Nat asset sales lies

Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, November 23rd, 2011 - 53 comments
Categories: assets, economy, election 2011, national, privatisation - Tags: , , ,

You can’t trust anything the Nats say. John Key has a long history of lying.  Other Nats add their own lies to the mix.  Three lies in particular have been both recent, and significant for the election.

The first was Key making up (on the most dubious of “sources”) the nonsense that rating agency S&P had said that a credit downgrade was more likely under Labour.  S&P flatly denied it. Ouch.

The second lie was Key’s often cited excuse for not raising the minimum wage – it will “cost 6000 jobs”.  It turns out that in fact Treasury gave him the opposite advice: “The balance of probabilities is that a higher minimum wage does not cost jobs”.

Last night TV1 revealed the third lie, on the explosive topic of asset sales:

Ombudsman called in over asset sales

Two major aspects of National’s asset sales plan are in question.

ONE News has discovered that the party has very limited official advice to back up its claims about restricting foreign investors and big businesses buying up the assets. ONE News has been fighting since August to have this made public under the Official Information Act.

Finally this morning, ONE News found out that despite claims that up to 90% of these assets will remain in New Zealand hands, the Treasury has not provided the Government with any detailed analysis on that aspect of the asset sales policy. …

In August, National said it expected New Zealanders would end up owning 85% to 90% of those companies, and just 10% to 15% would end up in foreign hands.

“These companies will remain firmly and overwhelmingly in New Zealand control,” Tony Ryall, State Owned Enterprises Minister, said in August.

Information blocked

ONE News used the Official Information Act to seek the expert advice given to back up those claims.

The Government refused to release the information about the asset sales so ONE News called in the Ombudsmen to investigate.

The response to the ONE News complaint reveals the Government has received very little official advice to back up some of its major claims about the asset sales programme.

In fact Treasury admits it has not provided the Minister of Finance with any advice about a possible 10% cap on shares held by any single company or individual. … The Ombudsmen’s ruling also says that the basis for the 85% to 90% domestic take-up rate and the 10% cap for any one shareholder was oral advice provided by Ministerial advisers and informal discussions with market contacts. …

In other words the Nats have been advising themselves about whatever fairy story they want the public to believe. And they’ve been caught out just days before the election. Read on for plenty more disturbing revelations in this report:

A significant amount of information is being held back from the public about this asset sales programme. In fact five official reports on asset sales policy are being kept secret.

The Ombudsman has made an official ruling that the Government was right to refuse the release of these papers. The ruling says it is too early in the sales process, and if the information got out now it could affect the amount of money gained from these assets. The ruling also says the negative economic impact of that could be significant given the total asset sales price is expected to be between $5 billion and $7 billion.

ONE News has argued that people need this information to judge whether the asset sales policy stacks up, given they are about to go to the polls in a few days’ time. The Ombudsman will hear ONE News’ final case tomorrow and make a final ruling probably by Thursday. That would leave one day for this to be debated before people go to the polls to vote on Saturday.

We’re being asked to vote to sell our best performing assets on the basis of lies and incomplete information. In the best case, if the Ombudsman decides that the public has a right to know what’s going on, we get one day to assimilate it before the election. It’s nonsense, it’s a travesty, it should never have come to this.

53 comments on “Nat asset sales lies ”

  1. Colonial Viper 1

    And these lies the only be the very tip of a massive iceberg of deception that the Right Wing is pulling on every NZer. I’ll be out again today making it clear to voters that a vote for National is a vote to sell our great country out to foreign ownership.

  2. bill 2

    Both Phil Goff and Andrew Little supported selling Air New Zealand to Quantas isnt it being a bit hypocritical to be saying what they are saying now?

    [ you need to actually look at what happened when Labour bought AirNZ, rather than just repeat Kiwiblog’s latest lie. Also, learn to spell Qantas. Eddie]

  3. kriswgtn 3

    Key was on Breakfast comparing the partial sale of Trade me to his plans for selling our Kids future to his mates

    TRADEME is owned by Fairfax u dick WE own these assets not you or ur tory mates..

