National’s carbon budget is a crock

Written By: - Date published: 7:26 pm, July 18th, 2024 - 16 comments
Categories: climate change, Environment, ETS, national, same old national, science - Tags:

It is now clear why Simon Watts rushed out a three page brochure setting out what this Government’s response to climate change will be.

He knew that the latest Climate Change Emissions Reduction Plan was coming out for consultation. It looks like National wanted to have something they could use to fill the Minister’s introduction to the plan.

Otherwise it was going to be really grim. Because in decision after decision National has wound back decisions the last Labour Government made to move the country onto a path where we could at least meet our international obligations to do something about climate change.

The recently released draft plan confirms this. Basically National has taken us backwards at a time when the country’s attempts to address greenhouse gas emissions should be surging.

This RNZ article by Eloise Gibson sets out the details.

From her article:

The emissions picture is worse than it was a year ago, partly because the government has not announced enough new policies to counter the long-term impact of ditching Labour-era climate policies, and developments it doesn’t control, such as Tiwai Point aluminium smelter staying open.

As things stand, the country is on track to comfortably meet its first emissions budget (2022-2025) and narrowly meet its second budget (2026-2030), though not as comfortably as it was on track for a year ago.

The third budget (2031-2035) looks set to be missed by around 17 million tonnes of emissions, under middle-of-the-road assumptions about the economy and other things.

One tonne of carbon dioxide is equal to nine average car trips from Auckland to Wellington in a petrol car, and the country’s total emissions are currently around 70 million tonnes annually.

The projections have plenty of room for error, particularly looking further out, and were calculated differently than they were when Labour’s plan was assessed a year ago.

However a comparison table using the closest available figures suggests New Zealand was on track to over-perform on its third emissions budget a year ago, under policies in place as at July 2023.

As of July 2024, it is projected to miss that budget by around 17 million tonnes.

Her analysis of savings is as follows:

  • Targeting 10,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2030 (saving a maximum of 0.01 million tonnes of emissions in 2025-2030 and 0.2 million in 2030- 2035.)
  • Pricing agricultural emissions by 2030 and making emissions-cutting tools available to farmers (saving 0.1 million tonnes of emissions in 2025-2030 and 5.5 million by 2030-2035). Those higher reductions would depend on a methane-cutting supplement for cows and sheep arriving in the New Zealand market, while the policy of pricing farming emissions will happen five years later than proposed under Labour.
  • Investigating carbon capture and storage, for example gas companies catching and storing CO2 in empty oil and gas reservoirs (potentially saving 1.4 million tonnes of emissions in 2025-2030, and 3.2 million in 2030-2035).
  • Electrify NZ policy to reduce consenting barriers for renewable energy (saving 0.1 million tonnes of emissions in 2025-2030 and 1.6 million from 2030-2035).
  • Better public transport (saving 0.1 million tonnes of emissions from 2025-2030 and 0.3 million from 2030-2035). This including investing in projects such as Auckland busways. Notes with the document say some of this benefit might be undone by the government’s increased spending on roads.
  • Invest in resource recovery for processing organic waste through the Waste Minimisation Fund to reduce waste emissions (saving 1.3 million tonnes of emissions from 2025-2030 and 1.3 million from 2030-2035).
  • Improve organic waste and landfill gas capture by extending requirements to catch methane gas to more landfills (saving 1.1 tonnes of emissions from 2025-2030 and 1.4 million in 2030-2035).

Are you impressed? 4.11 million tonnes of emissions saved in the first perod. But 1.4 million of those rely on unproven carbon capture and storage and 2.7 million tonnes relies on things that were probably going to happen anyway. National’s remaining contributions are miniscule.

Compare this with the 4.8 million tonnes saved during the same period by the previous Government’s NZ Steel deal, a deal that National has bitterly opposed.

And the much derided clean car discount was estimated to save 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 a year which is 7.2 million tonnes over the period.

The plan is totally underwhelming. And clearly if National has its way the country’s emissions will go backward.

