National willfully stupidly blind on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, November 20th, 2015 - 98 comments
Categories: accountability, bill english, climate change, disaster, global warming, national, useless - Tags: , , , ,

The global warning signs are now flashing bright red:

Record-crushing October keeps Earth on track for hottest year in 2015

It was Earth’s warmest October ever recorded and it wasn’t even close. The record-shattering month was right in step with most of the preceding months in 2015 — which is positioned to easily rank as the warmest year on record.

New data from the Japan Meteorological Agency and NASA show that the planet obliterated October records established just last year. October 2015 out-baked October 2014 by 0.34 degrees (0.19 Celsius) and 0.32 degrees (0.18 Celsius) in JMA and NASA’s analyses, respectively.

temperature-october-2015

The seas will rise:

Scientists predict huge sea level rise even if we limit climate change

Even if world manages to limit global warming to 2C — the target number for current climate negotiations — sea levels may still rise at least 6 meters (20 ft) above their current heights, radically reshaping the world’s coastline and affecting millions in the process.

That finding comes from a new paper published on Thursday in Science that shows how high sea levels rose the last time carbon dioxide levels were this high.
…
Sea levels have already risen about eight inches (200mm) compared to pre-industrial times. That rise has helped boost the surge and flooding damage from storms such as Sandy and Typhoon Haiyan, and dramatically increased the occurrence of everyday flooding during high tide in cities from Baltimore to Honolulu.

The most recent projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that if emissions continue on their current trend, sea levels could continue to rise another 39 in by the end of this century.

By 2050, 26 major US cities will face an “emerging flooding crisis.” Globally, storm damage could cost cities from Hong Kong to Dhaka to New York trillions annually unless adaptation measures are taken. According to Climate Central estimates, 150 million or more people are currently living on land that will either be submerged or exposed to chronic flooding by 2100.

But sea level rise isn’t going to just turn off after 2100 and according to climate scientists, current greenhouse gases are baking much more than three feet of sea level rise into the system. …

Some people in NZ understand this:

Up to 9000 coastal homes in danger from rising sea levels

New Zealand needs to completely overhaul the way it is preparing for rising sea levels, the Government’s environmental watchdog says, as up to 9000 coastal homes sit precariously close to the high water mark.

A newly released report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright also says the Government needs to start preparing for the huge potential cost of rising oceans driven by climate change, which could lead to the “managed retreat” of coastal communities to higher ground.

“Continuing sea level rise is not something that might happen – it is already happening, will accelerate, and will continue for the indefinite future,” Dr Wright wrote in her report.

“Homes, businesses and infrastructure worth billions of dollars have been built on low-lying land close to the coast.

“Rising sea levels will have major impacts in many places. In time, coastal land will become uninhabitable.”

A total of 9000 homes were less than 50cm above spring high tides, Dr Wright’s report said. Thousands more were within a metre of this threshold. …

Some people in NZ don’t understand this at all – or pretend not to:

Bil English rejects call to budget for the costs of sea level rises

Finance Minister Bill English says the Government will not budget for the costs of rising sea levels, despite a call from Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright to plan for the cost.
…
But English said he would not be including sea level rise as a fiscal risk in the Budget “in a hurry”. He said Wright’s report was “pretty speculative” both on the level of sea level rise and the likely cost that would incur – and whether that would change any decisions.
…
English said the Government was not ignoring the report, but the Government was dealing with all sorts of risks all the time and this one was “a bit speculative” and others were more immediate and costly. …

Other risks may well be more immediate, but none will be more costly. The Nats are willfully, stupidly blind to the unfolding climate crisis, and they are going to leave all the risks and costs to future governments. Fucking typical.

