National’s relentless negativity

Written By: - Date published: 11:33 am, November 5th, 2022 - 86 comments
Categories: Economy, education, housing, labour, law and "order", national, political parties, Politics, same old national, tax, unemployment, water, workers' rights - Tags:

This week the Herald presented some good news:

Average wages have surged in recent months but the latest unemployment stats show no relief after three months of nailbiting news about labour shortages.

Wages grew 2.6 per cent in the three months ending on September 30.

The September quarter stats have shed some light on whether any progress was been made addressing chronic staff shortages amid challenges from low immigration, inflation, and low population growth.

Many economists were expecting unemployment to fall back to record lows and wage growth to be near record highs.

Instead, the jobless rate stayed at 3.3 per cent.

The biggest leap ever recorded in average hourly earnings occurred over the year to September 30.

Average ordinary hourly earnings, as measured by the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), increased to $37.86, an annual increase of $2.61 or 7.4 per cent.

“This is the largest annual rise in ordinary time hourly earnings since this series began in 1989,” international and business performance statistics senior manager Darren Allan said.

The LCI’s all salary and wage rates (including overtime) index rose by 3.7 per cent, the second highest annual increase since the series began in 1993.

And in further good news First Union has concluded wage negotiations which will see the living wage for Countdown workers, a 12% wage increase, and which will possibly be the first precursor of a fair pay agreement in Aotearoa.

From Scoop:

Thousands of FIRST Union members at Countdown supermarkets have voted to accept a significant new 2-year Collective Agreement that includes wage increases of around 12%, a starting Living Wage, improvements to pandemic leave and sick leave, and commitments to work collaboratively on urgent security and staffing issues.

The new Collective Agreement, negotiated by a team of FIRST Union delegates and nationally voted on by members over the last month, puts Countdown workers on some of the highest wages in the supermarket industry and could lay the groundwork for a Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) in the sector to cover all workers across the country, said Ben Peterson, FIRST Union Acting Retail and Finance Secretary.

“Full credit goes to our tireless Countdown delegates, who have worked selflessly for their colleagues across Aotearoa to negotiate a deal that benefits everyone who works for the company as well as the communities they live in,” said Mr Peterson.

Mike Hosking responded in typical fashion claiming that the Government has a death rattle about it.  Significant wage increases and low unemployment in Mike’s weird reality are bad things.

I do not think that his unrelenting negativity is random.  It mirrors National’s approach.

And if you needed any proof.

This reflects a general approach throughout the world.  The right campaign on fear, the left campaign on hope.

The arguments are deeply disingenuous.

Economic pressures are caused by overseas events.  As good as Jacinda Ardern is she is not responsible for the Ukraine.

Mortgage rate increases are a world wide phenomenon.    Just this week the Bank of England increased its rate to 3%.

The Housing Crisis could be 12 months away from being radically eased with record numbers of new state and privately owned houses being completed.

Immigration settings have helped reduce housing pressure, housing costs and downwards pressure on wages.

Three Waters is vital.  If anyone can explain how local government can invest the huge amounts of resources required to bring up our water supply to an acceptable level and to make sure that we have water in the future as climate change hits please do so.  Attacking without offering a plausible alternative is deeply, deeply disingenuous.

Student performance deterioration is not something that happens overnight.  Remember National’s cuts to night classes, and to literacy and numeracy programs so that private schools could receive a top up?  Remember Charter Schools, National Standards and class size increases?  Along with poverty and substandard housing the consequences of these defelopments are clearly being seen.

And speed reductions and attacks on the court system are typical populist attacks the right is renowned for.

Of course what is lacking in this relentless negative narrative is alternative policies.

And giving the Prime Minister $360 per week in tax cuts while a worker on the minimum wage gets $2.15 is going to create a huge fiscal hole in the Government’s accounts which mean that a future Government’s ability to adjust will be severely compromised.

I suspect we are going to see National’s approach for quite a while.  Relentless negativity and no idea of what they are  going to do.  Or how they will afford it.

86 comments on “National’s relentless negativity ”

  1. millsy 1

    National hate the public sector, public services, unions, high wages, or anything else that is collective or for the public good. They have always done so.

    • In a nutshell Millsy. Even worse, they are not offering anything except remove all the recent legislation, and offer no real policy ideas.

      But then, what sort of policy would the National dregs and Woodhouse of toilet seat fame come up with?

      What we do know is the decisions and policies will favour those who are comfortable, not the Luxon labeleddevil "bottom feeders!!!"

    • Tony Veitch 1.2

      National hate the public sector, public services

      Because their owners/supporters don't use the public sector very much. They (the rich) have their own hospitals, their own schools.

      About the only aspect of 'society' they (the rich) are dependent on are our roads (to get to the airport for their week in Hawaii etc).

