National Party President selling out?

Written By: Simon Louisson - Date published: 12:09 pm, May 12th, 2016 - 14 comments
Categories: capitalism, national - Tags: fishing industry, foreign ownership, peter goodfellow, quota, Sanford

Peter Goodfellow

National Party President Peter Goodfellow, may be selling out of Sanford Ltd, the giant, family-controlled fishing company, flicking a good chunk of his holding to Japan’s biggest seafood company, according to a report in the Nikkei Asian Review on Monday.

Veteran New Zealand journalist Mike Field, who has recently published The Catch: How Fishing Companies Reinvented Slavery and Plunder the Oceans, exposing slave working conditions and fishing practices on foreign charter vessels in NZ waters, reported that Goodfellow, a scion of one of New Zealand’s wealthiest families, requested Maruha Nichiro to buy a 4.7% stake.

The $25 million deal prompted considerable curiosity because it involved an off-market purchase of shares from Sanford’s second biggest shareholder, Avalon Investment Trust, which is run by the family of Peter Goodfellow, Field wrote.

Avalon retains a 9.2% holding. The largest shareholder, Amalgamated Dairies, with around a third of the company, is also a company controlled by the Goodfellow family, which is credited with setting up the entity that today is known as Fonterra.

Also within their near billion dollars asset pile is a big chunk of formerly New Zealand, but now Australian, agro-chemicals company, Nufarm, which recently closed factories in New Zealand.

The Australian Financial Review in March reported that Nufarm was the subject of Chinese takeover speculation after the chairman of one of China’s biggest glyphosate producers, Zhang Hua, informed the Australian Securities Exchange he, and British Virgin Island companies he controls, had bought a 5% stake. The Sanford move comes just ahead of woefully belated radical changes aimed at forcing international fishing boats to end controversial employment practices, forced on a reluctant government thanks to pressure put on by academics and journalists, such as Field.

The shakeup will end foreign charter vessel fishing in our 4 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone.

Charter vessels took 42% of the national catch between 1950 and 2010 but Field says the industry is uneasy about a soon-to-be-released academic study showing that the total catch of fish over 61 years was 2.1 times greater than was reported.

“Industry insiders believe the report, compiled by experts from three major universities as part of a global study on fisheries, will lead to a radical overhaul of New Zealand’s fish quota system, including substantial cuts in the quotas awarded to fishing companies, which determine how many fish they can catch,” the Nikkei report says.

Maruha has a long record of involvement in New Zealand waters, but it had no equity stake in the domestic industry until purchasing the stake in Sanford, which has a market capitalization of $543 million.

The sale, at a small discount of $5.68 per share against the current price of $5.73, is all the more perplexing because Sanford, which has had a number of lean years due to the crazily high New Zealand dollar value, is poised to benefit from a series of “tailwinds” according to market analysts.

The prospects for the first half of this financial year and for the full year are “very positive”, according First NZ Capital’s Sanford analyst, Kar Yue Yeo.

“Buoyed by a more favourable NZD/USD and lower fuel prices, our expectation is for Sanford to deliver an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $38 million.”

That would be up 12% on the 2015 year and the highest since 2009, Yeo says.

“As a major aquaculture operator and owner of fish quota in NZ, Sanford is a beneficiary of on-going growth in global demand for protein and potential increase in seafood prices.”

Maruha Nichiro told Field it had no strategic reason for taking a Sanford shareholding and said it had no intention to increase its stake and “no political motives, such as expanding fishing rights” in taking a share.

Sanford said that while the company had enjoyed a “business relationship … with Maruha Nichiro over many years” the request for the Japanese company to buy shares “came from a shareholder” and not from Sanford. The Goodfellow family did not respond to a request for comment.

Glenn Simmon, a research fellow at Auckland University’s New Zealand/Asia Institute who is an expert on New Zealand’s fishing industry, said it was difficult to know what objectives Sanford and Maruha were pursuing. “The ownership of the fishing industry is hugely complex and nothing is as it seems,” he said. “We can only wait and see what happens.”

Sanford in its annual report said it had 49 vessels and 210 aquaculture farms for mussels and salmon. It holds 23% of the total New Zealand fishing quota.

