National – No Friend to Women

Written By: - Date published: 2:44 pm, November 9th, 2010 - 45 comments
Categories: equality, feminism, national, wages - Tags:

Pansy Wong provides stiff competition in the race for most incompetent National minister.  That’s not to say she’s as dangerous as a competent and wrong-headed Bill English, or the incompetent but determined Tolley.  But women’s rights risk demolition by neglect under her watch.

After years of progress, now the gender pay gap is increasing by about 1 percentage point each year under her watch (now 13%) – and incredibly it’s larger in the public (15.4%) than private sector, despite the government having control over civil servant wages.  And a new report out shows women’s level of participation in key leadership areas is static or falling.  Female unemployment had passed 7 percent for the first time in 12 years – and with a higher proportion of women in the public service, the continuing cuts there will make that unemployment figure worse.

This despite a large part of National’s success in 2008 being John Key’s appeal to women.

By portraying a soft-centre image, and talking nicely on education being a National Priority, putting women ministers into the “social” portfolios, and using compassionate, inclusive language to excuse their harsh policies they have moulded a pro-women image.  By slashing $400 million from early child education, canning community education, cutting beneficiary training allowances, undermining worker’s rights and growing the pay-equity gap, they have betrayed that image.

45 comments on “National – No Friend to Women ”

  1. Carol 1

    Pansy Wong is answering questions on this in the House, as I type. She appears to be following the Bill English school of statistics. She claimed that the gender pay gap has decreased from around 12% under Labour, to 10% under NACT. There was a dispute over the series of figures she’s using. She claims that she’s using the same series that Labour was using. She was asked why she didn’t use the series that John key favours.

    I’m not knowledgable about this, so would welcome some clarification. I think Wong was using some sort of median income.

    She also ruled out a Green Party call for a cross-party caucus on women’s issues. Wong did a number about how the Ministry of Women are doing fine in meeting their targets.

  2. Lanthanide 2

    Is Pansy Wong actually a minister? I thought she was just spokesperson for women’s affairs or something.

  3. Carol 3

    http://beehive.govt.nz/release/gender+pay+gap+closest+1998

    Catherine Delahunty challenges Wong’s statistics:

    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2010/10/09/the-latest-on-the-gender-pay-gap/

    I’ve been regularly challenging Women’s Affairs Minister Pansy Wong about the gender pay gap in Parliament, and last time, she pointed out that this survey is her preferred method for measuring the gender pay gap. Comparing the median hourly income of males and females in this survey, the gap between what men earn and what women earn is 10.6 percent, and yesterday the Minister issued a triumphant press release claiming that this meant the gender pay gap was the smallest since 1997.

    If only it were that simple! It is good news that the gap has narrowed on this measure, but as Labour’s Sue Moroney pointed out, in the context of an overall wage drop, it’s pretty weird to be celebrating. And sadly I’m just not convinced that this is the right way to measure the gender pay gap. I prefer to use the Quarterly Employment Survey, because it comes out more often, and that’s been showing a steady trend in the opposite direction.

    Delahunty prefers this:
    http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/work_income_and_spending/employment_and_unemployment/QuarterlyEmploymentSurvey_HOTPJun10qtr.aspx

  4. higherstandard 4

    What about ginga and fatty pay equity ?

    [are you going to be anything more than a dismal waste of comment space this time round HS? — r0b]
    [lprent: Well if he isn’t up to spec and starts trolling again this time then I’ll do what I like doing to the lower standards. (and the standards have generally lifted since he departed last time. ) ]

    • Bright Red 4.1

      show that there is institutional pay inequity for gingers and fatties and you might have a case. All humans deserve equal pay for equal work – don’t you agree?

      • higherstandard 4.1.1

        Certainly I agree with equal pay for equal work.

        However, this post appears to be arguing for some sort of quota system to ensure equal numbers of differing genders in positions, which is fatuous drivel. Give the best person for the job the job regardless of their gender, religion, sexual proclivity.