Eloise Gibson describes how much worse in this passage:

According to government projections, NZ is on track to be 6 million tonnes under budget from 2022-5, 2 million tonnes under budget from 2026-2030 but 17 million tonnes over budget in 2031 to 2035. That is significantly worse than the projection the same time a year ago. Some of this shift was caused by accounting changes, and different methods, however some of it is the result of policy changes under the Coalition.

A comparison table in the document shows emissions from 2022-5 will be 11 million tonnes higher under the government’s new proposed policies than estimated a year ago under Labour. From 2026-2030 they will be 19 million tonnes higher than under Labour policies from a year ago, but still with a good chance of being under budget. For 2030-2035 emissions will be higher by 24 million tonnes higher than estimated a year ago under Labour, and 17 million tonnes over budget.

I was cautiously proud of Labour that they had wrestled with the issue and had the country on the right track. More was needed but the country was moving in the right direction. It is clear that this Government if allowed will undo all the good that was achieved. And it is relying on untested technology to do most of the heavy lifting.

The cost will be significant. New Zealand is committed to purchasing carbon credits if it does not reduce emissions sufficiently. At $50 a tonne for the third period given the plan’s predictions the Government will need to pay out $850 million. And it could get worse, much worse.

This is why the NZ Steel deal was so good. It cost the Government $16.20 a tonne to abate NZ Steel’s emissions.

Submissions on the draft plan are now open and close on August 21, 2024.

Take the opportunity to comment. Tell the Government that its draft plan is totally underwhelming and very risky given that it relies on unproven technology. Beg the Government to return some of the policies of the previous Government that this Government with great relish has reversed.

And ask for the sake of our kids and grandkids that it gets real about climate change and the sorts of changes that need to be made if we are not going to cook the planet.

16 comments on “National’s carbon budget is a crock ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. PsyclingLeft.Always 1
    18 July 2024 at 8:20 pm

    unproven carbon capture and storage

    Absolutely. They are pushing all of this Climate Stuff out further and further….. when it needs action now.

    Professors/Scientists and others who actually know the urgency of our Planets situation…are in disbelief. I put some links on open mike here

    https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18-07-2024/#comment-2005029

    MS, Good on you. And I also think Labour were on the right track. Still I do think more mass protest marches like the one you attended, along with many thousands of concerned People are a positive way to fight back. Action !

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/environment/519013/thousands-protest-fast-track-approvals-bill-in-central-auckland

    Oh I did rate the Paddy and Siri sign…

    “Predator Free 2026″

    referencing the date of the next election, with the faces of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon along with Jones and Chris Bishop

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fast-track-approvals-bill-protesters-to-gather-in-aucklands-aotea-square/TKKB6NJTU5BX5NMLG3HWLSR26Q/

    : )

  2. lprent 2
    18 July 2024 at 11:03 pm

    The carbon capture and storage budget is a complete waste of time.

    No-one who knows the basic science thinks we are able to capture CO2 economically with any of the proposed techniques, and the probability of successful storage without over even short period like a few decades will even work. No-one even has a theoretical system to do it at scale and every project that has tried that over the past 3 decades has miserably failed.

    It just comes down to a relatively few corrupt knuckle heads who are willing to take investment money, mostly from fossil fuel companies, to present a scam and talk large on talk shows. Whereas we have known and economically viable techniques that just happen to inconvenience some peoples ability to realise value from their owned assets.

    Besides it'd take many decades to put any CCS solution into scale, and the risk of tripping over a unexpected tipping point is more likely to happen before then.

    …making emissions-cutting tools available to farmers…

    That old pile of bullshit again. That simply isn’t going to happen.

    Attempts to produce cattle and sheep or their feed to reduce methane production have been going on for more than 30 years now. They still haven't managed to find anything that works at scale. Yet somehow this is going magically happen in the next five years?

    National is indulging in magical thinking yet again. Just like they think that farming will be ready in 5 years to pay farming emissions. That is simply a another delaying tactic, it also does absolutely nothing to deal with their share of what they have already polluted the world with.

    Meanwhile they have been foisting all of the forward costs on to the 98% of the population who actually pay taxes including the ETS for tha last couple of decades and intend to continue into the future …

    The whole farming sector is most notable for its lack of ability to generate sustained profit for the economy and country. That is why you only ever hear about farming export revenue and never about the what its profitably levels are.

