Nats still involved in dodgy donations

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, April 16th, 2009 - 38 comments
Categories: corruption, election 2008, election funding - Tags:

The Herald covers some of the donations to parties and candidates before the election.

One of the big donors was the Road Transport Forum, the trucking lobby, who were behind the famous ‘truck strike’.

They’re getting value for money eh? National’s Transport Minister Steven Joyce has taken half a billion out of public transport and hundreds of millions more out of road safety and put it into the state highways. Nice wee subsidy that. On top of that, Joyce has said he will stop the New Zealand Transport Agency from offering freight companies incentives to take their freight off the road and onto rail, even though it makes economic sense in terms of road maintenance alone. Another little bonus for the truckers.

The really interesting part of the article is this:

A mystery entity called Toorak Chambers also gave $3000 each to National MPs Simon Bridges, David Bennett, Todd McLay, and Lindsay Tisch.

When questioned, one of the recipients said it was linked to the National Party and referred the Herald to the party’s headquarters.

However, phone calls to general manager Mike Oldershaw and president Judy Kirk were not returned.

For the last decade, National secretly channeled money from a few rich donors to its campaigns via the Waitemata Trust. The Electoral Finance Act made that illegal (which is why National and its mates opposed the Act). It’s not surprising that National has found some other way to get money to its candidates while hiding the donors’ identity. They should come clean on Toorak Chambers quickly to avoid the stink of corruption.

The Herald also notes:

Under the new disclosure rules introduced under the Electoral Finance Act, candidates have to disclose all donations of money, goods or services worth more than $1000 and cannot accept anonymous donations of more than $1000.

Without those rules, we wouldn’t know about Toorak Chambers and who is providing the money behind our politicians. Let’s hope National keeps those transparency requirements in its new electoral law. If it doesn’t that really will be an attack on democracy.

38 comments on “Nats still involved in dodgy donations ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Kevin Welsh 1
    16 April 2009 at 8:43 am

    Is anyone really surprised by this. Just look at who the CEO for this organisation is. Another failed National Party politician.

  2. Chris 2
    16 April 2009 at 8:51 am

    Amazingly good returns gotten by the Road Transport Forum and its associated lobby groups…

    All in a ‘government sector’. Which begs the question – why do they need government support to make a buck? Corporate welfare and nanny state all rolled into one….

  3. Berry 3
    16 April 2009 at 8:52 am

    who is it Kevin?

    • Kevin Welsh 3.1
      16 April 2009 at 11:31 am

      Tony Friedlander if I remember correctly. New Plymouth MP during the 1970’s and 80’s and he may have been Transport Minister, can’t remember.

  4. sweetd 4
    16 April 2009 at 9:01 am

    Hmmm, Labour also got money from the Road Transport Forum. Those half dozen of so paragraphs from the top of the article hard to read Eddie?

    • John 4.1
      16 April 2009 at 10:40 am

      Just what I was thinking sweetd. Appears the Road Transport Forum has put a $ each way to ensure that there voice is always heard, regardless of which party is in power. Don’t see the problem. Just another example of turning a straight forward article into an attempted pot shot at the National Party.

  5. jerry 5
    16 April 2009 at 9:06 am

    Interesting article I’m not sure why you’ve chosen to use it as a smear just to the Nats as

    “Tony Friedlander said the group had also donated $30,000 to the National Party and $20,000 to the Labour Party – making its total donations $95,000.”

    “Fletcher Building also confirmed yesterday it had donated $20,000 to each of National, Labour and the Maori Party.”

    “Those who declared donations of $5000 from the Road Transport Forum were National’s Tau Henare, Eric Roy, Nick Smith, Anne Tolley, and Chris Tremain, and Labour MPs Shane Jones, Trevor Mallard, Damien O’Connor and David Parker.”

    “The returns reveal that the fishing industry was also supporting various candidates – Peter Talley gave $10,000 to Shane Jones and Talley’s also gave $5000 to Kaikoura MP Colin King (National).