        I see the moderators are still attacking anyone who doesn’t take a jump to the left, let alone those of us who dare attempt a pelvic thrust. Ban away chaps.

        [lprent: Nope – we’re aware of how you wank in public (I presume that was the “pelvic thrust” you were referring to?). Your trademark is to disrupt debate with wildly off-topic comments. These days when I feeling charitable I move them to OpenMike where they belong. When I’m not – well you know what happens… ]

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1

          However, this post appears to be arguing for some sort of quota system

          You just made this shit up in order to set up a line of false argumentative attack.

          If you didn’t, feel free to quote the passage that Bunji wrote that you are referring to.

        • Ed 4.1.1.2

          I don’t see any of that sort of argument, hs; but a system that almost always chooses a man over a women must be seen to have a bias. A system that regularly treats women as ‘tokens’, with real power being elsewhere, may be hypocritical. I believe that National does not care about gender balance or equity, except to the extent that affects votes. Their women ministers are chosen for compliance rather than competence, and real power lies with a small group of men. They appear to be spreading such attitudes through the public service.

          This is an economic issue – under-utilising a sector – any sector – of our population through prejudice does not give optimal results.

          • Bright Red 4.1.1.2.1

            that’s right. In a system free of bias you would expect that jobs would be held about 50-50 by the two sexes. The fact that they’re not indicates bias.

            Just like how National has no women in its top 6, only two in its top 10, and only 7 in its top 30, along with no-one who’s not Pakeha in the top 14 – all suggesting a Pakeha male bias.

            • Lanthanide 4.1.1.2.1.1

              Of course there is bias, because women’s role in society is often to raise children. It’s difficult to climb the corporate ladder if, when you read the age of ~25 or so, you leave the workforce for 5+ years to raise the kids as a stay-at-home mum.

              Now, for any woman doing exactly the same job as a man, with similar backgrounds, I would demand equal pay. But I am not going to demand equal representation of women in the work force, nor that women with lesser experience should get a job over a man applying for the same position.

              • clandestino

                Exactly. How can there be no natural discrepancy if a large percentage of women are taking that kind of time out?

                I much more readily buy the argument that women can be less aggressive in pay negotiations (though this must be at the top; I’ve never been more than a price taker) and that men are more likely to walk away (ie. stubborn).

                The worry is that many buy the whole inequality story (that it’s rife and/or growing), because they don’t want to be seen as sexist or capitalist, despite never having seen pay discrepancies between sexes at work for themselves.

                But please people, fire away with your anecdotes.
                By the way, I hope all these income surveys use a median; an average is largely useless for most of us.

                • Carol

                  So you’re saying that the system is set up to benefit more men than women, because women are more likely to take time out to look after children? And that’s not a problem? Especially as that child care is an economic benefit to the country as a whole. Also, the system already is a bit dysfunctional because we have too many people working way too long hours, and not enough work for everyone.

                  Wouldn’t it be better if work & child care was shared around more evenly?

                  • clandestino

                    Yes of course parents should share the load but why on Earth would the government have anything to do with that???? Unless you want to take money and give it the partner at home, which is just like taking it from the working partner and passing it over, which is what happens anyway – just more efficiently!

                    As for people working too long hours for minimum productivity gain, I agree that is a real problem.
                    And M below: I haven’t been in a position where I’ve been able to ask for more, or had the balls to do it, but I admire people who do and more power to them. I don’t think that’s a systemic fault, but a biological difference perhaps for many, and the blame game on this issue is distasteful I find. I’ve heard some very well reasoned arguments why women might not be on boards in the same proportions as men, and it makes them look a hell of a lot saner!

                    • Carol

                      I wasn’t specifically talking about parents sharing the load. Not all parents have a partner. I’m talking about the way the whole system is constructed to favour men. It would mean a big shift away from the way work is set up. We are still living with a watered down version of a system that was set up with men as breadwinners & women in the home. But the work that un-paid carers do in the home contributes towards the country’s economy.

