Labour supports Plunket

Written By: - Date published: 12:47 pm, August 8th, 2013 - 61 comments
Categories: babies, david shearer, health, labour - Tags:

Another good policy announcement from David Shearer:

Labour pledges $6m for Plunket

Labour would inject an extra $6 million into Plunket if elected, leader David Shearer announced today.

Shearer called Plunket ”a national treasure” that needed more money to build on its tradition of helping the youngest and most vulnerable in society. The $6m would primarily go towards extra nurse visits in the home.

“Too many of our kids fall through the cracks and suffer neglect, hardship and abuse. Given we spend an estimated $6 billion a year on the effects of child poverty, and children having a poor start in life, this is just one way we can start to invest in order to save.”

Labour’s press release is here, and fact sheet here. Good stuff!

labour-plunket

61 comments on “Labour supports Plunket ”

  1. Matthew Hooton 1

    All oppositions support Plunket.
    All governments try to make the services contestable.
    It is enormously politically powerful.

    • vto 1.1

      national supports rio tinto

      there it is in big bold headlines for all the world to see your worlds priorities mr hooton

    • richard 1.2

      You left out a word in your 2nd sentence:

      All neo-liberal governments try to make the services contestable.

      • Populuxe1 1.2.1

        But Labour is neoliberal

        • Enough is Enough 1.2.1.1

          r0b might disagree with you there

        • richard 1.2.1.2

          They certainly have been neo-liberal since 1984. Who knows what the future may hold?

        • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.3

          Indeed. Dead easy to tell a neoliberal political party. Their economic/monetary languaging revolves around: free trade, free markets, market access, market mechanisms, market efficiency, price incentives, de-regulation, inflation targeting, interest rate targeting, etc.

    • BLiP 1.3

      Awwww . . . cute babies!! As much as it makes my skin crawl, Hooten does sorta, kinda, maybe have something of a point. Instead of this cynical soppy PR fluff, how about something that would really benefit the babies – announce that Punket is to become the sole provider of post-natal care for all babies born at home or in public hospitals? Go further, make Plunket the sole provider of midwifery services, too. The public would lap it up, I’m betting. Also, it seems kind of creepy that the provision of such an essential service should go to the private profiteer offering the lowest tender.

      • Colonial Viper 1.3.1

        Ah yes, the State taking away new parents choices around prenatal and neonatal care and mandating who you have to use. That will be a real winner with the electorate.

        Go further, make Plunket the sole provider of midwifery services, too.

        What societal problem are you trying to solve with this grand centralisation?

        • Draco T Bastard 1.3.1.1

          What societal problem are you trying to solve with this grand centralisation?

          Economies of scale.

          It’s cheaper per person if everyone pays just a little bit than if the full amount is placed upon the person getting the service. It’s how insurance works which is why I keep saying that the best and cheapest insurance we have is society itself.

          • Colonial Viper 1.3.1.1.1

            Economies of scale.

            but there are no financial savings to be made by centralising and mass providing midwifery, and potentially a lot of costs including management and administrative overheads.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.3.1.1.1.1

              Who said anything about mass providing?

              The economies of scale come from the mass of people supporting the needed level of midwifery.

              • Colonial Viper

                So you’re going to increase the number of pregnancies occurring each year?

                • Populuxe1

                  No doubt by offering medals. Mutterehrenkreuz, anyone? Мать-героиня? Or maybe Turiana Turia’s bizarre thoughts on family planning.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  Which planet are you on?

                  • Colonial Viper

                    Apparently there’s economies of scale resulting from mass support of the midwifery profession. So are more people going to get pregnant or what?

                    Or are you just talking about 100% socialised provision of all healthcare?

                    • Draco T Bastard

                      Apparently there’s economies of scale resulting from mass support of the midwifery profession. So are more people going to get pregnant or what?

                      I really have NFI how you go from one point to the next. There is no logical connection.

                      Or are you just talking about 100% socialised provision of all healthcare?

                      Yes.

        • BLiP 1.3.1.2

          What societal problem are you trying to solve with this grand centralisation?

