Labour ban letting fees

Written By: - Date published: 6:33 am, March 23rd, 2018 - 134 comments
Categories: housing, human rights, phil twyford, tenants' rights - Tags:

More from RNZ,

“The letting agencies are working for the landlord, but in this case they’re charging the tenant and I don’t think there’s any good reason for it.”

From Stuff,

“Letting fees are an unjustifiable tax on renters” Twyford said, describing them as a method of “gouging renters”.

“I don’t know of any other area of the law where two parties can contract for a provision of services but then charge a third party.”

The legislation should happen by the end of the year, and is part of a larger review of the Residential Tenancies Act. Which is just as well because it looks like some landlords need some special attention,

https://twitter.com/honeyTrappe/status/976708962237104128

Abolishing letting fees is a no brainer, so good on Labour for getting that one sorted.  With the rest of the reform it’s hard to say where Labour will fall between centering the human rights of tenants and protecting the investor classes,

“This review will examine a range of changes to make life better for renters and will include looking at limiting rent increases to once per year. It will also consider other initiatives to improve security of tenure and better allow tenants to make their house a home. The review is expected to result in legislation being introduced to Parliament by the end of the year.

It’s all very familiar. Labour will do good, enough good to keep those who are ok feeling good about it all, but it’s unlikely that those most affected will be given the security they need. I’m curious to see what Labour come up with having heard rumours that Twyford might be listening better than expected. So perhaps there is an opportunity here for the left to further organise around tenancy rights and hold Labour accountable.

134 comments on “Labour ban letting fees ”

  1. AsleepWhileWalking 1

    And the threats to raise rent begin

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12018105

    “…if the bill became law about $4m could be returned to renters.

    However, Tremains Rentals general manager Ruth Shannon said rent would probably have to go up to compensate.

    “Rents may likely rise as the costs for the letting fee cannot be solely absorbed by companies. We are talking between 10 and 20 per cent of income being wiped off property management companies. No business can take a hit as such as this.”

    Whatever.

    • Lara 1.1

      Or… they could charge the landlord. The person who contracts with them and who benefits from their service. Who should pay the fee.

    • Matthew Whitehead 1.2

      It’s absolutely ridiculous to claim rent would need to increase because of this. Letting fees are one-off fees intended to offset advertising costs, and should never have been charged to tenants in the first place. As Lara says, if the real estate companies can’t eat the costs, they should be passing them on to landlords instead.

  2. tsmithfield 2

    Law of unintended consequences applies here big time. For instance:

    1. Letting firms charge landlords. Landlords put up their rents. So, tenants still pay, but it is a lot less transparent as an upfront fee. So tenants could end up paying more and not even know it.

    2. Letting firms charge the fee to Landlords. Landlords can’t recover the fee, so they become more choosy about who they rent to due to the increased risk.

    3. Letting agents come up with some other fee. For instance, a fee for handing over the keys, a priority fee to get put up higher in the agents priority list etc etc.

    4. Of course, the main consequence is that Landlords view the rental environment becoming increasingly unfreindly so they get out of the market. Private enterprise stops building houses for rent. Thus, the government’s house building plan (if it ever gets started) achieves little because it is offset by loss of rentals in the private market.

    • Carolyn_Nth 2.1

      Well, it is a rort to charge letting fees to tenants, when they agents work for the landlords.

      There therefore needs to be other measures, like rent caps or caps on the amount rents can be raised.

      Some landlords DO need to get out of the business because they are profiteering and offering a poor service/product.

      There need to be a massive state housing build, rather than relying on the private market.

      Housing is a basic need and shouldn’t be a market.

      • tsmithfield 2.1.1

        Sigh…

        Unless you want the government to build every rental house in the country, the environment needs to be attractive enough to encourage investors to invest in property for rent.

        Rent controls and the like would have the absolute opposite effect to its intention and make it even harder for renters to find properties.

        Where I think the government could help is to create incentives for landlords to rent long-term to clients so they don’t need to worry about finding new locations every few months or years.

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 2.1.1.1

          Exploding rents have not produced an explosion in construction.

          More direct intervention by government will be far better than letting the market run amok. All the market is doing here is allowing people with capital, to gouge people without capital.

          • AB 2.1.1.1.1

            The sooner middle NZ is taught that their material comfort cannot be predicated on other people’s misery, the better

          • Wayne 2.1.1.1.2

            People may not be building specifically to rent, but many investors buy properties that may have been previously occupied by owners. That is one of the reasons why there is a big increase in new home builds, at least in Auckland. Virtually all new homes are owner occupied, though perhaps not so true of apartments.

            So the total housing stock increases. Obviously immigration pressure in auckland makes it hard to keep up. Also the cheap sort of group home built in the 1970’s and 1980’s (Reid built, Keith Hay, Beazley) no longer exist. Maybe Phil’s plan is to bring that type of housing back into the market, presumably better designed than 40 years ago.

            Obviously landlords will seek to recover through increased rents. At least the tenant does not have the immediate sticker shock of having to come up with the fee, and his effectively paid over time. At present the typical renting return is 3% on capital. Of course there is also the capital gain, but I suspect that is quite limited at the moment.

            Typical of socialists to believe they can solve things by rent controls (and price controls generally). All history indicates that will fail.

            Of course the state (Housing NZ) can build houses and massively subsidise the rents (as in fact they do now). Taxpayers at large pick up the cost as a $1 billion or so item in the budget. Most home renters of course will never qualify for rent subsidised Housing NZ houses. They are aimed for low income NZers, mostly these days on some form of benefit, which I guess has been the case for the last 40 years..

            • tracey 2.1.1.1.2.1

              LOL

            • Carolyn_Nth 2.1.1.1.2.2

              Typical of socialists to believe they can solve things by rent controls (and price controls generally). All history indicates that will fail.

