.

          I agree with you that a public debate is unlikely to advance the political prospects of the NZF initiative – whilst giving NZF folk credit for trying to provide an ambulance at the top of the cliff. It saddens me to see the Greens choosing to support the denial stance of the Nat/Lab duopoly. If kiwis have to die to prove the existence of the problem, so be it…

          • Incognito 15.1.1.1.1

            Ok thanks, I now better understand your comment.

            Marriages and relationships have been breaking down forever and for all sorts of reasons. Multi-cultural relationships are more common nowadays but I think we have to be careful to avoid a narrow-minded focus on multiculturalism as the main cause – headlines and headline news are a poor gauge for anything IMO. In any case, it takes two parties in a relationship but the blame is shunted onto only one …

            As a more general observation, I believe many people enter into serious relationships woefully unprepared if you can say that. I should elaborate but maybe another time.

  16. barry 16

    I would support asking immigrants if they understand and respect the treaty of Waitangi.

  17. millsy 17

    The Chinese, Indian and white South African ethic of “no work, no eat” which in practice, means no social welfare, public health, or education whatsoever, is not welcome in this country.

  18. Monty 18

    So what are kiwi values.

    As a young fella at my school I was subjected to massive bullying due to my mother being part Asian.

    I see the this country as my home, my passion and my pride but in school I played 1st 11 cricket and 1st 15 rugby. When I got selected in 5th form to be part of the summer training squad and tour group I never thought my race would be part of it.
    Mobutu it was. In the camp I was stripped to my underwear painters yellow and had vivid lines painted on my eyes.

    I realised then that NZ has classes. It’s wasnt the white kids it was Maori and Polynesian kids who did this. They saw me as Asian so I was bottom of the pile. I was trying for the team and I was told it was part of the hazing to get in the team. So suck it up.

    The white kids in the squad were the ones who washed me down and dealt with me crying and just wanting to go home. The others told me gay and needed to harden up.

    I realised then in NZ it didn’t matter that my Asian family had been here since the late 1800s. The fact my mother was Asian was all that counted to bully me.

    The worst offender was a Maori chap who I competed with for the same position I worked my arse off to become the starting player.

    Then you get the blame game in NZ that asians are bad. They are stealing your jobs and houses.

    Some of us have been here longer than you. Get over it.

    But waiting for rage and racist attack that only the far left can do.

    • SaveNZ 18.1

      Bullying is completely unacceptable and that should NOT be part of Kiwi values.

      If you were born here, lived here most of your life and so on, you are a Kiwi, it does not matter what your ethnic heritage is.

      Bullies will target anyone for any reason… it is all about conformity for most of them.

      My big concern about immigration is the political elite/joined in by other scammers exploiting the passport system and government policy to facilitate neoliberalism and a low wage consumer economy, and creating homeless and a growing class of precariat for their own ends, while crying fake tears over the issue and deflecting it onto other areas like values, or what have you.

  19. Monty 19

    So what are kiwi values.

    As a young fella at my school I was subjected to massive bullying due to my mother being part Asian.

    I see the this country as my home, my passion and my pride but in school I played 1st 11 cricket and 1st 15 rugby. When I got selected in 5th form to be part of the summer training 1sr 15 squad and tour group I never thought my race would be part of it.
    But it was, in the camp I was stripped to my underwear painted yellow and had vivid lines painted on my eyes. To make it look like I had slanted eyes.

    I realised then that NZ has classes. It’s wasnt the white kids it was Maori and Polynesian kids who did this. They saw me as Asian so I was bottom of the pile and they could attack me.

    I was trying for the team and I was told it was part of the hazing to get in the team. So suck it up.

    The white kids in the squad were the ones who washed me down and dealt with me crying and just wanting to go home. The others told me I was gay and needed to harden up.

    I realised then in NZ it didn’t matter that my Asian family had been here since the late 1800s. The fact my mother was Asian was all that counted to bully me.

    The worst offender was a Maori chap who I competed with for the same position I worked my arse off to become the starting player ahead of him, I turned his bullying into my inspiration. But in the rugby team I was always a second class person due to my perceived race.

