Labour plans to stop overseas purchases of residential properties

Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, November 1st, 2017 - 192 comments
Categories: david parker, housing, International, labour, overseas investment - Tags:

This has been Labour policy for a while, and now that Labour is in power they are getting on with the job of preventing foreigners from buying residential property. From Radio New Zealand:

The new government says the plan to ban foreigners from being able to buy existing houses in New Zealand has to happen now, before the TPP is signed off.

But the opposition said Labour’s housing ban lacks detail.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced Labour would make changes to the Overseas Investment Act to classify residential housing as “sensitive”.

It stops non-residents and non-citizens from being able to purchase existing houses, although they can still buy land to build on. Australians would be exempt.

Ms Ardern told media at her first post-cabinet news conference yesterday that both New Zealand First and the Greens backed the law change.

The plan to ban foreigners from buying existing home in New Zealand has been dismissed by real estate agents as unlikely to change much.

Trade Minister David Parker told Morning Report today that the new government did not expect the move to have a huge impact on the current housing market.

He said the issue was more of a problem two years ago when a housing price bubble around the world saw a large flow of capital into the NZ market, but the foreign buyer ban had to happen now.

“If you don’t do it now, you can never do it. Because if TPP is entered into, New Zealand will have lost the policy space to protect the New Zealand housing market for New Zealanders.”

The change will be effected by a change to the definition of “sensitive land” in the Overseas Investment Act 2005. The change is an easy one to make. It does not of itself stop any sale from occurring, because an application to the OIO I presume will still be possible, but I can’t imagine anyone going to the bother of applying to buy a residential property.

The talk about TPP11 is a worry. If it is just a trade deal without investor state dispute settlement procedures or changes to intellectual property law then perhaps it could be considered. But if it is similar to TPP12 then things are going to get interesting …

192 comments on “Labour plans to stop overseas purchases of residential properties ”

  1. weka 1

    Hard to understand what is going on here tbh. Yes Labour are under time pressure because of the TPPA and have found a work around for this particular issue, but is it really the best mechanism? Are we now using hacks to run the country because we are beholden to the TPPA-11 and we haven’t agreed to it yet?

    I’m a little unclear on why Labour want to ban residential housing? Is it general principles around sovereignty or it is simply a tool for managing the housing market long term?

    I’m also concerned about what’s going to happen to rural land. Is the TPPA-11 going to prevent future legislation around that? Will it affect Labour’s ability to direct the OIO or make further changes to the OIA?

    And how does this work with the other two parties in government who have more protective policies?

    Equally concerning is that we’re two weeks out from the APEC meeting and we’re still having to ask these questions.

    Sorry, but this is an abysmal start for the Labour-led govt. It’s such a hugely important issue, and I’m sorry for Labour about the timing, but maybe it’s better to get this ideological conflict visible upfront.

    • Enough is Enough 1.1

      Well said Weka

      This announcement coupled with the confusing position they are taking on TPP is very concerning given the rhetoric from the past 2 years.

    • Ad 1.2

      The statement is here:

      http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1710/S00079/foreign-speculators-house-ban.htm

      The bill will go to Parliament in December, so you should expect it to come out for public scrutiny at the end of November, and to select committee. It will be fast.

      • Carolyn_nth 1.2.1

        This is promising:

        “We remain determined to do our utmost to amend the ISDS provisions of TPP. In addition, Cabinet has today instructed trade negotiation officials to oppose ISDS in any future free trade agreements.

        • KJT 1.2.1.1

          Should be simple. ISDS = no signing.

          • weka 1.2.1.1.1

            But the TPPA-11 without the ISDS is still a shitty thing for NZ to sign. Unless we are saying we can sign it and then reneg on the bits we don’t like later because no-one is going to sue us.

            • tracey 1.2.1.1.1.1

              Agree. ISDS is just one reason to oppose but not the whole reason. And doing their “utmost” can mean “we tried” but didn’t want to miss out so…

              Sounds like softening us up by saying no ISDS in “future trade deals”… This will be the equivalent of 10 at once? Beginning to sound like TPP is a done deal under labour and NZF.

          • Enough is Enough 1.2.1.1.2

            Since when did ISDS become the only problem with TPP. Aren’t there 5 bottom lines according to the previous Labour opposition that staunchly opposed this silly idea ?

            • Matthew Whitehead 1.2.1.1.2.1

              ISDS isn’t the only problem, but it is the one that locks in all the others. If we get TPP with a reasonable ISDS or none, then it can be worked on in the future. If we get it with this ISDS, we’re basically screwed.

              • tracey

                I agree to the extent that ISDS works as a deterrent/threat for governments to move policy a BIG corp doesn’t want AND as a mechanism for a BIG corp to sue. It is double-edged.

                • Matthew Whitehead

                  It’s definitely a double-edged sword, that’s why it has to clearly have an exception for laws in the public interest, be adjudicated by impartial judges in a third country that isn’t a home court for the investor or the state being sued, and why provisions that aren’t around trade barriers shouldn’t be enforceable via the ISDS. It should also allow for the judge or state to choose between simply mandating the barrier be lowered and/or allowing some degree of damages, rather than being purely about lost profits, because ideally the outcome of an ISDS is that you solve the trade barrier.

                  That said, it is a double-edged sword that can be necessary to make trade agreements work with countries that don’t have the kind of democratic or capitalistic norms that New Zealand has. The idea of an ISDS at all to NZers looks like overkill because our reaction is “what, of course you have to follow the law!” That’s not always the natural reaction of every state. I assume it’s part of what will get some of the bigger players to accept some of the smaller asian countries being trusted to be in the agreement, so I expect selling “here is a less punitive ISDS that lets us all retain more of our sovereignty while still giving confidence to businesses operating between our countries” will be much easier than saying “no ISDS, ever, not allowed!” (and while I’d be happy to have the agreement die, Labour’s clearly not, so we need to sell them a position that can actually work when asking them to renegotiate it)

              • lprent

                That is my view as well. The way that the ISDS has been operating in things like the NAFTA agreement is that it makes the legal process rigid and unable to change. That is because the cases tend to not focus on current law, but instead on procedures and practices from decades in the past.

                Societies change and often will change quite fast. This kind of ‘law’ with no rights of appeal and little appears to have little to do with a dynamic society. Which is why we get stupid cases like the plain paper packaging case in Aussie.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.3

            Even simpler: Listen to what the people want and don’t at all no matter what.

            We’re supposed to be a democracy after all.

        • rhinocrates 1.2.1.2

          “We are determined to sprinkle the very best glitter on this turd.”

      • tracey 1.2.2

        Yes, very fast and at a time of year when people are working toward end of year deadlines in business/work. IF Nats were rushing something through we would be questioning it.

    • Matthew Whitehead 1.3

      This is the simplest approach to arrest speculation from outside of New Zealand, so it’s not entirely worthless.

      Speculation inside New Zealand will likely require a new tax regime to arrest, which they have ruled out this term, so they absolutely need to cut off the flow of overseas capital, as at least they can look to ways to regulate the speculation situation inside NZ that don’t rely on tax in the meantime for these three years.