              Citation needed. Actually if it’s “all history” then probably multiple citations are needed.

            • weka 2.1.1.1.2.3

              “Typical of socialists to believe they can solve things by rent controls (and price controls generally). All history indicates that will fail.”

              Typical of capitalists to believe they can solve things by letting the market run free. The right in our faces, out of control housing crisis shows that is a direct fail even as we speak.

              fify.

            • andrew murray 2.1.1.1.2.4

              I wonder Wayne,
              do you think there is any correlation/causation between the amount you suggest the state subsidises rents and the amount working people are required to subsidise the economic business model ??

              • AsleepWhileWalking

                There is a definite correlation between rental subsidy and increasing rents.

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 2.1.1.2

          I know a number of landlords – including some who have massively increased rent on tenants.

          Not one that I know has ever been involved in building a house. Always just purchased existing, and pumped up the capital gains.

        • Matthew Whitehead 2.1.1.3

          Rentals are almost never new or even semi-new properties despite exploding demand, so why would “attracting new investors” even be necessary? They’re already considered a tax dodge, which is basically the best way to get investors, and yet somehow we don’t have enough rental properties to rents at livable cost in our large cities. It’s almost like we need the government building their own houses to rent them out as a competitor, and some tighter regulations around what prices landlords can charge and what conditions they must provide, in order to keep the market fair and its social externalities (eg. cost to the health system in asthma cases, etc…) under control. The government is taking easy steps that sound good, but fundamentally doing nothing to control the market and bring it to heel at prices that are actually livable at current wages.

          First thing we need is a limit in yearly increases in rent to smooth out dramatic changes in the market- Wellington in particular suffers from periodic event-related or simply simultaneous rent spikes, such as what occured when the student allowance amount was increased.

        • Delia 2.1.1.4

          Properties were rented for years without letting fees. It was an extra cost dumped on tenants. Respect to those landlords who never charged it.

        • AB 2.1.1.5

          Sigh. So how come it’s the investors who have the money that’s needed to ensure the houses get built? Why haven’t the people who actually need the houses to live in got the money?

      • reason 2.1.2

        100%+ agree there needs to be better regulation Carolyn_Nth … and I’d add specific taxes to penalise empty houses / flats … and to take the profit out of housing speculation.

        As another ‘The Standard’ contributor posted ,,,, John Key made more money from the rise in his Auckland property values than he received as his Salary for acting ( literally ) as Prime Minister…. to which I’d add he also opened the floodgates to ‘Dirty’ money …. As our involvement in the Malaysian 1MDB frauds ( with murder ) …. and Maltese high level money laundering ( with murder ) …. and Russian high level theft ( with murder ) … show. https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/08/new-zealand-companies-offices-612mn-money-laundering-snooze.html

        The Malaysian forestry companies holdings and operations in NZ are in many cases founded on crime and corruption, in both their home country … and more recently Papua New Guinea and elsewhere …. involving theft, murder, displacement of villages & tribes etc . http://www.stop-timber-corruption.org/resources/BMF_Taib_family_report_2012_09_20.pdf

        I’m waiting for a politician or law enforcement official …with the ethics and principals …. to initiate asset forfeiture under our proceeds of crime laws….

        By doing ‘the right ‘ thing NZ would benefit from a trifecta of ….
        Fighting corruption …. bringing some justice ….. while unlocking and providing the Timber we need for a large scale home building program …

        The Key / English Government actively worked against NZ housing needs , fighting corruption and social justice…. there are many benefits along the way of putting this right.

    • Tricledrown 2.2

      Tsm think of the worst case scenario .
      But don’t put any other scenarios.
      Landlord’s sell all their rentals flood the market house prices go into free fall plebs and peasants can afford to buy.

      • tsmithfield 2.2.1

        Maybe the case. But those people will have a deposit of some kind, so could afford a letting fee anyway. It won’t help those for whom renting is the only option.

    • Steve Reeves 2.3

      Yes, the ending of many abusive relationships is hard, and has consequences…but that does not mean they should not be ended.

      This is an abusive relationship because it’s an abuse of power—landlords pass on this charge because they can. They have the power.

    • Lara 2.4

      1. Possibly for many landlords. But how much rent they can charge is more a function of supply and demand. It’s currently in favour of LLs at this time, but not in all parts of NZ. And it won’t always be in their favour in the future. Supply and demand shift.

      2. BS. LLs are already choosy about who they rent to. And to a large degree they need to be, it is after all a lot of capital tied up and it needs to be looked after.

      3. Key money is illegal. I do hope you’re not a LL. If you are then knowing your responsibilities and what you can not do would be a good idea.

      5. LLs are not on the whole creating rental properties. They’re buying up existing stock and then renting it out. Very few LLs are building new properties to add to existing rental stock. LLs getting out of the market may mean more property available to first home buyers to purchase.

    • tracey 2.5

      http://i.stuff.co.nz/the-press/national/election-2011/102499684/Phil-Twyford-introduces-bill-to-ban-letting-fees

      ” Property Investors Foundation Andrew King also didn’t think rents would necessarily rise in response.

      “It will in some areas but it is extremely difficult one to predict,” King said. “

      • AsleepWhileWalking 2.5.1

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12018576


        Prohibiting letting fees was removing choice from those tenants prepared to pay and get “a step ahead of some other tenants,” King said.

        “By paying the letting fee they have a wider choice of property and less competition from tenants unwilling or unable to pay.

        “It is possible that those tenants previously willing to pay a letting fee may turn to offering a higher rental in order to put themselves ahead of other tenants. So we could see an increase in rental auctions initiated by these tenants,” King said.