          A paradigm shift which delineates natural human activities from those of the business paradigm. Its about taking back dignity from those who would reduce us all from citizens with rights to consumers with choice. Its altogether detrimental to society when the most vulnerable amongst us, those who need the greatest protection, are considered “outputs”. Its gone too far.

          • Colonial Viper 1.3.1.2.1

            Are pregnant women the most vulnerable amongst us?

            Do women who deal with these midwives feel that they have lost dignity, somehow?

            I agree with the principles you state but think that there are far more appropriate and important areas to make the point. Aged care and care for the intellectually disabled, for instance.

            • BLiP 1.3.1.2.1.1

              The most vulnerable are the new born. Yes, as a class, they have lost dignity by going from “mother” to “customer”. I’m not sure caring for the aged and disabled is any more or less important that pregnancy . . . its all on the continuum of human activities. But, yeah, in terms of dignity, our elderly are the ones who need most help at the moment. Perhaps if David Shearer had committed $6 million to making sure they all get fed decently we’d be talking about that.

            • Sable 1.3.1.2.1.2

              “Aged care and care for the intellectually disabled”-So maybe extra help for Bennett, Collins and Brownlee? (wink)

            • QoT 1.3.1.2.1.3

              Maybe not the most, but …

              Canterbury hospitals are intensifying their fight against domestic violence as figures show one in six pregnant women is physically abused.

              Source.

              Many women are abused for the first time during pregnancy. When this happens it is a sign that the baby is in danger of being abused once born and later in life.

              Source.

      • weka 1.3.2

        “Go further, make Plunket the sole provider of midwifery services, too. The public would lap it up, I’m betting.”

        Er, no they wouldn’t. You’d put all the independent midwifery services out of business for a start, and basically take away the ability of women to choose who attends them when giving birth. That’s the situation we had prior to the 90s and I can tell you it’s not what women want. The push to get independent midwifery and choices for birthing women in NZ was driven by health consumers as much as it was by professionals.

        • Colonial Viper 1.3.2.1

          The other thing is that this kind of centralisation of services is so much more susceptible to being fucked around with by the Tories when they inevitably get back into power.

          I really don’t understand why “the Left” likes to set things up so neat for Tories to then come in a couple of years down the track and privatise/corporatise/sell off at the stroke of a pen.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.3.2.1.1

            Put in laws that prevent it. It’s a simple one in fact, make selling off state services or even contracting them out liable to referendum. Try even to bypass the referendum and go to jail.

            • weka 1.3.2.1.1.1

              Are you really suggesting that midwives shouldn’t be allowed to practice independently?

              • tinfoilhat

                DNFTT

              • BLiP

                Depends on what you mean by “independently”. Within a cooperative model, they can do whatever they like, within safety gounds. In fact, having various models being practised within the community would facillitate all sorts of positives like training, oversight, and reduced costs.

            • Colonial Viper 1.3.2.1.1.2

              But you can’t legislate against the sovereignty of a sitting Government.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.3.2.2

          You’d put all the independent midwifery services out of business for a start, and basically take away the ability of women to choose who attends them when giving birth.

          No, it would be that all the independent midwifery services would be fully supported and women would end up with more choice due to some of those independent services no longer failing under commercial pressure.

          • Colonial Viper 1.3.2.2.1

            Where is the issue of midwifery services “failing” even a problem?

            • Draco T Bastard 1.3.2.2.1.1

              I’ve seen many such articles in the MSM over the last few years. Our support of midwifery is, if those articles that I’ve read are any indication, actually very poor.

        • BLiP 1.3.2.3

          I’ll take your word for it. When it comes to having babies I am singularly unqualified. If I remember correctly, Annette King was the one who sought to apply the “business model” to the process of human birth. Can’t believe she’s still around. These “midwifery services” seem another tentacle in the privatisation by stealth model slowly being applied to health. Thanks Labour.

          How about the government really support Plunket, allowing it to employ all the midwives on a decent salary, and take over the provision of all pre- and post-natal services?? The midwives can organise themselves within Plunket into what ever various groupings they want (I dunno here, help me out, water births, home births, drug-free, full moon chanting, what ever) and the mums can pick and choose when they show up for the pre-natal stuff? That would get over the “choice” argument which is a neo-liberal PR shibboleth anyway. I would imagine such a cooperative venture run properly would provide such a good service the Tory bastards would get shouted down if they tried to flog it off. This sort of human activity seems far better to be nestled in a large community rather functioning in an atomised myriad of competing profiteers.

