Laundering earnings vs laundering money

Written By: - Date published: 4:49 pm, May 13th, 2016 - 35 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, colonialism, Economy, International, kiwisaver, loan sharks, Mining, overseas investment, tax - Tags: , , ,

Prof Michael Hudson, economist, 1/8th Chippewa indian, whose father was a Trotsky stalwart, recently appeared on RT’s Keiser Report.

Hudson was promoting his new book “Killing the Host,” on how financial parasites and debt bondage is destroying the civilised world.

The following is my interpretation of a few things that Hudson said to Max Keiser during episode 910 of the Keiser Report:

Keiser Report Hudson

Hudson worked for Chase Manhattan Bank (these days part of JP Morgan) in the late 1960s and helped do work for the US government in developing the financial rationale for tax havens.

The US Government of the day was facing a severe balance of payments crisis, partly due to needing to pay for the Vietnam War. Michael Hudson, as an employee of Chase Manhattan Bank, was asked how much money the US could get flowing in from cash rich international criminal enterprises, in order to fix this balance of payments hole.

I presume this meant everything from gunrunners to drug cartels to prostitution and human trafficking.

The US also eliminated the witholding tax on US Treasuries to further incentivise cashed up criminal enterprises to invest in (i.e. lend to) the US government. Essentially, the US wanted to replace Switzerland as the place where criminal enterprises stashed their large cash takings.

Also while at Chase Manhattan, one of the clients Hudson serviced was Standard Oil. A Standard Oil executive carefully explained to a young Hudson how from his New York Standard Oil office, the executive could decide with a stroke of a pen where exactly in the world Standard Oil would make its profits for the coming year and where it would make its losses, in order to get the best tax result for the shareholders.

This is where Panama becomes relevant. Central_America_Map

Michael Hudson says that in some ways, Panama cannot be considered a real country – it does not have its own currency (it uses the USD) and it does not have its own income tax system.

Panama was originally used by the oil industry and mining industry in the 1920s to set up their system of “flags of convenience.” In other words, Panama was set up as the location where these huge companies decided to attribute their worldwide profits to, via their “shipping affiliates” and other associated companies.

In this complex system, various oil corporations’ massive capital investment in deep sea drilling rigs and gigantic oil refineries are all financially designed to provide the parent corporations with zero return on investment. Hudson says that the gargantuan and very expensive infrastructure end up run as charities which sOil_rig_2336975bubsidise the very profitable operation of the international (i.e. tax haven based) shipping and sales affiliates of the parent corporation.

Another great aspect of Panama to these corporations it is no more than an extension of the the US financial system. Back in 1967, for reasons already discussed, the US government convinced major US banks to open branches there. This meant that a US corporate could deposit money into a Panamanian branch of a big US bank, pay whatever taxes Panama required on those monies (none), and then access the funds straight away via a New York City branch of the same bank.

I would not be surprised if physical money and checks could be deposited into the New York premises of such a bank. The bank teller would simply credit the deposit to an account ostensibly held by the Panamanian branch of the bank. Which might potentially be nothing more than an office cubicle in Panama City with a name plaque, desk and fax machine inside.chase

The money would never actually leave the US, although it would appear as a current account flow.

Hudson says that many other industries have now adopted the efficient tax operations pioneered by the oil and mining industries.

To be clear, the activity carried out is that of laundering earnings, not of laundering money. Hudson differentiates between the two. In laundering money, the true owners of the money attempt to conceal how the money was obtained, where the money came from, and who it belongs to. A system which Hudson refers to as a “Veil of Tiers” (i.e. a complex hierarchy of shell organisations) is used to obscure these details.

In contrast, when laundering earnings, corporations like Apple are completely upfront about where the money came from, who it belongs to, who the directors of the company are and who the shareholders are.

The aim therefore is not to obscure any of those details, the aim is simply to minimise the tax those monies are subject to by making it look like the profits are legitimately made in Panama. (Or in Ireland, as is the case with Apple, Microsoft, Pfizer and Google).

In my view, and in this context, the fact that Key turned NZ into an international tax haven is partially irrelevant. In contrast, why he did it is everything.

 

 

 

35 comments on “Laundering earnings vs laundering money ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Paul 1
    13 May 2016 at 5:47 pm

    Thank.
    Most interesting.

    • Chooky 1.1
      14 May 2016 at 9:27 am

      +100…the crux is …”the fact that Key turned NZ into an international tax haven …WHY he did it is everything”.