      Hence the Negatives' (also known as NACT) emphasis on RONS and even more roads.

      • Gabby 1.2.1

        My understanding was that the wealthy do very well thank you out of taxpayer money.

      • theotherpat 1.2.2

        "About the only aspect of 'society' they (the rich) are dependent on……also as Voltaire said……"“The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.”

    • Chris 1.3

      National stands for nothing except making the wealthy wealthier. That's why all they have when in opposition is criticism of anything government does or plans. It's also why National love social problems because without them there's too little to criticise. The irony, which is that government is supposed be to be about dealing with social problems, is lost on most voters. Their approach is all bundled up in their meaningless description of what Luxon and Willis say they're doing, which is 'keeping government to account'.

  2. Bearded Git 2

    Agreed Micky. Luxon/Willis/Bishop's negativity is staggering.

    National sound negative because they don't actually have any policies of their own apart from tax giveaways for the rich and landlords and a rehash of Bill English's "social welfare" policy which in practice never amounted to more than spin; Labour has social policies that favour the poor anyway.

    • Crashcart 2.1

      I would really like to see someone in the press hold their feet to the fire on this. They get enough time on T.V to say how bad everything Labour is doing is. Invite them on to complain about Labour then simply ask them what they are going to do instead. Don't accept "repeal it". Actually push to find out what is going to put in place instead.

      As they have shown, if you ask even simple questions of their policies, such as how much will repealing the top tax bracket reduce the tax take by, they can't provide a straight answer.

      It's a shame that no body seems interested in actually asking some simple questions.

  3. Hosking had his tongue up John Key's arse for 8 years while house prices doubled, homelessness skyrocketed, and National kicked out state house tenants under false pretences then flogged off the houses to their mates. As well as a fire sale of public assets despite 80% of Kiwis opposed.

    The Herald is the organ of the real estate sector and arrogant twerps. It hasn't evolved much since it was a settler propaganda tool in the NZ land theft wars.

  4. AB 4

    Interesting how Luxy slams Labour for lack of "delivery", but has a long list of things they've done that he wants to repeal. Seems logically contradictory, until you realise that "delivery" means doing things that benefit the 'right' sort of people. And that doesn't mean people in the bottom half of the wealth pyramid.

    • Corey Humm 4.1

      That's a great point the govt should steal that line from you tbh

      • Shanreagh 4.1.1

        I agree Corey and AB.

      • Chris 4.1.2

        Yes, this government is too nice. It needs to tell things how they are, which includes reminding voters every now and then of the many inherited problems Luxon and Willis are relentlessly telling us are this government's fault. Ardern and co could even blow their own trumpets a little because the fact they don't lets Luxon and Willis get away with the almighty 'Labour doesn't deliver' bullshit.

        • Crashcart 4.1.2.1

          Agree. They need to do that in a positive way. They can't just bemoan the mess NACT left them. You will get the classic "well you have had 6 years stop blaming the last government."

          They need to highlight the mess National left in certain areas and give very specific gains that have been made since.

          I admit a year ago I thought the governments achievement list was pretty thin. Looking back, they have actually started some huge changes and have made progress in areas I thought they were failing in (housing for one).

    • Muttonbird 4.3

      Excellent point, AB.

      The Labour government has delivered, or is about to deliver a lot which is why the business, farming, landlord and other Maori-phobic sectors are so furious right now.

  5. Three Waters is vital. If anyone can explain how local government can invest the huge amounts of resources required to bring up our water supply to an acceptable level and to make sure that we have water in the future as climate change hits please do so. Attacking without offering a plausible alternative is deeply, deeply disingenuous.

    I wish those against it who seem mainly to be anti 'Murray' would read the above and respond.

    The alternatives so far have not been plausible:

    • we strip off the concept of one entity one vote so Auckland can have a majority vote in its water entity
    • we take a way the right to participate by iwi Maori as Govt endeavours to recognise and honour the Treaty and do good by its Treaty partner.

    These ideas won't get us very far forward.

    You talk of the relentless negativity from the Nats……..

    • newsense 5.1

      Now we’re actually getting to the nitty gritty of it, it seems to me (very far removed from country communities mind) that there may be votes in it in the end. An optimistic reading.

      The option put forward by the Auckland and Chch mayor’s would essentially see small communities dominated by the larger cities. The only way to guarantee investment in rural and provincial water, to avoid astronomical rate rises and to keep water safe is 3 waters. It would require a small contortion, but perhaps one that is being performed.

      That then needs a calculation about if that is a key issue in Auckland and Christchurch or whether it’s votes unlikely to ever have been Labour’s beating a drum.

      • Shanreagh 5.1.1

        The only way to guarantee investment in rural and provincial water, to avoid astronomical rate rises and to keep water safe is 3 waters.