                      I’m thinking of a system where a career doesn’t depend on spending such long hours at work, and where periods spent on child care are recognised as work that utilises valuable skills. And maybe where all workers get periods doing other stuff, away from their main careers, which would also be recognised a good way of learning new skills and perspectives.

                • M

                  Clandestino, I think you are right about women being less aggressive in pay negotiations and price takers because many are socialised this way. For many it’s considered mannish or unfeminine to go for the best deal you can get and economic conditions also play a part.

                  The first time you do some bargaining it’s scary but I managed it at 20 when going for a job saying to an employment agency that if the prospective employer offered 1k more I’d take the job. I’ve also phoned up companies when there have been two jobs I’ve been going for and put gentle pressure on the firm I’ve wanted to work for if I’ve already had an offer and have met with success.

                  All of this is moot of course if you work in fast food, cleaning or a supermarket where it’s a take it or leave it scenario – been there too – which is why high rates of union membership in these sectors is crucial for everyone particularly women.

                  • clandestino

                    See this is where I disagree. You say it’s social, I think that in the aggregate it’s more of a biological/genetic thing.
                    People will go for the best deal no matter their sex, surely. But negotiating with the illusion of confidence and skill is a more subtle craft, and the often heard ‘men are arrogant’ line springs to mind.
                    And how you redress that is full of problems.

              • Colonial Viper

                The ‘child bearing years’ argument may have some merit, but I note Labour managed 4 female MPs in their top 10, with 3 of those in the top 6. And of course, Annette King as Deputy Leader.

                Seems to me that NAT simply prefer white males in their top line up.

                • Lanthanide

                  Well look at the women they have as ministers:
                  Collins, Wong (apparently), Wilkinson, Bennett, Tolley and te HeuHeu, not exactly a bright or competent bunch. Then again most of the ministers leave a lot to be desired.

                  But yeah, politics is probably one job where female input should be very welcome, but also very prone to an ‘old boys club’ situation.

              • Vicky32

                I chose to take 5 years off, and ended up taking 15, thanks to the Act-in-Disguise and Nat governments. I have never had any desire to “climb the corporate ladder” but there are women who do have such a desire, and childcare ought to be available for them. But that child care should be *quality* care, and we all know that NACT hate that idea.
                Deb

        • Bunji 4.1.1.3

          Wow, I really don’t know how you get that. As CV says: making shit up.

          also, you might as well have the full guide for your derailing, in case you’ve missed any…
          (ht: Marty Mars)

      • All humans deserve equal pay for equal work – don’t you agree?

        Indeed I do.

        show that there is institutional pay inequity for gingers and fatties and you might have a case.

        If we assume that, to most people, obesity and ginga-ness are unattractive, then HS actually has a point.

        The researchers found that physical attractiveness had a significant impact on how much people got paid, how educated they were, and how they evaluated themselves. Basically, people who were rated good-looking made more money, were better educated and were more confident.

        I’d simply suspected this was the case till I looked up the research just now, because I’ve seen plenty of studies that show attractive defendants are much less likely to be found guilty and to get shorter sentences if they are.

        There are real inequities in society that transcend sex and race. Pity they don’t receive a fraction of the attention.

        • Carol 4.1.2.1

          It’s true that there are many kinds of unfair inequities. On the looks front, there’s a long history of women being judged more on their looks than men – though I think men’s looks have become increasingly important. Looks-ism tends to intersect with gender inequalities: eg I believe there’s reserch that shows that taller people are more likely to get selceted for positions of authority, and of course, men generally tend to be taller than women.

          Also, what counts as an attractive appearance in males and females, especially in formal situations, is traditionally based in gender stereotypes – though, i hope that is changing.

          • Vicky32 4.1.2.1.1

            I remember reading a bizarre study in 2008, that showed that in *every* US Presidential contest since the mass media started taking a hand, the *taller* candidate always won. (I think Millard Fillmore is the guy , who weighed 800 kg, and would never have elected if there had been any means of mass communication at the time, but there wasn’t – mid-19th century I think.)

