Labour’s lineup emerges

Written By: - Date published: 1:43 pm, July 6th, 2010 - 50 comments
Categories: dpf, election 2011, labour - Tags: , ,

Labour’s lineup for the next election is emerging:

The Labour Party has moved early to confirm a list of electorate candidates for next year’s election. …

Confirmed electorate candidates;
Auckland Central, Jacinda Ardern; Christchurch Central, Brendon Burns; Dunedin South, Clare Curran; Hamilton West, Sue Moroney; Maungakiekie, Carol Beaumont; Napier, Stuart Nash; Ohariu, Charles Chauvel; Otaki, Darren Hughes; Palmerston North, Iain Lees-Galloway; Port Hills, Ruth Dyson; Rangitata, Julian Blanchard; Rimutaka, Chris Hipkins; Rongotai, Annette King; Tukituki, Julia Haydon-Carr; Waitakere, Carmel Sepuloni; West Coast-Tasman, Damien O’Connor; Wanganui, Hamish McDouall.

The following have one candidate nomination received and electorate organisations are due to hold their confirmation meetings shortly:
Hutt South, Trevor Mallard; Invercargill, Lesley Soper; Mana, Winnie Laban; Mangere, Su’a William Sio; Mt Albert, David Shearer; Mt Roskill, Phil Goff; Nelson, Maryan Street; New Lynn, David Cunliffe; Te Atatu, Chris Carter; Te Tai Tokerau, Kelvin Davis.

Selections will occur over July and August in the following electorates where more than one nomination has been received:
Northcote, Paula Gillon, Richard Hills; Te Tai Tonga, Joanne McLean, Rino Tirikatene.

Farrar tries to spin the announcement as Labour “failing to rejuvenate” – kinda rich when National’s lineup is still dominated by The Hollow Men, and populated by such notable successes as Melissa Lee, Anne Tolley, Paula Bennet, Judith Collins, Gerry Brownlee and Murray McCully. (Hey David – how good are your political instincts – will you take me on for the same bet as Badger? $50 to charity of choice?)

Personality politics is always very popular, but more important than the people is the policy. As r0b pointed out a while back, the real choices between National and Labour are becoming clear. Labour is committed to:

With all due respect to the politicians, that’s the lineup that matters.

50 comments on “Labour’s lineup emerges ”

  1. Jake 1

    I’m a leftie but if Chris Carter remains in the Labour Party line-up then Labour will not be receiving my vote. It is disgraceful to see Labour continue to promote politicians who are clearly out of touch with the electorate. Labour needs to get rid of some of these MP’s and replace them with “the true Kiwi battlers” rather than the abundance of unionists there now (I’m a union member, but there don’t need to be so many MP’s from the union movement). At this stage my vote will probably go to the Greens……..

    • ianmac 1.1

      Jake: I seriously doubt that you are a leftie! Old trick that. Boring.
      Chris Carter has done what exactly to earn your displeasure? Using him are you?

      • TightyRighty 1.1.1

        Yea Jake, how dare you question the all knowing gods of the labour parties new zealand office? This is an emerging line up, final confirmation has not been received from new york.

    • loota 1.2

      Jake happens to be a leftie *and* a union member *but* thinks that Labour is out of touch with the electorate, and to get more in touch should promote true Kiwi Battlers (like John Key and Paula Bennett I suppose).

      I’m sure Labour will take your note under advisement, Jake.

      • Green Tea 1.2.1

        A recent expenses scandal suggests that indeed Labour is quite out of touch with the electorate.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1

          What “expenses scandal”? Oh, you mean the political beat up done by NACTs spinsters in the MSM.

          • Daveosaurus 1.2.1.1.1

            When I hear the phrase “expenses scandal”, I think of the unannounced relocation of Dipton to somewhere in Wellington.

        • the pinkpostman 1.2.1.2

          Just a minute was not the Nats also guilty of credit card misuse?/
          Wasn’t English rorting thousands off the tax payers money?
          Have the Nats paid back the GST money they owe the tax department/
          Didn’t Key vote on issues that concerned his trust funds.
          And wasnt Brownlee found guilty of throwing an old age pensioner down the stairs at National Party Conference?
          I could go on and I’m sure theres a lot more to find out.
          This is only the a smidgen of National’s sleaze, and you “green tea ” accuse us of a scandal. !! What a two faced slober . Get your fact right before you make such comments.

