Lefties on The Standard – 2017 government edition

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, October 21st, 2017 - 46 comments
Categories: activism, election 2017, Politics, The Standard - Tags: ,

In the past few months we’ve had some posts dedicated to left-wing discussion. The kaupapa for the debate is in the original post here (please read if you haven’t taken part before).

The rules are:

– To comment you have to be left wing.

– No personal attacks at all  (not even if they are hidden in comments with good political points)

– Be kind. If you can’t be kind at least don’t be mean.

– Bear in mind the part of the Policy about not using language or tone that excludes others.

If you’re not sure if you fit the criteria, there is always Open Mike.

We can talk about whatever we like, but the big topic of course is that New Zealand finally has a new government. Congratulations to Labour, the Greens and NZ First and all the people who worked to make that happen. We changed the government. That’s huge, and I reckon it’s important to take the time to acknowledge that.

For me it’s taking a while for it to sink in and to make sense of what we’ve got and what it will mean. There’s still more to come as detail of the agreements, policies and positions is announced over the next few days. But we have something to both celebrate and consider more deeply in terms of being left wing. It’s been a very long time since there’s been a centre-left government. What now Standardistas?

46 comments on “Lefties on The Standard – 2017 government edition ”

  1. Doogs 1

    “Once more into the breach”

    I like think of this more like the battle of Bosworth Field rather than Culloden Moor.

  2. Stuart Munro 2

    It was scary – but we have a result. I hope the coalition achieves and develops sufficient trust to endure – the Gnats would benefit from forty years in the wilderness.

    • Doogs 2.1

      I like that SM. Wandering, lost and stunned. Waiting for that ‘road to Damascus’ moment. It’ll take that long for them to get it.

  3. Ed 3

    There are powerful vested and hidden interests who will do everything they can to protect the neoliberal revolution, by fair means or foul.

    When Peters says this,….

    “Far too many New Zealanders have come to view today’s capitalism, not as their friend, but as their foe. And they are not all wrong. That is why we believe that capitalism must regain its responsible – its human face. That perception has influenced our negotiations.”

    …..there will be people wanting to stop a progressive government.

    Trotter’s article is well worth a read by all lefties.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/10/21/dark-transactions-winston-peters-decision-to-go-left-has-already-set-his-enemies-in-motion/

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 3.1

      One thing I noticed – Paddy Gower and other media immediately changed Peters’ comment (Gower within 10 minutes of him making the comment) to imply Peters opposes capitalism in general – they omitted the very important qualifier “…today’s capitalism”, which has quite a different meaning.

  4. ropata 4

    I would like to see real action against land bankers and property investors who leave houses empty. CGT is too weak, need a LVT with teeth or a more generalised TOP style wealth tax.

    So many of our social problems are made worse by homelessness and poverty and unreliable housing.

    • Patricia Bremner 4.1

      untruthful, nasty poor journalism helped the neolibers.

      This has to be culled, with a good public broadcaster.

  5. Oh hello ,… not sure if I belong here ,., was up all night drinking red wine and commenting on this blogsite ,.. and doing a bit of online playing of the game of my choice,…so now after 10 hours drinking the veno I’m still standing,… commenting on this blogsite,… do I still qualify as a ‘ Leftie ? ‘….

    I’ll toddle off to bed soon , mind , @ 10.35 am – or 22: 35 hours in military terms ,… and what I’d like to know is , … will I be axed and censured from the public discourse because I confess to be a Rate A pisshead ?

    Or am I allowed here because certain individuals like a bit of ‘ rough’ to justify their latte drinking leftist ideals?

    Hell ! , – I sure hope not.

    Lets all hang together because we want to stick it to the far right wing neo liberal bastard globalists .

    I have a nice wee website I’d like to present to all you exalted ‘ Leftist’s ‘ ,… it was born out of the misery of an unsuspecting and naive pubic back in the 1980’s and 1990’s…

    And some would say vicious pseudo Nazi bastards…

    But hey ! ,… that’s up to you all to decide….. Here Tis ‘ ,…

    New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
    http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html

    • Patricia Bremner 5.1

      Wildkatipo, You have celebrated, as some of us would like to xx

      I believe you are right about the Right.