    • Tuppence Shrewsbury 2.6

      letting fee is 2% of the years annual rent.

      2% gets added to all weekly payments. because rental weekly figures look silly ending in cents, round up to nearest dollar. still looks silly so round up to nearest $10, what starts as potential 2% rise to cover lettting fees potentially becomes 2.5 – 4%

      Landlords profit thanks to government regulation and consumer behaviour based around perceptions.

      • Carolyn_Nth 2.6.1

        That assumes that every tenant moves at least once a year.

        In my apartment block most of us have been here for several years. The longest tenancy here is getting close to 20 years. So, none of us have paid a letting fee in the last year or two.

        Why should the landlords need to raise our rents to recoup a letting fee none of us have paid for a few years?

        Mainly, in my experience, landlords watch what other landlords are charging, and fall into line with that.

        Most don’t seem to consider whether they are raising rents above the rate of incomes or how much the landlords actually need – it’s just about what they can get away with charging.

        • Tuppence Shrewsbury 2.6.1.1

          You aren’t wrong, I agree with you that most tenancies are longer. But given most people will only sign a one year lease for housing (I’m not even certain what is the legal non / max here) the landlord prices the fee in based on the lease term. This provides this word of the week, certainty.

          And you’re right on your other point about market forces. So if one landlord undercuts and has solid tenants, others may do so. But that landlord may not like leaving money on the table and when tenancies switch may mark up

          • Muttonbird 2.6.1.1.1

            Using your model the tenant should then get a rebate or rent reduction of 2% in the second and subsequent years, should they stay.

      • AsleepWhileWalking 2.6.2

        You write that ignoring interest on the letting fee.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.7

      So we can expect that, when we look at countries (and US states) around the world, the ones with rent controls will have the highest levels of homelessness.

      That’s the obvious conclusion of your deeply held reckons, eh. But is it true? Erm, no. Any thoughts?

    • McFlock 2.8

      Are you saying that landlords aren’t already charging as much as they think they can get away with?

    • paul andersen 2.9

      charging a renting fee is very similar to being a pimp. last I heard that was still frowned on.

  3. UncookedSelachimorpha 3

    Letting Fees are just tinkering at the edges.

    Rent controls will indicate Labour is serious about disadvantaged people and the problems in the rental market.

    Simply limit rent increases to CPI, and at the same time, build houses.

  4. Brigid 4

    “Unless you want the government to build every rental house in the country”

    Yep. I’d prefer that. Massive house building has been done by the state before theres no reason why it can’t be done again.
    And no we don’t need investors.

    • Wayne 4.1

      Possibly the the most economically illiterate thing I have read in The Standard. Yes, you could ban all private ownership, but it would be crazy (and the government would be voted out at the next election).

      The state can never anticipate the multitude of needs by various renters. Investors fill their needs. For instance people on transfer, people who need a house in a particular place for a year or so, new immigrants, students, people with respectable incomes needing to rent close to work while they save, etc, etc.

      The state’s role should be limited to providing housing for the most economically disadvantaged, and no-one else. That of course still might require a substantial increase in the Housing NZ stock.

      • weka 4.1.1

        “Possibly the the most economically illiterate thing I have read in The Standard.”

        Somehow I doubt it.

        Most of your subsequent points are assertion rather than backing up the claim that it wouldn’t work economically. How is the govt owning all rentals going to affect supply differently than private ownership of the same infrastructure?

        Besides, you realise that most rentals are currently provided by the market and we have a massive housing crisis right? If that isn’t an economic failure I don’t know what is.

        I think it’s more realistic to say that housing needs a very good overall strategy and drop all the ideological bollocks on all sides. Myself, I have no problem with private rentals. But I think we should have rent caps, and local and national govt should take charge of building houses and rent them out at low cost. That will take care of the investor classes ripping off NZ when what we need are actual homes.

        • Wayne 4.1.1.1

          You have to be basically a socialist to believe what you have stated. The government is simply incapable of meeting all rental needs, (or indeed of any other complex market). Bureaucrats simply don’t understand all the needs of the market. They are best at providing commodity style goods. Thousands of state houses all of similar design, or electricity for instance.

          My “assertions” are based on the views of just about every economist understands of market economies, and even mixed economies with a mixture of state and private ownership.

          • solkta 4.1.1.1.1

            “Bureaucrats simply don’t understand all the needs of the market.”

            But “mum and dad” investors do? You have to be basically a wingnut to believe what you have stated.

          • weka 4.1.1.1.2

            “The government is simply incapable of meeting all rental needs,”

            Yes, and I said I have no problem with private rentals. What didn’t you understand about my comment?

            “My “assertions” are based on the views of just about every economist understands of market economies, and even mixed economies with a mixture of state and private ownership.”

            Wayne, we have a fucking housing crisis. YOUR WAY DIDN’T WORK. You were all wrong. I’m sure you believe that because lots of professional people think the same it means they have to be right, but the evidence is right in front of us. Massive, massive failure.

            If you were doing anything other than asserting ideology you would have been able to answer the question,

            “How is the govt owning all rentals going to affect supply differently than private ownership of the same infrastructure?”

          • tracey 4.1.1.1.3

            Like every economist disagreed with Joyces asserted hole. Those economists?

            Homelessness and housing shortages suggest the market failed. But then National only ever, finally, addressed one side, supply. Blindly refusing to make an changes to dampen demand.

          • tracey 4.1.1.1.4

            How odd when Bill English was a bureaucrat and he got to be Minister of Finance

          • McFlock 4.1.1.1.5

            You have to be basically a socialist to believe what you have stated.

            Socialism (to greater or lesser degrees) is not an uncommon belief within the broad labour movement. Calling something or someone “socialist” is not actually an argument against it.