    • Margaret 1.3

      Jake, this election it will be more important to have union support than ever before.

      National is already rolling out policies designed to smash the unions, once they are gone National can really do exactly as it wants.

      You will literally be “doing as you are told until the rights to you are sold”.

  2. Emp 2

    Haha, please Labour keep promoting tired old bas-beens like Mallard Dyson King, Carter Goff, Street, etc. Eddie labour got dicked at the last election and their response is to PUT UP THE SAME PEOPLE. haha labour is so stupid, you hacks still think the voters got it wrong last time but if you put up the same people as last time voters will think “oh no we got it wrong, labour was right after all, we’ll vote the same crowd who had nine years already back in”.

    You don’t understand eddie, National doesn’t need to rejuvenate because it is over 50% in every poll. Why change a winning formula. Labour refuse to change a losing formula. This is so piss funny you labour hacks defending these clowns. Little doesn’t realise he’s going to get blamed for putting his parliamentary interests ahead of party rejuvenation. When labour get shit kicked at the next election little will be as much to blame for the failure as goff. Remember in 2002 both boag and english got dumped and blamed for that election, little will get the same blame if he is president of labour getting the biggest kicking of its history, because as president he is responsible for the party.

    • pollywog 2.1

      you hacks still think the voters got it wrong last time but if you put up the same people as last time voters will think “oh no we got it wrong, labour was right after all, we’ll vote the same crowd who had nine years already back in’.

      this would be the same voters who let Bill English in to control the county’s purse strings as finance minister and deputy PM after handing him his epic fail notice on a number of occassions in the past ?

      in much the same way as a vote for Key in the last election was a vote against Helen for backing up Winston, I reckon next election, it’ll be a vote against Key for backing up English cos given his form, there’s no way Bill’s finished making piles of poo from just about everything he touches.

    • Alexandra 2.2

      I’d understand what you are saying, if only it was true. There is a lot of new blood emerging in the electorates and we’ll have to wait and see what happens with the list placings. Good try though!

  3. ianmac 3

    Good to see some of the experienced, and some newish faces. The List will also be a good for more fresh blood. Every institution need a blend of the experienced and new faces. Labour is managing this well. (Of course the predictible spin from the dark side will try to show otherwise but if they have nothing to fear why would they bother?)

  4. Jake 4

    “Kiwi battlers” to me doesn’t mean those who have aquired material wealth when they have come from poverty. I actually meant those who are part of their communities and fighting to improve them. Labour should be the peoples party but it is hard to consider it so when it is mostly full of unionists and teachers. I’d like to see Labour have more small business owners, cops, health professionals, social workers, NGO leaders etc…..

    Chris Carter USED to be an effective politician, but his misuse of public funds and lack of remorse and insight is unforgivable in my opinion. If Goff kicks him to the curbside (or the party really because of the democractic structure) then I could contemplate a vote for Labour.

    I am not going to defend my leftie credentials but I find it amusing that my claim is instantly dismissed because I commit the treasonous offense of criticising Labour. The Greens got my vote last election and they are likely to get it again unless Labour reconnects with its roots.

    • Bunji 4.1

      As long as Te Atatu want him, Labour’ll be pretty much stuck with Chris Carter. He may well end up well down or not on the list, but if those locals will have their say…

      And you’d like to see more Labour MPs who are health professionals like Annette King & Steve Chadwick, or small business owners like Clare Curran & Damien O’Connor or NGO leaders like Phil Twyford & David Shearer or social workers like Winnie Laban? There are quite a few I found without looking too far down the list of MPs. There are also scientists, engineers, lawyers, farmers, high falutin’ academics and lots of manual labourers.

      Yes there are a lot who have been involved in the union movement at some point of their careers, but it is the Labour Party, which comes from the Labour Movement, and that’s where workers tend to start their political careers, agitating for better pay & conditions for the common people, working their way up to parliament where they can really make a difference. As unions are meant to represent the workers, and “workers” (as opposed to small business owners, farmers & capitalists) make up ~85% of the population, one could see a party of unionists being a “party of the people” as you describe.

    • Galeandra 4.2

      So I presume you actually care/d about Green policy then? I did and do.
      Carter’s greed annoys me – as much as does the greed of the others, of all stripes – but I won’t let him stand in the way of what I believe to be the best policy for NZ’s future. It was a media beatup and why should those shallow pricks do my thinking for me? Labour didn’t offer much from my point of view last time. Next time? Jury’s still out. Why not listen up, Jake?