98 comments on “National willfully stupidly blind on climate change ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Robert Atack 1
    20 November 2015 at 7:41 am

    As far as climate change goes SLR is one of the least of our problems. Humans will be long gone before we see the massive SLR that is locked in with the current 700ppm CO2/CO2e. The coastal regions will become toxic to most mammals as the oceans turn anoxic. As we are seeing loss of human habitat is going to be the killer )

    Oceanic anoxic events or anoxic events (anoxia conditions) refer to intervals in the Earth’s past where portions of oceans become depleted in oxygen (O2) at depths over a large geographic area. During some of these events, euxinia develops – euxinia refers to anoxic waters that contain H2S hydrogen sulfide.[2] Although anoxic events have not happened for millions of years, the geological record shows that they happened many times in the past. Anoxic events coincide with several mass extinctions and may contribute to these events.[3] These mass extinctions include some that geobiologists use as time markers in biostratigraphic dating.[4] It is believed oceanic anoxic events are strongly linked to slowing of ocean circulation, climatic warming and elevated levels of greenhouse gases. Researchers have proposed enhanced volcanism (the release of CO2) as the “central external trigger for euxinia”.

  2. vto 2
    20 November 2015 at 8:22 am

    So not a surprise

    The National Party’s main group of supporter, farmers, do exactly the same too so wtf should we expect?

    This is the type of people they are

    • Tracey 2.1
      20 November 2015 at 10:31 am

      Not just farmers vto, their corporate supporters… also rely on in action to maintain profitt levels. The way some businesses think, WHEN TSHTF they won’t be in charge anymore it will be someone else’s problem.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1
        20 November 2015 at 10:55 am

        The way some businesses think, WHEN TSHTF they won’t be in charge anymore it will be someone else’s problem.

        Or they’ll be thinking that they’ll be able to make a huge profit on it.

    • b waghorn 2.2
      20 November 2015 at 12:58 pm

      Given that national s support would be the urban voters that put them in power its more likely its there polling that’s telling them they don’t have to act.
      But you keep beating you’re little farmer hate drum if it floats you’re boat.

  3. Steve Withers 3
    20 November 2015 at 9:07 am

    The problem may well be National’s own voters.

    Let’s say seal level rise will, in 15-20 years, begin to flood the most low-lying homes frequently enough that they clearly aren’t livable in the near future. At that point, the public…including the slow-pokes among us – will be able to clearly see a problem that requires a solution.

    But today? What is National going to say to say to its base? “We have to start getting ready to move you from your homes in 20 years”? That is all cost and no win for any political conservative party. It’s own voters won’t support it and anyone who does won’t be voting for National.

    Cynical or not….until National’s own voters become prudent, thoughtful people nothing much will change. Almost by definition, that means nothing much can change unless the government changes.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.1
      20 November 2015 at 10:57 am

      +1

    • weka 3.2
      20 November 2015 at 11:06 am

      The Dunedin City Council earlier in the year basically said that the whole suburb of St Clair would have to be relocated due to sea level rise. That’s not an announcement to be made in 2035, it was made in 2015.

      National’s problem is that they’re ideologically blind and they simply don’t care about the common good. I think that’s a modern thing, not the same as old school conservatism. So CC is seen as real but something for later people to deal with.

      There’s no reason why National couldn’t talk to its consituency along the lines of CC is going to seriously negatively affect business, productivity, profit etc so we need to do something now. The reason they don’t do that is not because of the voters, it’s because it will lessen profit in the short term and it will mean giving up some power.

      • left for deadshark 3.2.1
        20 November 2015 at 1:44 pm

        I should think you mean St Kilda. weka

        • weka 3.2.1.1
          20 November 2015 at 3:46 pm

          Hmm, do I? I always get those two mixed up, so you might be right. Wouldn’t it be all of the flat behind the dunes, which presumably covers bits of bother suburbs? What I meant was the flat land there.

          • BM 3.2.1.1.1
            20 November 2015 at 3:56 pm

            These houses are built on reclaimed coastal wet lands.
            Not the smartest place to build.

            Might pay for the Dunedin city council to have a look at the Netherlands and their dike system.

            • McFlock 3.2.1.1.1.1
              20 November 2015 at 4:11 pm

              Being Captain Hindsight doesn’t actually address the problem.

              And for many years thate reclaimed land was fine. Now drainage problems are becoming long term and serious, rather than occasionally inconvenient.

            • weka 3.2.1.1.1.2
              20 November 2015 at 5:18 pm

              “Might pay for the Dunedin city council to have a look at the Netherlands and their dike system.”

