No more Mr Nice Guy

Written By: - Date published: 3:04 pm, June 30th, 2009 - 23 comments
Categories: john key, spin - Tags:

John Key has a carefully constructed image as a “nice guy”, with a self professed “sunny nature” no less. There is ample reason to believe that the image is far from the reality.

In his previous work Key appeared proud of his ability to fire, without emotion, hundreds of people (earning himself the nickname of “the smiling assassin”). Almost his first significant political act (during National’s 2003 change of leadership) was a betrayal, pledging his support to Bill English but then voting for Don Brash as leader.

Before the election there were some obvious cracks in the nice guy facade. Probably the most notable was the TranzRail lies incident (which coined the new expression “TranzRail eyes”). Close runner up, though it received much less attention, was the way Key used political pressure to shut down the “we would love to see wages drop” story (even trying to get the reporter sacked?), tactics which caused reporters at The Herald to write a letter of protest.

Since the election, Key has lead a government with a notable contempt for democracy, abusing the mechanisms of parliament, and ramming through the SuperCity agenda without consultation and against the wishes of Aucklanders.

Key’s personal facade has also cracked further. Serious issues of character are raised by the way he deserted his candidate, Melissa Lee, in her hour of need, as she bravely faced up to her by-election defeat. Nor was it “nice” to label a group of young Mt Albert protesters “haters and wreckers” “cold and desperate”. But the final straw must surely be Key’s recent cynical, premeditated and repeated attack on Labour MPs, the ludicrous claim that they as individuals practically condone child abuse: “Members on this side of the House care about abused kids, but members on that side do not.” Given the way that Labour pushed the repeal of Section 59 (at considerable political cost in an election year), and given
the sheer puerile and offensive nature of the claim, it is hard to imagine a more outrageous attack.

In short then, it is time to see John Key’s nice guy act for what it is — a carefully crafted media facade. And the sooner we as a country admit to ourselves that the Emperor has no nice guy clothes, the sooner we might start paying some much needed attention to his equally empty policy wardrobe…

23 comments on “No more Mr Nice Guy ”

  1. LOL … what is this? Pre election mode already?? Or was this a post written before the last election – it’s hard to tell the difference.

    BTW you missed that John Key undeniably eats babies and was rumoured to have once turned left without indicating.

    Spare me the faux outrage too when you consider the lengths your Trevor goes to confirm rednecks’ views of people from Wainuiomata.

    A final point. I think it is reasonable for people to post their views under a moniker. Lynn has argued quite persuasively why this is a fair and reasonable although as the right notes DPF is happy to stand up and be counted.

    However, it is pretty cowardly to take such wild swings at Key and hide behind “Guest post”. Still, Key surely has you rattled to continue this beat up line.

    • Ianmac 1.1

      Daveski: There are serious doubts about John Key’s sincerity at least. They chose to present Key as a friendly smiley chap who cared for family and the opportunity for people like him to be a success. That persona seems to be at risk and since he is the leader of our little country I would like to see that he is consistent, trustworthy and decisive. It is very probable that all sorts of folk like Guest Post will notice and comment on discrepencies. Hypocrisy in a leader is dangerous for him and for us.

    • r0b 1.2

      However, it is pretty cowardly to take such wild swings at Key and hide behind “Guest post’.

      I’ve outlined my reasons for posting as an anon guest several times, I think they are valid, and I’ll probably continue to do so. But I’m not a coward about my opinions, and on this occasion (since as expected there has been a strong reaction) I will note that I’m the author of this post. Just so you know who to hate eh…

      Nor are they “wild swings”. The post isn’t a hysterical character assassination, it’s a documented list of serious issues that suggest that Key’s “nice guy” image as a politician is unwarranted. I think his image is getting in the way of serious consideration of policy (the lack thereof), and I think it’s time we saw through it. I’m sure Key is a perfectly wonderful chap as an individual, kind to small children and animals. But in the political realm he’s no nice guy – he’s a politician…

      • Daveski 1.2.1

        Two separate issues.

        First, I disagree with you almost all of the time but that’s the way things are. I don’t see why you need to hide your identity as a poster – in fact, I think it enhances the post given your contribution here. I think you know what I’m trying to say. I’d encourage more of your posts but under your name.

        Second, the repetitive nature of these types of posts (this may be your first r0b) are like the boy who cried wolf. Worse, the whole personal attacks on Key are no different to how the blinkered right viewed Helen.

        And just as many on the left saw that as a tacit acknowledgement that Helen was a threat, it’s the same with Key.

        • r0b 1.2.1.1

          First, I disagree with you almost all of the time

          That does seem to be our fate!

          I don’t see why you need to hide your identity as a poster in fact, I think it enhances the post given your contribution here. I think you know what I’m trying to say. I’d encourage more of your posts but under your name.

          I do understand what you’re saying, and I will continue to think on it. But you please consider the counter argument. We (as a culture, as well as on blogs) are far too hung up on “celebrity”, on people and their image. It obscures substance. Anyone on the right reflexively writes off a comment by “Eddie” just because “Eddie” said it (likewise we on the left just because DPF said it). It’s lazy, it’s an excuse to react to a label and ignore the content. I’d like discussion to be more about what was said than who said it.

