Minister Robertson’s Economic Development Strategy
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7:32 am, July 15th, 2021 - 20 comments
Categories: covid-19, economy, employment, grant robertson, health, labour, Politics, unemployment -
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Minister Roberston’s recent speech to the Trans Tasman Business Circle sets out both how this government is using the pandemic to reset whole sectors of the economy, and also how it is getting its head around economic and social challenges. The points made were unsurprising, but his intended direction was unclear.
The Minister rightly points out the very high performance of New Zealand in key headline economic numbers, such as unemployment at 4.7% and trending downwards, economic activity at levels higher than before COVID, and a credit upgrade to AAA which is our first upgrade since 2003.
But then he gets straight into the problems, the risks, and the way this government intends to meet these challenges. This is what we are going to concentrate on. He makes important points about the vaccine rollout, and then on to reconnecting New Zealand with the world. In terms of our reconnection, he notes Professor Sir David Skegg said that the experience at our borders changed materially after 9/11 and so too will there be a new normal after COVID. Roberston didn’t go into much detail there, but that comparison itself is useful as a hint to what travel will mean both inward and outward in the medium future.
Minister Roberston then concentrated on critical aspects of the path for the New Zealand economy as we look to the future with and beyond COVID.
Without calling it a FIRE economy, Roberston underscores that pre-COVID, “too much of our economic expansion was based on unsustainable increases in house prices, and high levels of population growth.” What he is setting up there is a debate later about really restrictive immigration levels that forces us to train, grow and retain more highly qualified people here rather than importing them. That will mean that low tourism volumes and with it low hospitality employment is going to wither for the foreseeable future, and employers who want these people are going to have to pay more and generate attractive durable careers here.
Too many jobs were created in the low-wage economy and not enough of our firms are exporting into international markets or developing new technologies and products at the global frontier.”
This is a rebuke to the low-wage and precarious tourism and hospitality economy which kept us busy rather than wealthy, as well as mis-directing capital to poor quality assets rather than on research and development investment into higher-value businesses.
Some of that low-wage economy has been perpetuated by this government. Robertson generated a policy of wage subsidy last year that threw tens of billions of dollars to employers with little oversight and no positive shift of our economy other than keeping people busy.
Then he peeks behind those apparently healthy unemployment numbers:
Maori and Pacific unemployment took around 10 years to return to its pre-Global Financial Crisis level, and those ‘normal’ levels of unemployment are still far higher than the rest of the population.
So what was particularly curious here was the absence of any talk of re-regulating the labour market including those mirage-like MECA agreements, or continuing to raise the minimum wage (which they have done), or actively encourage re-unionisiation (which continues to collapse), or indeed anything like transferring some of the grossly unequal wealth at the top to the great majority at the bottom (through shifting taxes, for example, which they have largely neglected apart from a very minor change to an elite few this year).
Roberston further reminds us that our economy has not been sustainable in climate, biodiversity, and waterways. The primary polluter of our waterways is dairy, and yet they passed recently on any strong measures to address this in the 2020 DIRA legislation review which enables the continued existence of Fonterra.
What is discomfiting by this point in the speech is that we are half way through their second term and the Minister of Finance is only now articulating integrated challenges to the economy in this manner. He did outline some of this in the Budget 2021, but the high level areas to address these issues are:
- Increase productivity through large scale investment in skills, research and innovation, infrastructure, building international connections and reforms of critical underpinnings of productivity such as our planning, water and immigration systems
- Lift the value and increase the diversity of what we produce and do, and who we trade with
- Transition to a low carbon economy and seize the potential of new technology and innovation to lead this transition
- Realise the economic potential of our Maori and Pacific communities and businesses, small and medium enterprises and entrepeneurs
- Immigration and skills come under focus, because the government is pretty clear that their “reset” is a mighty piece of COVID luck that forces employers to continue training rather than importing cheap labour that keeps wages down in hospitality and construction. They have a number of programmes that do this including free apprenticeships, the Training Incentive Allowance, the Flexiwage programme, and Mana In Mahi to name a few.
