National breaks law on donations

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 pm, January 31st, 2012 - 52 comments
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Donations over $30,000 from the same source must be declared to the Electoral Commission within 10 working days. National overstepped the mark in declaring a total donation of $86,005 from Gallagher Industries outside the limit. I can sympathise as I missed a connection once when I was Labour’s Secretary. These days  the Electoral Commission doesn’t get involved – the penalty is a fine of up to $40,000 on summary conviction.

Other large donations to National since April 2011 include $56,600 from Oravida Limited, $50,000 from Citi Financial Group, $53,333.30 from Chris Parkin, Wellington property owner and former City Councillor, $60,000 from Antoine’s restaurant, and $35,000 from Team McMillan BMW. ACT received $110,000 from Allan Gibbs, $50,000 from Christopher and Banks Private Equity Ltd, $52,335 from John Boscawen, and $100,520 from Louis Crimp. Labour and National both received $50,000 from the Todd Corporation, and Labour $40,000 from the EPMU.

It will be interesting to see the return of donations in April, particularly now that they have to be reported in bands. Again I think the big money will favour National over Labour, especially with asset sales on the block.

52 comments on “National breaks law on donations ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    31 January 2012 at 9:35 pm

    They would have missed the 10 working day time frame by about 2 or 3 days (due to xmas public holidays). Hardly something to get riled up over.

    Why even bother having a time limit set in law if you can simply report it so late so as to avoid prosecution, as you did when you were Labour’s secretary?

    • burt 1.1
      31 January 2012 at 9:56 pm

      It’s different when Labour do it….

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.1
        31 January 2012 at 10:05 pm

        Sure is. The NZ Herald would be screaming about attacks on democracy etc in that case. When National do it, its all love and kittens.

    • Colonial Viper 1.2
      31 January 2012 at 9:58 pm

      They would have missed the 10 working day time frame by about 2 or 3 days (due to xmas public holidays). Hardly something to get riled up over.

      The law doesn’t allow that flexibility. Of course the enforcement of the law and the sentencing judge might.

      Our system of justice has checks and balances after all.

      • burt 1.2.1
        31 January 2012 at 10:08 pm

        It’s almost cute that you imply a case of misspending public money for an election would ever make it to a court.

      • Lanthanide 1.2.2
        31 January 2012 at 10:12 pm

        Actually if you follow the judgement against Mike Smith, you will see this:
        “There was not a reasonable excuse for the late filing.”

        Seems like a “reasonable excuse” will be accepted as a reason for late filing.

        I would suggest that “Christmas holidays and key staff being away” is a reasonable excuse, especially when you miss the deadline by only 2 working days.

        It’s also possible, depending on how the National party is set up and which personnel do what etc, that the December 23rd aftershock in Chch could have disrupted their operations.

        • Colonial Viper 1.2.2.1
          31 January 2012 at 10:20 pm

          I think you’ve shown yourself why a time limit in law can serve a useful function then.

          • burt 1.2.2.1.1
            1 February 2012 at 8:18 am

            And Labour (and Winston) showed us how the short statute of limitations on electoral spending can serve a useful function.

          • Lanthanide 1.2.2.1.2
            1 February 2012 at 9:44 am

            Um, what?

            “You must report everything within 10 days otherwise we’ll fine you, unless you report it after 6 months because then we can’t do anything”.

            Yeah, that’s a real incentive to get it within those 10 days, isn’t it? If you don’t make it, just wait for 6 months and then report it anyway.

            My point is that if you miss the 10 day window, without a reasonable excuse (which takes into account the length of the delay), you should be fined. None of this “you reported it so late we couldn’t fine you any more”.

            Labour should have had to face the music in 2008-09 for being so late without a reasonable excuse.

            • Colonial Viper 1.2.2.1.2.1
              1 February 2012 at 9:46 am

              You know what Lanth, the problem you are identifying is not with the law it is with the fraking prosecutors and the judges.

              • Lanthanide …
                1 February 2012 at 10:08 am

                The determination from the Labour party issue clearly states:
                “However as the time limit for any prosecution has expired,”

                I don’t think that has anything to do with the “prosecutors and the judges”.

              • burt …
                1 February 2012 at 12:26 pm

                Lanthanide

                Please… CV lives in a beautiful world where Labour never did anything wrong… why oh why do you insist on using facts to shatter his myopic illusion.

  2. Anita 2
    31 January 2012 at 9:38 pm

    Those donations to ACT from John Boscawen were from when he thought he had a chance, right? 🙂

  3. McFlock 3
    31 January 2012 at 9:49 pm

    What’s with the donations received after they won?
    Sounds like fairweather friends to me 🙂

  4. Nick K 4
    31 January 2012 at 10:24 pm

    The law of common sense will apply.

  5. Jum 5
    31 January 2012 at 10:26 pm

    ‘Again I think the big money will favour National over Labour, especially with asset sales on the block.’

    And if this is what New Zealanders are in favour of I can only think this is no longer the New Zealand I can feel proud of.

  6. Draco T Bastard 6
    31 January 2012 at 10:37 pm

    Donations from businesses and organisations should be disallowed – they aren’t people.