    I have been going hard out on Facebook and have managed to persuade a few younglings to vote
    Not many had heard of the youth rates plan

    seems the story isnt and hasnt been getting across or maybe they dont care i dunno

  4. Lazy Susan 4

    None of National’s so called reasoning behind asset sales stacks up. Most business commentators and economists think it’s a dumb idea and an overwhelming majority of New Zealander’s oppose it. Seeing as National focus group the life out of every other policy why are they so comitted to this one when it’s so widely opposed?

    Two reasons – pig-headed ideology and a nice big hand out to their wealthy mates who can then price gouge and asset strip.

    John Key is tired and the brand is damaged – his star has passed the pinnacle of it’s trajectory. If, and it’s a big if, National do form the next government, once the asset sales programme kicks in Key’s brand would take bigger and bigger hits. Key knows this and I reckon if National gain another term he will resign within 12 months “to spend more time with his family” before any asset sales begin. That’s when Kiwibank, ACC and numerous other assets will go up for sale – the firesale will be unstoppable and we will become defenceless clients in our own country.

    Remember Key has only ever offered an assurance that Kiwibank etc. will not be up fo sale “while I’m Prime Minister”. He will want to have a legacy as ” NZ’s most popular Prime Minister” – not as the guy who sold us out.

    • queenstfarmer 4.1

      Remember Key has only ever offered an assurance that Kiwibank etc. will not be up fo sale “while I’m Prime Minister”.

      And what would you have him do? He can no more limit what his eventual successsors may do than Phil Goff can control what his successor will do. Why it was just the other day that Labour Party stalwart mickysavage said on this very site:

      And by the way I would actually support the sell down of Air New Zealand shares…

      So, if mickysavage one day becomes (or re-becomes!) leader of Labour, AirNZ would presumably be on the block. And other assets that meet his criteria for sale.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.2

      Seeing as National focus group the life out of every other policy why are they so comitted to this one when it’s so widely opposed?

      They are solely in power to pass our assets off to themselves and their rich mates making all the rest of us serfs – if we’re lucky.

    • Pigheaded ideology is what pigs think when their noses are in the trough.

  5. So let me get this straight…….

    – NZdrs have paid for and own a series of assets.

    – The governments wants some more money.

    – They say we have money.

    – They want our money.

    – So they are going to sell us shares in what we already own.

    – So we hand over our savings, assume a risk that we will lose our money, in hope that we will get a return bigger than the rate of inflation.

    – The government will then take our money and use it to plug gaps in their budget created by giving tax cuts to the rich.

    To convince us that it is a good idea and hide from us the downside….

    – They announce, (3+ years after they first announced the sale and just before the election), a new idea that the money will go into a fund with laudable aims – except all of those aims should be a part of their normal budget.

    – They hide the fact that they have no Treasury advice on who will be able buy the shares.

    – They ignore the fact that because of increased inequality, increased unemployment, a low wage economy, an internationally recognised low rate of savings – only the rich and institutions will be able to buy the shares.

    – To hide this and to make us feel good they use terms like “mum and dad investors”

    – They ignore that fact that they cannot prevent the shares being on sold to foreign interests.

    – In the week before an election based in asset sales it is revealed that they have a number of reports from government departments that they refuse to release using the excuse that they “commercial sensitive”.

    • Uturn 5.1

      +1

      Now if you could only sum it all up in four words or less, a nice slogan, so it would hold all the power of the truth but none of the pesky thought, reflection and realisation required to comprehend it, you’d get through to NZ voters.

      It’s utterly frustrating knowing that people will not accept any information that isn’t in the form of a soundbite. And if information does get through, the next hurdle is whether the person feels they like the idea or not – not if it’s true or right.

    • insider 5.2

      The Govt buys and sells assets all the time and no-one seems to care. It buys property and sells it off when it has no more use for it. It’s been doing that pretty much since our founding. Look at how many schools have been closed and the land sold off in the last 20-30 years, or old railway lines or road alignments. Why have these passed under the radar? Surely there is no philosophical difference.