              I take it you don’t know the beach in South Dunedin then and the problems that it causes. Nor how close the suburb is to the water table beneath. This isn’t something that can be fixed by dykes.

              • tracey …
                20 November 2015 at 5:51 pm

                Sounds like a capitalist scam BM. Selling properties unfit for purpose.Maybe he thinks Lesbians are the answer?

              • left for deadshark …
                21 November 2015 at 12:23 pm

                I don’t know how I buggered my last reply to you weka, it is about somewhere here though, all good. 😉

          • left for deadshark 3.2.1.1.2
            21 November 2015 at 11:22 am

            you had it right in your eyes mind. 🙂

            • left for deadshark 3.2.1.1.2.1
              21 November 2015 at 11:27 am

              you had it right in your eyes mind. 🙂

              edit : crap, I must have meant minds eye. I’m dyslexic

  4. vto 4
    20 November 2015 at 9:08 am

    You know what the funny thing is?

    The conservatives will finally catch up to the hippies and jump on board the climate change thing…

    Just like conservatives are always behind the hippies….

    Examples: solar power, living on Waiheke Coro Matakana, organic food, the list is long

    Conservatives are always slow. Bill English is slow again now. Bill English will one day catch up with the hippies…

    … such a shame and a waste of time that the conservatives cannot see this pattern and adjust

    come on Bill English, open your eyes to history, and hence the future

    • Steve Withers 4.1
      20 November 2015 at 9:16 am

      That would require insight……not a thing the folks on the Right are famous for, unfortunately. Often clever tactically about achieving ends that – strategically – are counterproductive for society in general.

      • vto 4.1.1
        20 November 2015 at 10:00 am

        “Often clever tactically about achieving ends ”

        Yes they are. Shame those skills don’t go together with insight and understanding of the planet and its occupants

  5. esoteric pineapples 5
    20 November 2015 at 9:12 am

    And no one’s even talking about ocean acidification which is a massive disaster for the planet on its own. Many acquatic species will no longer be able to produce the shells for their bodies which will see a collapse in the food chain pyramid.

    • Steve Withers 5.1
      20 November 2015 at 9:20 am

      A potentially bigger (well…more immediate) issue is bacterial resistance. A gene has now been detected in bacteria in pigs and humans in China that enables bacteria – from E Coli to Listeria – to acquire immunity more easily to anti-biotics, including our current ‘last resort’ anti-biotics. This could kill millions long before the consequences of climate change become acute. If our government was making that a priority…..and providing for it now….I’d understand such a trade-off.

      http://www.dw.com/en/scientists-discover-new-antibiotic-resistant-gene-mcr-1-in-china/a-18861469

      • Colonial Viper 5.1.1
        20 November 2015 at 11:26 am

        worth remembering that microbes have been conducting chemical warfare/defence against each other for hundreds of millions of years…we’re just newcomers to this game with our newfangled chemical compounds.

      • greywarshark 5.1.2
        20 November 2015 at 11:37 am

        It means that many of the procedures and big ops would no longer be safe to carry out so that though we had the knowledge and expertise of people and technology the invisible nasties would be waiting to invade and kill us.

    • Tracey 5.2
      20 November 2015 at 10:32 am

      Some humans don’t understand they are part of an ecosystem, and if enough of that system dies, the chain collapses and money won’t help at that point.

  6. Detrie 6
    20 November 2015 at 9:44 am

    Long term thinking, especially around the environment [and health and education] is never a priority or consideration of national, especially if any investment is needed. ‘Left leaning’ academics, medical, education and environmental people always have less influence than say local farmers, cost accountants or treasury staff. Short term, selfish politics is the norm…. The next generation will have to sort it out, somehow.

  7. Sabine 7
    20 November 2015 at 9:57 am

    peeps in Croatia going to the beach in November cause its somewhere betweeb 5 – 15 + t’was always like this.
    peeps in Bavaria going to sit outside in cafes in Novemeber at 14+ degrees? t’was always like this.
    peeps in NZ wearing winter clothes in Novembe at less then 10+ degrees? t’was always like this.
    peeps in St. Etienne de Tinnee France, altitude 1200 m, has a forcast of 5.5+ and 90% humidity, it should be snowing. It is not.

    nothing to see here, move along …….