Field’s book, published in 2014, was the result of years of study documenting the “slaves” who work in inhumane conditions for virtually no money for companies that send them out in re-named, re-flagged rust-buckets to, as the subtitle puts it, to “plunder the oceans”.

New Zealand was shown in the book to have been a major enabler of slavery at sea by allowing foreign vessels that didn’t have to comply with our labour and safety laws to fish domestic quota.

The complicity of the government in this is similar to the current Panama Papers scandal that has exposed how New Zealand foreign trusts are allowed to base here with no obligation to pay tax on offshore earnings. Indeed it would be no surprise to find the foreign fishing companies making use of this rort as well.

(Simon Louisson formerly worked for The Wall Street Journal, NZPA, Reuters, The Jerusalem Post and was most recently a political and media adviser to the Green Party)

14 comments on “National Party President selling out? ”

Comments are now closed

save nz 1

12 May 2016 at 2:00 pm

+100

Interesting that Nufarm has been sold to Australia – NZ companies being hocked off before our eyes and our NZ companies being closed without anyone noticing.

No wonder governments like to concentrate on taxing the middle class, the billionaires related to government are just getting a free ride and richer and richer, taking more NZ companies off shore and makes the National party NZ tax haven status make sense now.
MikeG 2

12 May 2016 at 2:15 pm

I don’t understand this sentence:
“The largest shareholder, Amalgamated Dairies, with around a third of the company, is also a company controlled by the Goodfellow family, which is credited with setting up the entity that today is known as Fonterra.”

Wasn’t Fonterra created by merging Kiwi Dairy, NZ Dairy Group and NZ Dairy Board?
- Frank Stark 2.1
  
  12 May 2016 at 3:17 pm
  
  This from NBR’s Rich List on the Goodfellows:
  The Goodfellow family has been credited with pretty much kick-starting the New Zealand dairy industry as we know it – launching the cooperative model that is the basis of this country’s biggest company, Fonterra. It started under Sir William Goodfellow’s charge, then passed into the hands of his son, Douglas, who diversified family interests into fishing, food, finance, property, clothing and engineering. Following Douglas’s death, at age 97, last year – the mantle passes to his sons: Bruce Goodfellow and National Party president Peter Goodfellow.
- Ian 2.2
  
  12 May 2016 at 7:25 pm
  
  Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good smear.
adam 3

12 May 2016 at 2:20 pm

And this is just one of the reasons that the labour movement had a international out look. The Tory capitalist classes do, we should too.

Once again thanks for a great piece Simon.
- Chooky 3.1
  
  12 May 2016 at 5:46 pm
  
  +100
- RedLogix 3.2
  
  13 May 2016 at 8:02 am
  
  And this is just one of the reasons that the labour movement had a international out look.
  
  And the capitalists rushed to fill the vacuum we left.
  
  Another highly polished and professional contribution from Simon. We’re damned lucky to have someone of his calibre.
NZJester 4

12 May 2016 at 2:47 pm

Ways to make money from New Zealand.
Step 1: Buy New Zealand company with a good reputation that is lacking a bit of cash.
Step 2: Slowly start using the brand on cheaper made goods produced outside New Zealand.
Step 3: Run the New Zealand plants into the ground with lack of proper maintenance.
Step 4: Close the factory once it becomes to costly to repair, knowing a new Zealand company will not simply be able to buy it and start using it to compete with them.
Step 5: Move all the brands out of New Zealand to countries with even cheaper labor and keep profiting from the good reputation of the product brand name that New Zealand spend years building up.

The onshore part of the fishing industry has also been rundown and most of the fish just go directly out of our water without even coming to shore and value being added to them by processing.
- save nz 4.1
  
  13 May 2016 at 7:58 am
  
  +1 NZJester
  
  Step 6, have faulty non New Zealand products wearing the NZ name and destroy the brand name of NZ as being good reputation with high standards.
  Step 7, Further destroy NZ brand for producers still producing in NZ so they go under.
  Step 8, Bring in TPPA and not be allowed to label country of origin and take the lowest global standard as the standard to meet. Big companies sue governments and small companies can’t compete with the complexity of global rules and larger companies buying up the country and companies to asset strip them.
  Step 9, The lowest global standard prosper as they have nobbled the higher standards companies and choices and brands for consumers. The race to the bottom has ended and the .1% own everything and consumers just have a monoculture of choices.
Stuart Munro 5

12 May 2016 at 6:29 pm

“Captain, captain. What’ll you give me,
If I do sink the Sanford Reverie,
If I sink her in the low down, lonesome lowdown,
Sink her in the low down lonesome low.”
- Andrea 5.1
  
  12 May 2016 at 7:23 pm
  
  For Stuart: Absolute grief in the courts on any charge that has less adhesive than a sticky note, until your family is broken, you’re bankrupt, [RL: Deleted. Banned for one week], your name is mud and even WINZ won’t give you a pittance.
  