        I agree with this. Also a spirit that says/recognises

        • all legislation is deemed to be remedial. ie we would not be looking at a change unless there was something the matter with the status quo, opponents seem to be a bit slow to cotton on to this. Some seem intent on bringing back the 'badder' elements of the status quo
        • the Crown is bound by the Treaty of Waitangi.
        • let us give this a whirl, it cannot be worse than the present and will probably be better…..now is not the time to 'batten down the hatches' or put 'one's head in the sand' to use some sayings.
    • Gabby 5.2

      I wish the government would show very clearly how we would benefit from 3 wtrs.

  6. bwaghorn 6

    Sysop

    For some reason only one paragraph shows up for this post on the mobile setting

    [Now fixed – MS]

  7. alwyn 7

    It is very hard for National not to be negative in their statements.

    They tell us the truth about what is going on in New Zealand. Unfortunately that is mostly bad news. Very bad news for the average New Zealand resident in fact.

    Labour on the other hand simply ignore reality and dribble on with tales of fantasy, rather than admit the truth about what is going on and try to come up with ways to solve the problems that they, Labour, are creating for the Country.

    Perhaps we can borrow a nickname that the Labour MPs of a few years ago bestowed on one of the National Cabinet members.

    Arise the Honourable Tinkerbelle Grant Robertson and wave your magic wand. Fix the bloody mess you have created. If you won't do that get out of the way and let National take over to fix things.

    • bwaghorn 7.1

      It's funny how the grumpest wingers I can think of with regards of the state of nz are both wealthy woman, (there aren’t related in any way )

      Who live a life of ease, one living in her secluded home with million $ views the other with 2 homes,private school educated kids,and has been round the planet and off to oz and the islands numerous times in the 6 Yeats I've known her, completely insulated from the harder life some live.

      Right wingers are often hate filled,greedy fuckers that live to hit downwards.

    • millsy 7.2

      Wages are at their highest in 3 decades. It is now easier to get a job than at any time in the past 40-50 years. We should return Labour for this reason alone.

      National, on the other hand, want to flood the labour market with cheap immigrants, and make it harder for young New Zealanders to get jobs, or get a decent wage.

      National thinks wages are too high, and that workers have it way too easy, with public holidays, sick leave, and all sorts. Their whole reason of existence is to see all that cut back preferebly by lunchtime.

      • Poission 7.2.1

        Wages are at their highest in 3 decades. It is now easier to get a job than at any time in the past 40-50 years. We should return Labour for this reason alone.

        It is the same everywhere in the world.

        • alwyn 7.2.1.1

          "Wages are at their highest in 3 decades". What a meaningless statement. About the only time that wages have ever fallen was during the Great Depression, from about 1929 to 1933. Millsy could be more positive than that. "Wages are at their highest ever level". The only problem with the statement is that it is almost always true.

          Inflation is at its highest rate in 32 years. The last time it was this high was in the second quarter of 1990. Now is Millsy applauding that? I am certainly not and I would blame it on Robertson, and to a lesser extent Orr.

          • Poission 7.2.1.1.1

            I just noted it is the same everywhere in the world, I am not applauding anyone.

          • millsy 7.2.1.1.2

            Pretty sure that a lot of workers had their wages and conditions slashed when the ECA was passed, plus numerous allowances, etc. Wage growth also bascially flatlined after 1991, with the MW going going up by a few cents/hr.

            Take that Kristine Bartlett, the equal pay carer lady, she was on bascially the same wage in real terms for decades.

            Wages are always suppressed by low inflation. Every. Single. Time. Maybe we should just let inflation rip for a little bit, so people, for once, can get decent wage increases.

            • Poission 7.2.1.1.2.1

              Psst (we are in the 21st century)

              • millsy

                And your point is?

                • Shanreagh

                  Obviously does not get it that the neo-lib 'reforms' 1980s/90s have had a long arms stretching into and influencing our time today. Many good people, possibly future leaders, particularly in the PS lost their jobs in these reforms.

                  A work place I left, voluntarily, after the Environmental 'reforms' of 1987 had 12 restructures/realignments by the time I got a job with them again in 2000. The impact on staff was horrific both mentally and financially. Salaries went down, contributions to super funds went down, money saved from super funds was withdrawn to help fund living costs, pay mortgages so they could afford to keep their homes.

                  Those who had a fundamental belief in the rightness of a job in the PS suffered through ignorant managers. These are people many of whom would have supported their children through tertiary education or into a home, but were not able to, so their children are also reaping what was sown in those days with high student loan debt. Some of them have moved overseas …and will probably not return.

                  And so it goes on.

                  And Poission questions the statement. I would have thought your pseudonym would have given you a little clue about how statistically an event such as the neo-lib stuff would have had an influence down the times we live in.

                  Clue: talk of the ECA is often a short form of the damage that whole experiment wreaked on NZ.