      • Uturn 5.2.1

        They haven’t passed under the radar. What do you want – to jump in a time machine and revisit the arguments that happened in the past?

        If I come round to your house and steal your stuff and I’m not caught, though you later find out some stuff is gone, it’s ok with you for me to do it again? And if you don’t report the theft immediately, the police can disregard you complaint – since you aren’t really all that bothered.

        That must be it.

        Your words imply that silence and the inaction of the disempowered and ignored is approval; that memory is reality (once momentarily forgotten, the original deed did not happen); that no one may learn from experience; and that levels of importance do not exist.

        What other amazing ingenuine gymnastics will you try next?

        That a person, held in custody or oppressed for any reason, has no human value, no rights, or choice of their own.

        That all the people in the history of the world that you personally didn’t meet or can remember, didn’t exist. And everything you don’t know right now, but that others do and don’t say, also doesn’t exist.

        Once someone commits to a behaviour, or consents to an action, they may not ever change their consent, or consider changing their minds. That changing one’s mind in the face of considered evidence is hypocrisy.

        Or that since people stub their toe and don’t see a doctor, those with internal bleeding should not see a doctor either.

        And of course, anyone who doesn’t agree or reflect your values is stupid and unworthy of being heard.

        Are you a troll, or do you just not understand the English language?

      • mik e 5.2.2

        yeah its not selling your best preforming assets at bargain basement prices as for rail assets the vultures made in excess of $ billion dollars out of the land they got for nothing!
        Insider trading they call it they were punished by the courts but the ill gotten gain is in a swiss bank account. Third world banana republic style

  6. Karl Sinclair 6

    Supposedly the NATs really care and selling the Assets for much needed cash to pay for Schools, Health etc…. yeah right….. Its another TAX, just delayed…..

    Unfortunately if you begin to dig into similar experiments in raising cash you see the picture is not so pritty, see below

    Taken from: Public Services International Research Unit

    http://www.psiru.org/node/16067

    UK citizens pay £24billion extra for PPPs, profits go to tax havens

    “Since PFI was first devised in 1992, more than £70bn ($114bn) of capital has been raised to provide new hospitals, schools and prisons, new roads and defence projects. These services are being provided now. But payment for them – including their running and maintenance – will cost taxpayers, including children yet unborn, £240bn to 2050. This is equivalent to about one-seventh of current national income.”

    A recent report by the European Services Strategy Unit also showed that PFI projects had been sold on repeatedly, generating profits of over £10 billion. At least 90 of the 700 existing PFI projects are now owned by companies based in tax havens, so that UK citizens did not even receive tax revenues on these profits made out of government spending. http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/the-ps10bn-sale-of-shares-in-ppp-companies-new

  7. marsman 7

    No mention in Stuff about the Asset Sales Scam.

  8. Karl Sinclair 8

    Need to Know – A PBS video on Privatizing infrastructure:

    This sums up the game of Privatisation – basically it highlights how risk is transfered to the public while profit goes to the Companies….

    http://video.pbs.org/video/2132368113/

    • LynW 8.1

      Thanks Karl for both links on privatisation. Very well explained. I just can’t understand why the polls continue to show NZr’s are supporing Key despite his proposed asset sales!

  9. Tom Gould 9

    Unbelievably inept that Espiner and the producer at One News didn’t seem to get that the “ministerial advisors” providing the advice are actually paid Tory political flunkies working for Tory ministers.

    • Keny Joh 9.1

      Rather bemused by the interview with 2 key economists on Asset Sales this morning on National Radio. I thought the economists and Radio NZs analysis was a little lite. Admittedly they only have a few sounds bites to get across their points, but I think the issues are little deeper. Questions such as the following were not asked: who assumes the risk (public); who gets the profit (private); and are public service employees competent enough to mix it up with big business? Interesting that the video: Need to Know – A PBS video on Privatizing infrastructure described by previous blogger seems to cover off these points….