  ‘Bring it on…’
  - Stuart Munro 5.1.1
    
    13 May 2016 at 11:59 pm
    
    Your comment is pretty incoherent, but for the record I was in deepsea fishing. My life was ruined and there is absolutely nothing left you can do to me. But Sanford were not implicated in my professional demise – they are merely a parallel pool of extreme scumbaggery.
    
    1% of Japan’s fishery returns and employment – and clowns like these are the reason why.
Brian 6

13 May 2016 at 2:06 am

Yeah, their pretty guilty. Especially after the most recent court case.

http://postimg.org/image/mtrh6wegx/
Brian 7

13 May 2016 at 2:07 am

Remember that a big slavery case – or case for unpaid wages – has now been one.

And Sanford and very, very much complicit:

http://postimg.org/image/mtrh6wegx/

Comments are now closed

Articles RSS

Comments
Opinions

At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problem
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
4 hours ago

Nothing to sneer at
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 hours ago

Still on their bullshit
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
8 hours ago

Drawn
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
8 hours ago

A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
10 hours ago

Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECD
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
11 hours ago

Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to China
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
13 hours ago

A balanced and an unbalanced article
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
13 hours ago

Deeply unserious country
Every bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
13 hours ago

Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied… Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
13 hours ago

https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
15 hours ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
15 hours ago

HM Prison Aotearoa.
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
15 hours ago

Get Your Webworm Merch!
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
16 hours ago

Top OECD economist puts Willis between a rock and a hard place
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
18 hours ago

Media Link: “A View from Afar” on the moment of friction, and more.
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
1 day ago

Preposterous priorities – politicians preferred pastry
Newsroom writer Aaron Smale, in an article triggered by the High Court’s ruling on whether a sitting MP must respond to a summons to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal, reports on issues underpinning the tribunal’s urgent inquiry into the Government’s intention to remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

Climate Change: Forcing accountability in the UK
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
1 day ago

Other councils are keen to be next to strike a water deal with govt
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report: District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

Why India is key to heading off climate catastrophe
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Skeptical Science
1 day ago

Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen”
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limits
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

The post-Covid economy: is it in another long stagnation – and if so, why?
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

On the LTP 2024 Feedback
A few weeks ago Auckland Council released the results of consultation on the Long Term Plan (LTP) that occurred in March. With almost 28,000 submissions, it received the most feedback of any LTP in Auckland. It covered a wide range of topics soliciting feedback on different areas of council funded ...
Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
2 days ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, May 6
TL;DR: Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limits
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
2 days ago

I could be a Florist.
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
2 days ago

The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 12 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

Willis on defence
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
2 days ago

2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #18
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Skeptical Science
2 days ago

A prerequisite for Vulture Capitalism.
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
3 days ago

Early evening, April 30
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
3 days ago

Do Newsroom’s staff think they’re culturally superior to the rest of us? Are they arguing that A...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
3 days ago

Fun minor grudges
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
3 days ago

Bernard’s dawn chorus for Saturday, May 4 and pick ‘n’ mix for the weekend
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
4 days ago

The Dark Side and the Rebel Alliance.
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
4 days ago

Imaginary mandate, imaginary leadership
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Verity, Ilfracombe ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
4 days ago

Winston Peters delivers a speech about NZ’s relationship with China but media focus on Bob Carr’...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
4 days ago

The Post-Covid Economy
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
4 days ago

An awkward coincidence!
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
4 days ago

The Israel/Palestinian metastasis.
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
4 days ago

27,000
That's the number of submissions received on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track legislation. Except its higher than that, because the number doesn't include form submissions, such as the 15,000 people who supported Forest & Bird's submission, or the 14,000 who supported Greenpeace. And so many people want to appear in person ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
4 days ago