      They said, “they would be back if it took a 1000 years.”

      So we need your commentary to remind us of their worldwide threat.

      So have some food and sleep, ready for the coming battle. Prebble just fired the first salvo.

  6. millsy 6

    According to Newshub, The Greens are going to get the Land Information and Conservation portfolios.

    Good start. Jan Logie (the minister-presumptive), will probably throw the miners and drillers out of our conservation estate, kill all this privatisation of DOC, and make it more accessable to ordinary NZers. Probably also try and reduce some of the rack and ruin that some of our parks have fallen into over 9 years. I hope the tinfoil hat wearers in NZ First didnt get their way on 1080 (and the Greens on flouride for that matter) though.

    • weka 6.1

      Green policy is to support non-1080 methods where possible 🙂

      • WILD KATIPO 6.1.1

        … ”Green policy is to support non-1080 methods where possible ” …

        Yeah , and when I was a young – un… I used a military police 1rst world war hickory baton to belt possums over the head before I skinned them after chasing them up the other end of the cage traps . Pretty humane. I always checked the eyeballs to see if they were dead, however before I skinned them… that was , after I gave them a good 20 minutes of lying in a sack to be sure , to be sure,… reckon I knocked back the possum population by a fair bit to protect the forest and bird weka introductions in the Waitakere ranges…

        I used to make vests and moccasins out of their skins… traded a few for an M16 bayonet at the time as I recall…

        Young people , dontcha know…

        Up to all manner of hijinks…

        • weka 6.1.1.1

          It’s a thing with killing possums for sure. I’ve seen possums assumed dead wake up again. NZ will need to get ahead of the animal rights issues if non 1080 methods are to increase.

          • WILD KATIPO 6.1.1.1.1

            Tbh …. these days I even hate the thought of killing an ant.

            Yet whether we like it or not ,… to fill our fat belly’s … something has to die,… be it either sugar cane , a Frisian bull or a pipi… what a peculiar world we live in …. unless we are going to eat rocks and dirt…

            • weka 6.1.1.1.1.1

              I agree, everything dies and helps other things to live. I’m ok-ish with animals being killed where necessary (if it’s not the possums then whole species are going extinct). But I think we have a responsibility to do it as humanely as possible.

              I also think we have an obligation to limit human populations so that the rest of nature isn’t so burdened supporting us.

          • millsy 6.1.1.1.2

            Possum skins rendering plants are actually quite dirty as well. Lot of pollution there.

            • weka 6.1.1.1.2.1

              True, although I think that could be cleaned up. Some R and D needed.

            • gsays 6.1.1.1.2.2

              Hey millsy, what is tinfoil hatty about being opposed to 1080 use?

              I am agin it because of the painfully cruel way that it kills.

              The only justification for it is in ‘economic’ terms. A mindset that dominates too many decisions in our ‘race to the bottom’.

              • weka

                I”m guessing it’s a reference to some people thinking 1080 is benign beyond how it kills the animal while others think it’s not 😉

          • Stuart Munro 6.1.1.1.3

            The electric traps are pretty good – no pelt damage, no poison, a bit expensive but an advanced solution.

            • weka 6.1.1.1.3.1

              Are they being used by the fur and pelt harvesters?

              • Stuart Munro

                Mostly not so far – the unit cost is a bit higher than other methods.

                The appeal is in part that everything is recoverable in some way – which poison doesn’t achieve. Pelts are not damaged.

                Depends a bit on priorities but these traps would be a good fit for managing rural or semi-rural populations down.

                Poison is cheaper but it comes with a few other issues.

                This is the device http://www.electropar.co.nz/zap-trap/

                There are similar CO2 powered repeat killers available too.

                • weka

                  Ideally it would be treated as pest control and resource harvesting (meat, pelt, fur, fertiliser).

                  Website is a bit light on detail. What are the risks for other animals or children?

                  • Stuart Munro

                    They’re quite well designed – pets wouldn’t get into the zapping part – requires climbing. Children can get anywhere but they’d need to make a serious effort. They have been trialed – no bird kills was a feature. These days a smart trap is quite doable – one that only works within the target weight/size band.