    Anyway it’s all fairly trivial amounts in the greater scheme of things – what would you get for 10k these days in terms of advertising …… sweet FA I’d suggest.

    Kypros Kotzikas – the president of United Fisheries – gave $5000 to Nicky Wagner and Independent Fisheries gave $3000 to Labour’s Clayton Cosgrove.

    Mr Jones put his $10,000 donation from Peter Talley down to their common Dalmatian ancestry.”

  6. IrishBill 6
    16 April 2009 at 9:41 am

    Jerry, I agree. I’ve long harangued Labour for taking donations from vested interests if anything this spreading around of big money shows the system needs cleaning up.

    That raises the issue of public funding of parties. The question is how do do it without advantaging current parties with a parliamentary presence and artificially locking in the status quo?

  7. Graeme 7
    16 April 2009 at 10:19 am

    The Herald also notes:

    Under the new disclosure rules introduced under the Electoral Finance Act, candidates have to disclose all donations of money, goods or services worth more than $1000 and cannot accept anonymous donations of more than $1000.

    Without those rules, we wouldn’t know about Toorak Chambers and who is providing the money behind our politicians.

    Except we would, because this was also required under the old law.

    Let’s hope National keeps those transparency requirements in its new electoral law.

    It already has.

    For the last decade, National secretly channeled money from a few rich donors to its campaigns via the Waitemata Trust. The Electoral Finance Act made that illegal (which is why National and its mates opposed the Act).

    Yet they managed to keep all those rules in their new amendment (and said at the time that they supported them). Very sneaky – come out in favour of laws you disagree with in opposition, and then pass near-identical copies of the rules to which you were fundamentally opposed once in office – what will they think of next?

  8. Daveski 8
    16 April 2009 at 11:01 am

    Sorry Eddie, not a good post.

    If you’ve tried to take aim at the Nats you’ve ended up collecting Labour in the cross fire. It’s telling that you make no mention of Labour receiving money from the truckies for a start.

    I also think it shows yet again that Labour/the left aren’t prepared to learn from the mistakes – just like Helen won’t admit to making mistakes.

    The opposition to the EFA came from multiple sources for a wide range of reasons.

    I’m sure your comments on the attack on democracy are well meaning but rich in irony. After all, there was no acceptance here of the “chilling impact on democracy” line prior to the election so it’s interesting now that that you would use that line of attack.

  9. Draco T Bastard 9
    16 April 2009 at 11:12 am

    Mr Friedlander said donations were offered to a range of candidates from different parties.

    “It’s getting one in each of the different parts of the country so that our members in that area can go and talk to them about issues that affect our industry. It’s simply assisting the democratic process.”

    No, that’s trying to buy democracy – ie, totally corrupt. Everybody is supposed to have equal access to the representatives and be taken equally seriously and not be able to buy access.

    • John 9.1
      16 April 2009 at 11:15 am

      Draco, you are obviously in support of tax payer funded election campaigns? Although there is merit in such an argument, I don’t believe that it would go down too well with the NZ public.

      • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1
        16 April 2009 at 6:33 pm

        I would prefer publicly funded political parties (although I don’t like political parties at all) to donations. We have a donation funded system ATM though it just needs to be a hell of a lot more transparent than it is.

        I’m also concerned that Mr Friedlander fully expected something that he isn’t entitled to from his donations. It is, as you say, a very poignant argument for publicly funded politics. I believe that we should ask the public if they would go along with the idea considering the corruption that is possible in a donation funded system rather than just assume that they won’t. But, then, I think democracy is a good idea.

  10. djp 10
    16 April 2009 at 11:39 am

    Joyce has said he will stop the New Zealand Transport Agency from offering freight companies incentives to take their freight off the road and onto rail, even though it makes economic sense in terms of road maintenance alone

    This is good, subsidies are bad economics, I am pretty sure the RUC charges easily cover the road maintenance too.

    • Felix 10.1
      16 April 2009 at 12:47 pm

      Ah, no.