        • Vicky32 4.1.2.2

          Oi, what’s wrong with ginges? My father, my sister, two of my sons, my ta-da! grandson… 🙂
          However, sadly, you’re right about the rest… When I was doing Ed Psych 201, we learned of studies that showed that teachers gave higher marks and greater encouragement to the attractive children in their classes (quite unconsciously of course!) I’d always been aware of that – with two very attractive younger sisters, how could I not be? Sadly for them, they were incredibly lazy – I still got better marks than they did, even with the premium their good looks got them!

          Deb

  5. grumpy 5

    Don’t know what you guys are complaining about. May Wang is doing pretty well for herself.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10686456

    • Lanthanide 6.1

      I agree with him, except that his example of the ‘sexist pig’ doesn’t really mesh with reality. Some employer might pay $5k extra to a man just because he’s a man, but doesn’t actually have any problem doing that whatsoever. It may not benefit the company in any way, but they feel better about it and so do it anyway. Equal pay for equal work gets rid of that sort of situation, to the benefit of women.

  6. Gotham 7

    “Women will bear the brunt of budget cuts” from The Guardian.
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/04/women-budget-cuts-yvette-cooper

    • Jum 7.1

      I stated that was the agenda against women in New Zealand two years ago, when the women of NZ were simpering over Key.

      I was laughed at. Women seemed to think the battle was won. What a joke.

      Both UK and New Zealand conservatives have the same advisers and backers from UK and US. They will be attacking any rights that enable women to choose what happens to their own bodies and will seek to change the public health system to that of private ownership so that women will have no access to safe abortions or modern contraception if those owners (US have many Catholic private hospital and pharmacy owners) don’t want to provide it. The agenda of these conservatives do not just entail making a lot of money out of New Zealanders.

      There will be backlashes against women every time they gain a few steps towards being treated like equal human beings. Those attacks are always greatest from conservative quarters. When will women finally realise this?

  7. Far more men than women end up in prison. The educational performance of boys lags behind girls.

    It’s time to address the reason why men are found guilty of crimes more than women, it can’t be because of their own choices – that would go against neo-Marxist structural power based ideologies that would argue we are all equal. People don’t make choices about what employment they pursue, what education they pursue, whether they decide to commit crimes, whether they breed, whether they set up a business, look for jobs or wait for jobs to come to them.

    That’s why the state needs to save them from themselves, poor stupid ignorant fools. It is so wonderful that the new-left exists to raise their consciousness about their situation, the reasons why and to channel their energies into anger to change politics, rather than do something about their own lives. What would specific chosen minority groups (forget blondes, adopted people, asthmatics, gingers, fat people, shy people and short people – people can discriminate against them because they haven’t been adopted into the structuralist mindset that has warmly embraced race, sex, sexuality, disability and even religion (well one) as of late) do if they couldn’t be patronised by people who know what’s best for them, and campaign for them by proxy?

    • M 8.1

      ‘The research focused on males because the MAOA gene is carried on the X chromosome, so males, with only one X chromosome, get only one version of the gene, making its effects easier to see. It is estimated that one-third of all males carry the low-activity version of the gene. The fact that the low-activity variant is so common suggests that it may confer some benefit. What that benefit might be is not known, but perhaps it is associated with a predisposition to taking risks, which could be an advantage in athletes or stock traders.