    • weka 6.2

      The Greens having LINZ is interesting!

    • adam 6.3

      I’d rather see Jan Logie be given the state services. It’s a hell of a mess, and I can’t think of anyone else with the smarts and perseverance to fix it up like Jan could. Make Ron Mark the associate minister, that one – two punch would be great.

      Mind you it will take more than 3 years. I’m really worried, that the rot will continue unless it has someone with the right skill set to stop it, and change the culture.

    • lprent 6.4

      *sigh*

      Remember that anything a minister wants to do still has to get past the full cabinet.

      Think of it as being able to stand up and explain clearly and with incontrovertible facts in hand why a course of action should be taken.

      In other words a slogan won’t cut it because they are invariably mindless drivel that hasn’t been thought through.

      If I put my skeptical hat on, I can only think of one good convincing discussion here on any of the topics you just sloganed, and that was back in 2010. Which means that without more detailed information, that I would automatically oppose all except for limiting mining company access to conservation lands.

      Perhaps if you want the minister to have support, then you’d be better off helping to provide some argument and facts. As it stands right now, few of these things have either the legalities discussed, nor the budgets with which to deal with them. Both the time and money to do them would require it to be taken from some other area.


      It is like the slogan about “decriminalisation of abortion” I saw around here a few days ago. Despite supporting abortion reform through other acts, I’d automatically oppose “decriminalisation” – ie removing the crime of aborting a fetus from the Crimes Act.

      It would mean (for instance) that a person throwing someone else down the stairs thereby causing a abortion of a fetus would merely incur assault charges. Something that hardly seems commensurate with the levels of anguish that such an act causes on the mother or the people associated with the family. That putting abortifacients in a town water supply would merely be a case of dangerous behaviour or pollution.

      Final acts like the Crimes Act aren’t there for the legally illiterate to play around with. They are effectively reserve powers that define the surrounding edge of what is acceptable behaviour in our society. Changes to them need to be cautious to make sure that the change doesn’t give a free pass to some nutter doing something that is truly reprehensible.

      Besides, just using mindless slogans usually raises false hope and expectations about the degree of what is feasible at any point in time. Because social change to not cause massive aggravation and pain should be incremental rather than the revolutionary single point in time that kills people.

      • weka 6.4.1

        “Remember that anything a minister wants to do still has to get past the full cabinet.”

        How does that work with the ones outside of cabinet?

        • lprent 6.4.1.1

          It doesn’t in any formal way. There may be some informal contacts of soliciting general support and preventing rebellion in the backbench.

          • weka 6.4.1.1.1

            I meant what was the process for ministers outside cabinet to get cabinet approval. I’ve since heard Shaw explaining it on the Nation, so might put up a post.

            • Ad 6.4.1.1.1.1

              They would get a paper drafted through the relevant Department, and put the advice and recommendations up.

              Note that 90% of cabinet decisions agree with the advice.

              They would need to be particularly careful in a tight MMP government that they had the numbers in Cabinet to get it passed.

              Some of that work could be done beforehand if a smart and well connected Department ensured that there was multiple cross-Departmental eyes over the draft before it is put up as business.

              If it’s a particularly big matter it would be worth asking the PM if DPMC could get involved.

              The rest is up to them.

      • Wainwright 6.4.2

        We shouldn’t talk about decriminalizing abortion because some wackjob might put abortion drugs in the town water supply? Fucking bizarre argument there.

  7. Incognito 7

    I have wondered about this for the last few days and I am still none the wiser as to what or how “capitalism with a human face” might look like …

    • Siobhan 7.1

      “Capitalism with a human face refers to the usage of supposedly ethical procedures to soften the blow of capitalism.” a random quote from some chap called Sam Thomas, but to my mind the best definition around.

      Though as a close second I do like this…’capitalism with a human face’ has been looked up 422 times, is no one’s favorite word yet, has been added to 1 list, has no comments yet, and is not a valid
      (my bolds)

      I suspect this will be a ‘concept’ much debated and, I suspect, eventually derided amongst ‘Lefties’ in the coming years, both here and worldwide.

      • Incognito 7.1.1

        Thanks.