            • weka 4.1.1.1.5.1

              snort, I missed that calling me socialist was meant to invalidate my argument, lol.

          • Brigid 4.1.1.1.6

            You’d have to be a socialist..

            Oh noooes

            It was Socialism that gave YOU free primary and tertiary education, free health care , sudsidised milk and bread, housing and public transport Wayne.
            And having been lucky enough to have received this, you greedy greedy person, you now don’t think that this generation are noble enough to receive it as you did.
            Because while the generation previous to yours paid for all of this out of their taxes you don’t think it’s necessary for you to do the same for this one.

            Why is that Wayne?

          • UncookedSelachimorpha 4.1.1.1.7

            “My “assertions” are based on the views of just about every economist understands of market economies, and even mixed economies with a mixture of state and private ownership.”

            And look how well that is working out. Housing crisis, people living in cars, midwives paid nothing, water quality degradation.

            It doesn’t have to be that hard.

        • tsmithfield 4.1.1.2

          “Possibly the the most economically illiterate thing I have read in The Standard.”

          “Somehow I doubt it.”

          But would have to be in the top 10.

        • AsleepWhileWalking 4.1.1.3

          Rent caps have been rejected by the minister, but I think at this point without them the govt is self flagellating.

      • tracey 4.1.2

        How is the current state of affairs not an abject failure of the market?

        • tsmithfield 4.1.2.1

          “But “mum and dad” investors do? You have to be basically a wingnut to believe what you have stated.”

          Mum and dad investors put up their own money, and take the risk that they may lose it all if they don’t offer up a house that meets the needs of the market.

          Unlike the government who happily play with other people’s money without any personal risk whatsoever.

          So, I would trust the mum and dad investor over the government every day of the week.

          • tracey 4.1.2.1.1

            ?

            • tsmithfield 4.1.2.1.1.1

              Replying to Soltka above sorry. Replies don’t seem to be landing in the right slot.

              • tracey

                All gd. Thought my head was going to explode working out how it related to what I wrote 😉

          • solkta 4.1.2.1.2

            We were talking about a bureaucrat who’s career would depend on making good decisions. Your argument is as stupid as saying that a company executive or an investment fund manager could not make better decisions than ‘mum and dad’ investors because they “play with other people’s money” rather than their own.

            • tracey 4.1.2.1.2.1

              Especially when many chief executives get paid to leave after making mistakes

            • tsmithfield 4.1.2.1.2.2

              Tell me the net worth of the fund manager or company executive and I will tell you whether they are qualified to manage other people’s money.

              It makes me laugh when I see people who set themselves up as fund managers or business coaches for instance. If they were actually any good at those things then they wouldn’t need such a leeching job.

              • solkta

                So if a bureaucrat was independently wealthy they could do a good job?

                • tsmithfield

                  If they were making decisions with their own money, yes. However, there is a malaise that creeps in when there is no personal risk in decision making. For instance, if you knew you could crash into things without hurting yourself, anyone else, or causing any damage, do you think you would drive as carefully?

                  • solkta

                    So what you are saying then is that there really shouldn’t be any public companies at all? sounds like some kind of Anarchism rather than Capitalism.

                    • tsmithfield

                      I think that those companies should be run by people who have a proven record of success. Also, they should commit some of their own wealth into buying shares in the company they are directing.
                      Thus, they stand to lose personally if they don’t perform well for shareholders.

                    • KJT

                      Well that removes most of the “old boys club” that run most of the private companies and SOE’s in New Zealand.

                      However, “success” in private business is no predictor of ability in running public infrastructure. Grey cardiganed engineers, on middle incomes, ran the power supply competently for decades before the epoch of overpaid “managers”.

                  • UncookedSelachimorpha

                    There is also a risk of destructive selfishness, when people act solely in their own interest and forget about others.

                  • Sacha

                    “there is a malaise that creeps in when there is no personal risk in decision making”

                    Like when somebody is already wealthy enough that losing their salary or personal stake does not threathen their existence much?

                    Didn’t work that well for Fletcher Building or Fonterra now, did it?

                    • tsmithfield

                      Success is never a sure thing in any venture. Hence the phrase “risk and reward”. The fact there is always risk means that the risk event can sometimes happen. But that is the joy of capatilism. A lot of the richest people in the world have been bankrupt a few times.

                    • KJT

                      A lot of the richest people in the world, are rich because they have transferred the costs of their failures onto staff, tax payers and sub contractors. Hardly an advertisement for “taking personal responsibility”.

                    • Descendant Of Sssmith

                      You can’t compare the public to the private sector directly.

                      The private sector sole imperative is profit built on the notion that everyone has their own selfish interests at heart.

                      The public sector has to consider social and political impact.

                      The notion that the public sector should operate the same way as the private sector is risible.

                      It’s why we see ridiculous power prices in small places like Taumarunui – because a cross-subsidised social good in what should be a state utility has been discarded for a supply/demand profit motive.

                      Everyone knew that putting state house tenants into the private market would increase demand and drive prices up. It’s basic supply and demand along with greed and racism – putting rents up keeps brown people away as they can’t compete due to lower incomes.

                      State housing dampens demand.

          • AB 4.1.2.1.3

            “may lose it all if they don’t offer up a house that meets the needs of the market”
            Lol – in a market where people are sleeping in garages?
            Mum and Dad investors in this case are out for a windfall of free money from capital gain and really don’t care if that makes other people’s lives a misery by bidding up house prices and rents.
            If being a landlord was treated as what it actually is – a low-level, semi-skilled service job – and rewarded accordingly, that would remove one of the drivers for the current crisis. It is the lure of free money that has put us in the sh*t

            • tsmithfield 4.1.2.1.3.1

              No such thing as free money.