      • Jake 4.2.1

        Well my choice is really between Labour and the Greens, and Labour is not looking like it has a good shot. I would hate to see Labour elected with its current batch of MP’s without the need for a Greens coalition.

        The issue here for me is why are they keeping Carter on? I know Labour is democractic so it isn’t simple for Goff to just banish him but otoh if he made it clear Carter will not be in a Goff Cabinet then I think Carter wouldn’t contest Te Atatu in 2011.

  5. Green Tea 5

    Hard to get excited about more of the same crap.

  6. gingercrush 6

    Please tell me someone else will run in Invercargill rather than Lesley Soper who for years contested Clutha Southland. Invercargill should always be a very winnable electorate for Labour particularly if National find themselves in a position where its party vote can simply go no further. But with Soper in the running for the Invercargill electorate it will no doubt go to National for a third time.

    And remember Invercargill in 2005, Labour had the highest party vote.

    I do worry about some of Labour’s selections. I.e. Maungakiekie and Carol Beaumont, Sue Moroney and Hamilton West and Damien O’Connor and the West Coast. I personally like Beaumont but I’m not sure she’s the type of candidate that is going to win Maungakiekie and Maungakiekie should be a Labour-held seat. Meanwhile O’Connor was an excellent electorate MP in the past but in losing that electorate in 2008 and unlikely to find himself as a Cabinet Minister in the future, I’d suggest that electorate could have used a fresher face.

    The same goes for South Auckland where likely once again Ross Robertson and George Hawkins will run. The fact both will never find themselves in Cabinet at any stage in the future. The fact both have been around for so long. Its an area where Labour runs supreme but the results in 2008 for South Auckland were rather disappointing. Now is the time to put in two new or future MPs in very safe electorates who have the motivation to rally in South Auckland and get a better turn-out there.

    There still remains questions of the Shadow Cabinet. And while advancing Chauvel was good same with Robertson still leaves the likes of Twyford (who still finds himself in no electorate and could yet be screwed when the list rankings come out eventually) and Davis lowly ranked within Labour. Though no doubt we can look forward to *shudder* Clare Curran and Carmel Surpuloni (I’m sure that is entirely spelled wrong) being advanced. Exactly the wrong people to be advancing.

    Oh and if policy is simply reversing what National is doing then it doesn’t actually offer much of anything. The most painful thing to hear from Labour is everything they seem to be proposing they never did when in government (i.e. monetary policy reform) or grossly overlooked when in power (greenhouse emissions, carbon neutral economy, peak oil, prison numbers) or outright encouraged (housing inflation, power prices year-on-year increasing, less home owners more people renting, speculation in land and lack of focus on exports instead relying on gross housing inflation to cover the economy for a temporary period that was always going to prove unsustainable meaning we didn’t have a well balanced economy and foreign ownership of assets and land).

    And so far nothing that’s been mentioned gives me any hope Labour will have a coherent policy platform going into 2011.

    • pollywog 6.1

      Carmel Surpuloni (I’m sure that is entirely spelled wrong)

      then why didn’t you make an effort to spell it correctly ?

      the whole deliberately mispelling and mispronouncing of Pasifikan names as a not so subtle racist dig is wearing a bit thin don’t you think ?

      • gingercrush 6.1.1

        Because I’m lazy and couldn’t be bothered looking up her last name.

        • pollywog 6.1.1.1

          oh but you can correctly spell everyone elses name in your post when a quick scroll to the initial post, in the time it took for you to add ‘you’re sure you spelt Sepuloni incorrectly’, would have given you the correct spelling.

          lazy ?…probably, disrespectful to Pasifikans ?… absolutely !!!

          which brings me to question why you would think Carmel is exactly the wrong type of person to advance ?…cos shes Pasifikan or is it because she and Curren are women ?

          …and what of Tolley, Bennett, Wong and Te Heu Heu ?

          It’s fairly obvious they’re wayyy out of their depth. Should they have not been advanced or does it speak to the lack of talent within Nationals ranks…maybe that was token feminism too yeah ?