      WHY… is the tip of the iceberg imo..it is a signpost as to what he is doing elsewhere unseen and what his values are…the fact that he has the lawyer he does is also a sign post ( does he have similar tax avoiding trusts overseas?…questions need to be asked in Parliament)

      …he is probably the worst and most corrupt PM New Zealand has ever had

      …PMs and MPs should be totally transparent about what they do with their money, how they get it , and tax…their position is one of responsibility to a nation and to New Zealanders….they should not be rorting New Zealanders

      National Party members should also be asking questions and examining who and what they are voting for

    • WILD KATIPO 1.2
      15 May 2016 at 12:06 am

      Here’s a few interesting explanations :

      ‘How does a country benefit from from the rich storing their money there? ‘…

      You put the money into a bank in that tax haven.
      Banks, when they look after your money, don’t just leave it sitting in the safe doing nothing. They invest it! They might do this by lending it to other customers (for a fee), or by investing in the stock market or the currency exchange market. But that money is busy earring the bank money.
      (I don’t know the rules in Singapore, but in some tax havens – the Cayman Islands, for example, tax is very low for money earned offshore. But money earned in the tax haven is taxed, albeit not at a massive rate – but the money the bank makes probably will be taxed.

      Also to add that tax-haven states normally have some sort of sovereign-ties to a nice stable G8 country, often as a legacy of their colonial relationship. The Cayman Islands is a territory of the UK for example, and therefore has nice easy access to a large international-trading hub in the form of The City of London.
      This in turn explains why countries are often reluctant to close tax-loopholes or deal with tax avoidance in their off-shore territories; they bring in significant amounts of money to their parent countries in the form of investments which raises money for the parent country as well as keeping their booming financial services industries busy and employing a LOT of people.
      ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

      The internet is a wonderful thing, is it not?

      ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

      And so…we have a PM who rubbed shoulders with the elites in Merril Lynch and has shares in the Bank of America… the same bank that was done for corruption a while back ie: money laundering. And who also promised the Key led govt 2.5 billion dollars if there was a zero rate of taxation for foreign trusts in NZ …

      The Key govt who also could afford tax cuts for the rich ( settlors/beneficiaries? ) but has systematically dismantled our publicly funded welfare and health , prison and education etc by saying ‘ we cannot afford it ‘…

      So Voila !!!

      The problem to all our ills is to suddenly privatize the last vestiges of our welfare state ie : state housing as an example…

      Kind of obvious even to a child whats really going on now, isn’t it…

      Just watch them play Monopoly and you will see what I mean.

  2. Keith 2
    13 May 2016 at 6:42 pm

    Its a a rich mans piss take, literally use a independant country to benefit themselves. What these mega wealthy corporations need is a safe bolt hole to launder earnings through, a platter of options in case one of those countries elects an ethical government. And they need someone to ensure that happens, someone so morally bankrupt and focused on self enrichment, someone unique and electable.

    In walks John Key, acting for the big corporations he once worked with full time and part time ever since and through his ability as the PM he has set up NZ as a safe place for them to legally launder their money. Those close to the action will be rewarded handsomely and Key delivers and one assumes is also soundly rewarded. We the citizens get nothing out of it and this is the illogical part of all this shit unless you accept that he’s only PM to use the NZ government as a vehicle to assist his business connections

    If you use that logic to assess why National do what they do everything becomes a whole lot easier to understand!

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      13 May 2016 at 6:46 pm

      We have the appearance of an independent country, most days, is what I’ll say.

  3. Paul Campbell 3
    13 May 2016 at 6:46 pm

    Yes well explained … So for example when a company like Compass sends “fees” and the like to it’s parent corporation it counts them as costs against their income reducing their tax bill in nz. Apple sends theirs to Ireland because corporate taxes there are far lower there than in NZ or the US.

    • dukeofurl 3.1
      14 May 2016 at 10:53 am

      One of the longstanding ways is ‘loans’ from shelf companies in tax havens, but with ridiculous interest rates.

  4. Pat 4
    13 May 2016 at 6:54 pm

    the whole drive of this administration has been to take the soft option to entice investment to prop up our economy…..instead of making the changes necessary that would likely resulted in national being a one term wonder they have used immigration and dodgy investment sources that have overvalued our currency and provided the credit to fuel a property bubble.