MPs’ salaries – when is the best time to increase them?
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Genter under fire
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

New Treasury paper on the productivity slowdown supports the downgrading of forecasts
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
4 days ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Friday, May 3
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 9:26 am on Friday, May 3:Climate 'Ministerial override must go' - Hearings begin over fast-track bill RNZ Kate GreenPopulation: Labour hire firm struggling to find staff as Australia lures away workers. HireStaff ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Weekly Roundup 3-May-2024
Here we are in May already! And here are a few of the stories that caught our eye this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted that it’s been a decade since Auckland’s rail system was electrified. On Wednesday, Matt looked at AT’s rollout of new ways ...
Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
5 days ago

The Hoon around the week to May 3
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Pamphlets at Ten Paces.
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
5 days ago

A land without pier
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
5 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2024
Open access notables Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the face of climate change, climate literacy is becoming increasingly important. With wide access to generative AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we explore the potential ...
Skeptical Science
5 days ago

Ruckus over AUKUS – Labour demands Peters step down as Foreign Minister, but he still had the job ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

Secrecy undermines participation
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
5 days ago

Agribusiness following oil and gas playbook
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Here’s hoping they aren’t counting on a 100 per cent acceptance…
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

Gordon Campbell on unemployment, Winston Peters’ low boiling point and music criticism
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events: The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
5 days ago

TVNZ and poll results
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Mana or Money
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Thursday, May 2
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 11:10 am on Thursday, May 2:Scoop: Government sits on official advice on fast-track consent. The Ombudsman is investigating after official briefings on the contentious regime were held back despite requests from Forest ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

The Art of taking no Responsibility
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

The shabby “Parliamentary urgency” ploy – shaky foundations and why our democracy needs trust
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

Jones has made plain he isn’t fond of frogs (not the dim-witted ones, at least) – and now we lea...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the Beehive There we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

Infrastructure & home building slumping on Govt funding freeze
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

Brainwashed People Think Everyone Else is Brainwashed
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
6 days ago

Peters’ real foreign policy threat is Helen Clark
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
6 days ago

NZ’s trans lobby is fighting a rearguard action
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
Point of OrderBy gadams1000
6 days ago

Your mandate is imaginary
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

14,000 unemployed under National
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Bryce Edwards: Discontent and gloom dominate NZ’s political mood
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
6 days ago

Taking Tea with 42 & 38.
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
6 days ago

Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”. As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Winding back the hands of history’s clock
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
6 days ago

Business confidence sliding into winter of discontent
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
7 days ago

Gordon Campbell on the coalition’s awful, not good, very bad poll results
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
7 days ago

Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscations
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
Greens
7 hours ago

TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
NZ First Press Release
8 hours ago

Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgrade
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Labour Blog
14 hours ago

Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be released
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal pay
National has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under National
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cuts
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
Labour Blog
5 days ago

Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert Martin
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live export
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fire
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
Greens
6 days ago

New unemployment figures paint bleak picture
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Greens
6 days ago

Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment rises
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New Zealanders
Weekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreement
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle down
The Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicine
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACT
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial Day
Labour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass Graves
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac Day
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summons
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery funding
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Further environmental mismanagement on the cards
The Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environment
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management system
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise Palestine
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kind
The Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Three strikes has failed before and will fail again
Resurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Māori Party
2 weeks ago

Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freeze
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Fast-track submissions period must be extended
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Release: Progress on climate will be undone by Govt
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 hours ago

Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 hours ago

Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 hours ago

Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
9 hours ago

Daily school attendance data now available
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
10 hours ago

Ambassador to United States appointed
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
13 hours ago

New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
14 hours ago

NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
18 hours ago

New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

$1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

OECD reinforces need to control spending
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with Germany
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of Plenty
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Speech to New Zealand China Council
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi households
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Government recommits to equal pay
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Transforming how our children learn to read
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

NZ not backing down in Canada dairy dispute
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Streamlining Building Consent Changes
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Accelerating airport security lines
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Community hui to talk about kina barrens
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Mining resurgence a welcome sign
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government to boost public EV charging network
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Independent review into disability support services
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Speech – Eid al-Fitr
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