In industry transition, transformation and innovation, the Minister mentioned the Just Transitions fund for enabling mitigations under the Emissions Reduction Plan. He mentioned the Industry Transformation Plans for agritech and construction, with others in the pipeline for digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and food and beverage, and forestry and wood processing.
The Minister is explicitly trying to use the national unification we all felt through our collective response to COVID, to see if that can be transferred to how business can work with government: “We have seen how our country’s stock of social capital (our trust in each other and the connections in our communities) has driven our positive response to COVID. The same must now also be the case for our economic recovery.
Given that we are about to get a whole lot of utes and dogs come into cities to protest the waterways regulations, Robertson’s final commentary is appropriate:
There is sometimes a tendency to think about the relationship between government and business as being dominated by regulation – that it is a dynamic defined by the prevention of particular activities. I’m interested in ways we can work together; where public investment can open up new economic possibilities and crowd-in capital from the private investor, rather than crowd it out.”
The tendency rather is a bit more problematic than that: the government has been “intervening” at greater and greater scale with each successive national crisis that we face year upon year upon decade, and yet for all this intervention we remain a low-income, low-savings, low productivity, low wage, low-regulated, oligopoly dominated, volume commodity dominated, China dominated economy for as far as the eye can see.
Robertson’s speech needed rather a whole-of-government effort more akin to the Growth and Innovation Framework of 2002. It needed to have a common set of themes that every minister then repeated.
This is Robertson’s first speech I’ve seen that has set out a set of economic issues and then what they might do. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so churlish as to complain.
At the moment we have disaggregated government that is not providing messaging on the major changes it is making which include:
- nationalising the health system,
- nationalising polytech education,
- launching a huge waterways cleanup and water supply ownership programme which don’t relate to each other,
- launching a carbon mitigation plan,
- re-regulating immigration and skills,
- massively shrinking the role of local government …
- and leaving other large parts of the economy untouched such as universities, ports and airports, defence, public media, electricity generators, the entire innovation system such as it is, weak savings, grossly distorted asset classes, and chronic social inequality.
The more big moves this government makes, the less sense it makes.
Currently we only have two strong arms of state, Treasury and Health, and even health is wobbly. To achieve any of what Robertson is proposing, the rest of the state needs to catch up – and that is front and centre a government leadership job.
Sure, it’s one speech. We’ll have to see if there’s something to believe in beyond it.
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The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...20 hours ago
- Release: A historic win for Samoan communities
Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...20 hours ago
- Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”
The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...1 day ago
- Pasifika justice as Member’s Bill passes final reading
Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...1 day ago
- Release: Minister of Education thinks New Zealand ends at the Bombay Hills
The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...1 day ago
- Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach
A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...2 days ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...2 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...2 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...4 days ago
- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...4 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...7 days ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation
The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Winston Peters must apologise
The Deputy Prime Minister should apologise to the public servant he named and blamed for something they did not do, and for misusing the rules of Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...13 hours ago - Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...13 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...14 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...14 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...15 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...16 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...17 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...17 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...18 hours ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...19 hours ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...22 hours ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...1 day ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...2 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...2 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- Speech to Social Investment Hui: Jack and his whānau need our help
Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
- Minister of State for Trade heads to Brisbane for PACER Plus meeting
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg has travelled to Australia to attend the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting in Brisbane. “Trade plays a critical role in driving employment, economic growth, and improving the standards of living in the Pacific Region. The Government is strongly committed to supporting Pacific Island countries ...7 days ago
- Proposals to modernise conservation released
Toitū te taiao – Our environment endures The Government is consulting on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s conservation management system, aiming to protect relevant natural areas while supporting sustainable growth in tourism and regional economies, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. “Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is ...7 days ago
- This week three parties stood together – can they withstand the storm to come?