      • Afewknowthetruth 9.1.1

        KJ

        Step outside the slave camp and you start to see a lot of hidden truths. Stay inside the slave camp and you will see and hear what the slave masters want you to see and hear.

        NR is an important channel for promotion of misinformation and DAU (disaster as usual).

    • tc 9.2

      Not inept but willfully omitted, Gluon knows exactly what’s going on…they all do.

      It’s called ‘controlling the mesaage’

  10. Herodotus 10

    What is national suppose to do when the logic, facts and public support is so totally opposed to this policy? Bend the truth to justify the policy outcomes. But unlike keeping the age of entitlement for retorted at65 key has not said he will resign should this policy be changed. He maybe just kicking the tires, pity he cannot see how distasteful this is to many

  11. Simon 11

    Key confirmed on RNZ this morning that he is not negotiable on assets sales. They will go ahead regardless of public opinion, regardless of coalition arrangements.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2503239/john-key.asx

    • tc 11.1

      That’s because it’s in his job description when recruited from business to front these clowns getting back into power…..looky here a state housing raised, solo mother success story, style and image first and foremost.

      blag another term so we can say ‘mandate to sell’ then off you go job done, by the way how many shares do you and your mates want ?

      • Afewknowthetruth 11.1.1

        tc

        Spot on, though I prefer to use the term ‘criminals’ when obvious malfeasance is involved and ‘clowns’ when acts of utter stupidity are involved.

  12. Blue 12

    No one really expected the Nats to have any real advice, did they? They haven’t sought any over any of their other idiotic policies, so why would they start now?

    They govern by ideology alone.

  13. Tangled up in blue 13

    It turns out that in fact Treasury gave him the opposite advice: “The balance of probabilities is that a higher minimum wage does not cost jobs”.

    Well that’s not quite true

    Let’s recap. Gower paints Treasury as supporting a two dollar increase in the minimum wage when in fact they fought against a twenty-five cent increase in 2010.

    http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2011/11/treasury-on-minimum-wages.html

  14. jaundiced 14

    Am I missing something?

    I can’t find references to where the Government claimed they were relying on detailed Treasury advice on asset sales.

    All Guyon Espiner has found is that Treasury has not provided the Government with any detailed analysis of expected ownership after sales.

    Given the issues with Treasury advice in the past, I can only conclude that this is not necessarily a bad thing…

  15. Penny Bright 15

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1111/S00456/secret-state-owned-assets-documents-must-be-released.htm

    I agree with the Green Party 100% on this matter.

    ‘Secret State-Owned Asset’ documents MUST be released before the election.

    How can the public ‘cast an informed vote’ without the FACTS?

    Penny Bright
    Independent Candidate for Epsom
    Campaigning against ‘white collar’ CRIME, CORRUPTION and ‘CORPORATE WELFARE’

  16. Afewknowthetruth 16

    I suspect the global elites now recognise there is very little time left to loot the public purse before it all goes down. Their attempts to defy the laws of physics, chemistry, geology etc. are increasingly seen to be failing, and now they are struggling to even hold their phoney money system together.

    The US ‘super-committee’ has effectively admitted there is nothing they can do to prevent collpase (almost certainly before 2014). Maybe that is why faith in US political institutions is now measured as a single digitit percentage. And the Eurozone is already falling apart. NZ, Australia, Canada and a few other places provide the last reasonably stable places in which the looters can make a few fast bucks prior to the collapse.

    Key obviously knows we are in the early stages of systemic failure and is finding it increasingly difficult to keep up the pretence that he will provide the average NZer with anything other than destitution if re-elected. Lying continuously when things provide the facade of going well is obviously a lot easier for him than lying continuously when things are going badly.

    Just what game Goff is playing is hard to decide. He too must know the entire global Ponzi scheme is facing systemic collapse. Perhaps Goff’s lowish poll ratings make it easier for him to keep pretending the system has a future. It must be quite comforting knowing you are not going to have to deal with the triple tsunami* that is thindering up the beach.