          • gingercrush 6.1.1.1.1

            Did you deliberately misspell Curran’s name because you’re racist towards whites? Um doubtful but its the same thing. Though in your case, the fact you put so much emphasis on correct spelling, one would think you’d be careful not to misspell Clare Curran’s name.

            I don’t believe Sepuloni Curran are the right people to advance because of their lack of talent. The fact both are women and one is a pacific islander has nothing to do with it.

            As for being so ignorant as to not even reading the article properly where I would be able to see Carmel Sepuloni’s name. Well surely that just shows me to be an ignorant wanker.

            But please don’t imply in future that just because I’m an ignorant wanker with a clear inability to read properly or comprehend anything that somehow I was making a subtle racist dig. I wasn’t and wouldn’t.

          • the pinkpostman 6.1.1.1.2

            You are quite correct Pollywog. Watching Te Heu Heu on TV Marae last Sunday I wondered what the hell she was talking about.
            She was completly out of her depth. The other three you mention are a complete loss . Green Tea names a few LP candidates of whom he has a bad opinion I have only briefly meet most of the candidates he mentions so I do not have a firm opinion ,however I do know Sue Moroney and I can assure GT or any one else that Sue Moroney will make an excellent cabinet minister ,Just wait !!

        • Daveosaurus 6.1.1.2

          “Because I’m lazy and couldn’t be bothered looking up her last name.”

          It’s not even a matter of looking it up – it’s at the top of this very page!

          • lprent 6.1.1.2.1

            But but that involves reading and comprehension ……….
            Hopefully that makes for being nice about gc the other day…..

  7. Emp 7

    What about labour’s star young people from 2008, jordan carter, conor roberts and kate sutton? Have they been given the heave because there isn’t enough room for them with labour planning to lose so many seats next time? or does little leap frog them all?

    • lprent 7.1

      I see you’re still a bit of an idiot about MMP (as well as the topics we discussed earlier about your personality defects)…

      If they haven’t put there names forward for a safe(ish) electorate seat (as rare as hens eggs) then they’re most likely to stand for the list. Quite likely for some unsafe seats as well.

      You really do seem to have come from some strange timewarp out of the 1980’s.

      • Emp 7.1.1

        you’re the idiot PRENT. Safe seats electorates aren’t rare as hen’s seats. The problem you know is the labour party is too f*cked to manage old fogeys and has beens like carter, hawkins, ross robertson and king and dalziel. There’s five safe seats right there you can give to your rising stars, why doesn’t labour give them to them? oh that’s right because hawkins has said twyford isn’t getting his seat and he will stay on to kill twyford’s chances. Jacinta is hanging out to take goof’s seat in roskill by election when he resigns after getting his clock cleaned at the general election next year. Keep abusing commenters if you like prent but you know your lovely labour party is screwed.

        • lprent 7.1.1.1

          Sitting MPs and their electorates (by voting) pretty much decide when they will stand down. The party doesn’t have much to say about it. Sure you can stand for selection in those seats but the local members will almost invariably vote back the incumbent. I think Dunedin South (?) had the only successful challenge that I’ve seen for a long time.

          It appears that you know very little about actual politics. In fact you seem to spend most of the time listening to those little voices inside your head saying how the world should work… Either that or you’re projecting the National party back-stabbing techniques onto another party

          • Emp 7.1.1.1.1

            PRENT if labour had more people like curran who had the courage to challenge tired old has beens (ebven though curran got a wink and a nod from little) then it wouldn’t be the joke it is now with no renewal and no chance for stars. Some of national’s best ministers challenged safe seats, like Collins and Key. All of labour’s safe seats are held by tired has beens. Which is the better solution. Take your pick but here’s a clue if you’re feeling idiotic again, labour’s on 30% and national’s on 50%.

            • lprent 7.1.1.1.1.1

              If you want to change the constitution of the NZLP, then I’d suggest becoming a member and expecting a long slow process.

              BTW: I think that your sense of history is fouling up again. Little was elected NZLP pres after the election. I suspect you were thinking of Williams.

              • The Voice of Reason

                Yup, Little was backing EPMU President Don Pryde’s candidacy against both Curran and Benson Pope. Gosh, facts are fun, eh? So much better than making stuff up to bolster thin arguments.

  8. Santi 8

    Same old faces. Labour has already written off 2011.

  9. How can Labour promise that it will be “reversing the privitisation of ACC” after the 2011 election when ACC hasn’t been privatised?