    It will not end well

  5. Graeme 5
    13 May 2016 at 10:09 pm

    Why has he done it, I think you hit the nail on the head in your comment on the other post CV

    Colonial Viper 7.1.1
    13 May 2016 at 2:32 pm
    Pretty much. I wonder how painful our current account would look without these foreign hot money inflows.

    Is there any way to quantify how much is coming in and the effect it’s having? If it was keeping interest rates down by 2-3% (because the banks are getting cheap money) the effect could be profound. I presume the inflow would be holding the dollar up as well, but that has been blamed on dairy expansion over the last 5 years, but maybe not the case with the trust industry?

  6. Gristle 6
    14 May 2016 at 6:40 am

    Since the currency was floated, the volume of NZ Dollars being traded seemed to be way too high given the size of the NZ economy. Is this linked to laundered earnings and or money laundering?

    • dukeofurl 6.1
      14 May 2016 at 10:57 am

      The volume of currency traded, thats is real dollars, is only that which is needed for foreign currency exchange.
      What they do trade in vast quantities is a piece of paper that is a futures contract, it may be sold 50 x a day until the day it becomes due.

      • Colonial Viper 6.1.1
        14 May 2016 at 11:09 am

        The volume of currency traded, thats is real dollars, is only that which is needed for foreign currency exchange.

        That’s a misleading statement.

        The Reserve Bank publishes statistics of actual NZD volumes traded on the FX markets. The volume traded annually far exceeds the entire GDP of NZ.

        The NZD is the 11th most traded currency in the world.

        NZ ranks no. 55 in the world by GDP. Australia is no. 13.

        http://www.interest.co.nz/charts/exchange-rates/foreign-exchange-trading-volumes

        • Gristle 6.1.1.1
          14 May 2016 at 12:26 pm

          So my question is why is the trading level disproportionately high?

          Years ago I was advised by a rather wealthy individual not to invest in anything but the biggest companies listed on the NZ bourse. This was on the basis that he and his ilk regularly would coordinate and drive the stock prices of smaller companies this way and that: to their advantage of course.

          Is the NZD treated the same by larger players with currency?

          • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1.1
            14 May 2016 at 12:31 pm

            I’ll just point you to my answer the other day: Carry Trade

            • Gristle 6.1.1.1.1.1
              14 May 2016 at 12:42 pm

              I understand the concept of carry trades but I don’t understand the volume. Arbitrage and carry trade typically refer to short duration aberrations that are extinguished as the market gains awareness. The volume of NZ trading has been sustained for many years. I don’t believe carry trade activity explains long duration situations. Are there structural issues inherent to NZ which encourage the development of arbitrage and carry trade?

        • dukeofurl 6.1.1.2
          15 May 2016 at 8:47 am

          That just tells the total trading value, which is public knowlege, what it doesnt say is how the trading occurs.

          Just think about, say one trade for a minute, the value of the kiwi dollar in a weeks time, and how you would do that. And do that at the lowest cost, which means using only a little of your own money, thats what future trading contracts are all about, a piece of paper which says you will buy/sell that amount of $kiwi at a set point.
          means they dont need real money to play with.

          Same goes with poker machine turnover, is in the billions, but the real money in and out is far less.

  7. Joy FL 7
    14 May 2016 at 7:19 am

    This piece is much appreciated. Has any party leaders’ office head hunted you? You should be their top special advisor.

    • save nz 7.1
      14 May 2016 at 8:23 am

      Yep, time the Labour party held out an olive branch to CV (vice versa). Labour needs to keep all it’s supporters on side and voting for them, even if there is a difference of opinion on policy.

      In my view Labour are on the up. The first step for Labour has been to acknowledge that they went too far in the 1980’s (Grant Robertson apologised in one of the Waatea episodes), the 2nd is to get rid of TPPA (which they have voted against), and get rid of the MP’s that are refusing to back down from Rogernomics agenda (Phil Goff) etc, acknowledge lazy immigration is being used as a tool by the government to hide their appalling record on the economy, but is increasing the housing, social welfare and transport crisis for Kiwis, be much more on top of corruption which seems to have turned into a malignant cancer in this country. Then heal the rifts for their members and supporters.

      • Chooky 7.1.1
        14 May 2016 at 9:33 am

        +100 save nz….and they are certainly on the way up with David Cunliffe taking a more prominent role…he is very impressive

        never-the-less it is important that people like CV keep critiqueing Labour

        • Gristle 7.1.1.1
          14 May 2016 at 12:32 pm

          David is playing in his little square of the playground that he has been given. He is making a silk purse from a sows ear. It’s a pity that his area has been made so small and that there are danger cones around him warning others in the sandpit from playing with him.