    Then you get the blame game in NZ that asians are bad. They are stealing your jobs and houses.

    Some of us have been here longer than you. Get over it.

    But waiting for rage and racist attack that only the far left can do.

  20. SaveNZ 20

    As well as ‘values’ there is also a cost to our taxpayers for people that migrate here and that cost is going to be born by people who do not have multiple passports to call on and gain much greater opportunities from that..

    instead the people born in NZ…. are tasked with paying for much higher welfare and infrastructure…. this from Grey Power back in 2011…

    “Grey Power Warns Of Impact of High Immigration Rates From Asia and Africa On NZ Superannuation Base.

    Grey Power is concerned about the impact on the underlying sustainability of NZ Superannuation by the current open immigration policy of the Government with its shift from traditional immigration sources to large numbers of migrants coming from Asian and African countries who do not have reciprocal pension agreements with New Zealand.”

    “Mayor Len Brown’s Auckland is predicted to have a majority Asian, largely Chinese, population by 2040, with the existing long standing European ethnic and cultural base becoming a minority. This means that a very large percentage of Auckland’s projected 2.1 million population will have a short working history in this country with low associated tax and Kiwisaver contributions, and a rapidly escalating number of older people moving onto New Zealand Superannuation with no contribution coming from their original home countries.

    Current eligibility requirements for New Zealand Superannuation require immigrants to be NZ citizens, or permanent residents, and to have lived in New Zealand for ten years after the age of 20.

    “This is a generous threshold” said Mr Reid, “and its affordability may need to be reviewed. Chinese immigrant families have a particularly difficulty as the Chinese Government One Child policy has led to young families having up to four parents and other family members to support in their older age, an important and commendable responsibility in their culture. Consequently many older Chinese people are following their sons and daughters to New Zealand as part of this country’s Family Re-unification programme.”

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1110/S00572/grey-power-warns-of-impact-of-high-immigration-rates.htm

  21. SaveNZ 21

    Granny dumping….

    “Mr Woodhouse said migrant children who sponsored their parents to come to New Zealand had to have a minimum income of about $90,000 per couple, and had to make a commitment to support them.

    “They are not eligible for normal income support for a period of time after they arrive, but nevertheless many of them have gone on to emergency support through the Ministry for Social Development and that suggests to me there is a problem – it’s costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year.”

    Mr Woodhouse said another factor in closing the parent category was the strain being put on the health system.

    “Information that I’ve been given about the burden … on the health services that are considerably higher than other people of that age who are eligible for New Zealand public health services.”

    New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been a relentless critic of the parent category.

    He said after years of denying there was a problem, the government was now finally admitting something was wrong.

    “You’ve got 87,000 people now who have arrived in the last 15 years, who are able to access our health service immediately and our superannuation within ten years, which other country in the world allows that?

    “Well the answer is none – just New Zealand.”

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/315435/migrants'-parents-cost-nz-'tens-of-millions

    • CHCOff 21.1

      These neo-lib globalists are such anarchists ( of the deconstructive kind)!!

      The whole area related to this is obviously way overdue for a good methodical system of sound principle to be implemented but given the general current circumstance for the time being, it’s perhaps another one of those plug the gap/bandaid over the cracks for a while issues – which means basically pulling the plug on immigration trends until this can be properly sorted – for the longer the situation drags on, the greater risk it adds to crashing and de-legitimising a major societal construct of New Zealand’s shared sense of responsibility to fellow citizens.

  22. Brutus Iscariot 22

    They also have to subscribe to the NZ First values of pillaging fisheries.

  23. Binders full of women 23

    Winston’s policy = anti Sharia. Pretty simple.

  24. cleangreen 24

    The NZ First values is worth considering as we do need to replace the old immigration policy period.

    My case is my son spent 12 yrs in Germany and has met a german lady he wants to marry here as he is back in NZ.

    The immigration say he has to live with her outside NZ or here in NZ for one year before she can get the right to work here.

    This has destroyed his life!!!

    He is leaving to live with her in Germany now; – and we have lost him as a ‘master electrician’; – (a tradesman on NZ Government shortlist) !!!!!!!

    The German lady will not come here if she can’t work.