              Look at the Japanese housing market and how that fell.

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_asset_price_bubble

              Nothing is a one-way bet. Especially at the moment when the market is so high. People getting in at the moment are taking huge risks IMO.

              • UncookedSelachimorpha

                “No such thing as free money.

                Look at the Japanese housing market and how that fell.

                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_asset_price_bubble

                Nothing is a one-way bet. Especially at the moment when the market is so high. People getting in at the moment are taking huge risks IMO.”

                Sounds like a bit of state regulation could help, then.

                • tsmithfield

                  I don’t think regulation would help at all, if by that you mean price controls.

                  One of the examples pointed to in economics classes is the effect of price controls on the recovery from Hurricane Hugo. Eg:

                  https://www.dailysignal.com/2012/11/16/after-the-hurricane-a-supply-crisis-from-price-controls/

                  While I am not a fan of the government building lots of houses, it at least will deal to the supply side of the equation where the problem actually is.

                  The problem with price controls is that they don’t deal to the root of the problem which is usually lack of supply. Price controls only cause shortages.

                  • UncookedSelachimorpha

                    Price controls could limit gouging and harm in the interim, while the supply side gets worked on.

                    Note that ‘price control’ does not necessarily mean the value is moved so far that a shortage results. It may just encourage an asset to generate moderate returns, instead of unsustainably high ones (such as house prices doubling in 5-10 years etc).

            • KJT 4.1.2.1.3.2

              Hardly a risk when the Government will simply open the immigration tap, if MP’s housing portfolio drops in value.

        • tsmithfield 4.1.2.2

          “How is the current state of affairs not an abject failure of the market?”

          Have you traveled much around the world? If you have, then you might have a different perspective on whether there is a housing crisis or not.

          • solkta 4.1.2.2.1

            Oh fuck, EVEN the new Nact leader has admitted that we have a housing crises – “at least for those who are affected”

            • tsmithfield 4.1.2.2.1.1

              But nothing like what exists in many countries. So, it is perspective that defines it as a crisis or not.

              So, when do you think the current government will have solved this “crisis”.

              Not too many houses built yet I see.

              • solkta

                The perspective is that of a small wealthy country.

                In those countries that you say are worse, is this a result of market failure or state intervention failure?

              • Brigid

                “But nothing like what exists in may countries”
                Countries like Norway? Denmark? Sweden?

                • tsmithfield

                  I was thinking maybe Venezuela as a paragon of the success of socialism.

                  https://nypost.com/2017/08/01/venezuela-a-nation-devoured-by-socialism/

                  • tsmithfield

                    Here is a tasty quote from the article just referred to:

                    “Runaway spending, price controls, nationalization of companies, corruption and the end of the rule of law — it’s been a master class in how to destroy an economy.”

                  • McFlock

                    When the worst thing you can say about a failed market is ‘butbutbut venezuuueeeelllaaaa‘, you need a better political ideology.

                    • tsmithfield

                      Show me anywhere that a truly free market operates.

                      That is the problem. Not the market.

                      Rather the fact that every situation I know of politicians think they can make things better by interfering but inevitably making things worse. Look at the US for example. If anyone thinks that is a free market then I have a bridge to sell them.

                    • McFlock

                      Yeah, you guys don’t really have a libertarian paradise any more now that the power structures in Somalia are beginning to solidify.

                      edit: oh, apparently some of Libya has a vibrant market economy unfettered by regulations.

                  • KJT

                    Venezuela is failing, for the entirely capitalist reason that oil prices dropped, and the short sighted oligarchs previously in charge had failed to have any other economic underpinning.

                    Meanwhile shall we mention the triumphs of free market capitalism, like Haiti, Chicago, Appalachia, et al.

                    And remind you of the lack of poverty and economic success of “socialist” new deal America and Post war New Zealand.

                  • reason

                    Venezuela has suffered from u.s.a aggression, with a failed attempt to overthrow their democratically elected government ( moderate rebels ? ), and has been hit with the usual destabilization / economic warfare and propaganda from them since .

                    The u.s.a do this a lot and it tends to fuck up their targets https://williamblum.org/essays/read/overthrowing-other-peoples-governments-the-master-list….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcV6NTqoyAc

                    But for you tsmithfield …. or for the racist warmongering cock Wayne …a challenge … to back your words up.

                    Accidental research lead me to discover the performance of a socialist country whose statistics beat any trolls fake arguments about ‘capitalism’.

                    The facts and statistics I came across ….. showed a country which went from one of the poorest nations in its continent into the richest nation….it also gained the highest Human Development Index, the lowest infant mortality and the highest life expectancy.

                    So Put up or shut up is my challenge…..

                    Here’s Some more specific real world stats for the rw trolls to fail and flail against…

                    “Health care is [was] available to all citizens free of charge by the public sector.

                    infant mortality rates had decreased from 105 per 1000 live births in 1970 to an Infant mortality rate of 14.0

                    Confirmed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), undernourishment was less than 5 %,

                    Took literacy from 25% up to 87% with 25% going on and earning university degrees.

                    University education was free.

                    Gross primary school enrolment ratio was 97% for boys and 97% for girls (2009) .
                    (see UNESCO tables

                    The pupil teacher ratio in primary schools was of the order of 17 (1983 UNESCO data)

                    It Went from a country beset with cholera and unsafe water problems …. to a very low percentage of people without access to safe water (3 percent), health services (0 percent) and sanitation (2 percent)

                    With regard to Women’s Rights, World Bank data point to significant achievements, “In a relative short period of time … passed in 1970 was an equal pay for equal work law… In secondary and tertiary education, girls outnumbered boys by 10%.” (World Bank Country Brief,

                    From the early 1980’s until 2003 it was placed under crippling sanctions by the US and UN.