      Females receive two X chromosomes, which means they have a much greater chance of getting at least one high-activity version of the MAOA gene. This may partially explain why women are less prone to violent and criminal behavior. For example, only 15 percent of people arrested in the United States for violent crimes are women.’

      http://reason.com/archives/2002/08/07/born-to-be-wild

      • clandestino 8.1.1

        Which all backs up the argument that when it comes to certain genetic dispositions, some inequities can’t be helped.
        I’m sorry Carol I really can’t see what the solution would be to your problem. So the system is set up so that important work is unpaid, which benefits men (in the aggregate) because men are less likely to stay at home. Do we pay the houseparent a nominal amount? Thus distributing wealth from the working partner (single parents receive payment currently). This is nonsensical to me. How would you change ‘the system’?
        Remember that careers now and in the future are likely to change much more often than previously, as technology changes and the goods/services change. So perhaps child-rearing will have less of an impact on earning ability over time.
        I think Libertyscott has a point. I’ve been reading this site for a while, and for all the important economic issues, there is a lot of blame but very few real ideas. And often a suffocating constructionist narrative.

        • Carol 8.1.1.1

          Clandestino, try to look a little more outside the box, rather than just trying to consider minor tickering with the current system. Yes the wages for housework solution is problematic. I believe this is the kind of area that Marilyn Waring has been working on in-depth, and probably has some well-considered solutions.

          Allowances/benefits for parents caring for children, single or partnered, is maybe part of a solution. But I’m also talking about re-structuring the whole work-career system. You are assuming a very individualistic, competitive, obssessively career-oriented system. I am thinking more of a system where people are seen as contributing to society in a range of ways, in various parts of their lives and life-cycles, and where the tradtional organised work-places are just one of those parts.

          A start would be to give less status to people at the top of the career scale and more status to people contributing usefully to society in a range of ways. Another step would be a re-working of the income structure, to start winding back the increases in income inequality. Another step would be to start recognising the value (in learning and social contributions), for people taking time out from their primary careers to do something different – study, a different possibly lower paid job, child care, voluntary work, NGO work, overseas experience maybe in aid work…..

          • clandestino 8.1.1.1.1

            Sorry Carol, I don’t see how people working hard to support themselves and their families are going to be happy dispensing parts of their productivity surplus/wage to support people working in NGOs, volunteering, expensive overseas aid programs.
            Otherwise sure pay should be restructured to reduce inequality, but as you say, this is tinkering too! Allowances/the dole you say are part, they exist, but tinkering.

            I can’t stand this waffly “system where people are seen as contributing.” What do you mean by ‘status’?!? Like getting paid for it? It’s like Actors Equity: “We just want to have a cup of tea at the table” No, you want better pay, say it.

            There is simply a limit to the amount of debt a country can incur. Other people shouldn’t have to subsidise what are either lifestyle choices or poor decisions by some. Where it is structural, and can be proven, then provide redress (uni allowances for lower incomes, scholarships for being Maori, pasifika, etc, WFF). A line has to be drawn somewhere, and prescribing wages/careers for women is not one of them – and in the tradition of structuralist thinking, provides an entitlement culture hard to shake off.

            • NickS 8.1.1.1.1.1

              Other people shouldn’t have to subsidise what are either lifestyle choices or poor decisions by some.

              There’s this wonderful thing called “cost benefit analyses”. When they take into account external costs, i.e. the costs to society at large, intervention and help become rather cheaper than picking up the pieces or imprisonment. That and generally when the shit hits the fan, or you’re in a bad spot, getting out on your own is often seemingly impossible.

      • NickS 8.1.2

        Memo to self, cluebat this crap after work.

        Or, there’s some very interesting results out of the Dunedin study which shows that MAOA plays less of an influence than environment.

        I also find the “but whats about teh mEn?!!11?” most amusing, since the patriarchal culture we live in effectively pigeon holes men to play roles, some of which are rather detrimental to their educational achievement, life and liberty. Along with perpetuating the overall present kyriarchical structures of society that in turn help drive inequality…

        …And I’m now running late for work. Yay.

      • NickS 8.1.3

        @M

        Reason is ultimately nothing more than the little L libertarian and randbot propaganda piece, which ironically seems to ignore their much vaunted idea of “personal responsibility”, but more amusingly in the 8 years since that article was published, there has been a massive amount of research. Of which a scan through suggest strongly that for gene x environment interactions, MAO-A only plays a role in aggression when mild to moderate trauma occurs to a child, where as it doesn’t matter when a child is exposed to highly traumatic events. It’s effects are also moderated by what other genes are present, instead of being a single causative factor.