    • lprent 9.1

      There are still 16 (?) months. So what you’re saying is that you don’t expect National to keep its avowed intention of putting parts of ACC off to competition?

      Yeah they aren’t exactly very good at keeping their promises are they?

  10. ianmac 10

    Plan A: If the Labour Party offers new plans for a very changed landscape we hear, “why didn’t they do it when in office?”

    Plan B: If the Labour Party do not offer new plans for a very changed landscape, we get “why can the Labour Party not come up with new ideas?”

    Let me see. Umm Plan A or Plan B?
    Plan A seems the most forward thinking and innovative. Stick with it! The righties can keep with their tedious moans.

    • TightyRighty 10.1

      moans? don’t you mean cheers for the winning side? the only moans i hear are from disgruntled lefties, moaning that no one gives a shit what they think.

  11. I see all the wingnuts are out in force.

    Jake I see it is more important for you that Chris Carter bought flowers and repaid the debt of $250 odd than it is that National is laying waste to so much of the good that the last Labour Government did.

    Green Tea the recent expenses scandal shows the MSM is severely unbalanced.

    • lprent 11.1

      Yep, but so far they’re staying out of troll territory so I don’t care as a moderator…

      However I may feel like wading into commentary later after I get the bus home and have a bit of a feed. But I have an idea of a post to write tonight as well.

    • Jake 11.2

      You will note mickeysavage that I didn’t say I would vote for National, I said I WOULDN’T vote for Labour. I will still give my vote to a left wing party, most likely the Greens as other parties are not likely to make it into Parliament, but I can’t support Labour in it’s current format. I mean they haven’t even acknowledged that they had a convicted criminal as an MP for heaven’s sake (Taito) and they have current MP’s that have had less than clean records when it comes to spending (as have National). They need to purge the deadwood.

  12. butnahyeahnah 12

    It does seem a bit same-old same-old baby boomers trying to force their voice into the mouths of the next generation. Time enough of trying to lead us youngsters and time 2 start 2 listen…

    I have far more in common with Shane Jones (getting busted having a wank), than I do with Chris Carter (shouting his boyfriend day-spas) and regardless of how homophobe you try to construct what I just said, the vast majority of people I work at the factory with, agree. It’s not about anything simpler than CC took HEAPS more advantage, and has suffered far less by comparison.

    Phil has to go to win my vote. I was giving him a chance, (hey any ones going to look shit next to Helen) and then I saw his knee jerk reaction to his daughters little problem in Sydney.
    I would like you all to take a deep breath and imagine how Phil sounded to everyone under 35. Everyone under 35 is well aware that E’s are safer than horse riding.
    I like Trevor and Annette, that Ruth seems a bit scary in the debating camber too.
    Labour isn’t so much missing her oratory skills, just Helen’s ability to convey that she knew were you were coming from and where you would like to go.

  13. Adrian 13

    Speaking of money, did National ever pay that GST bill from last election?

    • Anne 13.1

      Don’t think so. And it’s sunk without trace with not so much as a murmur from the MSM.

  14. tc 14

    It may be a bit too full of the folk people love to hate who have had their day but when you look at what they’re up against it’s still a far more balanced capable and intelligent team with a proven track record at good government compared to what we currently have.

    With a focused set of short messages they may just be able to overcome their biggest obstacle to being re-elected…..our long since sold out 4th estate who have sat back and not bothered to badger this government over any single thing.

  15. Herodotus 15

    So we are looking at personnalities, should not substance of policy be of more importance, otherwise we are voting out a govt (2014?). retaining the top tax rate is a headline with no substance http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10648752
    Mining in Sch 4 JK has already commented on a retrenching of the idea (We can believe this as he has changed a few times the premise of the original idea)
    I hope the great policy will be more than just these items mentioned, other wise we will have to wait for the “New Wave” of labour before they get the idea of what is required for NZ.
    Concertrating on the many not the few when will this occur, TMallard has stated many times on RA of protecting the landlord tax subsidies.
    We will see a change in liquor laws thus displaying listening to the people, Lab cannot argue on this re 2004. ETS is less servere towards my pocket than Labs, so Lab cannot argue this without being seen to distance itself from what it portrays to believe in, Nat on the surface is cleaning up parliament (perception is greater than reality).
    For Lab to gain traction there is a need to display some depth in policy and reconnection with the people. And until those in Lab realise and empathise with the people on how tough the times are how can they have solutions, as under the last term things got tough on families to survive and there was nothing given, remember mortgage rates 10.4%, inflation 4%. All that happened was min wage increased helped some, but there was nothing for the many. So how will Lab keep this statement “Concentrating on many not the few”, when this was not evident under their last term?