    * post peak oil collapse, unravelling of fiat currencies and evironmental collpase.

    • Afewknowthetruth 16.1

      Sorry, I didn’t get to the editor quickly enough. Old age brings the ‘joys’ of failing eyesight and less nimble fingers.

      the triple tsunami* that is thundering up the beach.

      * post peak oil collapse, unravelling of fiat currencies and evironmental collapse.

  17. With all the talk about asset sales I just thought I’d do a bit of digging. Here is what I came up with. Again, one for your John Key voting mates: http://aotearoaawiderperspective.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/is-john-key-heading-for-a-position-with-goldman-sachs/

  18. Tom Gould 18

    And now MonKey is all over RNZ lying that he has actually “narrowed” the gap with the Aussies and we are doing better than them? Looks like his ‘ministerial advisors’ have been texting him again? Same guys who gave him the ‘S&P’ info, and the ‘asset sales’ info. When will the brain dead idiots in the MSM wake up that he is lying and scamming them? Ignorant fools.

    • Afewknowthetruth 18.1

      TG.

      ‘When will the brain dead idiots in the MSM wake up that he is lying and scamming them?’

      MSM is part of the misinformation system and cannot expose the truth.

      ‘In almost all other cases, the big well-funded media are owned by corporations or rich individuals.

      Now to own a national newspaper or television or radio station, you need to be rich; very rich indeed. I once saw the costings for the takeover of a tabloid newspaper: it required a minimum capitalisation of £400 million: almost four billion rand. You need, in other words, to be a multi-millionaire.

      Now what multi-millionaires want is what everybody wants: a better world for people like themselves. A better world for multi-millionaires is, by definition, a worse world for everybody else, for the simple reason that it relies upon vast levels of inequality. They don’t want everyone to become a multi-millionaire: in such circumstances there would be no point in being one. They want to remain richer and more powerful than everyone else.’

      http://www.monbiot.com/2004/10/06/no-longer-obeying-orders/

  19. What happens to the current management of the SOE if it becomes partially privatised ?

    Do they have to reapply for their jobs and will the first thing the company does be to up the salary package and ensure only the ‘best quality’ applicants need apply ?

    jobs for the boys you reckon ?

    • insider 19.1

      HAve you ever seen the board of an SOE? If you want jobs for the boys, go look at the red and blue tides that regularly sweep over them.

      SOEs already have to compete for managers in the market, so their salaries should not be affected.

    • KJT 19.2

      The ones I know are already salivating at the share options and higher pay they expect to get.

      • insider 19.2.1

        Frequently our expectations on salaries and benefits are not matched by the reality of the market… or maybe that’s just for me.

        The heads of Meridian and Mighty River are already on >1m. They’ll probably get more if they reach targets because a listed company is more complex (assuming they keep their jobs that is) and they’ll likely incentivise share value growth. But the others need to look at their counterparts at Contact and Trustpower, or Powerco, or Wellington Lines etc. If those guys are getting them, then yes they might improve, but if they are on par, change shouldn’t be dramatic unless performance change is dramatic.

  20. Afewknowthetruth 20

    trav.

    Thanks for that. Presumably Key is already on the GS payroll and collecting a retainer. And presumably the bonus comes upon satisfactory completion of the looting.

    ‘a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money.’

    Goldman Sachs: The Wall Street Bubble Mafia

    July 1st, 2009

    This was published last week in Rolling Stone issue 1082-83. As of now, Rolling Stone has not posted this article online.

    THE GREAT AMERICAN BUBBLE MACHINE

    From tech stocks to high gas prices, Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression – and they’re about to do it again

    By MATT TAIBBI

    The first thing you need to know about Goldman Sachs is that it’s everywhere. The world’s most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money. In fact, the history of the recent financial crisis, which doubles as a history of the rapid decline and fall of the suddenly swindled-dry American empire, reads like a Who’s Who of Goldman Sachs graduates.