          Worse, the whole personal attacks on Key are no different to how the blinkered right viewed Helen.

          I repeat, this was not a personal attack on Key (quite unlike the truly vile personal stuff directed at Helen and Peter). I’m sure he’s a fine fellow who donates to charity and flosses his teeth. The post was an examination of the gap between his media image and his political actions. As above, I think the “nice guy” label is unwarranted, and we’d be better off looking past it and on to the issues.

          And just as many on the left saw that as a tacit acknowledgement that Helen was a threat, it’s the same with Key.

          Key isn’t a “threat” – he won the election – he’s the PM. What is he doing? Why can’t even his supporters list any achievements of this government? Where is the plan to protect jobs and keep the economy moving?

          • Daveski 1.2.1.1.1

            Your thoughtful response shows why in my very humble opinion that it would be good for this site to see more of your posts under your own name.

            I particularly note the point about “celebrity blogging” and perhaps that’s why you’re reluctant to post under your own name. There was nothing personal in my criticism of you posting as guest. I do see a slight irony that I do protect my identity from the great unwashed 🙂

            From the pov of someone who will passionately disagree with you with boring frequency, I think you have already established a credibility based on your past comments (frequently wrong and misguided of course ;)). Any way, I think this site would be better if you posted more (and PB was banned for life ;)).

            Yep, issues not personalities and on this note I believe I’ve been consistent.

          • Anita 1.2.1.1.2

            I, also, would like to see you (and many other guest posters) using their nicks. There are lots of reasons, and the list isn’t exhaustive:

            1) It’s nice to trace threads of thought and philosophy through multiple posts, to think about how someone’s view about two different things are related. Part of what I enjoy about reading blogs is learning from how others see the world, and seeing how a single person thinks about a web of different ideas is far more challenging and stretching for me that seeing a whole bunch of unrelated conceptual postcards.

            2) The posts on The Standard are not, in fact, standard. They vary in quality and focus and emphasis and the knowledgeability of the poster. There are posters who I’ll pay more attention to about particular subjects because they’ve written about it in the past and I’ve been challenged by or learnt from. There are other posters I’ll pay less attention to on particular topics because their previous writing hasn’t worked for me. I’m not saying I write posters off, but I often don’t have time to read everything and the names of the posters help me find the things that’ll most interest and engage me.

            3) Sometimes I want to write “Why did you see it that way?” or “How would you see this other thing?”. Posts without a pseudonym make it much harder to write those comments, so I often don’t ask those questions.

            4) I think that the concept of a pure rationale critical public sphere is bullshit and pretending it exists stifles true expression. We bring to what we write, no matter how hard we try to abstract it, our own experience, thoughts and feelings. I get more from pieces where people let their selves be truly heard, and I think that writing without a pseudonym acts against this.

            5) For me, and I reckon many other people, a sense of the author helps when reading. When I read IrishBill the voice is different from Eddie’s voice and that makes it easier for me to read and hear and engage with the words; I nod or smile or remember something else they’ve said. It feels like a familiar person talking to me, someone with whom I can have a real on-going conversation.

            Finally, sometimes I’ll read a collection of short stories or an academic journal and one particular piece of writing will really click for me  because it resonates, or because it challenges me, or because I like the voice, or because the point of view is just plain interesting to me. The first thing I’ll do is go looking for more by that author. Without pseudonyms how can I find more by the author?

          • r0b 1.2.1.1.3

            Ok, every time this topic has come up there have been more in favour of “signed” guest posts than against, so I’ll sign mine from now on.

            But I still don’t like “blogging as a cult of personality”.

            • felix 1.2.1.1.3.1

              Fuck that. The points you raise against are no less valid than those raised in favour.

              I say do it however you prefer – after all, Dave will find something to complain about either way.

            • r0b 1.2.1.1.3.2

              Ta felix

              But I think Anita is right, I’m hankering for an ideal world that doesn’t exist. Like it or not people do hang a lot of baggage on names / identities. And the issue keeps coming up and distracting from the discussion, it becomes about “who posted this?”, which turns out to be just as much of a distraction as “r0b posted this so it must be rubbish”.

              If focus on the lack of a name is just as distracting as focus on the name, might as well go with the majority opinion.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.2

          Second, the repetitive nature of these types of posts are like the boy who cried wolf.

          The boy who cried wolf did so when there was nothing there. In this case, and plenty of others that I’ve seen, there are. Deluding yourself that there isn’t won’t help.

  2. felix 2

    “…was rumoured to have once turned left without indicating.”

    I think the big talking point among the swing voters come 2011 will be how he turned hard right without indicating actually Dave.

  3. Pascal's bookie 3

    “Spare me the faux outrage too when you consider the lengths your Trevor goes to confirm rednecks’ views of people from Wainuiomata.”

    What does that mean?

    (Is John Key like Trevor? How? And so what? Is Trevor marketed as a post-partisan kitten? And what Wainui stereotype?– tune in next when when a rightie tries to explain itself)

    I get the rest of it, as you’ve said it all a million times before, in fact you hardly ever say anything else these days, unless someone pokes you with a stick.