There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...32 minutes ago - All 33 malls in Auckland ranked from worst to best
From the low lows of abandon empires to the high highs of a mall done just right. This is the second in the Malls of New Zealand series, where we rank the malls in major centres. Next week: Wellington. A note from the editor: This is the hardest ranking we’ve ...32 minutes ago
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As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 27-year-old apartment-dwelling marketing exec explains her approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female. Age: 27. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Marketing exec at ...32 minutes ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...32 minutes ago - Daily crossword, Friday 22 November
The post Daily crossword, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...32 minutes ago
- China likely to strengthen regional relationships in response to another Trump term
Opinion: Recent discussions in Shanghai provide some insight into what’s likely to be on the table The post China likely to strengthen regional relationships in response to another Trump term appeared first on Newsroom. ...32 minutes ago
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Opinion: The immediate horror of nuclear weapon explosions – the blinding flash, crushing blast wave, and radioactive inferno – is well documented.But what nuclear-armed nations either don’t grasp or won’t admit, is far more chilling: how their weapons could devastate even countries thousands of kilometres from any mushroom clouds.The collapse ...32 minutes ago
- This week’s bestselling books – November 22
FICTION1 Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Sample dialogue, all from one chapter:“That can’t be,” replied Taona doubtfully.“You were right. The pā is unnervingly quiet,” Taona murmured.“The Hākuwai,” Motukia breathed. “Our grandfathers told us they rarely saw the Hākuwai in daylight,” Motukia muttered.“Their fight would have been futile ...32 minutes ago
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After about two and a half years of planning and waiting, New Zealand’s last elephant has moved to her new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.Burma and her “human herd”, that is, her keepers, arrived last week, and she’s settling in well, according to Auckland Zoo’s Andrew Coers.“Something ...32 minutes ago
- NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy
Senior ministers in the coalition suggested NZ’s membership will be re-evaluated if it restarts offshore oil and gas drilling The post NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy appeared first on Newsroom. ...32 minutes ago
- Raw Politics: Six months in a leaky Bill
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisive” measure.That’s because he has accepted there needs to be “aeration” of people’s views on the Treaty, ...32 minutes ago
- Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field
Bidder Whakapapa Holdings walked away from the sales process last year, but says it’s now ‘95% there’ on a purchase agreement – so who blinked first? The post Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field appeared first on Newsroom. ...32 minutes ago
- Watts nears a landmark deal on global carbon trading
A framework for global carbon trading under the Paris Agreement is finally nearing completion at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan after years of halting talks.Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is one of two ministers tasked by the COP29 hosts with landing a long-sought deal on Article 6 of the climate accord, ...47 minutes ago
- Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get though la...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...6 hours ago - NEW POLL: Kiwis Overwhelmingly Support MPs’ Expenses Transparency Law Change
62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...8 hours ago - The House: Meanwhile, a week of passing law
The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights. ...8 hours ago - The biggest difference between Hīkoi mō te Tiriti and past hīkoi: More support from non-Māori
Analysis - The diversity of voices during the hīkoi was noticeable - from tangata moana to young immigrants to elderly Pākehā from the South Island. ...9 hours ago
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When the bill to restore NZ citizenship to some Samoans passed this week, Parliament's galleries were full to the brim with members of the community. ...10 hours ago
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Women’s Rights Party Co-leader Jill Ovens says the Ministry has put New Zealand children at risk by continuing to allow “off-label” prescribing of puberty blockers at far higher rates than other similar countries. ...11 hours ago
- Police Minister adamant he wasn’t aware of gang members training at gun clubs
That is despite two papers from police that raised the matter with him. ...11 hours ago
- Shorten declares himself ‘a proud moderate’, saying Australians ‘in the middle’ shouldn’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate. Shorten, ...11 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer Studio Romantic/Shutterstock We all know how important it is to save enough money for retirement – but what about spending it wisely when we get there? Even for those who have built up a suitable ...11 hours ago