              • Gabby

                Psst let's focus on rate of increase.

                • Poission

                  Yeah good idea,the terminal rate of the Fed is determined to be around 5.25% in 2023.What rate would a price taker economy such as NZ with dual deficits be by election date,and what will the government accounts be?

          • Patricia Bremner 7.2.1.1.3

            That would be silly Alwyn. So the spend on Covid world wide has nothing to do with inflation worldwide? Did Robertson and Orr cause oil prices to rise?

            The interruption to gas lines and wheat crops in Europe was caused by Putin, is Robertson and Orr???

            Gosh they must have a wand if you believe that!!laugh

            • alwyn 7.2.1.1.3.1

              This could be the subject of a very large book, However a brief view. The spend on Covid worldwide caused a lot of inflation. It was worst in the countries that threw the most money at it. That of course includes the US, Britain and, sadly New Zealand.

              The money spent in the first part of 2020 was very sensible. We didn't know what was hitting us or what we could do about it. By the middle of 2020 we should have stopped printing money. Vaccines were by then known to be on the way and we had a decent view of what would happen.

              Robbo had, unfortunately, got a taste for money printing and throwing it at anything that moved and Orr went along with it.

              If you think that what happened here was inevitable try looking at Switzerland. It is a small country with an open economy and its own currency. In other words it is very like New Zealand. They behaved themselves monetarily however while our Finance Minister went nuts. Their year on year inflation to September 2022 was 3.3% and the figure for the year 2020 is expected to be 2.6%.

              Oil prices are less relevant in Switzerland than here because they rely on electric power from Hydro and Nuclear more than we do.

              They also regulate prices more than most countries. They use sound economic reasons for the decisions rather than "feelz" though.

              https://globaleurope.eu/globalization/the-strong-swiss-franc-and-5-other-reasons-for-switzerlands-low-inflation/

          • Clive Macann 7.2.1.1.4

            Quote: Inflation is at its highest rate in 32 years. The last time it was this high was in the second quarter of 1990. Now is Millsy applauding that? I am certainly not and I would blame it on Robertson, and to a lesser extent Orr.

            Funny how the high inflation is worldwide. Robertson must be extremely influential to have the power to control several hundred countries around the world. Bit greedy of him to keep NZ as one of the lowest globally though.

      • Binders full of Women 7.2.2

        My wages haven't changed and now the wages are buying 8% less 🙁

        My union have been offered 2% ..sigh thanks for nothing Robertson & Orr.

        • millsy 7.2.2.1

          You would probably get 0% if National was in power. Plus you would have to pay more for prescriptions, doctors visits, power, etc.

        • That actually fits in with the negative attitude Binders full of Women.

          You personally are not benefitting in terms of pay, but sick leave? safety during a pandemic? petrol subsidy? Doctors visits? and many other improvements.

          Policies may have kept you in work.

          I remember when Key would announce a 50 cent an hour rise once a year.

        • Shanreagh 7.2.2.3

          thanks for nothing Robertson & Orr.

          Well the maths I grew up says that 2% is actually bigger than 0%. I diagnose a severe case of ingratitude.

          You might want to spend some of the 2% on buying a wooden peg so that you can put it in your mouth crossways. Tip given by a wellness specialist brought in to help staff during one of our restructurings. Apparently putting the peg in mimics the muscles of a smile and a smile triggers endorphins and endorphins make you feel better in yourself. You never know it might stimulate some gratitude as well.

          And even if this is not correct the peg in the mouth is a signal to others that 'I am feeling a bit bad treta me kindly' And this happens alot during restructurings. , especially since all the way trhough Covid you

          • Shanreagh 7.2.2.3.1

            DOH

            Last para should have read

            And even if this is not correct the peg in the mouth is a signal to others that 'I am feeling a bit bad treat me kindly' And this happens alot during restructurings.

    • Grey Area 7.3

      Please fuck off. You add nothing to any discussion here other than obfuscation, whataboutism and right wing spin. Please go away.

    • Mike the Lefty 7.4

      So can you tell us what National are going to do?

      I would like to know but if you ask them you are accused of petty politics.

      • millsy 7.4.1

        National are going slash wages. Simple as that. They do not want workers earning high wages.

    • KJT 7.5

      Love your satire, Alwyn.

      I hope, for your sake, it is not unconscious!

    • Chris 7.6

      "It is very hard for National not to be negative in their statements."

      But they don't even try. It's all this 'we're keeping the government to account' bullshit that stops them coming up with anything productive. If Labour changed all of its policies and did what National says should happen Luxon and Willis would instantly call it rubbish because "our job is to keep the government to account". Would be good if this could be conveyed to the majority of the voting public, but it won't be.

  8. Muttonbird 8

    This week Air NZ announced the resumption of direct flights to Bali. They sold 3500 seats in 24 hours.