    Effectively the profit is sucked up by the interest required to pay escalated prices for farmland. That interest is mostly siphoned off by banks and other finance institutions to overseas investors. Farmers have effectively been farming mainly for capital gain since the 1990s, and any increases in farming efficiencies head there as well.

    • roblogic 2.1
      18 July 2024 at 11:42 pm

      Farming activity does have benefits to rural communities but if the associated costs are properly accounted for I seriously doubt that mass producing milk powder is a worthwhile enterprise.

      We do not properly manage the effluent of the national herd – equivalent to the shit of 20 million people into our waterways and coastal ecosystems.

      We ignore the carbon cost

      We ignore the cost of losing sovereignty to a rapacious trading 'partner'

      We ignore the social and economic cost of farmers trading against a global market stuffed with subsidies and dumping, trying to break even in the meantime, and not actually making money until the property is sold.

      This addiction to milk powder and the cargo cult mentality of farmers is corrosive to our democracy, they have shown a nasty resentment against Māori interests in water and land, and a gleeful indulgence in conspiracies, abuse against Jacinda, and driving tractors up and down the country to spread their divisive manure.

      Despite all that, voting Labour is actually in their best interests. Because Labour is more do-ey than hui, and unlike NACT1 they didn’t piss off our trading partners by breaking climate commitments.

      • lprent 2.1.1
        20 July 2024 at 8:47 am

        Farming activity does have benefits to rural communities but if the associated costs are properly accounted …

        Pretty much I tend to worry about. I spent a lot of time on farms between 1974 and 1984 in between sessions of work and university. My parent owned a empty 88 acre ‘hobby’ block at Puhio and I spent most weekends there doing the usual fencing, clearing scrub and managing the sheep and cattle. Did most of a year as a farmhand, half on a town supply dairy farm and half on a sheep station before going into the army in 1977.

        Decided not to go farming because the economics didn’t make any sense. Their costs, especially land and fuel costs, were rising. The value of what they got at the farm gate was starting to fall and showed no signs of ever rising. The Muldoon government response was the SMP (supplementary minimum prices scheme) which was obviously economically insane. Especially for the farming and rural communities that it was meant to support against price fluctuations.

        It didn’t address any of the underlying economic issues, and was founded on a prayer (in my opinion) that at some point a nice war would break out to cause commodity prices to rise. It increased confidence in farming and caused a higher than inflation price spiral on farmlands. The economic conditions continued onwards and by 1980/1, having even worse prices coupled with farming input cost inflation, moved from dealing with fluctuations to the economically suicidal straight income subsidy. There was a nice paper on it by the reserve bank in 1982….. found it. It all turned to shit after that.

        My partners father sold up his farm when it all inevitably crunched and moved into town. Farmers that I knew all had significiant issues because mostly because they hadn’t been adjusting to economic realities for more than 10 years after the UK moved into the EEC and we’d had the oil price issues.

        What I have seen for the last 20+ years is farmers falling into the same stupid economic trap again. It shows up in the falling profitability levels. It shows in what is happening in amongst the processing companies like Fonterra, Synlait, and the consolidation and shutting of freezing works. Commodity farm goods are on a long term downturn in profits

        The response by the farming community has been in denial and trying to live in a world of magical thinking. Praying for new technological magic for methane reductions that never eventuate in a usable form.
        Denial of the obvious science of climate change that will inevitably hit farming the hardest. Busy polluting or pillaging the landscape of the resources required to sustain farming over the long term.

        All the time sucking up scarce capital that the country could use for something that is economically productive to buy farmland at spiralling prices in a ridiculous ponzi scheme. While paying fuckall in taxes on profits and waffling on about their export revenue.

        All the time pushing the rest of NZ taxpayers to pay for their missing ETS contributions and to clean up the waterways and lakes they have polluted, while excessively sucking water out of the aquifers. ie not paying their own costs.