  8. infused 8
    20 November 2015 at 10:03 am

    NZ cutting emissions ain’t gona stop the sea from rising.

  9. Chooky 9
    20 November 2015 at 10:45 am

    Naomi Klein’s book ‘This Changes Everything- Capitalism vs the Climate’

    …states it very clearly, with example after example, why we can not get definitive action on climate change from corporate capitalism…or such political parties or such organisations

    ( any Green Party or Green organisation that fails to recognise this is doomed to failure)

    …corporate capitalism and its political parties is the problem

    ( I would add overpopulation is also the problem …but corporate capitalism demands this for its markets and profits)

    http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/22/this-changes-everything-review-naomi-klein-john-gray

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomi_Klein

    • Colonial Viper 9.1
      20 November 2015 at 11:57 am

      yep. Lots of lefties seem to think that keeping capitalism, keeping political parties of the establishment, keeping consumerism and keeping the market economy intact – but regulating it all a bit better – can somehow be congruent with successfully dealing with climate change and fossil fuel depletion.

      Time we wake up from that little pleasant self delusion.

      My opinion is that unless we have a near total revolution in our present day economic arrangements, we’re fucked.

      And I tend towards Robert Atack’s line – that nothing like that will happen because the ruling elite like things the way they are, so its basically all over: chaotic disorganised coping for as long and as well as we can is what we will have left.

      • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1
        20 November 2015 at 1:26 pm

        that nothing like that will happen because the ruling elite like things the way they are, so its basically all over

        …corporate capitalism and its political parties is the problem

        We cannot afford the rich.

        • infused 9.1.1.1
          20 November 2015 at 1:49 pm

          You can’t not afford them either.

          • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.1.1
            20 November 2015 at 2:26 pm

            Get rid of the rich and we have no more poverty, jobs are no longer at the whim of people who demand tribute and the environment gets to be protected.

          • tracey 9.1.1.1.2
            20 November 2015 at 6:05 pm

            Coincidentally the majority right by the sea vote National. We dont know that… Lets give it a try.

            THINK OF THE CHILDREN

            • Stuart Munro 9.1.1.1.2.1
              20 November 2015 at 10:35 pm

              One final push and we can drive our enemies before us until we hear the lamentations of their women, or until they reach the sea.

              And NZ can begin repairing the damage these f**kwits have done to our country… only 50 years of average Cullen surpluses to pay off the debt accumulated by grossly, culpably, incompetent crook Bill English.

              • Colonial Viper …
                21 November 2015 at 9:32 am

                Cullen surpluses are nothing to crow about. All he did was swap increasing private sector and household debt levels for decreasing government debt levels.

                Both Labour and National follow the paradigm of using debt as the way to supply the economy with new money.

        • Chooky 9.1.2.1
          20 November 2015 at 10:59 pm

          +100…interesting article ( human solutions , if there are any, will come from thinkers like Doug Renwick ….or maybe Gaia will wreck her own revenge…maybe in the form of an antibiotic resistance crisis…or an atmospherically uninhabitable planet for humans )

          …imo the Left as in political parties internationally ( not just in New Zealand) have got to get some accord/agreement on climate change strategies…and then move as a concerted force ( after-all the parties of the corporate capitalism Right do just this)

          … the issue of climate change is too important to be left to one political party eg Greens …it must become the biggest issue for the largest political parties eg Labour in New Zealand

          ( in Australia the Labour Party under Kevin Rudd took a leading role on climate change on the international stage with the Copenhagen 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_United_Nations_Climate_Change_Conference).

          …the issue MUST be addressed internationally by women

          …overpopulation (due to lack of emancipation and womens’ rights in the third world) is a major component of climate change

      • Robert Atack 9.1.3
        21 November 2015 at 9:19 am

        All I’m doing is pointing out how fucked it all is, this web page goes a long way to confirm all I’m saying, but alas with over 6 hours of video, it is way way to much info for the pig ignorant masses or politicians
        http://paulbeckwith.net/work-of-others/

  10. Rosemary McDonald 10
    20 November 2015 at 12:50 pm

    An excellent discussion on Natrad this morning about this.