    There is no squeezed middle in NZ, that is an illusion.

    As always the people suffering are the people at the bottom and the National Party has never ever advocated for them.

    • Leighton 8.1

      I disagree. 3500 seats on a plane is nothing in a population of five million. The top 10% of earners and asset-rich retirees are still doing fine. The "middle class" of self-employed or salaried mortgage holders are absolutely hurting right now. Pretending otherwise will doom Labour in 2023, not help it.

      • Muttonbird 8.1.1

        I am middle class self-employed and, apart from feeling burnt out, have never done better. Did not book a ticket to Bali, mind.

        You've been listening My Cockskin, haven't you?

        • Leighton 8.1.1.1

          No I never go near the cesspit that is Newstalk ZB. I am just at a stage in my life where I have occasion to talk to lots of middle class families with young children, although clearly not the same people as you. What line of work are you in, if you don't mind me asking?

  9. Leighton 9

    The most annoying thing about Hosking's "broken record" columns about how shit we have it is that if National won the election you just know that the tone would immediately change and everything in NZ would instantly be sunshine and rainbows before anything had ever actually changed.

    • alwyn 9.1

      Well there is one person who may be pleased. A rough calculation tells me that Grant Robertson will get a reduction in his income tax of roughly $66,000 per year when a National, or ACT Government takes over the reins at the end of next year.

      He may not be that pleased of course. He will be dropping down from Deputy PM to a ordinary MP.

      The Country will probably be happy on his behalf though.

      • alwyn 9.2.1

        It is nice to see that Grant might get a little consolation isn't it?

        What is that phrase? "Every cloud has a silver lining"?

        I'm happy to see that I have amused you.

    • georgecom 9.3

      Hosking was wanking on in a column about NZs commitments to mitigate climate change the other day, how absurd it was to charge farmers for emissions and how no other country would careless what NZ pledged to do. Summed the man up.

      The planet probably would care, and the rest of us in due course if we simply let the globe warm unabated. China, the US, Aussie, Europe, they could all take Hoskings lead and claim the same – someone else should take responsibility but not us. It's like he hasn't figured out the simple realities – this isn't a choice thing, the planet is warming and if collectively we don't do something the future for generations to come is bleak.

      If you thought this type of moan, squawk, bitch and whine and then bury your head in the sand attitude was dead, sadly not. Pretty much Hosking from the last several years.

      • newsense 9.3.1

        It probably wouldn’t hurt for a journalist or several to do a survey of how farmers have been treated elsewhere.

        But otherwise I advocate some city activism- get out there to collect for farmers in street corners! With an accompanying information campaign. In Aussie the Chasers did a bit where they collected money for private schools outside public schools.

        In a comparison they probably don’t mind, Groundswell reminds me of Viking raids- make the city pay your debts and then hoon around rubbing it in.

  10. mosa 10

    " As good as Jacinda Ardern is " it’s time to feed the kids Prime Minister.

    The poorest always get hit hardest meaning Māori, Pacifica, beneficiaries, renters and the disabled are the first to be hurt by any economic recession.

    And these are the people Jacinda solicits votes from !

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/478097/parents-struggling-to-make-ends-meet-as-cost-of-living-crisis-bites

    Food inflation is at a 30 year high.

    First time home buyers are facing rapidly skyrocketing mortgages.

    Renters are being pushed to the brink.

    More children are living in cars than we recorded in 2017 when Labour first came to Government.

    27 000 are on emergency housing wait lists.

    Our truancy rates are soaring.

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/11/03/waatea-news-column-dear-jacinda-we-need-to-feed-the-kids/

    • millsy 10.1

      You cannot being food prices down by cutting the health or welfare budget, which is what National wants to do.

      We need to clamp down on corporate greed in this country.

  11. Mike the Lefty 11

    The country may be in good shape economically and fiscally but socially it is not.

    Violent crime appears to be on the rise. I say "appears" because it is so much in the news these days.

    The public health system is under duress that hasn't been seen for very many decades.

    There is a deceptively large anarchistic block in society becoming increasingly emboldened and willing to do almost anything to pamper their delusions of grandeur.

    COVID is still a threat, but our society has now seemingly decided that it is no worse than flu and if old people get it – that's their tough luck.

    The agricultural sector are under pressure to reform from their environmentally destructive old ways, but reforms cost money and they don't want to pay.

    Our towns and cities are congested with cars, you could make all public transport free in NZ and the increase in patronage would probably be minimal.

    After all the post-COVID talk of how our tourism sector must change and we can't go on with the old methods – cruise ships are back again and just as coast-despoiling and oil guzzling as ever.

    Nobody can open their mouth or write a sentence anymore without being accused of being racist, sexist or the worst – being an old white male.

    Whatever rhetoric they disgorge National cannot and will not fix all our society's problems. National's default response to anything is to do nothing. We don't need parties that will do nothing – we need ones that will take action.