          • weka 1.3.2.3.1

            Ok, so let me see if I got this right. You want to take maternity services funding away from the health system and give it to a private organisation. And you expect that private organisation to allow its contractors to practice in whatever legal way they see fit, even if those practices are against the ethos of the private organisation (so presumably you need to either legislate for choice, or build it into the funding contract, hence another level of bureaucracy). Why bother? Why not just let the health system do it like it is now. Why on earth would you want to privatise maternity?

            “That would get over the “choice” argument which is a neo-liberal PR shibboleth anyway.”

            Fuck off. Choice in maternity services got established in this country from the power of the community. You really don’t know what you are talking about here BLiP.

            • BLiP 1.3.2.3.1.1

              No. You don’t know what I’m talking about.

              This market-ideology Trojan Horse called “Choice” has fractured the maternity services, just as National Ltd™ used it to splinter the electricity market. The problems over the last thirty-odd years have largely been a turf war between doctors who think they know best and midwives who think they know best. Rather than “privatise maternity”, I’m talking about removing the profit motive from the provision of health services. That means taking it back and then contracting the whole shebang out to one agency to administer. An agency that is a not-for-profit organisation already working in a related field with a brand unique to New Zealand and so respected as to qualify as a “lovemark”. In effect, consolidate what should be a unified effort to protect new life as it enters society and until it takes its first steps. Plunket would have to adapt, and the profiteers would have to go find some other activity where their business acumen can be more ethically applied. What ever “schools” of midwifery practise exist can still each do their own thing and, as a gateway, Plunket could provide information on all of them, thus bolstering informed decision making.

              So, “why not just let the health system do it like it is now”? Because it could be improved by refocusing on funding, linking up pre- and post-natal services, and putting the delivery of maternity services directly into the hands of the community.

      • Populuxe1 1.3.3

        That’s no baby, it’s David Farrar

    • Rosetinted 1.4

      Matthew H
      Give us a break. We have to have something to feel happy and hopeful about. Don’t pour cold water on the birthday candle.

  2. fender 2

    Great move…..but the Nats will scream: “show me the money”….but with a $30 million gift to Rio Tinto there’s obviously plenty of that about.

    Pay rises for all Tiwai Point management very soon, well done lads.

  3. Pete 3

    As I mentioned in Open Mike, it’s a smart move given how trusted Plunket is. And it builds on Shearer’s narrative around the Fonterra recall that when it comes to kids you can’t be too careful. At $6 million it’s hardly going to set the world on fire, but if it signals Labour is building a solid platform around family, housing and jobs, I think they can make some gains as we move into election year. Hopefully not at the expense of the Greens.

  4. Craig Glen viper 4

    A geat policy to support Plunket now lets watch Shearer deliver it!

    • Hami Shearlie 4.1

      Let’s not!! Too painful to watch Shearer any more!! I wince every time he opens his mouth. Labour are finished if Shearer stays – Couldn’t believe Annette King on Backbenchers saying Shearer was doing a great job – What is she on?

      • geoff 4.1.1

        What is she on?

        ~$200,000/yr?
        She’ll say whatever she has to say to keep that racket going, along with the rest of them.

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1

          Std backbench MPs salary circa $150K pa

          She’s probably been around long enough to have the gold-plated super scheme as well

          • Pete 4.1.1.1.1

            Yeah, but she could probably score herself some directorships or consultancy gigs, given her cabinet experience. Certainly more money and less hassle.

            • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1.1.1

              private sector corporates doesn’t hire ex-labour MPs into senior positions, and neither does the public sector; doubly so while a Tory government is in charge.

              The only exception might be individuals of great mana who have been shown to be able to work in a bi-partisan manner.

  5. Sable 5

    Good to see something being supported that doesn’t have “Ltd” after it. Keep up the good work Labour and you may yet make a good alliance partner for the Greens.