  7. felix 7
    31 January 2012 at 11:42 pm

    Couple of odd figures in there.

    Looks like Chris P and Boscawen just emptied all the spare change out of their pockets.

  8. vto 8
    1 February 2012 at 6:30 am

    What on earth is Gallagher Industries doing making donations? Last time I looked Gallagher Industries didn’t have the right to vote.

    Are they trying to buy influence over the National Party or something?

  9. IrishBill 9
    1 February 2012 at 6:37 am

    I see the Waitemata trust hasn’t donated for years. In fact National have very few donations on the scale of the ones they received in opposition. And the big(ish) donations they are receiving are not coming from their traditional establishment funders. I suspect this means one or more of the following:

    They’ve got a very big war chest from the millions of donations they received previously and are no longer acceptant big donations from traditional funders.

    Or they’ve used those donations to create sustainable investment revenue streams (I understand the party has several registered companies) and are no longer accepting big donations from traditional funders.

    Or they’ve found a way other than secret trusts to bring in the big money (like breaking up donations from their more traditional sources into smaller bundles).

    Or they’re just not spending much outside of their taxpayer funded stuff. And to be fair their last election campaign looked remarkably cheap.

    • Enough is Enough 9.1
      1 February 2012 at 9:46 am

      My guess is they spent as little as possible in 2011 and didn’t call of their big donors for cash.

      There was no real prospect of them loosing so they have saved their cash for the rainy days ahead. Not the next election but late 2012 and 2013 when they unleash their worst policies on us. At that same time there will be an almighty PR campaign telling us how fantastic it is for the poor that we are selling our infrastructure to the Chinese.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 9.2
      1 February 2012 at 12:17 pm

      Im guessing Waitemata Trust donates directly to individual National candidates to cover billboards pamphlets etc.

      That way smallish amounts dont come above the radar.
      Also explains why some candidates can full time campaign against a sitting labour MP but not have a job to pay their bills. Sam Lotu-Iiga, Nikki Kaye come to mind for the election before last.

    • Graeme Edgeler 9.3
      2 February 2012 at 12:35 pm

      A whole bunch of people are making donations at just below disclosure level would be my guess.

  10. randal 10
    1 February 2012 at 11:41 am

    ipredict that they will never be prosecuted.

  11. ghostwhowalksnz 11
    1 February 2012 at 11:55 am

    Oravida used to use the name Kiwi Dairy Corporation and is run by Jing HUANG along with allsorts of circular holding companies

  12. ghostwhowalksnz 12
    1 February 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Christopher and Banks Private Equity is part owned by …….. John Banks. As well as his dodgy mate Huljich.

    Christopher is Huljichs first name … doesnt want anybody to see the connection without digging

    • felix 12.1
      1 February 2012 at 12:16 pm

      So John Banks, ACT MP, donated to National?

      Gee it’s almost as if ACT isn’t a real political party at all…

      • ghostwhowalksnz 12.1.1
        1 February 2012 at 12:19 pm

        Check back its ACT.

        Funny how C&B Private Equity was only formed 2 Aug 2011 and 28 days later writes a big cheque.

        Nice way to class it as a ‘business expense’

        • McFlock 12.1.1.1
          1 February 2012 at 12:40 pm

          nice way to make it more difficult to identify actual donors.

        • felix 12.1.1.2
          1 February 2012 at 12:48 pm

          Ah so, my bad.

          “Business expense” is right though, the National and ACT parties are really little more than a business expense these days

  13. randal 13
    1 February 2012 at 1:49 pm

    felix.. its really a binky party!
    like hinky but binky.
    act now for your free binkys.

  15. Pete George 15
    2 February 2012 at 12:38 pm

    There’s a counter claim that National didn’t break the law here after all.

    working day means any day of the week other than—

    (a) Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Labour Day, the Sovereign’s birthday, and Waitangi Day; and

    (b) a day in the period commencing with 25 December in any year and ending with 15 January in the following year

  16. Adolf Fiinkensein 16
    2 February 2012 at 12:46 pm

    FIUA A?

  17. the pink postman 17
    2 February 2012 at 3:07 pm

    Its amazing how much Nationa gets away with .Has everyone forgot that they have still not paid back the GST they did not pay a couple of elections back

  18. james 111 18
    2 February 2012 at 4:05 pm

    I believe National made the deadline by one day to spare. As the act states working days not Calender days. Mike may want to check that out could be another post about nothing

    • Ross 18.1
      2 February 2012 at 4:20 pm

      I don’t think so, James.

      It appears to have been declared on the 4th working day, well inside the 10 working day limit.

  19. james111 19
    2 February 2012 at 4:21 pm

    Yup National made it by one day as its working days not Calender days so no story here at all. I would have thought Mike Smith should know what the Act says in his Position, and am surprised that he has fired off blanks.

  20. Jimmie 20
    2 February 2012 at 5:10 pm

    SMOG, SMOG, SMOG – gotta cry to see you guys do this day after day. No wonder posts on the standard tend to feed the believers and have little impact on the political landscape.

    C’mon Mike you could have looked up the law first before inserting foot into mouth – shades of the H-fee initiative huh?

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    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    6 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    7 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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