    Labour, despite having a dynamic leader, seems too half-hearted in its approach to so many problems – despite the fact that it holds a parliamentary majority in its own right.

    We need a bold transformative government for the future.

    With National (and ACT) we certainly won't get it.

    • observer 11.1

      Nobody can open their mouth or write a sentence anymore without being accused of being racist, sexist or the worst – being an old white male.

      What a shame that you had to throw in that thought-free, fact-free sentence as well.

      As an old white male I open my mouth and write sentences daily. I can't remember the last time I was accused of being racist or sexist, and if I was I would continue to open my mouth and write sentences, so that we can debate the issue. And sometimes I might say "fair point, I hadn't really thought of that". This is called learning, and it is good. (Otherwise I would have the same opinions as I always had, and that would not be good).

      • Shanreagh 11.1.1

        (Otherwise I would have the same opinions as I always had, and that would not be good).

        Great point. It always worries me when people say I've always voted XXXXX or I have always believed Y. The latest example of this being John Key who shared that he would always vote for the right and would probably have voted for Bolsanaro or Trump.

        Voting this way to me indicates a person lacks discernment. It is worrying.

        Good post Observer.
        Good post too Mike the Lefty until you included the sentence that Observer has commented on.

    • Hunter Thompson II 11.2

      Labour's current position is not good, but it would be 1000 times worse if National had a competent leader with political experience.

      The country needs an effective opposition to keep the government up to the mark.

      What concerns me and many other New Zealanders is the way Labour seems to be setting us on a course for major constitutional change without public consultation. That is leading to a total lack of trust.

  12. adam 12

    That's because the far right who have taken over the conservative parties in the west are scum.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BWN1xD0z1A

  13. If NZ goes for the National Act combination, it will not be a Conservative Government, it will be a Destructive Government.
    They will play a dangerous game of Jenga or Tumble Tower, as they remove pieces of legislation.crying

    Their Tax strategy will mean they will reward the wealthy while removing hard won worker rights.
    The promise to bring back the 90 day issue and open to any migration says it all.