        All on top of the fact that early interventions and behavioural therapy, along with stopping abuse can play a significant role in allowing those with violence issues to not end up in trouble.

        And if you want the details, go use google scholar + your brain…

        Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase

        Oh, and just to be snarky: given MAO-A has interactions with other genes, calling it a “warrior gene” is the hight of genetics fail. For it’s pretty fucking clear from 2nd year genetics courses onwards that interactions with other genes (+ environment) determine what phenotype(s) will be apparent.

    • Bunji 8.2

      Nice me too. Discrimination against women is fine because men don’t have perfect lives. Fab.

      Yes LibertyScott, because we can all choose to be discriminated against or not. Black people in the US chose to not to be allowed into the same schools/cafes/toilets. Women chose to be paid only pin-money rather than the same wages for the same amount of work.

      Equality does not mean we are all the same. We all make our own life choices. It should mean we get the same opportunities, and the same amount of reward for the same amount of effort/skill. But no, women are paid less for the same amount of work still – 13% less and, sadly, rising under National.

      This is through no fault of their own, but because employers think (often sub-consciously): here’s a woman, she’ll be happy with a bit less pay than a bloke, I don’t need to offer her as much. Or they’re in skilled professions that have been female-dominated, and never valued as much monetarily. Teachers are doing just about the most vital job in society – do we pay them like that? We couldn’t get by without cleaners – but most are on minimum wage, working their fingers to the bone.

      It’s all very nice thinking “why don’t they choose a better life for themselves” for these “poor stupid ignorant fools” who live in your world and end up poor and in prison, but there’s generally a reason things have gone wrong, and it’s not that their great dastardly master-plan was foiled. Or, if you’ve grown up without opportunity, because your parents lacked money to get you to a good school or extra tuition etc, they lacked the education to know how much your life could be improved by it, or they lacked the life skills that you’re now failing to learn; you’re never going to make the right decisions, or be in a place to take the opportunities you no doubt enjoy. That’s why people need a hand-up, the system needs to bend slightly in their favour, so they don’t continue a vicious cycle of poverty.

      There’s a lot of research (not to mention common sense) showing structural discrimination against people of colour, women, non-straight people, the disabled… so they are inevitably going to be focussed on more than the ginger & blonde people – when its shown that they are really being discriminated against, they can join the club. But hey, let’s just work for a world where people are judged on their own merits and flaws, rather than stereotypes.

  8. Colonial Viper 9

    liberty (for the wealthy) scott said

    whether they decide to commit crimes, whether they breed, whether they set up a business, look for jobs or wait for jobs to come to them. (1)

    That’s why the state needs to save them from themselves, poor stupid ignorant fools (2). It is so wonderful that the new-left exists to raise their consciousness about their situation, the reasons why and to channel their energies into anger to change politics, rather than do something about their own lives (3).

    Well where shall we start with your CRAP.

    (1) Please get over it. Everyone does not lead their lives with the same values that you do. And they certainly don’t need your raising of, commentary or judgement over how they “breed”. And youc all yourself a libertarian? Pffft.

    (2) So, to ask again, what are you, a libertarian or example of the new feudal class sneering at his serfs? I’m forming an opinion on this.

    (3) Now, wouldn’t you call fighting against the erosion of our social democracy by an unending toxic mix of opportunistic capitalism and Right wing politics doing exactly that?: doing something directly about their own lives, and more importantly, about the society that we live in – how its wealth is generated and how it is distributed. It is about acting on the collective level mate, far more powerful than just the individual level (and by the way, people on the Left are doing that too, hard).