      It sounds like this measure is just for residential property, so yeah, this wouldn’t prevent buyups of land for multinational/corporate farm ownership or other similar uses of rural land by overseas interests.

      This is exactly what I expect from a Labour government when it’s not being guided by the Greens- it’s a halfway measure that’s not radical enough and doesn’t fix all the problems because they’re worried about being seen as too scary.

      • Ad 1.3.1

        You are really telling us that the Greens are a part of the government but have no effect? Surely they aren’t that weak?

        What you should expect from this government is policy and legislation supported by all three parties who make up that government. Because that is the nature of being a government.

        If the Greens want to put up amendments in the House about it, let them.

        • weka 1.3.1.1

          “You are really telling us that the Greens are a part of the government but have no effect? Surely they aren’t that weak?”

          Forgotten how MMP works already Ad?

          • Ad 1.3.1.1.1

            You clearly don’t understand being in a government.

            If the Greens can’t make an effect inside government, they should leave. Stop making excuses for them.

            • weka 1.3.1.1.1.1

              You’re the only one saying the Greens can’t make an effect inside govt. Matthew certainly didn’t say it. To me it looks like you can’t address the issues raised and so just attack the Greens. Which increasingly seems to be your default position.

              I’d restate what the issue is that I raised and Matt responded to, but thus far you are showing no genuine interest in that debate.

              • Ad

                What we need to avoid is inconsequential petualant whining like this:

                “This is exactly what I expect from a Labour government when it’s not being guided by the Greens-”

                Which is clearly what I was responding to. The greens are in power. They are the government. This is their time to shine, and they either show they have what it takes to influence government, right now, or they don’t.

                Weka you need to relax a little and wait for the actual clause to come out.

                • tracey

                  You need to be less patronising and an apologist for actions, which if done by Nats would have your panties in a wad. But you won’t, so why should weka?

            • lprent 1.3.1.1.1.2

              If the Greens can’t make an effect inside government, they should leave.

              FFS: Perhaps it is that you simply don’t understand what a confidence and supply agreement is and what it implies in terms of being “inside government” ?

              Try looking at what the Greens signed up to rather than trying to redefine their role to something that simply doesn’t exist.

        • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.1.2

          The Greens can’t pass anything that isn’t agreed to be EITHER:
          a) Both Labour and NZF.
          b) National.

          So yes, they are pretty constrained. They absolutely will put up amendments, and we’ll see how Labour reacts to them. My point is not about that, and if you’d stop being obstinate for a moment you’d see that. My point is about Labour’s initial inclinations on any given issue being reflexively middle-of-the-road.

          • Ad 1.3.1.2.1

            “This is exactly what I expect from a Labour government when it’s not being guided by the Greens- it’s a halfway measure that’s not radical enough and doesn’t fix all the problems because they’re worried about being seen as too scary.”

            Now you can show how the Greens have not had an influence. Even though they are in government. With very similar policies to the two other coalition partners.

            Why not just breathe outwards and wait for the amendment?

            • weka 1.3.1.2.1.1

              Why not let the people that don’t trust Labour like you do keep debating the issues?

            • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.1.2.1.2

              Ad. Stop telling me what to do, and take your own advice, and breathe slowly for a moment before you post your next reply that’s simply not constructive. Cheers.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.3.1.2.1.3

              Even though they are in government.

              They’re not in government but have a C&S agreement with ministers Outside Cabinet.

              they will have an effect because Labour is going to have to negotiate a compromise position that the Greens and NZ1st can agree to. Hopefully that compromise position will be more restrictive than what Labour are offering.

          • Carolyn_nth 1.3.1.2.2

            reflexively middle-of-the-road

            And more addressed to the middle classes, rather than including a strong address to the low income and precarious classes.

      • weka 1.3.2

        “This is the simplest approach to arrest speculation from outside of New Zealand, so it’s not entirely worthless.”

        True, so shall we assume that Labour has no problem per se with overseas ownership, just as it affects how this one part of the economy run?

        “It sounds like this measure is just for residential property, so yeah, this wouldn’t prevent buyups of land for multinational/corporate farm ownership or other similar uses of rural land by overseas interests.”

        Yes, but my point was more that is this one thing about residential housing the only bit that Labour will address, and thus in the TPPA-11 negotiations it no longer is protecting NZ on land ownership? Are they about to sign something that will prevent rural land from being protected in the future?

        • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.2.1

          Potentially, yes. Depends whether they negotiate to reform the ISDS and whether they’re willing to walk away if they don’t get adequate movement on it, but it sounds from comments like Labour is much more impressed by the TPP as-is than it should be.

          • weka 1.3.2.1.1

            They’re bending over backwards in fact.

            Even with the ISDS issue resolved, it’s still possible to have a clause in the agreement whereby NZ agrees to not restrict rural land sales right? I have no idea if there is such a clause, because Labour don’t appear to give a shit about the rural land issue*. Otherwise it would be being explained to us.

            *although I thought they had in the past.

            • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.2.1.1.1

              Unless they’re intending to include rural land in this amendment, no, I don’t expect they’ll be negotiating for it. They’ve said they realistically think they can renegotiate one major issue for TPP11 without scuttling the deal. (personally, I think they should go for a good deal and simply risk scuttling the one on the table, because as-is it’s actively harmful to us and the economy)

              • weka

                “They’ve said they realistically think they can renegotiate one major issue for TPP11 without scuttling the deal. ”

                Wow, I hadn’t heard that.

                Presumably that’s the ISDS, and then we can assume we’re going to lose on all the other issues.

                • Matthew Whitehead

                  That’s what I read into the “not having to negotiate on the housing issue gives us more space to deal with the ISDS” comments. YMMV.

            • red-blooded 1.3.2.1.1.2

              The rural land issue is already covered by the Overseas investment Act – it’s just that the OIO need to actually enforce it. They’ve been riding very lightly on this because the Nats saw no problem with selling up rural property.

              • weka

                yes. Which means that next time National are in, they can reset things back to how they are now. I’m saying I’m concerned that the TPPA will prevent say a second term L/G govt putting in actual protections around rural land.

      • Bearded Git 1.3.3

        the 5 year bright line test is quite strong….speculators hate to be stuck with assets for 5 years…the Nats 2 year blt (no not the one that comes with a flat white) was pathetic

        • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.3.1

          LOL the five year bright-line test is not exactly “strong,” it merely means that speculators need to wait five years to avoid being taxed. It is at least stronger than the two-year test. But all either does is slow down the speculative market, when you’ve got cash that will be taxed if you don’t invest it, you’re perfectly willing to buy an investment property that you won’t be able to sell for five years and just rent it in the meantime. We need a solution that doesn’t time out, and that likely means properly taxing capital gains on realization.

          What this bill does at least is cut off the direct inflow of surplus cash from overseas, which will make laundering money through property investment a bit harder as they’ll need an NZ citizen as an intermediary, and it will be easier to spot because they’ll likely have a shortage of willing intermediaries to launder money through property purchase. It’s not a silver bullet, but it will greatly hamper one of the bigger causative issues of the huge housing bubble we’re sitting on.