        Problem is that it is coming to a crunch for farming. But they have largely used up the reservoirs of tolerance that they had from the urban populations because of their intransigent stupidity. Just bloody irritating. Especially their adverts about trees. Farming could drop to a less than 10% of the current capacity and NZ would be better off. No point in providing food for 40 million people offshore if, as a country, we can make a real profit from it. No point in subsidising rural roads to handle heavy trucking if, as a country, we don’t make a profit from it.

        We are profitable with some of the farms. Export wines and fruit do pretty well compared to tourism and export tech, generally our two fast growth and profitable parts of the economy over the last two decades when you look at the tax take on income and profits.

        But much of our commodity farming just effectively sucks capital out of the system. Most of that has effectively been subsidised for a number of years by the productive and profitable parts of the economy to maintain the farmers lifestyles.

        Reminds me of the same economic stupidity from the late 70s and early 80s

  3. Mike the Lefty 3
    19 July 2024 at 11:04 am

    The plan you have when you don't have a plan.

    This whole quasi government is a crock of…..

  4. ghostwhowalksnz 4
    19 July 2024 at 11:50 am

    Guess what , another infrastructure project that had reduced emissions but was ditched

    https://www.kiwirail.co.nz/media/new-ferries-electric-propulsion-system-will-help-kiwirail-meet-emission-goals/"

    The hybrid technology selected to drive the new ferries will use electrical propulsion from generators fuelled by diesel and batteries recharged by electrical shore power.

    Batteries will power 30 per cent of the three-hour journey. Under normal conditions the ferries will be operating on batteries only while manoeuvring and in port, using a combination of battery and shore power. Any surplus energy produced by the generators during sailing can also be battery stored.

  5. PsyclingLeft.Always 5
    20 July 2024 at 12:00 pm

    Farmers back bill to exclude climate rules in resource consents

    Federated Farmers is backing a members' bill aimed at stopping regional councils from factoring in the negative effects of climate change in consenting decisions.

    ACT Party MP Mark Cameron, who submitted the bill, said councils' efforts against climate change were "hopeless" and creating a "productivity crisis".

    ACT's Cameron bleats/whines…..

    "We've got farmers, business owners, heavy industry, right down to the commercial sector literally not being able to function because they are drowning in red tape… and this bill would seek to remove that," he said.

    Joined by (unsurprisingly)

    Federated Farmers RMA (Resource Management Act) spokesman Mark Hooper

    "For example, the local council could set a completely unreasonable target for emissions reductions that go much further and faster than is required under our national targets."

    Fucking fedfarm. Militant self interest union since way back.

    Anyway, a Mayor on this, I hope more speak up !!…

    Mayor Rehette Stoltz

    "Climate change is significant for everyone and particularly for Tairāwhiti, and we'll continue to consider it in our mahi," she said.

    LGNZ

    A Local Government New Zealand spokesperson said councils were committed to addressing climate change and were at the frontline of dealing with it.

    "The effects are more acute than ever.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/522409/farmers-back-bill-to-exclude-climate-rules-in-resource-consents

    Along with ACT Climate denier Cameron, there is ex FedFarm Pres now also ACT Andrew Hoggard.

    And other Climate Deniers. Has anyone done a count on how many Climate Deniers in NACT1 ?

  6. SPC 6
    20 July 2024 at 1:30 pm

    The problem with one option, when that is not that good an option.

    She said the group was also concerned about the Government’s intention to focus New Zealand’s emissions reduction strategy on planting more pines on steep, erosion-prone land in Class 7.

    “This policy will accelerate the crisis our region already faces and risk total collapse of catchments. Eventually the companies may not be able to afford to clean up their mess, and will likely walk away from the liabilities they have been incentivised to create. We don’t want them to just walk away, we need central government to help with the urgent transition to get pine off unsuitable erosion-prone slopes, given successive governments encouraged the planting of pines in the first place,” Warmenhoven said.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350348199/gisbornes-woody-debris-dilemma-forestry-companies-decry-clean-costs

  7. adam 7
    20 July 2024 at 6:33 pm

    Thank goodness act is making is simpler to get weapons. We are going to need them when this bullshit policy makes it all turn to crap.