  6. DavidW 6

    Wow, didn’t see that coming. Particularly since Plunket-Line was de-funded during the last Labour Government for reasons that no-one could comprehend at the time.

    Was it some sort of personal issue that HC had so that DS can now feel free to announce a policy that is so close to being diametrically opposite that it doesn’t matter?

    It sure looks like DS is pulling policies out of thin air to cash in on the infant formula scare and may be seen as cynical. Risky

    • Sable 6.1

      That was probably down to horrible old Helen. Lets hope Shearer is a better person.

    • felix 6.2

      “It sure looks like DS is pulling policies out of thin air to cash in on the infant formula scare and may be seen as cynical. Risky”

      Nah, Labour cares about babies, Fonterra tries to poison them, and National doesn’t give a fuck. Where’s the cynicism in that?

      “Was it some sort of personal issue that HC had so that DS can now feel free to announce a policy that is so close to being diametrically opposite that it doesn’t matter?”

      Not sure if you’ve noticed, but Helen Clark is no longer leading the party. So yes, it doesn’t matter whether a current policy fits with her policies.

      Now if we could just get Labour to take the same approach to Roger Douglas’ policies…

      • Colonial Viper 6.2.1

        Nah, Labour cares about babies, Fonterra tries to poison them, and National doesn’t give a fuck. Where’s the cynicism in that?

        Last I saw, there was a Shearer press release closely shadowing the Government’s “this is not the time or place to rock the boat” line on the Fonterra scandal…

  7. lenore 7

    Ok I am all for it as long as they do something about the “holier than thou” manner of some of the plunket nurses. I was a young mum with my first and even with my second child another plunket nurse was so condescending and “put me in my place” that i didnt bother with the third. I know there are great ones as well but I thought it may have changed but I met a couple of plunket nurses this year as they are the bloody same as the ones I had! My mum also hated her plunket nurses so I wonder if they still have some ingrained culture from Truby King’s and his screwed up issues!

    Maybe all you bloggers had good experiences but I know plenty of mum’s who couldn’t stand their plunket nurses.

    • Sable 7.1

      Sorry to hear about your experience with Plunket. Our experience was the complete opposite, they were lovely to deal with and offered really good advice as we were both new parents. I think its fair to say that like any organization a persons experience can really be down to who you end up interacting with for better or sometimes worse.

      • lenore 7.1.1

        I think if you fit in with their “norms” you are ok but don’t question them lol. I still find it funny we support an organisation that was founded by one seriously fucked up dude. One of my friends was assessed as “at risk” because she was young and not married and she was treated like shit.

        i would much prefer midwives to take over the services instead of plunket nurses as i would have much preferred my midwife supporting me in a paid way beyond the six weeks. She did support me but not in a paid capacity as this was when plunket nurses took over,

        It would be nice for women to have a choice and certainly i will not encourage my daughters to bother attending to a plunket nurse should they have kids. Have a good midwife and keep the continuity of service pre and post baby.

        • Naturesong 7.1.1.1

          My parents received excellent service from Plunket during the period 1967 to 1976 (4 children).
          My family is white, middle class (proper middle class, and can trace it back to 1066). Being a lawyer or accountant is considered a base occupation (due to its corrupting influence), though we do have a couple of those in the family.
          The only concern my family had (unfounded at the time) was how much of the negative eugenic principles still infected the organisation.
          I image the story might be quite different if you were not white, or not middle class, or not educated or not Anglican.

    • idlegus 7.2

      m wife & i had had a very strange plunket lady, told us a bunch of weird stuff that our baby would be retarded, have a small head & a lisp! she wasn’t even 3 months old! needless to say we laughed in the nurses face (& our child is 5 now & doesn’t have a small head or retarded or have a lisp). but for all that, i support plunket because some people would need their services.

  8. Notice that no right winger has appeared demanding to know where the $6 million will come from??

    😉

    Wait for it…

    Wait for it…

    • DavidW 8.1

      Nah, we won’t bother Frank because you are going to tell us that it will come from cancelling the Puhoi -Wellsford Expressway, right?

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    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    3 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    4 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    4 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    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 ...
    5 days ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    5 days ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    5 days ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    5 days ago
  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    5 days ago
  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago
  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    6 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago
  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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