    • Daveski 3.1

      Daveski v the Goliaths eh 🙂

      Your last comment is simple hyperbole – I acknowledged I went through a repetitive period post election but I’ve adjusted to the changing roles and contributed quite constructively even if I say so meself/

      If some of my comments above ARE repetitive, don’t you think it’s because we’ve had this same topic week after week after week. The whole flip flop thing (should bring that up should I).

      See my comments above. The personal attacks on Key are making you lot look really nervous.

      • felix 3.1.1

        But where are the personal attacks on Key?

        I really think you’re clutching at straws if you’re trying to equate “Key is out of his depth as a PM” with “Helen is a fag-hag and has bad teeth”.

        Am I missing something?

      • Pascal's bookie 3.1.2

        I dunno. I’m hardly a Goliath. More like a man in the stand throwing batteries, as a I had occasion to say to someone the other day.

        What I’m saying is that just as it seems to you that the posts are repetitive and ineffective, I think your comments are likewise. More so in fact because at least these posts are about the PM and National, whereas most of your recent comments are about the Standard. Which is of less import, surely.

        Similarly, just as you think a focus on Key somehow shows fear, your focus on the Standard to me suggests that you can’t actually defend this government. After all, it’s a pretty lame defence of a government to point out that it’s opponents are attacking it.

        Perhaps we should just drop the pretending to know why people write the things they do, and and focus on the what.

        On that note, it seems to me that these ‘personal’ attacks on Key are not the sort that are out of bounds. They are attacks on his management style, and political image. Which are entirely legitimate, and things that National chose to make Key’s selling point.

        Shit, I’d love to attack his ideology, epistemology, or even his eschatological preference, but no one seems to be able to pin down what they might be.

  4. “Given the way that Labour pushed the repeal of Section 59 (at considerable political cost in an election year), and given
    the sheer puerile and offensive nature of the claim, it is hard to imagine a more outrageous attack.”

    Just so the facts don’t get lost in a good story, the S59 repeal went through Parliament in 2007. The only thing that Labour did in 2008 in that regard was to postpone the S59 referendum until this year so that Bradford and Clark’s anti-smacking legislation would NOT be an election issue. That casts things in a somewhat different light, does it not?

  5. ak 5

    Good post r0b Guest. (and Daveski: “cowardly wild swings”? Do you really want someone to drag up some of your own choicest pre-election comments? Didn’t think so)

    Yes, aren’t the clouds beginning to gather above little Sunny as those pre-election flip-flopping pigeons come home to roost. Labour-lite and the orgy of free presscorps Helenhate grog last year provided the desired effect, but the hangover is kicking in – and the latest “attacks” on Labour are like desperate “hair-of-the-dog” shots by a dazed and dissipated crew of thugs still drunkenly wondering where they left the keys. The rolling maul treading water, indeed: bedraggled, Worthless, glassy-eyed flotsam from the wreck of the Lissa Melee.

    And now with the plaintive “don’t blame us for the GFC” already. Someone keep count of this pathetic “wasn’t me, mum” refrain, as it’s about to played on loop. But as our smiling snake might say, explaining is losing: and that cold south-of-50 wind says the ole blowjo just ain’t working its magic no mo’.

    The financial wizard with a policy sack still as empty as his record of civic service, sibilantly whistling his way down the cycle track to that brighter future in our hearts, is getting sideways glances from both privatisation puppeteers and pot-bellied hatemongers alike.

    While his bumbling compadres tinker and ham with sleaze and incompetence, the ticking cluster-bombs of further scandal, mass unemployment, financial meltdown, Maori frustration, English revenge, Actoid arrogance, Fatcat impatience and Superauck angst, crowd and jostle impatiently in the wings. Enter stage right, at random.

    Sitting comfortably Standardistas? Our wee swinging dick is about to enter an impenetrable minefield of his own making. Watch the pretty footwork with glee – and brace for some truly spectacular fireworks.

  6. Maggie 6

    I met Key during the election campaign and it was easy to see why he was such an attractive candidate. He came across as friendly, warm, interested in you….a genuinely nice guy.

    But there were two clear differences between Key and Helen Clark:

    1) Talk to Clark on any topic and she never left you in any doubt as to her position
    2) Clark’s grasp of detail was extraordinary

    By comparison you could talk to Key on a topic and end up with no idea what his opinion was. In fact five minutes after meeting him it was hard to recall anything he had said, it was all just candy floss. And he was very light on detail.

    Key is a salesman. They make great candidates, but useless leaders.

  7. roger nome 7

    “Spare me the faux outrage too when you consider the lengths your Trevor ”

    lol dave jerkoffski – i don’t think Labour’s bover-boy has ever claimed to be a nice guy. It’s JK’s insincerity and smarmy creepiness which is being discussed here, not whether or not Trev is a fluffy duckling.

  8. Swampy 8

    There’s no real substance to the claims in this post, they are carefully crafted hyperbole for the most part. Only of interest to a few political junkies.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T14:13:14+00:00