          • AB 1.3.3.1.1

            Yes – it is just one smallish weapon in the armoury. It’s an easy first one to deploy politically as it is pointed at someone else (foreigners).
            I’ll judge Labour on what other weapons they choose to use or not use in addition to this one.
            Big question is whether they have the courage to wean the domestic middle classes off their appetite for unearned and untaxed capital gain from owning rental properties by making it financially unattractive.

            • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.3.1.1.1

              Doesn’t hurt foreigners who actually want to live in houses they’d buy, or build new ones, though. Just ones who want to buy existing houses without living here.

            • greywarshark 1.3.3.1.1.2

              AB
              All they have to do there is to introduce WOFs and an annual cost for inspection, and that will make quite a few of the lords and ladies of Middleclass think further about their growing estate. They need a few reminder prods to get them to limit their possibly insecure investments in real estate portfolios.

              And there should be a retraining exercise for retiring real estate agents who would otherwise be unemployed. They have good skills usually, they could have opportunities to drum up business overseas for other NZ products than milk. Also they need to have a diploma to operate I think, but is there a cost to the employing company each year for each agent, and a limit of how many? Tighten the market for the house pushers and things will start to deflate slowly but surely.

      • David C 1.3.4

        Mathew
        Given that speculators are already taxed under NZ law at full income tax rates what extra taxes do you expect for speculation?

        • Matthew Whitehead 1.3.4.1

          No they’re not. The brightline test is evadable and other capital gains on property aren’t taxed. Being a speculator doesn’t necessarily mean you’re aiming for a short-term profit, it simply means you’re buying because you anticipate out-sized profits on sale, and anyone who’s willing to speculate on a five-year delay will still be able to until we get a proper solution to domestic speculation in place.

          • AB 1.3.4.1.1

            Yes – fundamentally ‘investors’ are speculators . To suggest that you are not a speculator because you are working to a longer time horizon than 2 or 5 years is just sleight of hand.

            • Andre 1.3.4.1.1.1

              Not necessarily. If I were to go and buy a house for the rental income stream, intending to never sell it and my will specifies it goes to a charity, that would make me a rentier investor, and definitely not a speculator. Nothing stopping an investor being both a speculator and a rentier, of course.

              • David C

                Well I really do hope something is done about tax on amateur speculators (which is what Matthew seems to be talking about) as it will level the playing field.

                • Matthew Whitehead

                  You can be a professional speculator and willing to accept a 5-year wait to avoid the brightline test, David, it just means you have to be confident that market conditions will be improved over the five-year period. It’s certainly a much harder ask, but it’s honestly not impossible, especially if you have a large amount of cash you want to turn into appreciating assets and no immediate need to increase liquidity. Personally I see the 3-year extension as a way to hold off NZ and Australian speculators until a proper capital tax covering housing is introduced in term 2.

                  • David C

                    Matthew.
                    No.
                    If you speculate you pay tax, no ifs buts or maybes. If you purchased to sell it again intending to make a profit on that sale the profit is taxable.
                    Anything else is a compliance issue and should be chased hard.

                    Labour will never ever bring in a proper CGT. Its electoral suicide.

                    • Andre

                      That’s the theory, sure. But how well is it enforced? All it takes is some semi-plausible fairy-tale about intent at time of purchase and voila, no tax liability.

                    • David C

                      Andre.
                      Its not a theory its the law.
                      If people are not paying tax then spend more on enforcement.

                    • Matthew Whitehead

                      You are wrong and you need to accept that the bright-line test does not, in practice, catch all speculation. The law may say that speculators should pay tax if they intend to be speculators, but the only method for actually proving speculation is the bright-line test, which in practice means that they can wait out the five years and then have a plausible story about needing to sell suddenly.

                      No amount of tax enforcement can creep into the mind of people waiting out a brightline test to examine the intent in their heads. This is the whole reason that National was forced to implement the brightline test in the first place, because even they realised that a limited capital tax on short-term speculation was necessary. All they need is something that can factually hold up, and that’s even if they’re questioned on it.

                    • Sam aka clump

                      “New Zealanders of European descent were the wealthiest, with an individual median net worth of $114,000.” That includes home equity.

                      And for none European New Zealanders the individual medium net worth was less than “$33,000.” That excludes home equity. #rediculous

                      http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/307458/10-percent-richest-kiwis-own-60-percent-of-nz's-wealth

                    • KJT

                      Everyone keeps saying that. Doesn’t make it true.
                      Polls say different. And those who oppose a CGT are unlikely to ever vote for Labour/Greens.

                      A majority of voters think the rich should pay taxes on wealth and rent/capital gains, and speculators should pay their way also.

      • Andre 1.3.5

        “It sounds like this measure is just for residential property, so yeah, this wouldn’t prevent buyups of land for multinational/corporate farm ownership or other similar uses of rural land by overseas interests.”

        Looks to me like the measure brings residential property under the same umbrella of OIO scrutiny and approval of farms, businesses etc that already exists.

        So it would definitely need to be accompanied by getting the OIO to be a lot more demanding and selective about what it approves, and enforcing any agreements conditional to the approval.

    • Adrian Thornton 1.4

      @weka +1 “maybe it’s better to get this ideological conflict visible upfront”.

    • Et Tu Brute 1.5

      This ‘hack’ as you call it is a workaround for a number of different agreements, not just the upcoming TPP11. An outright ban, rather than a ‘sensitive’ label, would potentially breach agreements with Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and by extension China. But since these countries accept our OIO scheme, agreements with them allow for the branding of land as sensitive. So hard to see how they’d adopt something other than this ‘hack’ without renegotiating parts of these agreements.

      And why are we carving out Australians when they’re our biggest foreign land owners? And why granny flats in the city, but not undeveloped lands on the fringes of our cities? So foreigners can become land bankers but not landlords? Seems a bit topsy turvy.

    • tracey 1.6

      It appears Labour does not mind land being bought… and built on (whatever that turns out to mean). Land prices are the problem in Auckland, not so much the cost of building.

      Parker needs to be clearer about what it is this move is addressing. It is also becoming clearer the TPP is not something Labour is really going to fight.

  2. ianmac 2

    Funny how the wild opposition from Joyce, Hoskings and the Real Estate condemns on one hand and yet says there will be little difference as the number foreign buyers is so minimal.

    • simonm 2.1

      That’s exactly what I was thinking. Two years ago they were telling us we were fantasising about foreign buyers having any impact at all on the NZ housing market.

      Now they’re trying to spin the line that the new law will make no difference at all because all the offshore speculators left the market two years ago.

      Since there’s no way for both of these scenarios to be true, I’m calling bullshit.

      • tracey 2.1.1

        Perhaps there weren’t many of them but they bought at the very high end of the market 😉

  3. Carolyn_nth 3

    I’m unclear as to whether the ban is on residential housing, or it’s actually restrictions on “sensitive land”, or whether residential housing (but not the land) is going to be deemed to be “sensitive” – so then not really a “ban”?

    It is really the land that is the target of many property speculators. Will there be any measures to stop overseas buyers land banking?