- Government accused of betraying Kiwis’ trust over lack of consultation on live exports
The government has always vowed to reinstate live exports by sea, which was banned by the previous Labour government. ...12 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Freeman, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Bond University ERIK Miheyeu/Shutterstock Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, a bit like an internal air conditioner. When our core temperature rises (because it’s hot outside, or you’re exercising), sweat glands all ...12 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University Australia’s drug regulator has issued a safety warning over the medicine Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine drug promethazine. The Therapeutic Goods Administration said the over-the-counter products should not be given to children ...12 hours ago
- A new stage adaptation of Peter Carey’s Jack Maggs is a delightful homage to theatrical storytelli...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Matt Byrne/STCSA Jack Maggs is a delight and a homage to theatrical storytelling in Australia. Based on Peter Carey’s bestselling novel, Jack Maggs follows the ex-convict as he lands ...12 hours ago
- The government has introduced laws for its social media ban. But key details are still missing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology Ron Lach/Pexels The federal government today introduced into parliament legislation for its social media ban for people under 16 years. Communications Minister Michelle ...12 hours ago
- Archives NZ, National Library to cut 27 roles
The Department of Internal Affairs wants to bring the two organisations under the joint leadership of the Chief Archivist and National Librarian. ...13 hours ago
- Gang patch ban: Members warn of potential for violence to ‘erupt’ as new laws enforced
"I can't see this lasting unless they have a budget to lock fullas up in jail which I think is absolutely stupid, really it's ludicrous," Ngavii Pekapo, who set up a Mongrel Mob chapter 54 years ago, says. ...13 hours ago
- ACT leader David Seymour raises doubts about Waikato medical school
Government documents show ACT leader David Seymour told the government he was "dissatisfied" with a cost-benefit analysis. ...13 hours ago
- National’s Erica Stanford allegedly calls Labour’s Jan Tinetti a ‘stupid bitchR...
The Education Minister has apologised in Parliament for her remark. ...13 hours ago
- Labour backs new Police Commissioner – but warns against routine arming
The alternative to policing by consent would be a police state, which New Zealanders don't want, the party says. ...14 hours ago
- Youth on boot camp pilot re-offended five weeks after release
Children's Minister Karen Chhour said while it was disappointing, it would naïve to think none of the participants would lapse. ...15 hours ago
- In photos: People of the hīkoi, and why they marched
Hikoi mō Te Tiriti has come to an end, going down in history as the largest march to Parliament in Aotearoa. ...15 hours ago
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Ahead of his appearance in Aotearoa, the acclaimed British journalist, podcaster and documentarian talks to Stewart Sowman-Lund about why people are still fascinated by the fringes. The last place I would expect to find Jon Ronson is relaxing in the countryside. The iconic British journalist and writer is best known ...16 hours ago
- Kia kaha Lebanon: NZ media only tell half your story of struggle
The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution — for the fourth time — in Israel’s war on Gaza, while Hezbollah demands a complete ceasefire and “protection of Lebanon’s sovereignty” in any deal with Israel. Amid the death and devastation, Joe Hendren reflects on his time in ...16 hours ago
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The acclaimed New Zealand drama has just premiered on TV in the United Kingdom, and the five-star reviews are already flowing in. Six months after it was called a “blistering” “tour de force” by Australian critics, and nearly a year since The Spinoff declared it the best drama New Zealand ...16 hours ago
- Drugs are getting cheaper and easier to find in Aotearoa
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Clock's ticking in terms of getting things delivered, we've seen close to stagflation in house prices which has cemented inequality in our society for at minimum a generation, no headway in emergency housing with the list growing faster than the build program…
Both major items this govt promised to address, so far they've tinkered around the edges without actually being bold enough to make real structural change.
Think it may be fair to observe that this apparent confusion is the result of government by focus group.
They are bereft of any idea other than re election.
No this government has plenty of ideas. I listed a few. And many are bolder than we've seen in decades.
Some have been completed, but many are so big that they are very hard to execute within a term. That's not a unique issue to this government – for example all the massive transport projects that National started will finish two terms after they went.
They are tinkering and reversing at every sign of resistance…their actions are frequently diametrically opposed to their claims…they have 40 billion sitting at the RBNZ unallocated…4 years after being gifted power they have yet to present a roadmap or destination.