                    The Government [was] substantially increasing the development budget for health services.

                    Unfortunately this country was destroyed by NATO / Clinton / Obama.

                    Its name is Libya ….. its socialist achievements as recorded by WHO, world bank , the UN etc, show a country which had the greatest improvements for its people in the shortest period of time ….

                    It went from one of the poorest impoverished countries in the world up to No 67 in little over a generation …No ‘free market’ capitalist country comes anywhere close to it.

                    Wayne and the Nats will be studied in the future …. as they made things worse for the citizens they governed … the quickest.

                    Wayne even contributed to cannon shell evictions in Afghanistan …. a vindictive fuck-up which killed and injured women and children.

                    Sick man.

              • reason

                https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/06/28/how-to-save-venezuela/the-us-bears-blame-for-the-crisis-in-venezuela-and-it-should-stop-intervening-there

                “Washington has caused enormous damage to Venezuela in its relentless pursuit of “regime change” for the last 15 years. In March, President Obama once again absurdly declared Venezuela to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” and extended economic sanctions against the country. Although the sanctions themselves are narrow, they have a considerable impact on investment decisions, as investors know what often happens to countries that Washington targets as an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security. The sanctions, as well as pressure from the U.S. government, helped convince major financial institutions not to make otherwise low-risk loans, collateralized by gold, to the Venezuelan government.”

      • Brigid 4.1.3

        So Wayne, how was the building of the original stock of public owned rental stock financed? Stock that your government and all governments since 1990 have been selling off to private investors.

        Willful economic illiteracy is the hall mark of your government Wayne.
        And you’re proud, in spite of the obvious failings, of your illiteracy/philosophy.

        • Wayne 4.1.3.1

          Economic literacy was the core competency of the National government. An essential necessity to get through the GFC and get one of the fastest growing economies in the OECD.
          Greece and Italy demonstrated the opposite. That is why they have unemployment of around 20% and NZ has unemployment of around 4%.
          Not so much evidence of economic competency in the current government.

          • Barfly 4.1.3.1.1

            Massive importing of low skilled people to inflate GDP isn’t “economic competency” Wayne it’s just fucking stupid.

          • Anne 4.1.3.1.2

            Economic literacy was the core competency of the National government. An essential necessity to get through the GFC and get one of the fastest growing economies in the OECD.

            And who laid the groundwork that enabled the government to carry NZ through the GFC? Michael Cullen it was.

        • KJT 4.1.3.2

          Either lying through you teeth, Wayne. Or even more ignorant than I thought. The myth of National’s economic management has been totally exploded many times.

          Just as well National were not in charge pre GFC. They would have removed Cullen’s buffer, Keating’s banking regulation and the public ownership of services which enabled us to weather the GFC.

          Even with that, National required the stimulus of natural disasters, excessive immigration and cutting services, to pretend to be financial managers. Joyce’s hole, said it all.

          National. Bunch of fucking greedy vandals, who would sell their grandmother for a cushy retirement pay, from the private companies, they have advantaged by stuffing up everything they touch.

          • Wayne 4.1.3.2.1

            Even Jacinda admits the overall economic competency of National in government.

            And don’t call me a liar just because I have a different opinion (in my case based on facts) to you. If you can’t debate properly, why do you bother.

            • KJT 4.1.3.2.1.1

              Anyone who calls National a competent economic manager are either ignorant, or lying.

            • KJT 4.1.3.2.1.2

              Facts?

              On what planet, is managing to have a quarter of the population below the poverty line, in one of the most resource rich, per capita, countries on the planet, “competent economic management”?

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 4.1.4

        Wayne:

        “The state’s role should be limited to providing housing for the most economically disadvantaged, and no-one else. ”

        ==Pure ideology, without a shred of evidence or argument. Like most of your comments on this thread, IMHO. Your criticism that something is “Socialism” – is not the ultimate winning argument you seem to think it is, you are on the wrong site for that to work. Remember – ‘sharing is caring’

        Previous state schemes to assist housing more widely didn’t seem to go so bad. Have a look at the documentary Who owns New Zealand Now?

      • Matthew Whitehead 4.1.5

        Well no, you tried to defend Steven Joyce, so I think you still hold the record for least economically literate statement on this site, Wayne, as you and Joyce doesn’t even seem to get that government budgets aren’t the same as household budgets.

  5. Lara 5

    About bloody time. I’ve long hated letting fees. When rentals have sat empty in the market I’ve tried as a tenant to negotiate the letting fee, but the agents rarely consider it. They’d rather leave the property empty for a while and get their $$ from someone else. And they probably don’t tell the LL a tenant is there but wants to negotiate the letting fee. Or they do, and the LL is too stupid to negotiate.

    I know it’s a relatively small thing for some people, but for poorer families having to find an entire extra weeks rent + GST every time they have to move really does add up. It makes moving unnecessarily expensive. And it’s simply unfair.

    I don’t think this is just tinkering about the edges at all. I think this is an important step, albeit a relatively small one.

    And I’m a land lord as well as a tenant. And I think this is fair from both sides. And no, it does not mean I’ll be increasing my rent to my tenant.

  6. Lara 6

    Too many tenants are forced to move too often. The landlord wants to put the rent up again… kick out existing tenants and get new ones at higher rent. Land lord wants to have family move into the property… kick out existing tenants. Land lord wants to use it as a holiday home for Christmas… kick out existing tenants (I’m in Mangawhai Heads, this happens every bloody year). House gets sold… tenants get kicked out.

    Moving on average once a year or more often means letting fees add up. It’s already hard enough for people to save a deposit without extra costs like this.