    And what weka said about the TPP-11.

  4. Enough is Enough 4

    Why are Australians permitted to speculate on our property market?

    • veutoviper 4.1

      Because the ability is reciprocal under the NZ-Australia CER. In other words NZers can buy property in Australia and Australians can buy property in NZ.

      • The Chairman 4.1.1

        With Australian investment being high in NZ, Labour should have opted for an economic deterrent.

        Therefore, still allowing them to purchase (meeting our reciprocal agreement) yet deterring them from doing so.

      • tracey 4.1.2

        Perhaps it could have still been used as leverage to push Aussie Govt back on some f its retrograde attitudes to kiwis?

    • Venezia 4.2

      Enough…because NZers are able to buy Australian residential property. So it is reciprocal. Australia passed a ban on foreign buying several years ago.

      • Enough is Enough 4.2.1

        Then its not a ban on Foreigners is it? Just some.

        • Matthew Whitehead 4.2.1.1

          It’s a ban on people without a right to live in NZ buying residential property.

      • simonm 4.2.2

        And because New Zealanders are have complete access to Australia’s labour market and can reside there as long they want (albeit with some reduced benefits compared to Australian citizens). No other country allows NZ citizens those rights.

  5. Bill 5

    I’m going to have to search this out, but I’m pretty sure I made the argument a long time ago that the government could pass legislation banning individuals from buying residential property (basically because they’d have no recourse to redress via ISDS), and that doing so would not affect the TPPA because market access for companies would remain.

    As I wrote in response to Weka in yesterday’s “Daily Review” this move by Labour is a nothing.

    Maybe Labour believe they found a magician with a magic hat and a rabbit yesterday, but then, maybe someone should have pointed out that yesterday was Halloween and some folks would be in fancy dress.

    Or should we talk of smoke and mirrors in relation to yesterday being all about tricks or treats?

    • weka 5.1

      We don’t know what the wording will say in the OIA amendment. So it’s possible that will include companies (the OIO already has to deal with non-individuals). But yes, another thing we just don’t know.

    • Ad 5.2

      Here’s the list of sensitive land at the moment:

      http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0082/27.0/DLM358552.html#DLM358553

      In summary it’s:
      – non-urban land
      – land on islands outside the main two islands
      – foreshore and seabed
      – bed of lake
      – Conservation land
      – reserve or park land
      – land under heritage order under the RMA
      – a historically listed place

      A simple couple of amendments to that table would be a start.

    • mickysavage 5.3

      It will work. The system kicks in at the title transferring time. It will be difficult almost impossible to get around although the use of proxies is hard to stop.

      • weka 5.3.1

        Will the Act ban residential sales to overseas people, or simply mean that if they want to buy it they have to go through a process like they do now with rural land?

      • Molly 5.3.2

        If the system kicks in at title transferring time, how does it work when it is a company being sold with properties being the assets in a company?

        There would be no transfer of title in that case, just a sale of shares.

      • Bill 5.3.3

        Aye. It’ll work by way of preventing private individuals from buying houses/property. That’s a given.

        But it won’t work by way of preventing foreign financial interests that are not individuals. I’d suggest an ISDS hearing beckons if the government seeks to apply it to institutions.

        I’d like to hear a journalist ask Parker or whoever what they reckon the effect of propose changes will have on institutions seeking to buy property (in light of FTAs) and where they are getting that advice from.

        • weka 5.3.3.1

          “But it won’t work by way of preventing foreign financial interests that are not individuals.”

          Possibly, but I’m not seeing the evidence for that. We already know that the rules apply to corporations, businesses etc with rural land.

          • Bill 5.3.3.1.1

            The “rules” currently in place do not hamper market access to an extent that would cause concern to any TPP signatory.

            And we’ve been told the “rules” are to be changed to stop individuals accessing the housing market.

            We know the changes refer to individuals because Parker very clearly set out the bar of residence and citizenship.

            Neither residency nor citizenship apply to corporate or business entities.

            So the changes, being that they apply to individuals, will have no effect on any market access provisions contained in the TPP. Any OIO provisions or anything else that limited or governed corporate or business entities in relation to the TPP remains and will continue having the same effect as before.

            It’s like Parker’s stated he’s hitting the chippie for tea and your saying you’ve seen no evidence to suggest he’s not having homemade pie and tatties.

            • weka 5.3.3.1.1.1

              “Neither residency nor citizenship apply to corporate or business entities.”

              So how is the OIO/OIA restricting rural land sales to corporations currently?

              • Bill

                I do not know. But they are (yes?), and the TPP was ratified with all of whatever in place.

                All I’m saying is that Parker hasn’t indicated any change to any of that, and so the effects of the TPP will remain and they haven’t been ameliorated by the changes he’s announced.

            • Matthew Whitehead 5.3.3.1.1.2

              My understanding is that classifying residential property as sensitive applies to corporates, too, or am I misreading this:

              http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0082/27.0/DLM357794.html

              • Bill

                And ignoring more holes than a Swizz cheese (an honorary directorship or two anyone?), let’s step back and look at an ISDS off the back of changing domestic law after ratification and a claim for compensation over loss of profit or potential profit.

                Best of it being, in the future, we wouldn’t even necessarily know if any such cases had been brought or what the results had been.

                • Matthew Whitehead

                  The only holes I see there are that they have to have the company owned (beneficially or otherwise) 75% by kiwis, which isn’t an unreasonable out to allow New Zealanders to bring on a minority of overseas capital while still buying NZ assets. As I understand it being an honourary director of a company would give you no capacity to benefit from or control its assets. Like I said, I’m open to having missed something, however.

                  Yes, I agree that the ISDS is incredibly problematic as-written and either needs to go, or should be completely rewritten into something that only deals with laws or regulations that have no other purpose than as trade barriers, not those that break any provision of the agreement. But that doesn’t mean that this step isn’t a good move whether or not TPP11 happens. (and personally, I am on team “Renegotiate it radically or walk away,” because I don’t even think scrapping the ISDS is enough to make it worthwhile, even though it arguably might boost GDP to pass it after solving the ISDS issues)

              • tracey

                What stops foreign individuals working through a NZ company to purchase land?

                • Matthew Whitehead

                  75% of the benefits of the company need to go to kiwis to avoid being subject to the Overseas Investment Act, so it would essentially have to be a company that is legitimately making money for kiwi owners as well, making it pretty useless for the worst-case scenarios like money laundering, but I guess it could happen, it’d just be pretty difficult to set up.

            • simonm 5.3.3.1.1.3

              Despite your apparent view that Parker is as big a dimwit as Steven Joyce, he isn’t. I’m sure he’s given consideration to these concerns and will provide a suitable solution to them. If people already have to provide their IRD numbers when they purchase property, require them to show they hold NZ citizenship or Permanent Residency and are living here. If property is being purchased via a company or trust, then the purchaser must prove that the beneficiaries are NZ citizens or Permanent Residents. Otherwise, no sale.

              As others have already pointed out, the way to avoid the law being flouted is to put the onus for compliance on real estate agents and conveyancing lawyers and to apply extremely punitive penalties to those who break it. Making it law that any person or entity who purchases a property illegally automatically forfeits it to the Crown would be a strong deterrent.