    Now, I believe that people aren’t buying the shite capitalistic ponzi scheme any more. This is the decades old Right wing story of “sell enough AMWAY for us as a self absorbed serf, and we will one day give you a seat at the top of the banquet table with us. Meanwhile you can have these drippings”. Its seems fairly obvious to all now that National loves the fact that there is a weak employment market. This enables big business to continue to surpress worker wages and conditions while taking the additional value created to PAY THEMSELVES. At 1.25% unemployment we would have quite happily, running the counterfactual, told Warner Bros and their NZ agent Peter Jackson to “go if you want to, see ya, don’t let the door slam you in the ass on the way out”.

    do if they couldn’t be patronised by people who know what’s best for them, and campaign for them by proxy?

    Have you noticed that you are the only patronising one here mate? Since you assume that people cannot understand how the system is quietly undermining the respect, value and worth of every hour of labour that they provide to the economic system. But they get it mate, because not being highly educated != not being very smart, and as amass movement builds, National are going to get it hard in the neck next year.

    And then we will have a step towards building liberties and options for all, not just for the 10% of asset wealthy NZ’ers who own almost 60% of NZ’s wealth, or the top 10% of NZ income earners who got 42% of National’s grossly unequal tax cuts.

    Yeah mate, the burn is on.

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    Now that he’s back as Foreign Minister, maybe Winston Peters should start reading the MFAT website. If he did, Peters would find MFAT celebrating the 25th anniversary of how New Zealand alerted the rest of the world to the genocide developing in Rwanda. Quote: New Zealand played an important role ...
    1 day ago
  • “Your Circus, Your Clowns.”
    It must have been a hard first couple of weeks for National voters, since the coalition was announced. Seeing their party make so many concessions to New Zealand First and ACT that there seems little remains of their own policies, other than the dwindling dream of tax cuts and the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 8-December-2023
    It’s Friday again and Christmas is fast approaching. Here’s some of the stories that caught our attention. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered some of the recent talk around the costs, benefits and challenges with the City Rail Link. On Thursday Matt looked at how ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • End-of-week escapism
    Amsterdam to Hong Kong William McCartney16,000 kilometres41 days18 trains13 countries11 currencies6 long-distance taxis4 taxi apps4 buses3 sim cards2 ferries1 tram0 medical events (surprisingly)Episode 4Whether the Sofia-Istanbul Express really qualifies to be called an express is debatable, but it’s another one of those likeably old and slow trains tha… ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 8
    Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro arrives for the State Opening of Parliament (Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand’s Witchcraft Laws: 1840/1858-1961/1962
    Sometimes one gets morbidly curious about the oddities of one’s own legal system. Sometimes one writes entire essays on New Zealand’s experience with Blasphemous Libel: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/05/09/blasphemous-libel-new-zealand-politics/ And sometimes one follows up the exact historical status of witchcraft law in New Zealand. As one does, of course. ...
    2 days ago
  • No surprises
    Don’t expect any fiscal shocks or surprises when the books are opened on December 20 with the unveiling of the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). That was the message yesterday from Westpac in an economic commentary. But the bank’s analysis did not include any changes to capital ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #49 2023
    113 articles in 48 journals by 674 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects Diversity of Lagged Relationships in Global Means of Surface Temperatures and Radiative Budgets for CMIP6 piControl Simulations, Tsuchida et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0045.1 Do abrupt cryosphere events in High Mountain Asia indicate earlier tipping ...
    2 days ago
  • Phone calls at Kia Kaha primary
    It is quiet reading time in Room 13! It is so quiet you can hear the Tui outside. It is so quiet you can hear the Fulton Hogan crew.It is so quiet you can hear old Mr Grant and old Mr Bradbury standing by the roadworks and counting the conesand going on ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    2 days ago
  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    3 days ago
  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    3 days ago
  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago
  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    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 ...
    4 days ago
  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago
  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    4 days ago
  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    5 days ago
  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    5 days ago
  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    5 days ago
  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    5 days ago
  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    6 days ago
  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    6 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    6 days ago
  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    1 week ago
  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
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