They are bereft
Get a grip. They've lost light rail. One project among hundreds.
This is by a long way the most interventionist government we have had since Muldoon. That's two generations ago.
Sure they're incoherent, but they can be granted time on this theming and messaging since there's no pattern of state intervention across the developed world that has forecast what's been required here over the last 18 months. The GFC was a minor run compared to what we are in now.
Get a grip??
Brilliant!
pat you are 90% brilliant. (Nobody's perfect, and the small failure may itself allow an interesting and useful weed to get rooted and actually grow to a worthwhile end.)
In Northland and the Far North, barely a week goes by without Willow Jean Prime, Kelvin Davis and Emily Henderson launching or opening some infrastructure project–such as a business hub near Kaikohe, and solar farm near Kaitaia, sometimes legacies of the PGF. But how do they capitalise apart from fleeting social media feeds?
Tomorrow all around the North there will be provincial Nat fans driving tractors around and Utes full of barking dogs, some sort of munters for Judith protest.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/howl-of-a-protest-big-crowds-expected-across-northland/5OFHO4CO47O57X3BN5VTUXAFPQ/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR26hvurxRE4-VHbG3EZZGWzM9nD3S1uu-Q-xnddksb6vs_uzpQUMfZqnig#Echobox=1626287191
Labour need to try harder to embed some of the many worthy reforms they have quietly accomplished in the public consciousness.
In the bigger picture, Labour lacks critical ideologues and public intellectuals to state the incredibly obvious–they remain handcuffed to “Roger’n’Ruth’s” legacy of neo liberal hegemony. Community organising and direct action are the only way out–as the growing campaign over Whānau Ora shows.
At the risk of being castigated, as opposed to castrated( too late, that happened years ago), I wonder if the low wage economy charge is fair. If the comparison is between a cafe worker and a Swiss engineer of course it is, but between the cafe worker here and in almost any other country in the world then they are probably pretty comparable. Low wages for jobs requiring not a lot of time having been spent in school paying attention are common in most countries. We must be ahead of the States, Britain, a lot of Europe maybe not Scandinavia and Germany but the cost of living and very high income tax in those places levels that out quite a bit. What little info I do have has been gleaned from my kids experience travelling and working offshore and my own travel in the last 5 years so it is recent info. The truth is, shit jobs, which somebody has to do, pay shit wages the world over, and we are not far out of line with them, and before you cry…but Australia!.. agricultural jobs don’t pay that well there either except in those places where people don’t nessecarily want to live and work, hundreds of miles from anyway and in the middle of the desert. Even nurses wages are only about 10-12% ahead of ours but considerably more where Aussie nurses dont want to work or for a very short spells.
"We must be ahead of the States, Britain, a lot of Europe maybe not Scandinavia and Germany but the cost of living and very high income tax in those places levels that out quite a bit."
And therein lies some of the issue….the wage /cost of living ratio in this country has been steadily worsening and that is largely attributable to the increasing value of housing, yet this gov who were elected to address inequality, child poverty and housing tied their own hands by ruling out tax increases, wealth taxes or decreased property prices ….the very tools needed to address their claimed concerns.
The lure of (e.g.) Australia is greatly diminished if your wage provides the necessities of life regardless of its level in comparison to foreign markets….it aint rocket science.
Pat "the lure of Australia"… They pay nothing to workers locked down, they have let this virus pass into 3 states, hardly alluring.
Tell that to the multitudes heading there.
Most are going to see relatives. Work is now ad hoc and paid by the hourly rate. 700 businesses have closed in the Gold Coast alone.
House prices are rising and food is getting dearer by the day. We have family in all 3 states and they are being worn down by those who won't co-operate.
Who is going that you know of? or is that just "so there"!!
I have lost count of the number of acquaintances who are/ or have family members actively looking to emigrate (mainly to Australia)….not to mention the reports of recruiters here offering employment in a range of industries over the ditch.
And I too have family there and am well aware of the situation….both the positive and negative.