‘Repair colonial violence’ and support Gaza ceasefire, say Otago academics
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
1 hour ago

Expelling students for bad behaviour seems like the obvious solution, but is it really a good idea?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Green MP Julie Anne Genter responds after behaviour in the House, florist's accusations
"I can do better," she says, acknowledging the need to work on her de-escalation strategy. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

If the RBA’s right, interest rates may not fall for another year. Here’s why – and what it mea...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

‘Eye watering’ spending, growing debt make up surprisingly generous Victorian state budget
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Budgeting service cuts: 'It's like watching a train derail'
With some services facing closure after missing out on the latest government funding, there are for some of NZ's most vulnerable. ...
Radio NZ – political
3 hours ago

Coalition demands amendments to government’s deportation bill, as crucial High Court judgement set...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

MP's comments 'bang on' despite negative response from other parties – Te Pāti...
Te Pāti Māori is standing by comments made by MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi which other parties have called inflammatory and offensive. ...
Radio NZ – political
6 hours ago

A story of trauma, hope and regaining control, Nayika: A Dancing Girl is soul-stirring dance theatre
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

'Pretty dire' situation for patients as junior doctors strike over pay cuts
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Radio NZ – political
7 hours ago

How does the drug abemaciclib treat breast cancer?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

How a filmmaker, a pile of old shells and a bunch of amateurs are bringing our oyster reefs back
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Official 2023 election result final check done in a few hours, under extreme pressure
The rushed assessment, which failed to identify multiple errors in the official results, would normally take two days. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Curious Kids: what stops meteors hitting Earth and hurting people?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

From pride rounds to rainbow guernseys, sports can be smarter when it comes to diversity and inclusi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Grand designs? Why many Australian architects say their career makes them unhappy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Naomi Stead, Director of the Design and Creative Practice Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT, RMIT University SORN340 Studio Images/Shutterstock For years there have been suggestions of widespread poor wellbeing among architects. In many ways this is not surprising. It’s well established the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

Don’t embarrass the boss
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
NewsroomBy Tim Murphy
8 hours ago

Green MP Julie Anne Genter referred to Privileges Committee
Gerry Brownlee referred her to the Privileges Committee over complaints about her behaviour in the House. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

Six telling tidbits from the review of vote-counting errors at the 2023 election
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period during which we waited, and waited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
The SpinoffBy Alice Neville
9 hours ago

Government begins weekly reporting of school attendance figures
Schools should aim to have 94 percent of their pupils in class every day, David Seymour says. ...
Radio NZ – political
9 hours ago

A ‘blistering’ ‘tour de force’: Australia loves After the Party too
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party. When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
The SpinoffBy Tara Ward
9 hours ago

Iran is gaining credibility in the Muslim world and feeling emboldened. This doesn’t bode well for...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

‘Uncanny notes that plague this place’: Hagstone by Sinéad Gleeson, reviewed
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events. When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
The SpinoffBy Claire Mabey
10 hours ago

Bougainville ‘other avenues’ report ‘sensationalised’, claims Makiba
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
10 hours ago

Government on track for increased deficit despite fall in spending – Treasury
The government books are worsening as a fall in tax outpaces cuts to spending, leaving it on course to post a sizable deficit. ...
Radio NZ – political
11 hours ago

Luxon and Mitchell weren’t mixed up, they were using girl maths
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game. Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.” Some think that’s ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
12 hours ago

Interim Financial Statements Of The Government Of New Zealand For The Nine Months Ended 31 March 20...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Scoop politics
12 hours ago

NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle, who wanted to keep his pay as councillor pay too, changes his mind
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Radio NZ – political
12 hours ago

Jamie Arbuckle MP – Re: My Position As Marlborough District Councillor
This is my fifth term as a Marlborough District Councillor, I am passionate about local issues, and I will continue to work hard for my community. ...
Scoop politics
12 hours ago

Adding gender to the Human Rights Act – what’s the big deal?
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
The SpinoffBy Paul Thistoll
12 hours ago

Carmel Sepuloni believed to be contestant on new season's Celebrity Treasure Island
The new season of Celebrity Treasure Island is due to hit New Zealand screens later this year. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

The cost of being: A flatting student who’s saving for more tattoos
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
The SpinoffBy The Cost of Being
14 hours ago