    The NZ immigration system is stupid and foolish.

    We are loosing skilled folks here who would contribute to this country.!!!!!

    • SaveNZ 24.1

      Bizarrely you hear this again and again, migrants who are educated with higher value skills (not sure this is your son’s partner’s situation) and coming from more socialist countries in Europe with super, welfare, free education and healthcare are not wanted here.. We want non democratic, no welfare countries to migrate to NZ and turn NZ into that type of country.

      As Grey power predicted back in 2011 the council with the government had an agenda to make Auckland and the rest of NZ a predominantly Asian country and clearly it’s coming to pass. it might be the blue dragons dream to have NZ have 35,000+ people in a few years, luxury with poverty and take out the middle class here and the welfare system along with it, but in a democracy should the people have been allowed to have a say? Governments use to frown on ethnic engineering…

      Our system has become encapsulated with lawyers and third parties who are putting in fake applications with fake credentials and financial information and there is plenty of evidence they know this has been going on for years but the government officials have an agenda to change the ethnic mix in NZ.

      Even when people are making fake applications various organisations lobby the government to make exceptions and let the fraud applications stand, rather than take the lawyers, employers and third parties to court and sue the crap out of them and make them give the money back to their victims.

      • solkta 24.1.1

        (not sure this is your son’s partner’s situation)

        Yet you took the opportunity to go on a racist rant anyway. Your assumption would seem to be that because she is German she is white and skilled and left wing and suitable in your bigoted view to come here.

        Of course had she been from an Asian country you would have assumed the opposite and gone on a rant about a year being far too short.

        • SaveNZ 24.1.1.1

          What’s the matter Solka, slow day at the office for stalking?

          • solkta 24.1.1.1.1

            Why don’t you respond to what i said? You really revealed yourself with that one.

            • SaveNZ 24.1.1.1.1.1

              No point, fake and confused woke leftie. Have a look at statistics and they show both the ethnic components of our recent immigration, plus the most common jobs to immigrate here and you can look up the welfare and super policies of the countries and find out that Germany has free tertiary education so therefore has a highly educated population as well as there are few welfare polices in the countries NZ is currently favouring for migration of China and India. You are the racist too, because you are assuming she is white being German… not necessarily true, woke leftie.

              But maybe you think statistics are some racist (sarcasm) plot, likewise the racist (sarcasm) financials being used to prop up fake applications.

              I seem to remember you are both pro any trade agreements as well as support the concubine immigration approach of getting multiple women pregnant concurrently while getting immigration status in NZ if you are an Asian millionaire.

              But being a stalker who have zero to contribute, no ideas and just some sort of deranged fake woke leftie ideals and your own confused blinkered racism, while going around calling everyone a racist (you probably volunteers for the Greens to wipe them out with woke leftie discourses and group think) …

              • solkta

                So we should automatically let in any German? And the inverse for Asians?

                • SaveNZ

                  We should keep out the scammers from whatever country they come from.

                  NZ officials want migration and our officials have decided that if we get lot of people from Asia we can make a quick buck of foreign education plus get cheap labour and they buy property and that keeps developers happy and that will bring us prosperity of their “elite” neoliberal version of prosperity… some people don’t agree… including a small fraction of migrants themselves… but not many because migrants overwhelmingly vote for National from those countries once coming to NZ… and that is the new vision of the far right, aka

                  “who cares where the grunts come from, the less educated and more used to dictatorship and more consumer orientated, the better…”

                  Germans don’t tend to fit the above unofficial criteria plus are generally too honest to fake the paperwork.

                  why do you think we only have 1000 refugees and 200,000+ a year migrant residents and work visas given out favouring many from countries, known for corruption, and we are favouring people with money from those corrupt countries so have found niches to operate within that, …?

                  • solkta

                    I still don’t see why the country of origin is relevant to your other points. That’s probably because it isn’t, and you are just xenophobic.

  25. Delia 25

    Have a look at countries that have these hokey value pledges, USA an e.g., same with Australia. Really working isn’t it?

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    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    22 hours ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    1 day ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    2 days ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    2 days 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 ...
    2 days 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, ...
    2 days 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, ...
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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