      Ordinary car users actually pay far more per user for the roads. I can’t remember the exact numbers but I seem to recall a study late last year showing that heavy trucks only pay about 55% of the cost of the damage they cause to the roads while car users pay considerably more (70%?).

      I’m sure someone can post a link to it.

      So if you don’t like subsidies then you must be pissed that govt spending on roads is a huge subsidy to truckers, paid for by everyone else.

  11. The Voice of Reason 11
    16 April 2009 at 12:42 pm

    Toorak Chambers appear to be Aussie accountants, based in Adelaide, but named after Melbourne’s poshest suburb. Presumably they wrote a cheque on behalf of a client.

    • Graeme 11.1
      16 April 2009 at 2:12 pm

      That seems unlikely. Foreign donations over $1000 are illegal.

      I would anticipate that that it is Toorak Chambers Incorporated, as listed on the register of incorporated socities (direct link seemingly not possible, search for Toorak at http://www.societies.govt.nz/cms/banner_template/SOCAGENT).

      The Waikato Times has information http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/2338947/Cash-gifts-for-Waikato-MPs.

      • Paul 11.1.1
        18 April 2009 at 12:43 am

        it’s interesting going back thru their accounts, they gave out:

        2007: $0
        2006: $0
        2005: $22,000
        2004: $14,000 *
        2003: $27,900 *
        2002: $0
        2001: $0
        2000: $0

        no accounts are available online prior to that, obviously they were saving up for 2008 …

        the things labeled ‘*’ are labeled “national part debt forgiven” the $27k was long term debt carried from before 2000 (ie an old loan to the party), in 2003 they not only write off the old 27k debt to the nats but also loaned them another $14k which they then wrote off the following year

        Not included in the above is a loan to ‘National Bank 1002’ of $65k in 2004 – at first I thought this was a CD of some sort – but I think it’s a transfer to an anonymous account/slush fund because in 2005 they write off ~10% of it, the same thing happens in 2006 and 2007 – if it were a CD you would expect the value to be increasing

  12. Irascible 12
    16 April 2009 at 2:45 pm

    Toorak Chambers? A Melbourne Group of Lawyers? An off-shore donation possibility.
    Dodgy stuff again from the Tories.

    • jerry 12.1
      16 April 2009 at 3:05 pm

      $12 grand ……… gawd if that’s as serious as dodgy stuff gets in NZ methinks we are as clean as driven snow.

      At least the Brits can come up with a decent sex scandal every now and then.

  13. Clarke 13
    16 April 2009 at 4:06 pm

    djp: The Ministry of Transport did a study in late 2005 called Surface Transport Costs and Charges, which concluded that trucks only meet 56% of their costs while motorists pay 64% and rail 82%.

    The updated study is being done at the moment – http://www.transport.govt.nz/understanding-transport-costs-and-charges-utcc/

    These are the direct costs to the roading network only – it doesn’t take account of the fact that according to the Ministry, “Because of their large mass trucks tend to be over represented in serious crashes. Deaths from crashes involving trucks make up around 18 percent of the total road toll, while only about seven percent of the total distance travelled on NZ roads is travelled by trucks.”

    And then they go on to say:

    “In crashes involving trucks most of the deaths are not truck occupants, but rather the other road users involved. This reflects the fact that in a collision between a heavy vehicle and a light vehicle or vulnerable road user there is a much higher probability of death or serious injury than in a collision involving only light vehicles.”

    Better yet, the revenue paid by trucks (and cars, for that matter) exclude the costs of their carbon emissions under Kyoto, which is another way in which we subsidise the trucking industry.

    So to be clear:

    – Truckies only pay 56% of their direct costs
    – They disproportionately cause deaths and injuries on the road, largely to other road users
    – They don’t even pretend to pay the real costs of their environmental impact

    In other words, there is a multi-billion dollar subsidy from the taxpayer to the trucking industry. That’s why it’s in the best interests of Tony Friedlander (ex-National cabinet minister) to purchase as many politicians as possible – so that the pork can continue to roll to the truckies, and us taxpayers can continue to get shafted.