'He got it mixed up' – PM backs Corrections Minister despite announcement muddle
The prime minister is backing Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell, saying he "quickly clarified" a confusing media conference announcement. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

How the fast-track law could expose future NZ governments to expensive trade disputes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

Crisis of faith: why Australian women have so little trust in religious institutions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

Terminal lucidity: why do loved ones with dementia sometimes ‘come back’ before death?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

Making merry: how we brought Melbourne’s Merri Creek back from pollution, neglect and weeds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

This group rid one Australian river of its privet problem – and strengthened community along the w...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonia Graham, DECRA Fellow, University of Wollongong Lekali Studio/Shutterstock Privet is a popular garden hedge. It grows quickly and responds well to being pruned. But in natural areas, privet is a problem. Like 72% of weeds in Australia, privet escaped ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

Australian artists only earn $23,200 a year from their art – and are key financial investors in ke...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
14 hours ago

Experts Sign Open Letter To Legalise Drugs In New Zealand
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
Scoop politics
14 hours ago

Politics live: Mark Mitchell, Christopher Luxon face questions after Corrections confusion
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
Radio NZ – political
15 hours ago

Messy press conference prompts correction over Corrections funding
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
15 hours ago

Politics live: Mark Mitchell, Christopher Luxon face questions after confusion Corrections
The Prime Minister and Corrections Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about their $1.9 billion planned prison spend-up. ...
Radio NZ – political
16 hours ago

Young Star burns bright for her Fiji family
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. She’d been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Auckland’s Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
NewsroomBy Merryn Anderson
16 hours ago

Plucky Foodstuffs crushed by the iron fist of big bicycle
The beloved local grocers lost a legal challenge to stop a new cycleway outside their store. Joel MacManus reports. In the annals of New Zealand legal history, there are a few brave people who have dared to stand up to the powers that be, no matter how bleak the odds ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
18 hours ago

Seven graphs that show where New Zealand’s food comes from… and where it goes
How what we produce and what we eat connects us to the world beyond our shores, visualised. Walking around a supermarket or vege shop, it might be obvious that everything on the shelves came from somewhere. But you might ...
The SpinoffBy Shanti Mathias
18 hours ago

Meridian Energy: no need to ‘engage’ locals ahead of fast-track applications
For projects of national significance, the energy giant recommends applicants need only “notify” those potentially affected The post Meridian Energy: no need to ‘engage’ locals ahead of fast-track applications appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Fox Meyer
18 hours ago

How Kiwis are getting their families out of Palestine
Mohammed paid $70,000 to get his 10 family members into Egypt. They still don’t have a clear way into New Zealand. The post How Kiwis are getting their families out of Palestine appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Fox Meyer
18 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 7 May
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 7 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
18 hours ago

On the legendary Phil Wood of Phil Wood Menswear, Westport
The following interview with auto electrician and former caver Stu Berendt, 68, of Charleston on the West Coast, came about because he was part of the caving team that found the rare and amazing fossil remains of the giant Haast eagle, the subject of one of the year’s best books, ...
NewsroomBy Steve Braunias
18 hours ago

The economic case against conscription
Opinion: How economists helped to end slavery and conscription in the US and elsewhere The post The economic case against conscription appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Dr Eric Crampton
18 hours ago

Can Pharmac do more with the same pot of money?
A $1.8b funding boost for Pharmac still won’t enable it to buy more drugs, raising questions about the Government’s approach to the agency The post Can Pharmac do more with the same pot of money? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
18 hours ago

National progressing changes to NZ Super’s ownership rules
Labour early last year introduced a bill to allow New Zealand’s pension fund to own more than half of a company or asset The post National progressing changes to NZ Super’s ownership rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
18 hours ago

Q&A – avian influenza H5N1
Professor Jemma Geoghegan, of the University of Otago, Otakou Whakaihu Waka, co-leads a Te Niwha project aimed at understanding how and where avian influenza could affect Aotearoa New Zealand, as the highly infectious H5N1 virus spreads globally. The virus has now spread to all continents except Oceania and was recently ...
NewsroomBy Dr Jemma Geoghegan
18 hours ago