      • Colonial Viper 7.1.2
        14 May 2016 at 10:14 am

        Unfortunately Labour isn’t interested in people realising what the truth of these matters are.

        If they did, it would become obvious that what needs to be done about is more than a little tweak here and a little tweak there, and pretending that the status quo is sustainable.

        The TPP is nothing but a gift to corporates and a depowering of sovereigns, led by a US Gov which has facilitated corporate power over small states for a hundred years now.

        You wouldn’t want to risk scaring the horses or not looking like a credible “government in waiting” now would you.

        • save nz 7.1.2.1
          14 May 2016 at 12:38 pm

          @CV – I really feel Labour have turned a corner from even a few months ago. Clearly it is not easy when their own MP’s are so divided into two camps. Maybe it is time for their ex voter critics to give them a break (but still say what policy you think they should be aiming for) rather than saying they will never change. The UBI was an example of looking at the future and getting new ideas – even if you do not agree with the details Labour are engaged with change and new ideas and more importantly not committed to selling our country to cronies.

          • Colonial Viper 7.1.2.1.1
            14 May 2016 at 3:16 pm

            I think optimism is a marvellous trait for youth to have. For veterans of the wars, less so.

            Btw Labour have shown no signs of banning foreign property purchases in Queenstown, Wanaka, or Auckland.

  8. travellerev 8
    14 May 2016 at 8:41 am

    Panama, originally a province of Colombia was literally stolen by bullying Columbia into giving it tot the US by Teddy Roosevelt in order to 1/ dig a canal 2/Be set up as a legal free zone for Mining and oil companies and 3/ a tax haven by JP Morgan and the same thugs that set up the Federal Reserve bank system in 1903.

    The same year by the way the self same JP Morgan and his banking mates set up the Bankers trust bank which served to provide trust services to customers of state and national banks throughout the country. It also served as a de facto Reserve bank.

    In fact when the Bankers cartel finally got their US Federal Reserve bank system in place the then President Benjamin Strong Jr. became the first governor of the New York Federal Reserve.

    It was the same Bankers Trust bank which pioneered the New financial products now collapsing the system and the first time they used them to attack an an entire country’s currency was when Andrew Krieger and John Key attacked the NZ $ in 1987.

    John Key has been at this a long time and he knows exactly what he is doing!

    • save nz 8.1
      14 May 2016 at 9:13 am

      And job losses are humorous to him…. from Wiki about John Key

      “Some co-workers called him “the smiling assassin” for maintaining his usual cheerfulness while sacking dozens (some say hundreds) of staff after heavy losses from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.”

    • Colonial Viper 8.2
      14 May 2016 at 10:15 am

      Thanks for the background, travellerev.

    • dukeofurl 8.3
      14 May 2016 at 11:05 am

      When the US does it- forces a country to lose a province, its good. When Russia does it to Ukraine, its bad.
      When Turkey invades a former province but which is now an independent country, like Cyprus, its good, But when Russia is involved with a former province like that is bad.
      When Saudi Arabia is involved with and openly uses its airpower in a neighbors civil war, its ok. They dont get sanctions from West but get intell help and get to fill up stocks of weapons.

      • travellerev 8.3.1
        14 May 2016 at 4:21 pm

        The Russians didn’t force anything. The people of Crimea voted almost unanimously, including the Tartars, to return to Russia and Russia was happy to accommodate. In East Ukraine the Russian people are being slaughtered on a daily base and Russia has so far resisted any intervention apart from Humanitarian food missions.

        • Colonial Viper 8.3.1.1
          14 May 2016 at 5:16 pm

          Russia is very aware that it is walking a tight rope at the moment. Especially with NATO aka USA building up military forces right on its borders.

          The last time someone did this to Russia was 1941.

          PS do you read The Vineyard of the Saker?

  9. webbrowan 9
    23 May 2016 at 11:08 pm

    This sounds like such a huge conspiracy theory. Every government has its own agenda when it comes to finance and money. As long as nobody finds out about it or the end result benefits the greater good and all that… I personally just shake my head and pray that we’re not digging ourselves a bigger hole for letting the little problems slide like this.

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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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    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. ...
    Skeptical Science
    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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    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
    5 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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