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    In recent years I've done a long series of posts poking into police OIA data and how it hides how badly the police suck at carrying out their obligations under the Act. And in a response to a recent request, it seems the police have been doing the same. A ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    9 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s disdain for the Press debate
    Christopher Luxon evidently thinks this election is SO in the bag that he can afford to spurn the still-undecideds, the entire South Island, and the old Christchurch money that still reads the Press and shops at Ballantynes. We should all shed a tear for the National Party candidates across the ...
    10 hours ago
  • ELIZABETH RATA: Two Treaties of Waitangi – the Articles Treaty and the Principles Treaty
    Elizabeth Rate writes – There are two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi.  The first is the 1840 Treaty – the ‘Articles Treaty’. The second is what I call the ‘Principles Treaty’. It dates from 1986 when the principles were first included in legislation. Astonishingly, the parliamentary ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    14 hours ago
  • Tuesday’s Chorus: When it's ok to borrow to invest
    Mayor Wayne Brown, a Northland land-banker himself, appears relaxed about borrowing to invest in land but not in, for example, transport infrastructure and services. File photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: You couldn’t make this stuff up. A mayor determined to cut council debt by selling shares in a monopoly business because ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    14 hours ago
  • How well do our Rapid Transit Stations perform
    As we invest in our public transport network, it’s critical that we not only invest in transformative projects like the City Rail Link, but that we also get as much use as we can out of the network we already have – which will also maximise the outcomes of those ...
    16 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Ten reasons Labour’s support has halved
    The Labour Government was elected with 50 per cent of the vote three years ago, but current opinion polls show their vote could halve in this year’s election, which would be one of the biggest plunges in political history. Most polls have Labour on about 26 per cent. And the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago
  • Elizabeth Rata: Two Treaties of Waitangi: The Articles Treaty and the Principles Treaty
    Commentary There are two versions of the Treaty of Waitangi.  The first is the 1840 Treaty – the ‘Articles Treaty’. The second is what I call the ‘Principles Treaty’. It dates from 1986 when the principles were first included in legislation. Astonishingly the parliamentary representatives who inserted the word ‘principles’ ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    17 hours ago
  • Climate Emergency!
    It’s hard not to become a bit blasé towards climate change headlines. Flooding kills hundreds - blah. Catastrophic droughts - blah blah. One-in-a-hundred year events happening every year - blah blah blah.The earth had its highest temperature on record - again. Think we’ve read that one.So many articles telling us ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    17 hours ago
  • The Kākā Project: The economics of sufficiency
    The Kākā’s climate correspondent and had a chat with environmental historian and author Catherine Knight about why ‘feel good' actions like recycling and owning an electric car are unlikely to be enough to create a transition to zero emissions, let alone a just one. Knight says comments like ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago
  • Chippy misses a chance
    National leader Christopher Luxon has pulled out of any rescheduling of tonight’s Press debate, which has had to be cancelled because Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has Covid. The cancellation has given National an excuse to avoid a debate, which was always going to be a risk for Luxon. But ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    19 hours ago
  • The Angry Majority.
    The People's Champion vs The People's Prosecutor: It is the news media’s job to elicit information from politicians – not to prosecute them. Peters’ promise to sort out TVNZ should be believed. If he finds himself in a position to carry out his threat, then it will only be because ...
    1 day ago
  • Verrall is chuffed by govt’s latest push into pay equity while Woods enthuses about an $11m spend ...
    Buzz from the Beehive The headline on a ministerial press statement curiously expresses the government’s position when it declares:   Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers. Is it not enough to declare just one commitment? Or is the government’s commitment to pay equity being declared sector by ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • A very worthy coalition partner for Seymour and Luxon
    There have been 53 New Zealand Parliaments so far. The 39th of them was elected in 1978. It was a parliament of 92 MPs, most of them men. The New Zealand Music Awards that year named John Rowles Male Vocalist of the Year and — after a short twelve months ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Labour still protecting the status quo
    Aotearoa has a cost of living crisis. And one of the major drivers of this crisis is the supermarket duopoly, who gouge every dollar they can out of us. Last year, the Commerce Commission found that the duopoly was in fact anti-competititve, giving the government social licence to fix the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s myths about the desolated state of the economy
    Familiarity breeds consent. If you repeat the line “six years of economic mis-management” about 10,000 times, it sounds like the received wisdom, whatever the evidence to the contrary. Yes, the global pandemic and the global surge in inflation that came in its wake occurred here as well – but if ...
    1 day ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Hapless Hipkins and his racism
    Michael Bassett writes – Without so much as batting an eyelid, Chris Hipkins told an audience on Saturday that there had been “more racism” in this election campaign than ever before. And he blamed it on the opposition parties, National, Act and New Zealand First. In those ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • BRIAN EASTON: The ‘recession’ has been called off, but some households are still struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates. Brian Easton writes – Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Monday’s Chorus: Richie Poulton's lament
    “You can't really undo what happens during childhood”, said the director of the Dunedin longitudinal study. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Richie Poulton, the director of the world-leading Dunedin longitudinal study showing how devastating poverty in early life is, died yesterday. With his final words, he lamented the lack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • North-western downgrades
    This is a guest post from reader Peter N As many of us know, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi are well into progressing works on the northwestern interim “busway” with services to kick off in just over a month from now on Sunday 12th November 2023. Some of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Has Webworm Found New Zealand’s Weirdest School?
    Hi,Before we talk about weird schools people choose to send their kids to, a few things on my mind. I adored the Ask Me Anything we did last week. Thanks for taking part. I love answering your weird and nosy questions, even questions about beans.I am excited and scared as Mister ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Another mother of a budget
    A National government would make spending cuts on a scale not seen since the 1990 – 96 Bolger government.That much was confirmed with the release of their Fiscal Plan on Friday.Government spending is currently high as a percentage of GDP — as high as it was during the Muldoon ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • A crucial week starts as early voting opens in the NZ Elections … it’s been a ride so far. Are y...
    Chris Hipkins down with Covid, at least for 5 days isolation, National continue to obfuscate, ACT continues to double-down on the poor and Winston… well, he’s being Winston really. Voters beware: this week could be even more infuriating than the last. No Party is what they used to be ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 24, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 30, 2023. Story of the Week We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation The renowned US ...
    2 days ago
  • Clusterf**ck of Chaos.
    On the 11th of April 1945 advancing US forces liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald near Weimar in Germany. In the coming days, under the order of General Patton, a thousand nearby residents were forced to march to the camp to see the atrocities that had been committed in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • The party of business deals with the future by pretending it isn’t coming