  14. Kevyn Miller 14
    16 April 2009 at 4:19 pm

    Felix,

    The study you refer to is the MoT’s 2005 Surface Transportation Cost Comparison study, subsequently renamed Surface Transport Costs and Charges. The study doesn’t claim that heavy trucks only pay about 55% of the cost of the damage they cause to the roads while car users pay considerably more (70%?).What it claims is that trucks are only paying 56% of what they would have to pay if they payed GST and if roads were privavtised and had to earn a commercial return on capital invested. The study also noted that the railways weren’t earning a proper commercial rate of return either even though it was privately owned. The authors of the study could have avoided confusing the public by treating rail as though it wasn’t privatised and giving it a credit for it’s profits. That method leads to the conclusion that cars, trucks and trains are all within a few percent of covering their costs, assuming maintenance is not being deferred. Note that as the study excluded GST it really should have excluded the costs imposed on the Crown by each mode..

    I can’t find a link to the full study but the summary findings is here:
    http://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Images/NewFolder-2/Overview-for-pdf.pdf
    and Q&A is here:
    http://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/_PDFAttachment/surface-transport-costs-and-charges.pdf

    The latter includes this table (referring to 2001/02 financial year)
    4. Who is overpaying and who is underpaying for land transport?
    The total cost analysis shows that no one is overpaying and that all land transport users
    are underpaying to varying degrees. For example:
    • cars directly pay 64% of their costs
    • trucks directly pay 56% of their costs
    • buses directly pay 68% of their costs
    • rail users directly pay 77% of their costs

  15. Pascal's bookie 15
    16 April 2009 at 4:50 pm

    Clarke and Kevin: Thanks.

    Thank God we’ve got the ACT party in there to sort this out. It’s pretty obvious what needs to happen. Sack those MoT timewasters that are doing these sort of frivolous useless reports. Pronto.

  16. Clarke 16
    16 April 2009 at 6:39 pm

    Pascal: You’ve got to admire Friedlander for his return on investment … he spends $95K purchasing politicians, and he gets $1 billion re-allocated to roading. That’s about a 1,000,000% ROI, the kind of result that even Bernie Madoff would envy.

    I wonder if it’s because Friedlander is an astute purchaser, or simply because our politicians are so astoundingly cheap ….

    • Kevyn Miller 16.1
      18 April 2009 at 5:26 pm

      Clarke,
      “Pascal: You’ve got to admire Friedlander for his return on investment he spends $95K purchasing politicians, and he gets $1 billion re-allocated to roading. That’s about a 1,000,000% ROI, the kind of result that even Bernie Madoff would envy.”

      Have another look at the proposed GPS. From memory, and in broad numbers, PT loses $250mil, local roads lose $250 mil, road users pay a further $500mil in road fees and STATE HIGHWAYS receive an additional $1bn.

      I think Freidlander might be well advised to stay inside during duck season. He hasn’t done his rural members or urban delivery members any good at all.

  17. djp 17
    16 April 2009 at 8:11 pm

    You guys may want to read my comment again:

    I am pretty sure the RUC charges easily cover the road maintenance too.

    That hokey study you refer to tries to pin all sorts of costs on transport quite apart from road maintenance (climate change being one of them heh)

    • Pascal's bookie 17.1
      16 April 2009 at 8:51 pm

      I think people got sidetracked when you said that subsidies are bad economics and thought you meant it.

      But thanks for showing me that however one tries to parody rightwingers these days, one will usually only be predicting the shit they actually say.

      • Clarke 17.1.1
        16 April 2009 at 10:32 pm

        I think it’s just so sad that the crazy right-wingers no longer believe in user-pays. Here we are having to pay for their trucking industry, their failed investment banks, their dodgy finance companies ….

  19. trucker 19
    17 April 2009 at 7:42 am

    Kevyn Miller,

    The 2005 Surface Transportation Study was somewhat selective in the information that it used, and has been shown to be inaccurate. It was written by Rail’s consultants, Booze Allan. When apples were compared with apples then road was shown to be paying a larger percentage of costs than rail over similar routes. The percentages you quote have been revised.