    By now, most of us know the major players. As George Bush’s last Treasury secretary, former Goldman CEO Henry Paulson was the architect of the bailout, a suspiciously self-serving plan to funnel trillions of Your Dollars to a handful of his old friends on Wall Street. Robert Rubin, Bill Clinton’s former Treasury secretary, spent 26 years at Goldman before becoming chairman of Citigroup – which in turn got a $300 billion taxpayer bailout from Paulson. There’s John Thain, the rear end in a top hat chief of Merrill Lynch who bought an $87,000 area rug for his office as his company was imploding; a former Goldman banker, Thain enjoyed a multibillion-dollar handout from Paulson, who used billions in taxpayer funds to help Bank of America rescue Thain’s sorry company. And Robert Steel, the former Goldmanite head of Wachovia, scored himself and his fellow executives $225 million in golden parachute payments as his bank was self-destructing. There’s Joshua Bolten, Bush’s chief of staff during the bailout, and Mark Patterson, the current Treasury chief of staff, who was a Goldman lobbyist just a year ago, and Ed Liddy, the former Goldman director whom Paulson put in charge of bailed-out insurance giant AIG, which forked over $13 billion to Goldman after Liddy came on board. The heads of the Canadian and Italian national banks are Goldman alums, as is the head of the World Bank, the head of the New York Stock Exchange, the last two heads of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York – which, incidentally, is now in charge of overseeing Goldman – not to mention …

    But then, any attempt to construct a narrative around all the former Goldmanites in influential positions quickly becomes an absurd and pointless exercise, like trying to make a list of everything. What you need to know is the big picture: If America is circling the drain, Goldman Sachs has found a way to be that drain – an extremely unfortunate loophole in the system of Western democratic capitalism, which never foresaw that in a society governed passively by free markets and free elections, organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy.

    The bank’s unprecedented reach and power have enabled it to turn all of America into a giant pump-and-dump scam, manipulating whole economic sectors for years at a time, moving the dice game as this or that market collapses, and all the time gorging itself on the unseen costs that are breaking families everywhere – high gas prices, rising consumer-credit rates, half-eaten pension funds, mass layoffs, future taxes to pay off bailouts. All that money that you’re losing, it’s going somewhere, and in both a literal and a figurative sense, Goldman Sachs is where it’s going: The bank is a huge, highly sophisticated engine for converting the useful, deployed wealth of society into the least useful, most wasteful and insoluble substance on Earth – pure profit for rich individuals.

  21. mike 21

    I can see it clearly, John Key once finished raping our country, getting on a plane for some high-powered job overseas saying, “Thanks New Ziland, ackshully I’ve been great.”

    He really looks tired, that mask must be heavy. I’m thinking he’s wishing he was back on Wall St gleefully squeezing money out of the middle class without pretence. Or as he put it “just executing orders.”

  22. Robert M 22

    The partial asset sales are only a short term adjustment and pallative to get $6 billion captial to help us get thru the next three years without great structural adjustment. An argument can be made they are a useful capital raiser for these business’s. In reality these business’s cant be fully privatised and sold without disaster anyway. The power companies are vital and absolutely economically and constitutionally strategic. The Government will have to maintain at least a 51% control. There is ample evidence from the last 20 years in NZ and enron’s exploitatiion of power supply in California that complete private control in likely to lead to blackouts, disruption and anarchy. In the case of Air NZ a fully privatised Air NZ will either go bankrupt or pass completly into foreigh control.
    So these asset sales are only a short term pallative and the Nats or Labour will have to adopt more radical policies in the medium term. Real money thru privatisation and restructuring has to mean radical change in health and education and this has largely already happened in the US, UK and Aus.

    • Draco T Bastard 22.1

      There is ample evidence from the last 20 years in NZ and enron’s exploitatiion of power supply in California that complete private control in likely to lead to blackouts, disruption and anarchy.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Auckland_Blackout
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Auckland_power_crisis

      Plenty of evidence here as well.