        To me “capitalism with a human face” sounds like a red herring or an oxymoron; it’s not a ‘concept’ as such but a myth-in-the-making IMHO.

        My quote would be something like this:

        Capitalism with a human face is like smoking filter cigarettes instead of ones without filter – it is still bad for your health and on top of that it produces heaps of litter.

        Where did you get your second quote from?

      • Incognito 7.2.1

        Yes, that was very informative and helpful, thank you!

        I now look at the future with much more optimism, which means I can loosen-up on the self-medication 😉

        • weka 7.2.1.1

          Lol.

          I do think that the statement from Peters is significant for NZ. This is mainstream, conservative NZ saying ‘enough!’. We should take advantage of that.

  8. Roy 8

    Many labourites and greenies I know seem to be aware that we mustn’t let our guard down, now more than ever. The right of this country, and the world generally, have nothing to offer – so they’ll focus their energy and considerable resources into the dirtiest politics yet. Trump-on-Slater-oil dirty. We’ve got to be ready to dismiss and counter the coming onslaught. It’s working in the UK, but only by momentum et al’s constant efforts. If we can do that, we’ve got this.

    • weka 8.1

      I agree. Not only are the right not wasting any time with the strategy to bring down the left, but we have a centre/left govt not a left wing one. So what do we want to have happen?

      I’d like to see some support thrown Labour and the Greens’ way to find their feet and establish themselves solidly with mainstream NZ. But there’s also the issue of how the left holds them to account too. I don’t know what I think about this yet. I caught some flak earlier in the year for writing a post critical of Little and Labour’s position on Māori, so it’s going to be interesting to see if it’s ok now to critique them or not. On the other hand, let’s hope the relentless Labour-bashing finds a more proactive and solutions-based focus.

  9. Karen 9

    I have been a bit busy and just now catching up with everything that has happened in the last few days. I am mostly relieved as there will be lives saved because of this change of government. Although personally I wanted a Labour/Green coalition with no need for NZF, I am still feeling very hopeful that there will be some progressive policy from this new government.

    One thing I haven’t noticed anyone talking about is the ethnic/gender makeup of this new government. I am particularly encouraged to see 20 of the 63 government MPs are Māori (13 in Labour, 6 in NZF and 1 in the Greens).

    There are 6 Pasifika, plus an Indian, a Chinese and 1 with mixed Indonesian/Chinese/Dutch heritage (all in Labour), plus an Iranian in the Greens. 46% of our new government are women (the Greens do best by far in this with 75% of their MPs). Looking at LGBTQI are at least 6 (maybe others I don’t know about). Sad we lost Mojo Mathers as she was a great representative for the disability community.

    Still can do better but this new government is starting to look more representative.

    • weka 9.1

      Nice one writing that up, thanks.

    • eco Maori/kiwi 9.2

      Yes this is the time to correct a lot that is wrong’s in our society but don’t over do it as this could chase away some of our voters and the big picture is that we need all the supporters we can get to keep the momentum for change going as it will take a few years to correct all the wrongs and one would start to plan for the long term 9 years now . . What the right and business don’t realize is they will benefit from a more equal society. Because the lower income people will have more disposable in come so they spend more and whom gets that money .Our sports team will benefit as more people will be able to afford to participate in sports. Our exports will boom as the rest of the world will no that we are not { bullshit artist } and that we are truly clean and green and they will pay a premium for our products. The right don’t realize that intelligent people around our world will pay a premium for our products because they believe in the cause of saving mother earth for our Moko/ grandchildren there are many gains for being a society of more evenly distributed wealth for everyone. Look around our world and you will see good examples of this Kia kaha

  10. Here is an idea for the new government.. What about providing an UBI for the people of Kaitaia. Having employment would not be relevant and it would not be means tested. it would be a test case. Say everybody over the age of 16 being provided with a weekly amount which is the equivalent of the same current weekly universal superannuation amount and on the same terms eg increased by inflation and wage indexation every April. Everybody under that age would receive $100.00pw. Kaitaia is a depressed economic area with most schools being decile one. I am sure the town would flourish. It would be such a good test for a UBI for all.

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

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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