    • Green Tea 15.1

      “So how will Lab keep this statement “Concentrating on many not the few’, when this was not evident under their last term?”

      Dont you know Herodotus, Labour HQ says its going to happen so it is, OK?

  16. deemac 16

    you have to hand it to the Nats – they helped themselves to much more money than Labour MPs but somehow the expenses scandal is purely a LP problem!

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 hours ago
  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    8 hours ago
  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    8 hours ago
  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    15 hours ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    17 hours ago
  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    17 hours ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    1 day ago
  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    2 days ago
  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A shovel-ready autopsy
    Oliver Hartwich writes –  Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Why we almost blacked out and how to fix it
    TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • What Is Instagram Trying To Sell Us?
    Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Precious Little Excitement: Warner Brothers, Peter Jackson, and Gollum
    Back in February 2023, I made the cardinal mistake of getting my hopes up. Warner Brothers declared that fresh Middle-earth movies were in the works: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/it-never-rains-but-it-pours-warner-brothers-and-impending-tolkien-adaptations/ My assumption, based on which rights were available, and what had already been done, was that this was a stab at either the Angmar ...
    3 days ago
  • Do We Need a Population Census?
    ‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • No, the govt will not be cutting back on every budget – and the Defence vote is among those to be ...
    Buzz from the Beehive Reporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • The Treasury and productivity
    Late last week The Treasury released a new 40 page report on “The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections” (productivity forecasts and projections that is, rather than any possible fiscal implications – the latter will, I guess, be articulated in the Budget documents). In short, if (as it has) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • The Controller and Auditor-General’s role
    Peter Dunne writes –  I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • More harm than good
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos   Chris Trotter writes –  TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour
    And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction?   Gary Judd writes –  Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Macklemore's Pro-Palestinian Protest.
    Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on miserly school lunches, and the banning of TikTok’s Gaza coverage
    Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 10-May-2024
    Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to May 10
    Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2024
    Open access notables A Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future: Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VIII
    Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
    4 days ago
  • Pretending to talk other people’s languages
    Fakes can come in many forms.A Rolex, for instance.A tan can be fake. Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • What’s new? A social agency with an emphasis on “investment” instead of “wellbeing” – b...
    Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Following the political money
    Bryce Edwards writes –    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Hipkins would rather no one remember that he was Minister of Education
    Alwyn Poole writes –  After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Fashionable follies
    Eric Crampton writes –  A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Justice for Bainimarama!
    In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • March for Nature in June
    Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
    Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The non-woke $3 Lunch.
    I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s chickens come home to roost
    The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings
    Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
    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). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
    5 days ago
  • The wrong direction
    Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • National hates democracy
    Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
    Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Member’s Day
    Today is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
    Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
    Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left   Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  •  Inflation and GST thresholds
    Eric Crampton writes –  I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes –  Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of Technology
    Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the Solomons
    Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
    With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
    Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • A few PT announcements
    There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
    6 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago
  • At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problem
    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
  • Nothing to sneer at
    Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Still on their bullshit
    When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Drawn
    A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
    Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECD
     Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  •  Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to China
    Chris Trotter writes –  Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • A balanced and an unbalanced article
    David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Deeply unserious country
    Every bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students
    The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…  Gary Judd KC writes –  I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago
  • https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196
    The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
    7 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
    TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • HM Prison Aotearoa.
    A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • Get Your Webworm Merch!
    Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    7 days ago
  • Top OECD economist puts Willis between a rock and a hard place
    The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Report provides insights into marine recovery
    New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region.   The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu.    “New Zealand has deep and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Low gas production threatens energy security
    There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co.  Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
    Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
    Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
    It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government.  I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
    New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Daily school attendance data now available
    A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.  The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ambassador to United States appointed
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.    “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says.    “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
    The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
    Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
    New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
    Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
    New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • OECD reinforces need to control spending
    The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
    The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today.    "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of Plenty
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to New Zealand China Council
    Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today.    Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
    The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government recommits to equal pay
    The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Transforming how our children learn to read
    Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.  “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
    Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-05-13T11:14:37+00:00