    And there’s the issue of simple justice. It’s inherently unjust for a land lord and an agent to contract together for the agent to supply the landlord with a service, then make the tenant pay for it.

  7. JohnSelway 7

    Letting fees are/were bullshit

  8. timeforacupoftea 8

    Surely, Landlords will increase the rent at rent review time by the amount they are charged by the Letting Agent.
    I have heard the letting fee is around $700 for each new tenant.
    Plus the management fee of 10% per week. I would assume the man agreement fee would already be included in the weekly rent.

    I reckon the increase rent per week would be $13.50 – then I think the dam GST tax would be added onto this as well.

    • KJT 8.1

      Don’t have much faith in capitalism, do you.
      Under capitalism prices should reflect supply and demand. Not how much the landlord likes to make.

  9. David Mac 9

    We may well have state houses for everyone that requires one in the future, this is surely decades away.

    The problem that the rental housing situation faces today is a severe lack of available rentals. North of Kawakawa, an area that includes Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Paihia, Kaikohe, Doubtless Bay, Ahipara and all points inbetween there are currently 23 rentals listed on Trademe. Up until about 4 years ago this number fluctuated between 90 – 100.

    Market forces are at play and rents in this district are sky-rocketing. Property managers are receiving scores of applications within days of listing a property. No job? Forget it. Got a pet? Forget it. More than 2 kids? Forget it. Less than a glowing credit history? Forget it. Attended a tribunal hearing? Forget it.

    Work and Income have been advancing those in need total move-in costs including the letting fee for several years.

    Right now, today, I think Twyford should be doing all he can to grow the number of rental homes available, not diminishing the stock. In doing so, demand would ease, weekly rents would follow suit.

    I’m of the opinion capping rents, axing letting fees, insisting on heatpumps etc is something to look at when there is an abundance of rentals. In a bid to look fabulous and ‘Doing something about the situation’ I think Twyford is applying beautiful plush fabric to the deck chairs on the Titanic.

    • weka 9.1

      That’s a fair point, although afaik Labour have no intention on capping rents. If they did, we might actually see an improvement. I agree that increasing the number of rentals available is the imperative but it has to go hand in hand with rent control otherwise we will just increase the numbers of homeless at the same time. At the moment far too many people can’t afford rent and this is going to impact deeply across society. Think increases to health care costs from people living in cold houses because all their money goes on rent not power.

      • David Mac 9.1.1

        Hi Weka, I think making a rental property a less attractive investment option will raise rents and increase homelessness. Mums and Dads will look elsewhere for their superannuation plans.

        Capping rents is a poor solution when it prompts a sell-off and there are 500 applicants for every reasonably priced empty rental.

        House prices might come down but those in the most need don’t have deposits to purchase a house.

        Right now, today, I think the best solution is the reverse of the path Twyford is on, make owning a rental house a fantastic idea, not a dumb one. Let the market pull prices down and quality up.

        • weka 9.1.1.1

          “Mums and Dads will look elsewhere for their superannuation plans.”

          That’s not a problem though. Investment culture, esp retirement investment, is the reason we have a housing crisis.

          “Capping rents is a poor solution when it prompts a sell-off and there are 500 applicants for every reasonably priced empty rental.”

          Only if that’s the only thing you do.

          “House prices might come down but those in the most need don’t have deposits to purchase a house.”

          Renter’s rights shouldn’t be held hostage to that and should in fact be more of a priority. If you prioritise house ownership in a society where house ownerships as investment is driving the crisis, then you just make it worse.

          “Let the market pull prices down and quality up.”

          That is impossible. Left to the market house valuations will just keep going up. And without govt intervention, quality will go down. Why bother improving your rental if there are tenants who will live in it without improvements because they are desperate. This is exactly what is happening now.

          • KJT 9.1.1.1.1

            Caps are to open too rorts.
            Rental subsidise simply push rents up.

            The only solution. Which is already proven, is a large supply of State houses.

            Anathema to National who like making private landlords rich on tax payers money. Their sole answer to everything.

            • weka 9.1.1.1.1.1

              What rorts?

              “Rental subsidise simply push rents up.”

              They do without a rent cap.

              Will a large supply of State houses bring down private rental rents?

    • Matthew Whitehead 9.2

      The problem with that hypothesis is that the only time it holds valid is if *new* houses going into either the rental market or the ownership market are reduced. We already never get new houses entering the rental market, so either the low-end properties currently used for rentals get sold, cooling the ownership market and hopefully arresting cost of housing to some degree, which would leave more policy space to take action on rentals, arresting speculation and building at the top end of the market to some degree, or the rentals get held onto despite real estate agents or landlords creaming less money off tenants, and nothing changes in terms of the rental demand situation at all, but tenants aren’t fleeced of as much.

      The thing is, neither rental nor investment properties are owner-occupied, so the only alternative is that owners hold onto them with no direct profit, which in the case of low-end properties usually used for rentals is an irrational decision without some externality to the market model coming into play. In short, people won’t turn up an opportunity for a quick buck just because it’s less of a quick buck than it was yesterday.

      • David Mac 9.2.1

        Hi Mathew, immigration aside people moving into new builds release potential rentals. New builds indirectly increase rental stocks.

        • Matthew Whitehead 9.2.1.1

          Sure, but your argument that banning passing on letting fees to tenants will decrease rental stock would rely on investors no longer buying houses to rent- something that likely isn’t going to be an issue for some time given the government has no imminent plans to rationalize taxes on property, so currently being a landlord gives you a tax advantage that makes virtually any legislation on landlords economically meaningless.