    Draco T Bastard
    “No, that’s trying to buy democracy – ie, totally corrupt. Everybody is supposed to have equal access to the representatives and be taken equally seriously and not be able to buy access.”

    In theory you are right, but in practice you are not. Everybody is supposed to have equal access, but they don’t. Greens had far more access to the last government than Truckers because that’s the way it was. Access does not guarantee any result.

  20. sweetd 20
    17 April 2009 at 8:36 am

    “Meanwhile, the mystery of $3000 donations to several National MPs from “Toorak Chambers” has been cleared up. Toorak Chambers is an incorporated society which owns a building in Hamilton.

    The “donations” were effectively a dividend from profits to the members – National’s central North Island electorate branches.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10567009

  21. Clarke 21
    17 April 2009 at 3:37 pm

    Trucker: If – as you claim – the STCC methodology has been revised, then post the link, dude.

    The only revision I can find is the UTCC work I linked to earlier, which at least has the merit of coming from something other than an industry lobby group. And I have to say, your unsubstantiated assertions (“when apples were compared with apples then road was shown to be paying a larger percentage of costs than rail”) look awfully like the Road Transport Forum talking points, such as in this backgrounder:

    http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:gHmC65jgZKYJ:www.rtfnz.co.nz/catalog/A_Backgrounder965.doc+Surface+Transport+costs+and+charges&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=nz

    As for “equal access” to government, I note that the Road Transport Forum was well able to organise a “protest” against rising diesel prices by driving all those trucks into the centre of Wellington – which was clearly intended to have political impact – so forgive me if I’m only crying crocodile tears for you guys.

    • Kevyn Miller 21.1
      17 April 2009 at 7:31 pm

      I haven’t seen the revised report either, but that’s because when the MoT removed the full original report from their website they didn’t replace it with a new version. The original report which I saved on my computer substantiates trucker’s assertions “when comparing apples with apples” but we should all remember that their are many types of apples and, to mix metaphors, competition between road and rail on specific routes is always going to be a matter of horses for courses.

  22. trucker 22
    17 April 2009 at 4:10 pm

    Trucker

    The report I have about the STCC is not on the web, so I can not post a link.MOT have it somewhere.

    The background paper probably was generated from the report, but I had not seen it before your link.

    The RTF did not protest against rising diesel prices. The protest was against the way the government went back on their word about RUC increases, and yes of course it was intended to create political impact.

    Protesting against rising fuel prices would have been futile as there was nothing our government could have done about it.

    We don’t want your tears, crocodile or otherwise, but thanks for the thought.

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    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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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 ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    6 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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days 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 ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    6 days 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
    6 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    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 might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    6 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    7 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week 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
    3 hours 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
    4 hours 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
    24 hours 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
    1 day ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
    Tangi ngunguru ana ngā tai ki te wahapū o Hokianga Whakapau Karakia. Tārehu ana ngā pae maunga ki Te Puna o te Ao Marama. Korihi tangi ana ngā manu, kua hinga he kauri nui ki te Wao Nui o Tāne. He Toa. He Pou. He Ahorangi. E papaki tū ana ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Renewable energy fund to support community resilience
    40 solar energy systems on community buildings in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events Virtual capability-building hub to support community organisations get projects off the ground Boost for community-level renewable energy projects across the country At least 40 community buildings used to support the emergency response ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 funding returned to Government
    The lifting of COVID-19 isolation and mask mandates in August has resulted in a return of almost $50m in savings and recovered contingencies, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Following the revocation of mandates and isolation, specialised COVID-19 telehealth and alternative isolation accommodation are among the operational elements ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Appointment of District Court Judge
    Susie Houghton of Auckland has been appointed as a new District Court Judge, to serve on the Family Court, Attorney-General David Parker said today.  Judge Houghton has acted as a lawyer for child for more than 20 years. She has acted on matters relating to the Hague Convention, an international ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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