  8. Ed1 8
    20 July 2024 at 9:21 pm

    I know of a person (I call him a climate change denier which he readily accepts) who does not believe that there will be any problems for New Zealand, and is clear that in the event of the current agreements being likely to give rise to penalties, New Zealand will be able to simply withdraw from the agreement. Is it possible to withdraw from the climate change agreements?, and if it is possible would there be likely to be any actions taken by other countries in relation to such a withdrawal? Based on the projections recently published, how much in current dollar terms do we appear to need to plan on paying?

  9. georgecom 9
    22 July 2024 at 6:48 pm

    seems as if National is operating on the basis that as long as we reduce emissions by 2050 then we won't feel the effects of climate change. they cannot seem to get their head around the effects being with us here and now and just going to get worse for each ton of carbon put in the atmosphere. by 2035/40 will some parts of the country be able to farm? year on year droughts and floods would make farming almost impossible (?), erroding the climatic predictability farming requires, year on year economic losses and disasters. The farming sectors who think they can continue BAU as long as we reduce emissions by 2050 will leave the next generation of farmers stranded, no BAU for them.

    Is there the opportunity to make oral submissions/speak to a select committee under the consultation process?

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    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    4 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Honours Maori King ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off

    One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Gravity

    Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Ditch the climate double speak and get real

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The Government announced changes to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill on Sunday, backing off from the contentious proposal to give ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to August 30

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest science of changing sea temperatures and which emissions policies actually work; on the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • This Govt’s infrastructure strategy depends on capital gains taxes & new road taxes

    Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024

    Kia ora and welcome to the end of another week. Here’s our regular Friday roundup of things that caught our eye, in the realm of cities and transport. If you enjoy these roundups, feel free to join our growing ranks of supporters by making a recurring donation to keep the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Table Talk: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.

    “That’s the sort of constitutional reform he favours: conceived in secret; revolutionary in intent; implemented incrementally without fanfare; and under no circumstances to be placed before the electorate for democratic ratification.”TO SAY IT WAS RAINING would have understated seriously the meteorological conditions. Simply put, it was pissing down. One of ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Big Norm and Chris Hipkins

    It’s 50 years ago today that “Big Norm” Kirk died of a heart attack in Wellington’s Home of Compassion. Home of Compassion. Although he was Prime Minister for only 623 days, he has an iconic place in New Zealand history, particularly Labour history. When Labour leaders like Jacinda Ardern recite ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35 2024

    Open access notables Arctic glacier snowline altitudes rise 150 m over the last 4 decades, Larocca et al., The Cryosphere: We mapped the snowline (SL) on a subset of 269 land-terminating glaciers above 60° N latitude in the latest available summer, clear-sky Landsat satellite image between 1984 and 2022. The mean SLA was extracted ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • Unravelling the String of State: New Zealand Sovereignty and the Treaty of Waitangi

    Oh dear. Sometimes people just need to prod the sleeping dog. We currently have a parliamentary dispute over the nature of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, as signed between the British Crown and New Zealand Maori: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526451/sovereignty-debate-split-on-party-lines Specifically, the National Government takes the traditional view that Maori ceded sovereignty ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago

  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

    The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government backs women in horticulture

    “The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says.  “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout

    The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants.  “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

    Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti

    A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand

    The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Delivering priority connections for the West Coast

    A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington

    A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki

    A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland

    A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland

    A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure

    A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...
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    6 days ago
  • Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui

    A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...
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    6 days ago
  • Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay

    A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We are committed to making sure that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne

    A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...
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    6 days ago
  • Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury

    A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...
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    6 days ago
  • Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Getting transport back on track in Auckland

    A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Record investment to get transport back on track

    A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “New Zealanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy

    Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has welcomed the start of Gambling Harm Awareness Week by encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on the next three-year strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm.  “While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • JOINT STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON

    1.    Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim hosted Prime Minister Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon on an Official Visit to Malaysia from 1 to 3 September 2024. Both leaders expressed appreciation for enduring and warm bilateral ties over 67 years of diplomatic relations. The Malaysia – New Zealand Strategic Partnership 2.    The ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

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