              • tracey

                I hope you are right which is why this announcement’s paucity of such detail to allay these questions is irksome.

  6. Ad 6

    Great to see a really simple mechanism being used to fix a massive problem.

    Well overdue that we kept New Zealand housing for New Zealanders alone.

    And since they are in to the OIO, there will be the inevitable question about rural land as well. No doubt Winston will put an amendment up in Select Committee and in the House. Let’s see who backs it. Select Committee is the right place to refine this.

    Fantastic start in the first week of government being sworn in.

    • Enough is Enough 6.1

      “Well overdue that we kept New Zealand housing for New Zealanders alone”

      Except when they are Australians

      • Ad 6.1.1

        I really don’t mind that. After all I would like an apartment in Melbourne in fairly short order, as do a lot of New Zealanders already.

        • Enough is Enough 6.1.1.1

          And I would like an apartment in London.

          We are either keeping New Zealand housing for “New Zealanders alone”, or we are not.

          It appears we are not.

          • Muttonbird 6.1.1.1.1

            Are you suggesting that because Australians are exempt under CER we should exempt everyone else also, regardless of reciprocal rights or lack thereof?

            • Enough is Enough 6.1.1.1.1.1

              No – I am saying we should find a way of ensuring that all foreigners are kept out of our housing market.

              Would a 100% stamp duty breach CER?

          • Ad 6.1.1.1.2

            I love principles.

            But then, if Australia felt like retaliating against all the kiwis in Australia who own apartments, you would find an even bigger crisis of expatriates being mistreated than you see now across multiple policy levels.

            We are two of the most highly integrated societies and economies in the world. i think continuing to allow New Zealanders and Australians to continue to buy and sell each others’ apartments is a simple facing of reality.

            • Enough is Enough 6.1.1.1.2.1

              But how can you say in one breath that New Zealand housing should be kept for New Zealanders alone, then flip your own argument by saying its fine for Australians to enter our market.

              Just so rich Kiwis can get a holiday house on the GC?….come on

              • Ad

                So we can continue to operate as the integrated Australasian society and economy that we really are.

                • Enough is Enough

                  OK I understand where you are coming from. It just doesn’t really reconcile with your opening statement that I questioned.

                  • RedLogix

                    Because as Ad says … Aus and NZ are really the two most integrated countries in the world, economically and socially. The business links are deep and enduring, and there can be scarcely any families either side of the Tasman who don’t have some connection to the other side.

                    It’s only in a political sense that we maintain the illusion that we are separate countries. And personally I’ve long argued NZ would be better off joining the Federation like we should have in 1903 (or thereabouts). Realise this is a tangent to the thread OP, so I’m just saying it as my own opinion. Others feel free to vary 🙂

                    • Enough is Enough

                      I am not questioning that.

                      I am questioning why Ad made a statement that he evidently does not agree with.

                    • tracey

                      Not just politically… deportation policies, tertiary student policies, citizenship policies, some health cover issues….

              • Molly

                I would think a lot of Kiwi owned properties in Australia would be lived in by those working and living there. It would be interesting to find out how that ownership is made up in terms of ex-pats, holiday homes and investors.

            • tracey 6.1.1.1.2.2

              Why would they retaliate? We haven’t retaliated over student’s treated as Internationals, deportations, health cover….

          • AB 6.1.1.1.3

            I would like all sorts of stuff. What I do not like is paying $750k for a grungy, poorly-constructed 2-bedroom fibrolite piece of junk in Birkdale.

            • Enough is Enough 6.1.1.1.3.1

              Exactly – That’s why we need this be broader than simply redefining sensitive land and exempting Aussies

          • 3stepstotheright 6.1.1.1.4

            Correct, we are not. And neither should we. You can purchase an apartment in London if you wish. And Melbourne. And in numerous other countries. Labour’s ban is a token gesture that might make some feel good, but doesn’t actually achieve anything.

      • veutoviper 6.1.2

        As I replied to you at 4.1 above, “Because the ability to buy and sell property is reciprocal under the NZ-Australia CER. In other words NZers can buy property in Australia and Australians can buy property in NZ.”

        Om top of the TPP-11 situation and any number of other factors vis a vis the NZ and Australia relationship, renegotiation of the CER right now would be madness.

        • Ad 6.1.2.1

          Precisely.
          As a result we are essentially one operating economy and society .

          • tracey 6.1.2.1.1

            essentially… except in tertiary study, health cover, deportation policy and rights to citizenship/residency etc

        • Enough is Enough 6.1.2.2

          And I responded to you.

          • veutoviper 6.1.2.2.1

            Where????

          • greywarshark 6.1.2.2.2

            I think it has been a very informative interchange. Is here any way to get these integrated australians to not trade in NZ dwellings? If they buy and sell too fast can we get them on speculation tax as we are told NZs can be hit? It is true that Australians have captured us and while they have unwound the pretty ribbons in the ties that bind, we aren’t free to float away.
            But are they free to do business with our houses and not suffer any comeback from us as in speculation tax?

            We can’t do what we like because they are NO. 1 trading partner for us and we need them, more than the other way. Also they have three of our big banks which are good profit makers and they own a major media company in NZ, etc. And we have citizens over there who are likely always to have NZ nationality because of the barriers to getting residency, and the further step to changing nationality. But they may end up victims if the Australians decide to retaliate sharply against any moves from us. We are handy to apply force to while we remain a foreign country

            We have such trouble getting our head around their dominance. Would it simplify our situation if we asked to join their Federation? It seems that NZs have little sense of our own unique culture and don’t much care about our own unique environment. But Maori would have poor status if any, over there and so would be mad to let us make any moves to join up.

            • tracey 6.1.2.2.2.1

              Given the house tourism industry which has grown in Aussie for investment into NZ, I doubt there will be the will given we are very much the under-partner in CER

    • Well overdue that we kept New Zealand housing for New Zealanders alone.

      It is but Labour’s not doing that.

    • tracey 6.3

      Can you give more detail and data to explain the “massive problem” this simple mechanism solves?

  7. Labour plans to stop overseas purchases of residential properties

    Thing is, that’s not what they’re doing. This is what they’re doing:

    The new government says the plan to ban foreigners from being able to buy existing houses

    Bold mine.

    Foreigners would still be able to buy housing. The general populace actually wants a complete ban on foreign ownership. So, this is another case of Labour and other parties not listening.

    Because if TPP is entered into, New Zealand will have lost the policy space to protect the New Zealand housing market for New Zealanders.

    Then don’t sign on to the TPP – just like the majority of NZers actually want.

    And, while your at it – have a look into removing ourselves from other FTAs that remove our ability to do what’s best for us.

  8. savenz 8

    What about the farms, other assets, commercial and new development property? Ok for foreigners to own them?

    Sounds like a drop in the ocean considering much of NZ residential property is already in the hands of new residents and offshore individuals, corporations or trusts. So I guess NZ taxpayers now are going to help offshore developers develop more land for which foreign buyers can buy as it’s not exisiting?