    Years and years ago, when Helen Clark was Prime Minister and John Key was gunning for her job, I had a conversation with a mate, a trader who knew John Key well enough to paint a helpful picture.It was many drinks ago so it’s not a complete one. But there’s ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • 2023 More Reading: September (+ Old Phuul update)
    Completed reads for September: The Lost Continent, by C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne Flatland, by Edwin Abbott All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque The Country of the Blind, by H.G. Wells The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles ...
    3 days ago
  • Losing The Left.
    Descending Into The Dark: The ideological cadres currently controlling both Labour and the Greens are forcing “justice”, “participation” and “democracy” to make way for what is “appropriate” and “responsible”. But, where does that leave the people who, for most of their adult lives, have voted for left-wing parties, precisely to ...
    3 days ago
  • The New “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
    “‘BUT HE HASN’T GOT ANYTHING ON,’ a little boy said ….. ‘But he hasn’t got anything on!’ the whole town cried out at last.”On this optimistic note, Hans Christian Andersen brings his cautionary tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” to an end.Andersen’s children’s story was written nearly two centuries ago, ...
    3 days ago
  • BRYCE EDWARDS: The vested interests shaping National Party policies
      Bryce Edwards writes – As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: A conundrum for those pushing racist dogma
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – The heavily promoted narrative, which has ramped up over the last six years, is that Maori somehow have special vulnerabilities which arise from outside forces they cannot control; that contemporary society fails to meet their needs. They are not receptive to messages and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • CHRIS TROTTER:  The greater of two evils
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.   Chris Trotter writes – THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 30
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Litanies, articles of faith, and being a beneficiary
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past two weeks.Friday 29Play it, ElvisElection Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • The ‘Recession’ Has Been Called Off, But Some Households Are Still Struggling
    While the economy is not doing too badly in output terms, external circumstances are not favourable, and there is probably a sizeable group of households struggling because of rising interest rates.Last week’s announcement of a 0.9 percent increase in volume GDP for the June quarter had the commentariat backing down ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: The wrong direction
    This week the International Energy Association released its Net Zero Roadmap, intended to guide us towards a liveable climate. The report demanded huge increases in renewable generation, no new gas or oil, and massive cuts to methane emissions. It was positive about our current path, but recommended that countries with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • “Racism” becomes a buzz word on the campaign trail – but our media watchdogs stay muzzled when...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Oh, dear.  We have nothing to report from the Beehive. At least, we have nothing to report from the government’s official website. But the drones have not gone silent.  They are out on the election campaign trail, busy buzzing about this and that in the hope ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Play it, Elvis
    Election Hell special!! This week’s quiz is a bumper edition featuring a few of the more popular questions from last weekend’s show, as well as a few we didn’t have time for. You’re welcome, etc. Let us press on, etc. 1.  What did Christopher Luxon use to his advantage in ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    5 days ago
  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    5 days ago
  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    6 days ago
  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    6 days ago
  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    7 days ago
  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago
  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 days ago
  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    7 days ago
  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    1 week ago
  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    1 week ago
  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Youth justice programme expands to break cycle of offending
    The successful ‘Circuit Breaker’ fast track programme designed to stop repeat youth offending was launched in two new locations today by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis. The programme, first piloted in West and South Auckland in December last year, is aimed at children aged 10-13 who commit serious offending or continue ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Major milestone with 20,000 employers using Apprenticeship Boost
    The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost initiative has now supported 20,000 employers to help keep on and train up apprentices, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced in Christchurch today. Almost 62,000 apprentices have been supported to start and keep training for a trade since the initiative was introduced in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Government supporting wood processing jobs and more diverse industry
    The Government is supporting non-pine tree sawmilling and backing further job creation in sawmills in Rotorua and Whangarei, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said.   “The Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan identified the need to add more diversity to our productions forests, wood products and markets,” Peeni Henare said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Government backing Canterbury’s future in aerospace industry
    The Government is helping Canterbury’s aerospace industry take off with further infrastructure support for the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, Infrastructure Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “Today I can confirm we will provide a $5.4 million grant to the Tāwhaki Joint Venture to fund a sealed runway and hangar ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Updated forestry regulations increase council controls and require large slash removal
    Local councils will have more power to decide where new commercial forests – including carbon forests – are located, to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “New national standards give councils greater control over commercial forestry, including clear rules on harvesting practices and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • New Zealand resumes peacekeeping force leadership
    New Zealand will again contribute to the leadership of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a senior New Zealand Defence Force officer returning as Interim Force Commander. Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced the deployment of New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New national direction provides clarity for development and the environment
    The Government has taken an important step in implementing the new resource management system, by issuing a draft National Planning Framework (NPF) document under the new legislation, Environment Minister David Parker said today. “The NPF consolidates existing national direction, bringing together around 20 existing instruments including policy statements, standards, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government shows further commitment to pay equity for healthcare workers
    The Government welcomes the proposed pay equity settlement that will see significant pay increases for around 18,000 Te Whatu Ora Allied, Scientific, and Technical employees, if accepted said Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. The proposal reached between Te Whatu Ora, the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • 100 new public EV chargers to be added to national network
    The public EV charging network has received a significant boost with government co-funding announced today for over 100 EV chargers – with over 200 charging ports altogether – across New Zealand, and many planned to be up and running on key holiday routes by Christmas this year. Minister of Energy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Safeguarding Tuvalu language and identity
    Tuvalu is in the spotlight this week as communities across New Zealand celebrate Vaiaso o te Gagana Tuvalu – Tuvalu Language Week. “The Government has a proven record of supporting Pacific communities and ensuring more of our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated,” Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Many ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
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