          The effect you mention in this reply would only make letting fees relevant to decisions to rent a house if people didn’t want to put a rental back on the market after a current tenant moved out because of advertising costs, a position which to be honest is pretty bizarre. Sure, if real estate agents decided to pass the fee onto landlords instead, they’d have to invest a little to get the same profits as they do now, but I doubt they’d want to stop collecting rent because of it, and there’s no way any smart real estate agent is going to go out of business because of this change.

  10. Sacha 10

    Is there any other example where I sell you something and also hit you directly with the cost of marketing it?

    Nice shoes, maam, and with only the cost of one magazine advert added. Bargain!

    • David Mac 10.1

      The Costco Warehouse chain is booming. Can’t buy anything there until the purchaser has bought a $60 or $120 annual membership card. Over 90% renew their cards each year.

      The pre-delivery charge on a new car buys a wash and a pair of number plates screwed on.

      • Matthew Whitehead 10.1.1

        Neither of those things are charges for marketing costs, however. You’ve explicitly stated what you pay for with pre-delivery charge, and Costco Membership is basically most of their profit margin, meaning you pay the membership fee and get something like wholesale prices rather than paying full retail prices at checkout.

        • David Mac 10.1.1.1

          Yeah….but a letting fee is not paying for the advertising either, it’s for a wash and screwing on number plates.
          Agency run property management divisions are barely profitable, letting fees are a rip off add on to make the business viable. I think they’ll find another way to extract $ out of owners or end users before closing the doors.

          • Matthew Whitehead 10.1.1.1.1

            Reimbursement for advertising costs is what they’ve always been sold as, David. I agree it’s likely padding the margins for property management businesses, but they should simply build a better margin into their businesses rather than moving costs onto clients. The problem here is the expectation that rentals will be guaranteed money boxes.

  11. Mark 11

    I don’t disagree with this, but it won’t make any difference- the landlords will pick it up somewhere else.

    • Muttonbird 11.1

      It does make a difference. Two weeks’ rent up front instead of three at a time when people have bond increases and moving costs to deal with.

  12. Muttonbird 12

    Quinovic don’t charge letting fees. Doesn’t seem to have hurt them.

  13. Lurker 13

    Labour need to slow down, work through their policies, and have all angles covered before announcing things.

    As is this policy is meaningless for the renters, and could even hurt them in the long run.

    The intentions are good, but intentions do not help people.

    • Muttonbird 13.1

      As stated above and in the op, it is not meaningless for renters. They no longer have to pay a week’s rent for the privilege having a credit check done on them.

      • Lurker 13.1.1

        Yes, instead they pay higher rent.

        The issue remains that they will pay a shitload of rent, even higher than before, in the guise of helping them.

  14. Delia 14

    Yes. It was a scam and should have been sorted from the time it started.

  15. Descendant Of Sssmith 15

    Don’t forget too that the baby boomers are starting to die off and will do so at an increasing rate.

    That will help in some areas.

    • Descendant Of Sssmith 15.1

      Just thought I’d add some figures to that. Number of deaths for those aged 50 or more. There’s a definite acceleration which will get faster.

      1990 23166
      1991 23139
      1992 23994
      1993 23997
      1994 23991
      1995 24684
      1996 25140
      1997 24402
      1998 23340
      1999 25314
      2000 23904
      2001 25194
      2002 25377
      2003 25299
      2004 25728
      2005 24342
      2006 25671
      2007 25812
      2008 26571
      2009 26328
      2010 25890
      2011 27594
      2012 27699
      2013 27327
      2014 28821
      2015 29361
      2016 28986
      2017 30990

      • David Mac 15.1.1

        There is a population bubble in that age group. This is why retirement villages are popping up everywhere and governments are looking for ways to contain the superannuation spend.

        Most rentals are owned by Mum and Dad investors. 90% of them have just one.

        Twyford is steering these people that are preparing for when they no longer work into buying Ryman and MetLife shares rather than 30 year old houses in Glen Eden to let out.

        I feel that there being nothing to pay a letting fee on is about to become a bigger issue than letting fees themselves. People buy investment houses because they don’t feel the government is going to meet all of their needs in their old age. The government telling these people how much they can charge for their asset will see them abandon the investment sector in their droves.

        In the short term I think we need to be wary of fixing a sore toe by cutting it off.

        • solkta 15.1.1.1

          The government telling these people how much they can charge for their asset will see them abandon the investment sector in their droves.

          When has the government done this? All they have said is that the letting fee is a cost that belongs to the landlord not the tenant as the agent is working for the landlord.

          Landlords often lose a couple of weeks rent when changing tenants anyway, so a weeks rent is not a big thing.

          You are correct about the bubble, what we need to do is do something about the inter-generational theft that is occurring.

        • Descendant Of Sssmith 15.1.1.2

          “Most rentals are owned by Mum and Dad investors. 90% of them have just one.:

          I’m not sure whether this is as true as people state and would be interested in how much of most is most – there’s a big variance between 51% and 99%.

          Why can’t we actually give a figure that reflects something more realistic than most.
          Even just seeing my children rent they have inevitably rented from people with multiple rental properties.

          Most of my peers that have rental properties have at least two, with one having 22 – that by the way her son will instantly sell upon her death as he has no desire to be a landlord.

          To my knowledge no one is actually collecting data on this – it’s not a census question e.g. how many rental properties do you own and IRD don’t track how many properties you own in their data – just the income from these.

          I’d like to know really how anyone actually knows how many rentals are owned by Mum and Dad investors.

          The other question is how to exclude those that have set up a trust but are renting to themselves – that’s not a genuine rental situation in the context being talked about i.e. they are not providing a rental for the public but are using the structure for asset protection/tax advantages etc. but are living in their own home.

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    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Funding hole for tax cuts growing by the day
    The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s brave climate change promise
    The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles  and that ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
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  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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    7 days ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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  • Government lowering building costs
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  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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  • Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity
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