      • tang 22.1.1

        Of course there would be blackouts they would squeeze every cent and put in their pocket rather than invest in the company and leave the government of the day to buy it back when it has been shrivelled to almost nothing.

      • insider 22.1.2

        Unfortunately for you draco both those issues were due to local or central govt monopolies that had underinvested or designed and maintained their systems poorly.

        In 2008 the private company Contact helped avert a crisis by bringing back into service its outdated New Plymouth power station after Genesis and Meridian played fast and loose with the system.

        • mik e 22.1.2.1

          Insider trading BS again Their was a drought you idiot

          • insider 22.1.2.1.1

            Go and read the review of winter 2008 and it will tell you that the failure of Meridian and Genesis to act responsibly and agree hedges instead of muscling up to each other was a key driver of supply fears. AS a result there was a significant percentage of energy generation opportunity wasted that could have been utilised. Two SOEs acting badly pushed the power system to its limits. ANd you guys worry about privitisation.

        • Draco T Bastard 22.1.2.2

          It was actually due to being changed from service driven to profit driven. Also, the lines in Auckland were sold a long time ago into private hands.

          • insider 22.1.2.2.1

            No Draco, read the incident report. It was pure and simple bureaucratic incompetance that had been going on for years. The cables had never been adequately maintained. Change in ownership structure was irrelevant – the managment stayed the same.

            Note: Vector is 75% owned by the local councils through the consumer trust holding company. It’s basically a reconstitued MED with a few private shareholders. Next to nothing private about it. You really should read the pages you link to.

  23. tang 23

    So lets make our votes count and vote labour the only party big enough to stop this shananigan from happening. Why not release the papers for goodness sake we are in a democracy but we seem to enjoy being dictated to by this shonkey John.

  24. anne 24

    Here is the reason that John Key has blocked any release of the paper work,he claims it would affect the price of the assets or some weak excuse, the reasons are more sinister than that.
    He didn’t want the public knowing the real truth because.

    On 1st November 2011 he appointed these following advisors to the crown with regard to
    the sale of tax payer paid assets.
    The Deutsche Bank, this bank bought the Bankers Trust,the bank where Key learned his first
    steps in the Derivatives trade now causing the Global financial collapse.
    Craigs Investment partners, Criss Tims who is an ex Golman Sachs Investment Advisor.
    Australian Lazard who have already been in NZ preparing our assets for sale.
    Key met with Timothy Geithner,who is a sub serviant to Rober Rubin who is a Golman Sachs man.
    So our tax payer paid Assets are in great danger and the rhetoric of selling them to ‘mums and dads’ is an absolute lie,this needs to be exposed,shame it didnt come out earlier,its never too late though.

  25. anne 25

    Also those bankers that traded in the derivatives that are causing the global financial crisis are finding their way into those countries governments and ruling parties.

  26. anne 26

    Why is it that a man who also partly responsible for the 1987 near crash on our nz dollar be in such a position that allows him to have the power to sell tax payers assets,just because he can,
    he has deliberatly run up debt in order for there to be an excuse for a sale.In 1987 The then gov of the nz reserve bank phoned new york and told bankers trust to stop the raid on our dollar.
    To think this man is in control of our enconomy is downright scary.