    Sounds. a bit Mickey Mouse. But I guess neoliberalism doesn’t really make any sense for the many not the few.

    I’m pleased (sarcasm) my tax payers dollars go towards corporate welfare and enriching other county’s individuals and my kids will be left with future government debt for the privilege so that offshore developers can build here to keep the Ponzi scheme going.

    • Sounds. a bit Mickey Mouse. But I guess neoliberalism doesn’t really make any sense for the many not the few.

      QFT

    • savenz 8.2

      There’s a reason NZ’s 2nd biggest export (if not now the biggest) is profits. Overtaking dairy and forestry. We are turning ourselves into a penniless 3rd world country owned by others.

    • Venezia 8.3

      Save NZ …. Read what Ad has posted from the Act above about definitions of “sensitive land”. It clearly says ” non -urban land”.

    • Muttonbird 8.4

      What about the farms, other assets, commercial and new development property? Ok for foreigners to own them?

      I couldn’t care less about farms, tbh, and it seems the OIO as all over that already (or at least they should be).

      A case can be made that foreign investment in commercial property, businesses, and new developments is mutually beneficial (the kind of ‘good’ investment Fran O’Sullivan bangs on about). But the same can’t be said of speculation in existing residential property. This is unsustainable, it’s fake growth, and interferes with a basic fundamental right – that of access to secure shelter.

      This is also the area which is causing direct harm to ordinary New Zealand families and to the vulnerable unable to meet the increasing costs associated with an over inflated house market. The others you list are not.

      • weka 8.4.1

        Overseas money is bumping up rural land sales and making rural land unaffordable for NZers. If you think it doesn’t matter if NZers can afford to farm or otherwise buy rural land, then that doesn’t matter. But really it does.

        • Ad 8.4.1.1

          Now you’re an expert on rural land sales.

          Why not insert a fact or two amidst all your panicked arm-waving.

          Try a graph on rural land sales.

          • weka 8.4.1.1.1

            I see you still can’t debate the issues raised Ad and instead have to resort to undermining the person raising them.

        • Muttonbird 8.4.1.2

          The mechanism is there, it just needs to be enforced. No such mechanism exists for residential housing. It is literally a free for all at the moment.

          • weka 8.4.1.2.1

            What will the impact of the TPPA be on enforcing the mechanism?

            What happens when National is next in power?

        • Muttonbird 8.4.1.3

          Weka. He’s the new government using the existing mechanism on a different setting to slow the effects you are concerned about.

          At the moment they are virtually all waved through, we think the ministerial discretion should be narrowed. Our reasons for that are that young farmers graduating from sharemilker to farmer shouldn’t be priced out by foreign buyers.

          – David Parker

          https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/98435637/government-to-make-it-tougher-for-foreigners-to-buy-farmland

          My argument is there was no similar mechanism around residential housing. Now there is.

          • The Chairman 8.4.1.3.1

            While it’s good long overdue improvements are going to be made, doesn’t the TPP aim to increase the valuation thresholds before land sales are required to be considered by the OIO?

          • weka 8.4.1.3.2

            My arguments are largely around sovereignty. The property market ones are secondary. So I see the OIO as neoliberal sop to the idea that being a nation means something. Neoliberals hate that idea, which is why we’re all angsting over land sales while Labour treat this as an economic management tool.

            It’s simple. Write law that means to own land in NZ you have to have legal rights to live here. If you must, write in some caveats around special circumstances about overseas investors in the case of the NZ economy being in such dire straights that we can’t attract investment any other ways. But start from a position of sovereignty and work your way out.

            So yes, what Parker is doing is an improvement, but it’s risky and we still have no idea what the TPP implications are.

          • tracey 8.4.1.3.3

            Maybe remove Ministerial discretion entirely and put in criteria for Public Servants to enforce unfettered, or without the sceptre of a Minister over ruling or being upset hanging above them? Cos you still have to have the ability to help donors (sarc).

            People would still have Judicial review if unhappy with an OIO decision.

      • Ad 8.4.2

        The OIO is going to need to be far better resourced and get far more assertive.
        They take far too long as it is, and like a lot of Departments will probably need a clearout as well as new finding if it is to cope with degree of policy and operational scrutiny.

      • A case can be made that foreign investment in commercial property, businesses, and new developments is mutually beneficial (the kind of ‘good’ investment Fran O’Sullivan bangs on about).

        I don’t think that case can be made actually. A foreign company comes in, buys up a business, shifts the IP offshore and then closes down the local business.

        Sure, doesn’t happen al the time but it certainly happens far too often.

        But the same can’t be said of speculation in existing residential property. This is unsustainable, it’s fake growth, and interferes with a basic fundamental right – that of access to secure shelter.

        You do realise that the same applies to the farms don’t you? It removes our ability to feed ourselves. Although, we’re seeing that now as the private owners of farms sell offshore for the higher profits.

        Seems to be a general failure of privatisation and the profit drive.

      • savenz 8.4.4

        @ Muttonbird “I couldn’t care less about farms” – maybe you should because already Kiwi’s can’t afford to eat our own grown food because it is exported elsewhere. If you have that on mass then soon you get a banana republic. That’s what business are so desperate for TPPA, it’s for when yokel countries wake up and realise previous governments have sold all the countries assets and they no longer own or control their own countries assets and TPPA is there to ensure it stays that way with no come back to the businesses. It’s already happening in NZ, our exports of profits, prove it as does the inequality and lowering of basic standards of living and increasing rates of crime and imprisionment.

        • tracey 8.4.4.1

          Except plenty of farmers have had great retirements selling their land to overseas buyers, so I suspect even the farming community is mixed on this.

          • Keepcalmcarryon 8.4.4.1.1

            Most of the farming community want to be able sell offshore- farming is all capital gain and everyone wants to retire to tauranga and queenstown. An occasional older farmer or young farmer thinks otherwise.
            So much for patriotism and farmers as the “backbone” of the country.

            • tracey 8.4.4.1.1.1

              Well, they are humans just like the greedy city folks who keep voting for their personal gain in the property market.

            • Sam aka clump 8.4.4.1.1.2

              Seriously. Bring back farmers markets and get them involved in the community again.

              Helen Clark floated the idea of having some sort of travel ban on food items transported over 250ks iirc. Maybe if that was couple with a grocers licence similar to how the old Waitakere District Council used to allocate liquor licenses by restricting alcohol sales to approved license holders. It took the Pak&Sav on Lincoln road years (decades before they where able to prove they would be a responsible license holder) nothing much to do with how the Lincoln Green Hotel just up the road stitched them up for so long.

              Maybe Farmers could instead stick up the big food chains instead of trying to stick up every one else. Mean time big food chains are ripping the Farmer and every one else.

  9. weka 9

    So nothing to stop overseas people buying land, subdividing it, and then on-selling it? How is that not speculation?

    • Ad 9.1

      Why don’t you just hold your breath until the clauses are put to the Select Committee and the public can see them.

      • weka 9.1.1

        Because I think it’s reasonable in a democracy such as ours for the public to know what is going on. The ‘trust us we know what we are doing’ approach isn’t good enough.