I agree everyone will have their own anecdotes to compare. But. On RNZ yesterday morning there was a good set of interviews with chefs who have had experience in France, United States, Australia, and here. They all rated the New Zealand pay rates as comparatively very poor, and that they were simply not treated as having a real career path here as distinct to anywhere else they had worked.
So many of New Zealan'ds restaurant owners are going into the media crying out for workers to be imported – because they are cheap, hire at minimum wage, and continually undercut the wage and salary expectations of those who are trained here.
For a country that makes its living out of food, we appear to be paying only to produce the raw ingredients.
Too true Ad.
In my experience there was little to no formal training. Any upskilling was when the roster was dodgy and folk were thrown in the deep end in another area if the business to sink or swim.
Too few hospo businesses offer perks, eg a meal for all staff, NZQA quals, profit share for key employees.
The squealing from hospo voices is the sound of businesses that were barely viable with minimum wage and migrant labour, realizing that their business model is now invalid.
We could probably lose 1/3 of hospo outlets.
I have read a couple of comments about cost of living in NZ cf to elsewhere. One disillusioned, one recognising the good tops the bad.
https://e2nz.org/migrant-stories/chapter-9/nz-vs-uk-not-all-its-cracked-up-to-be-is-it-just-me/
One comment: (note the info given about the person's USA salary may not be true.)
I had to move back here and while I had been told of the differences, I don’t think I really believed it until I was actually here. Knowing and actually comprehending things are totally different I think.
I left a job in the US that, on a good week, could pay nearly $2,000 after bonuses. That same job in NZ MIGHT pay $430/week with no bonuses. So what was a career choice (a job I loved) in the US, where I could save and have plenty of money to play with after paying my bills, is no choice at all here in NZ. Is it my fault for not thinking ahead? Well, maybe, but then I never ever planned to move back to NZ.
The reason why NZ is so slow to improve is because it’s residents are willing to settle. Instead of expecting more bang for their buck they have the whole “harden up” “she’ll be right” mentality.
Personally the one thing I despised most about moving here was being told to harden up. How insulting.
https://goingnz.com/living-in-new-zealand/a-year-in-nz-our-cost-of-living-new-zealand/
This is the conclusion for this couple after doing analysis:
I think the lesson we have learned over time is to stop analyzing it so much and to think of New Zealand as a high maintenance girlfriend. Heres our analogy…
She (being NZ) is very good looking and has charm. But to put up with the good lucks and charm of that sexy girlfriend we have to put our hands into our pockets and “Suck it up”. To live here in NZ the cost of living in New Zealand is something we have to start putting up with. This analogy has really helped us clarify our thought process on the price issues.
When we weigh up the pros and cons we believe NZ is worth the extra expense and we hope you think so too!
We are not out of the Pandemic. The fact that this government is using opportunities caused by the disruption to try to fix problems and improve wellbeing is to be commended. The problems are huge, and as stated, they can not save every business, but boy they tried.
Just one item, Water… every summer people have been told to avoid beaches near Auckland because of human waste. The work to improve sewerage and waste water plus drinking water country wide is huge.
The next is trade with China. One sentence about expanding our products and markets is about moving on from logs and milk powder, to more finished products produced here.
Education and training, the government is leading the discussion on training our own to meet the shortages..135000 of them in schemes. Some of that group are future planners. Streamlining our Education system to improve locals lives, rather than importing students to balance budgets for "providers".
This Government's overarching goals stated in Budget 2021 are being put in place at a an amazing clip, hence the surprised anger of the farming fraternity, who still feel we all need to change but their change horizon should forever be 'pushed beyond the horizon'.
I admit freely to being a Labour and Green supporter, so anyone with 3 or 4 utes is a polluter and needs to pay for that, they have a choice to lean on their suppliers.
Signals are very clear, be part of the team solution or part of the problem.
Any chance of changing the Roberstons to Robertson by a global correct. My eye keeps landing on the wrong spelling………
Cheers
Looking at the underlying logic in your speech that sounds like a pretty good plan Mr Robertson.