    Real experts, first hand experience of dealing with rising sea levels.

    Very interesting was the Mayor of Dunedin talking about the recent flooding in South Dunedin.

    The sea had caused the ground water levels to rise to the point where falling rain could no longer soak into the ground.

    http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20151120-0909-modest_sea_level_rise_will_severly_impact_areas_of_nz-00.ogg

    The Mayor is not a happy chappy….

    • b waghorn 10.1
      20 November 2015 at 1:07 pm

      He was on henry this morning , henry suggested maybe he shouldn’t worry about it as he wouldn’t be mayor in fifty years thereby encapsulating the whole right wimg mentality to governance.!

      • Rosemary McDonald 10.1.1
        20 November 2015 at 1:24 pm

        Central Government needs to take the lead was the gist…and I believe I heard the Mayor use the word “shit” towards the tail end of his section.

        Natrad, despite some of its programming indicating otherwise, IS doing good work bringing some of these issues to the fore.

        They at least allow time for some seriously serious discussion.

        Unlike Henry’s ego pumping sessions.

        (I speak from hearsay…I do not watch telly.)

      • McFlock 10.1.2
        20 November 2015 at 5:58 pm

        I suspect that in the next 5 – 15 years there will actually be a tipping point in global politics to actually do something about the various problems, especially as more refugees enter OECD nations as a result of water wars.

        Whether that results in a “hail mary” solution in time that forestalls the catastrophic 50% collapse in global population that some people are predicting, or we end up with a soylent green scenario – that’s up in the air at the moment, imo.

        • b waghorn 10.1.2.1
          20 November 2015 at 6:34 pm

          I love you’re optimism but if it gets real rough humanity will descend into a dark age like non other (look at the sort of shit trump gets away with saying).

          • McFlock 10.1.2.1.1
            20 November 2015 at 6:50 pm

            lol if trump gets to be president then there’s a serious increase in the probability that global warming will be negated by a nuclear winter.

            I wouldn’t put certain odds on it, but I’d expect the domesday clock to be adjusted towards midnight.

    • tracey 10.2
      20 November 2015 at 6:06 pm

      But they cant be more expert than Messrs Key and English on this topic?????

    • greywarshark 10.3
      20 November 2015 at 6:23 pm

      I remember two things that impressed me on listening to the Dunedin South piece on RadioNZ (!) this morning. One was a woman putting off thinking about the evil to come, and saying Jonah Lomu is on everyone’s mind at present.

      The other was a keen chappie who has 10 rentals there. That’s not bad but his attitude was and the comment that he wasn’t a Greenie but thought that something might have to be done because of the flooding. Obviously a capitalist, the first thing he thought of was that the Council should be taking measures to protect the area and his investment!

      This is the smart thinking of the aspirational National RW types. Don’t walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, ride on their shoulders and let them get the dirty (wet) feet.

      • b waghorn 10.3.1
        20 November 2015 at 6:28 pm

        Once all those “baches” start falling into the sea there owners will rapidly become socialists so that us mere mortals can help pay to protect there investments.

  11. Murray Simmonds 11
    20 November 2015 at 3:13 pm

    Thanks for posting the Links Rosemary – a very interesting and useful set of interviews.

    its easy to see where Blinglish is coming from on this important issue – if it doesn’t contribute to his much-vaunted balance of payments surplus then it just simply isn’t an issue worth bothering about!

    Political myopia.

    • tracey 11.1
      20 November 2015 at 6:07 pm

      I suspect his knife edge surplus is behind the retrospective beneficiary legislation this week.

  12. Murray Simmonds 12
    21 November 2015 at 4:25 pm

    yep Tracey that’s pretty much a certainty. What interested me is that, if I got this right, the retrospective beneficiary clouting was all wrapped up with the legislation “Under Urgency” to get something sorted to handle the Christmas island returnees. The benefit changes were kinda sneaked thru in the hope that no one would notice??

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    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
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