        For instance, I don’t understand the implications of the TPPA-11 being locked in before the process you are talking about. Wanting to understand those things is normal.

        • indiana 9.1.1.1

          ” The ‘trust us we know what we are doing’ approach” – that’s how the current Government was formed – why bitch about it? Unintended consequences begone!

          • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.1.1

            that’s how the current Government was formed

            No it wasn’t which would make what you said a lie.

            But, hey, you’re a confirmed RWNJ and lying does seem to come naturally to such types.

          • weka 9.1.1.1.2

            The Greens don’t generally take that approach beyond where it’s pragmatically necessary. ie. their ideology is based in democracy not top down rule.

          • tracey 9.1.1.1.3

            That’s why the last government was replaced FIFY

        • greywarshark 9.1.1.2

          weka 11.03am
          +100

  10. Antoine 10

    It’s an ingeniously simple scheme. We will have to wait to see whether it achieves its intended result, without causing unexpected problems.

    A.

    • Muttonbird 10.1

      Dampening the next surge and ensuring Kiwi families get a fair crack in the future is the intended result.

      The previous government didn’t this time round and damaged a sizeable community.

      • Antoine 10.1.1

        The intended result is preventing non-resident foreigners from buying houses in NZ. We’ll see whether it achieves that or not.

        A.

        • Muttonbird 10.1.1.1

          No, that’s the means by which to achieve the result – a fairer New Zealand.

          Like most people opposed to fairness you use the detail of measures to promote it to argue against it.

          • Antoine 10.1.1.1.1

            > Like most people opposed to fairness you use the detail of measures to promote it to argue against it.

            I’m not arguing against it. SImply saying that I don’t know whether it will be successful in its (narrowly defined) aim or not. I don’t think anyone should truly be certain at this point that it will work. But we should see in the months/years to come.

            We’ll probably never know whether it achieves its ultimate aim (a fairer NZ) or not. House prices will do what they do and we can argue about the causes as much as we like. However, that’s not a reason not to do it.

            Cheers
            BB

            • Muttonbird 10.1.1.1.1.1

              Well, I’m glad you at least accept not knowing whether something will be successful is a reason not to do it!

              • Antoine

                Well, naturally.

                A.

                • Antoine

                  But I think it will be a sore blow to this Government if the proposed measure is never implemented, doesn’t work, or causes international disputes.

                  (I would have thought that ratifying the TPP would also be a large self-inflicted wound but What do I know.)

                  A.

              • tracey

                But Antoine is careful to qualify her remark by saying we will never know if this measure was the reason for any potential fixing of the problem it is intended to solve?

        • tracey 10.1.1.2

          No, that is the mechanism being used to achieve a level playing field for kiwis. Unless there is something else Ad thinks we should wait and see in the december window for submissions.

  11. ankerawshark 11

    I am trusting Labour and Ms Ardern to do the best with this one. It seems to me they have worked very hard to ban foreign speculators buying residential property and I trust what was said by them, that they had to find the right mechanism to do this (and fast). Job has been done now. And as David P said, this won’t do much now as foreign speculation slowed, however in another property cycle will count for a lot……

    National have again been caught lying about stamp duty and it strikes me they are either lazy, incompetent or in the pocket of foreign investors (all three likely)on this one when they said a ban on foreign buyers could only be done via stamp duty…………..

    As for IDIS Labour remains committed to removing it. You don’t expect them to come out before the negotiations and say if this isn’t done, we are not signing it? FFS nobody lets everyone know their bottom lines or issues ultimatums before they sit down at the table. I am glad to say they are not that stupid.

    I may lived to be proved wrong on this, but so far, so good. Foreign speculators in essence, will not longer be able to buy residential properties . For me that is a big tick.

    • I am trusting Labour and Ms Ardern to do the best with this one.

      I’d trust them more if they said that they wanted to ban foreign ownership altogether and would work toward that.

      As for IDIS [isds] Labour remains committed to removing it. You don’t expect them to come out before the negotiations and say if this isn’t done, we are not signing it?

      Actually, on that one, yes I do.

    • Antoine 11.2

      > It seems to me they have worked very hard to ban foreign speculators buying residential property and I trust what was said by them, that they had to find the right mechanism to do this (and fast). Job has been done now.

      It has not!

      They have had an idea, which so far seems promising, and are working towards implementation.

      A.

      • ankerawshark 11.2.1

        Sure Antonine. They have to draft the amendment and get it through Parliament.

        Unless you mean something else?

        If not I think they have moved with great haste.

    • tracey 11.3

      Labour appears very committed to doing their best to negotiate the ISDS out but simultaneously are going to legislate this measure to avoid the consequence of failing to do so… or, as we like to call it “a bob each way”.

      There is a place for making public statements pre closed door negotiations (Nats did a bit of this between Sept 23 and Coalition announcement day). I am sure the same people you think such an announcement would scare have also noted this move to legislate today? The IP provisions bother me. Alot.

      • Carolyn_nth 11.3.1

        yes. Copyright and patent clauses in the original TPP could impact very negatively on a lot of NZ people and enterprises.

  12. ankerawshark 12

    Fair enough Draco. No problem with that.

  13. greg 14

    this is terrible how will investors close off there positions and repay debt if they can only sell to new zealanders who cant pay enough ?

    • weka 14.1

      I”m assuming the law won’t apply retroactively.

      • tracey 14.1.1

        Frankly it would not bother me if it did. Risk when you buy into a democratic society that has changes of government. A change of government can bring a change of investing environment. Buyer beware and all that.

    • Sam aka clump 14.2

      Rent them or Air B&B to the fucken recuse you cheese nub

  14. cleangreen 15

    Regarding the Foreign ban on buying homes in NZ;

    Newshub & the real-estate indusry and some banks are now saying the chinese buying market has dried up now?????

    They would say this wouldn’t they.

    Truth is Chinese buying is being spured on by their own Government supplying Chinese nationals with the funds to buy our homes!!!!!!

    So expect another resugence of Chinese buying after the issue fades away (they hope).

    Therefore Labour is right to swiftly pass this bill ASAP.

    • Sam aka clump 15.1

      All it will do. Or. All it should do. This foreign buyers ban thing. Is force people to trade property in NZD. Instead of foreign currency swaps where they can get discounts on the exchange rate. Foreigners already get discounts on our exports, and get rich marking them up in other currencies. Only to use that profit to then buy NZ property.

      So swapping $0.70USD for $1.00NZD effectively gives you a 30% discount on stuff bought in NZ by foreigners. Now those million dollar price tags don’t look so bad. And this is a problem for lawyers who have to sign off on property deals. And having to learn a whole new deciplin. Because they’re the ones who are going to have to put signature to deed saying the owner isn’t a foreigner.

      And making sure no one palms a quid on the side. I mean we actually want foreigners to bring some of that profit back to NZ because pricing exports low, so we can sell more stuff is dragging wages down. So if foreigners are able to convert some of those profits by borrowing our money (NZD) to purchase our houses, braking the currency manipulation. Then we’ll be able to balance wages a bit better. And raise the minimum wage by a dollar or what ever Grant Roberston intends to do. And all this was signalled during the campaign so I don’t know why Newshub and the real-estate industry are in WTF mode.