The repressive underside of Rwanda’s regime
Thirty years on from Rwanda’s genocide, is guilt over the atrocities is blinding the world to the true nature of its current leadership? The post The repressive underside of Rwanda’s regime appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
18 hours ago

World shines a light on NZ’s human rights breaches
Opinion: Last week, important recommendations for our criminal justice system were made by the international community. Every five years, each member of the United Nations has its human rights practices reviewed. This rolling event – the Universal Periodic Review – is the culmination of a government reporting on its human ...
NewsroomBy Christine McCarthy
18 hours ago

The mutant bird flu lurking on our borders
Highly pathogenic avian influenza – H5N1, or bird flu – has been flying around the world since the late 1990s. New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands are so far free of it, but now it’s been discovered in mainland Antarctica and scientists say it’s only a matter of time ...
NewsroomBy Alexia Russell
18 hours ago

Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
22 hours ago

Tackling Pacific media’s crucial role in climate crisis and press freedom
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
23 hours ago

QANTAS has finally settled its ‘ghost flights’ lawsuit for $120 million. What’s next?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Contradictions and confusion: More questions than answers at government press conference
The Prime Minister and Corrections Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about their $1.9 billion planned prison spend-up. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

A View from Afar: Buchanan and Manning – A moment of friction
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
Evening ReportBy Selwyn Manning
1 day ago

Can I take your order – and your data? The hidden reason retailers are replacing staff with AI bot...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic and Visitor, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology Linus Zoll / Google DeepMind / Unsplash You might have seen viral videos of Wendy’s drive-thru customers in the United States ordering their fast food from the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

The steamiest movie of the year has almost no sex in it. How did Challengers do it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Taylor, Assistant Professor, Bond University Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures At the crux of the critical response to Luca Guadagnino’s new movie Challengers is one word: “sexy”. The film charts a love triangle between three up-and-coming tennis players: Tashi (Zendaya), ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

The Australian public service is letting Indigenous people down. How do we fix it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Stewart, Professor of Public Policy, ADFA Canberra, UNSW Sydney For years, First Nations people have been telling governments they want to be listened to. In particular, they want more ownership of the programs and services that are supposed to help them. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Curious Kids: why do trees have bark?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Why do trees have bark? Julien, age 6, Melbourne. This is a great question, Julien. We are so familiar with bark on trees, that most of us ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announces $1.9 billion plan to make NZ safer
The Prime Minister says there will be a "significant investment" in funding for frontline Corrections staffing and services. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Surgery is the default treatment for ACL injuries in Australia. But it’s not the only way
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament in the knee. It runs from the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and helps stabilise ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Inflation, education and productivity: Some of the problems NZ needs to fix, according to the OECD
The country is being told it needs to get inflation under control, balance the books, raise educational achievement, and lift productivity. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's post-Cabinet update
Watch RNZ's livestream of the press conference and follow our blog for all the latest updates. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Voluntary redundancies at Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment bring its tally of job los...
The latest round of voluntary redundancies at the ministry has lifted RNZ's count of public sector job cuts to more than 4000. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

UK Tories perform badly at local elections; Labor still narrowly ahead in Australian polls
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne I covered the May 2 United Kingdom local government elections for The Poll Bludger. The Blackpool South parliamentary byelection was also held, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Hundreds of cities have achieved zero road deaths in a year. Here’s how they did it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Mclaughlin, Adjunct Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Matthew Mclaughlin It’s National Road Safety Week and it comes on the back of a year in which 1,286 people died on Australian roads. The rising road toll – up 8.2% ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

What does the new Commonwealth Prac Payment mean for students? Will it do enough to end ‘placement...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Grant-Smith, Professor of Management, University of the Sunshine Coast The federal government has announced a “Commonwealth Prac Payment” to support selected groups of students doing mandatory work placements. Those who are studying to be a teacher, nurse, midwife or social ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Education, productivity and emissions: Three big problems NZ needs to fix, according to the OECD
Economic growth is sluggish - and the problems are a familiar list. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

National Party President selling out?

Related Posts

14 comments on “National Party President selling out? ”

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

National Party President selling out?

Share this:

Related Posts

14 comments on “National Party President selling out? ”

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

Share this:

Related Posts

Share this:

Related Posts

Share this:

Related Posts

Share this:

Related Posts