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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 hours ago
  • RMA reforms aim to ease stock-grazing rules and reduce farmers’ costs – but Taxpayers’ Union w...
    Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough.  Greenpeace says ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 hours ago
  • Luxon Strikes Out.
    I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    10 hours ago
  • In many ways the media that the experts wanted, turned out to be the media they have got
    Chris Trotter writes –  Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • The Waitangi Tribunal Summons; or the more things stay the same
    Graeme Edgeler writes –  This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    11 hours ago
  • Both Parliamentary watchdogs hammer Fast-track bill
    Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General, John Ryan, has joined the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    12 hours ago
  • India makes a big bet on electric buses
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Spengeman People wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
    13 hours ago
  • Bernard’s pick ‘n’ mix of the news links at 6:36am on Tuesday, April 23
    TL;DR: These six news links stood out in the last 24 hours to 6:36am on Tuesday, April 22:Scoop & Deep Dive: How Sir Peter Jackson got to have his billion-dollar exit cake and eat Hollywood too NZ Herald-$$$ Matt NippertFast Track Approval Bill: Watchdogs seek substantial curbs on ministers' powers ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago
  • What is really holding up infrastructure
    The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    17 hours ago
  • “Pure Unadulterated Charge”
    Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    17 hours ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks for Monday, April 22
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: writes via his substack that’s he’s sceptical about the IPSOS poll last week suggesting a slide into authoritarianism here, writing: Kiwis seem to want their cake and eat it too Tal Aster writes for about How Israel turned homeowners into YIMBYs. writes via his ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The media were given a little list and hastened to pick out Fast Track prospects – but the Treaty ...
     Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Just trying to stay upright
    It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • “Unprecedented”
    Today, former Port of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson went on trial on health and safety charges for the death of one of his workers. The Herald calls the trial "unprecedented". Firstly, it's only "unprecedented" because WorkSafe struck a corrupt and unlawful deal to drop charges against Peter Whittall over Pike ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Time for “Fast-Track Watch”
    Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on fast track powers, media woes and the Tiktok ban
    Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
    1 day ago
  • The Government’s new fast-track invitation to corruption
    Bryce Edwards writes-  The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    1 day ago
  • Maori push for parallel government structures
    Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • An announcement about an announcement
    Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • All the Green Tech in China.
    Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Western Express Success
    In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick ‘n’ mix of the news links at 7:16am on Monday, April 22
    TL;DR: These six news links stood out in the last 24 hours to 7:16am on Monday, April 22:Labour says Kiwis at greater risk from loan sharks as Govt plans to remove borrowing regulations NZ Herald Jenee TibshraenyHow did the cost of moving two schools blow out to more than $400m?A ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 29 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16
    A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: The Government’s new fast-track invitation to corruption
    The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • Thank you
    This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Determining the Engine Type in Your Car
    Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Become a Race Car Driver: A Comprehensive Guide
    Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
    3 days ago
  • How Many Cars Are There in the World in 2023? An Exploration of Global Automotive Statistics
    Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
    3 days ago
  • How Long Does It Take for Car Inspection?
    Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
    3 days ago
  • Who Makes Mazda Cars?
    Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
    3 days ago
  • How Often to Replace Your Car Battery A Comprehensive Guide
    Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
    3 days ago
  • Can You Register a Car Without a License?
    In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the Rule If you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
    3 days ago
  • Mazda: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Reliability, Value, and Performance
    Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
    3 days ago
  • What Are Struts on a Car?
    Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
    3 days ago
  • What Does Car Registration Look Like: A Comprehensive Guide
    Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Share Computer Audio on Zoom
    Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
    3 days ago
  • How Long Does It Take to Build a Computer?
    Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Put Your Computer to Sleep
    Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
    3 days ago
  • What is Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT)?
    Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
    3 days ago
  • iPad vs. Tablet Computers A Comprehensive Guide to Differences
    In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
    3 days ago
  • How Are Computers Made?
    A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Add Voice Memos from iPhone to Computer
    Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
    3 days ago
  • Why My Laptop Screen Has Lines on It: A Comprehensive Guide
    Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Right-Click on a Laptop
    Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
    3 days ago
  • Where is the Power Button on an ASUS Laptop?
    Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
    Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
    Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
    In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
    3 days ago
  • How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
    A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
    3 days ago
  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
    You talking about me?  The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
    3 days ago
  • A crisis of ambition
    Roger Partridge  writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
    Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
    Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The worth of it all
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    4 days ago
  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    4 days ago
  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    4 days ago
  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    4 days ago
  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    4 days ago
  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    4 days ago
  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    4 days ago
  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    4 days ago
  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    4 days ago
  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    4 days ago
  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    4 days ago
  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    4 days ago
  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order.  “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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