      I mean I do know. Because they are liars pushing a totally discredited economic thesis and know it. It was all over the Hosks face.

  15. But the banning of speculative housing is the least of it. I’ve checked and am pretty sure the “policy space” that NZ has reserved in water management in the TPPA does not even include the export of bottled water – one of the most contentious issues of recent years.

    As things stand I think that legislation would need to be passed as well prior the TPPA coming into force. In fact much of the government’s policy platform (preferences for giving preference to local firms in tendering is a clear case in point) could go west if the TPPA comes into force because overseas investors could claim to be disadvantaged.

    Reserved legislation ie that was not already compliant or has already been changed by the last government to bring NZ into compliance can only be weakened, never strengthened. Issues that are not part of the reserved legislation – bio-engineering, robotics, internet of things uses – can only be legislated for under restricted criteria such as “for a legitimate public purpose” or “to least extent necessary” cutting policy options.

    In the longer term the TPPA would make it next to impossible to bring early childhood education or the aged residential and care “industry” back to into public ownership or to stop fossil fuel exploration and use. That hardly creates a policy space to operate in – its allows corporates to pre-determine the policy space based on their interests.

    My dearest hope is that the Labour Party understand this and will show willing but eventually withdraw on the basis that it is infeasible and detrimental to proceed. Their trade policy is after all very strong on this.

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    Parliament opened with pomp and ceremony, then it was back to politicians shouting at and past each other into the void. Photo: Office of the Clerk, NZ ParliamentTL;DR: It started with pomp, pageantry and a speech from the throne laying out the new National-ACT-NZ First Government’s plan to turn back ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • Lost in the Desert: Accepted
    As noted, November was an exceptionally good writing month for me. Well, in an additional bit of good news for December, one of those November stories, Lost in the Desert, has been accepted by Eternal Haunted Summer (https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/) for their Winter Solstice 2023 issue. At 3,500 words, ...
    18 hours ago
  • This Government and their Rightwing culture-war flanks picked a fight with the country… not the ot...
    ACT and the culture-war warriors of the Right have picked this fight with Te Ao Māori. Ideologically-speaking, as a Party they’ve actually done this since inception, let’s be clear about that. So there is no real need to delve at length into their duplicitous, malignant, hypocritical manipulations. Yes, yes, ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    19 hours ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #49
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Dec 3, 2023 thru Sat, Dec 9, 2023. Story of the Week Interactive: The pathways to meeting the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C limit The Paris Agreement’s long-term goal of keeping warming “well below” ...
    1 day ago
  • LOGAN SAVORY: The planned blessing that has irked councillors
    “I’m struggling to understand why we are having a blessing to bless this site considering it is a scrap metal yard… It just doesn’t make sense to me.” Logan Savory writes- When’s a blessing appropriate and when isn’t it? Some Invercargill City Councillors have questioned whether blessings might ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Surely it won't happen
    I have prepared a bad news sandwich. That is to say, I'm going to try and make this more agreeable by placing on the top and underneath some cheering things.So let's start with a daughter update, the one who is now half a world away but also never farther out ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Let Them Eat Sausage Rolls: Hipkins Tries to Kill Labour Again
    Sometimes you despair. You really do. Fresh off leading Labour to its ugliest election result since 1990,* Chris Hipkins has decided to misdiagnose matters, because the Government he led cannot possibly have been wrong about anything. *In 2011 and 2014, people were willing to save Labour’s electorate ...
    2 days ago
  • Clued Up: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    “But, that’s the thing, mate, isn’t it? We showed ourselves to be nothing more useful than a bunch of angry old men, shaking our fists at the sky. Were we really that angry at Labour and the Greens? Or was it just the inescapable fact of our own growing irrelevancy ...
    2 days ago
  • JERRY COYNE: A powerful University dean in New Zealand touts merging higher education with indigeno...
    Jerry Coyne writes –  This article from New Zealand’s Newsroom site was written by Julie Rowland,  the deputy dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland as well as a geologist and the Director of the Ngā Ara Whetū | Centre for Climate, Biodiversity & Society. In other ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Ain't nobody gonna steal this heart away.
    Ain't nobody gonna steal this heart away.For the last couple of weeks its felt as though all the good things in our beautiful land are under attack.These isles in the southern Pacific. The home of the Māori people. A land of easy going friendliness, openness, and she’ll be right. A ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Speaking for the future
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.MondayYou cannot be seriousOne might think, god, people who are seeing all this must be regretting their vote.But one might be mistaken.There are people whose chief priority is not wanting to be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • How Should We Organise a Modern Economy?
    Alan Bollard, formerly Treasury Secretary, Reserve Bank Governor and Chairman of APEC, has written an insightful book exploring command vs demand approaches to the economy. The Cold War included a conflict about ideas; many were economic. Alan Bollard’s latest book Economists in the Cold War focuses on the contribution of ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • Willis fails a taxing app-titude test but govt supporters will cheer moves on Te Pukenga and the Hum...
    Buzz from the Beehive The Minister of Defence has returned from Noumea to announce New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting and (wearing another ministerial hat) to condemn malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government. A bigger cheer from people who voted for the Luxon ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • ELIZABETH RATA: In defence of the liberal university and against indigenisation
    The suppression of individual thought in our universities spills over into society, threatening free speech everywhere. Elizabeth Rata writes –  Indigenising New Zealand’s universities is well underway, presumably with the agreement of University Councils and despite the absence of public discussion. Indigenising, under the broader umbrella of decolonisation, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the skewed media coverage of Gaza
    Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website. If he did, Peters would find MFAT celebrating the 25th anniversary of how New Zealand alerted the rest of the world to the genocide developing in Rwanda. Quote: New Zealand played an important role ...
    3 days ago
  • “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
    It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
    It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • End-of-week escapism
    Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 8
    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;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:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    4 days ago
  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    4 days ago
  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    4 days ago
  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    5 days ago
  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    5 days ago
  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    6 days ago
  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago
  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    6 days ago
  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    7 days ago
  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    7 days ago
  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    1 week ago
  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    1 week ago
  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 week ago

  • First step to flexible labour market
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to repeal the Fair Pay Agreement legislation by Christmas 2023. “We are moving quickly to remove this legislation before any fair pay agreements are finalised and the negative impacts are felt by the labour market,” says Minister van Velden.  “Fair pay agreements undermine ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    46 mins ago
  • Extending 90-day trial periods to all employers
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to extend the availability of 90-day trial periods to all employers.  “Extending 90-day trial periods to all employers gives businesses the confidence to hire new people and increases workplace flexibility,” says Minister van Velden.  “Whether a business has 2 or 200 employees, bringing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    46 mins ago
  • COP28 National Statement for New Zealand
    Tēnā koutou katoa Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. An island nation at the bottom of the Pacific, New Zealand is unique.          Our geography, our mountains, lakes, winds and rainfall helps set us up for the future, allowing for nearly 90 per cent of our electricity to come from renewable sources. I’m ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
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