Nats want more expensive ACC so private insurers can profit

Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, February 18th, 2012 - 127 comments
Categories: ACC, privatisation - Tags:

Private sector competition brings market disciplines and efficiencies to bloated publicly-owned monopolies. That’s the mantra, eh? That’s the indisputable truth… right? So, how come the Nats are planning to make ACC raise its levies and pay a dividend – for the first time ever – so that private insurers can compete? And how does that benefit NZ?

That the Nats are looking to raise ACC levies, having just dropped them in October, following hikes in 2010 that were needed to ‘save ACC’ (actually, ACC’s ‘crisis’ was just the fall in its reserves’ value because of the gobal financial crisis and it was ‘saved’ by those values rising again, not anything National did). But the annoyance and seeming incompetence of chopping and changing levy levels all the time isn’t as big a deal as why they want to raise the levies.

Here‘s the crucial bit:

The papers showed ACC “would be subject to regulatory safeguards to ensure it sets prices responsibly” and proposed legislation would require ACC to ”price prudently by incorporating a surplus margin into prices”.

ACC would also be required to pay built up reserves to the Government to “avoid a build-up of excess reserves that could reduce financial disciplines or be used by ACC to reduce its prices (which would make it difficult for insurers to compete)”.

So, ACC would be required to charge us more than it needs and then give that money to the government. It’s called a dividend.

That was never part of the deal. When New Zealanders’ gave away our right to sue for personal injury (and thereby realised massive savings in our court system) the quid pro quo was that we would get comprehensive, universal no-fault injury insurance that would be funded by universal, limited purpose levies. ACC has never had any right to raise money other than to pay for insurance claims and administration (which, for ACC is a far lower cost than for private insurers). The government can’t now try to grab some of that money as a backdoor tax for its general operations.

And it certainly can’t do that to give private insurers an easier time competing against ACC by raising the price New Zealanders pay for injury insurance. How is it good for New Zealand if we pay more on our ACC levies so that foreign insurers are able to come in here and make a profit?

We end up paying more for the same service. In fact, for a diminished service because private insurers make their money by not making payouts. They spend a huge amount of money on lawyers trying to get out of paying policyholders for claims, or shifting the liability for those claims to other insurers.

Don’t look for the economic or social logic to this. It doesn’t exist. This is simply more of National’s relentless privatisaton agenda; their ideological obsession with destroying publicly-owned wealth and letting the private sector vultures feast on the carcass.

127 comments on “Nats want more expensive ACC so private insurers can profit ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Colonial Viper 1
    18 February 2012 at 11:06 am

    Surely the NATs business and chamber of commerce mates aren’t going to put up with this nonsense, simply to advantage the private insurers…especially as they are already sucking businesses across the South Island dry.

  2. George D 2
    18 February 2012 at 11:07 am

    Outrageous.

    • Lanthanide 2.1
      18 February 2012 at 11:31 am

      Yes, it really is.

      It makes me wonder why the opposition parties can’t just come out and accuse the government of fraud. They released the information that shows that the interest savings from the sale of state assets will not outweigh the lost dividends, despite the repeated statements that that wasn’t true before the election. Can’t they just stand up in parliament and say “this government is a fraud, they deliberately lied to the people of new zealand leading up to the election for the sole purpose of getting elected, here’s the proof”.

  3. mikesh 3
    18 February 2012 at 11:11 am

    It’s the same with state owned power companies. We pay higher power prices, allowing them to pay a “dividend” to government, so that privately owned companies such as Contact and Vector will be able to compete. Crazy.

  4. burt 4
    18 February 2012 at 11:15 am

    One size fits all…. It’s got to go… The sooner we break this disgraceful self serving monopoly apart the better.

    • Colonial Viper 4.1
      18 February 2012 at 11:21 am

      Trust you to diss ACC, a system the envy of the world, while promoting private insurers who themselves are the very definition of self serving. Grow a fucking brain.

      • burt 4.1.1
        18 February 2012 at 11:34 am

        ACC, a system the envy of the world

        That no other country has been stupid enough to pretend it can afford…. Yet we persist because it fits the easy sell of socialist ideology…

        Every other country in the world needs to grow a fucking brain and put political expediency ahead of fiscal reality in the best interests of a single political parties electability…..

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.1
          18 February 2012 at 11:39 am

          What are you talking about, “unaffordable”?. You’d claim that private health insurance systems are more affordable than ACC?

          WTF. You must be referring to the US system where health spend is twice as high as NZ per capita, but health outcomes are worse for the vast majority because most of that is taken up in private insurance administration and private insurance profits.

          Get with the programme you dinosaur and start using your intellect in the interests of your country for once.

        • KJT 4.1.1.2
          18 February 2012 at 11:40 am

          First principle of insurance. Spreading the risk as much as possible. A State run scheme with full membership is always going to be cheaper than private insurance for that reason alone.

          Ask yourself how much it would cost to replace benefits (State income insurance) with individual privateer schemes, with the same cover.

          • burt 4.1.1.2.1
            18 February 2012 at 11:55 am

            Yes, the Karori Woman’s knitting club just love subsidising my mountain bike injuries….

            Shit I spent so much on my bike I simply couldn’t afford an extra premium to cover that risk… luck the old biddies don’t mind helping me out.

            • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.2.1.1
              18 February 2012 at 12:01 pm

              And you subsidise the fall and broken hip they receive while going to knitting club. What’s the problem? We’re a society and we should help each other out.

              • burt …
                18 February 2012 at 12:06 pm

                Yes, that’s right… because they go about such risky activities as walking around supermarkets and walking to their letter box on rainy days deliberately knowing that I’ll help cover the cost… Shit I just hurl myself down muddy tracks at high speed dodging tress and trying not to fly over banks – it’s so comparable…. The reckless old biddies…

                I hear they are impressed with the ACC proportion of their vehicle registration when calculated as a cost per km as well. They really like how they pay the same (one size fits all) as boy racers in high powered modified vehicles.

                Hell their 1100 cc toyota’s going to the supermarket and the knitting club are so comparable to twin turbo vehicles being driving at 180 kph by inexperienced drivers.

                But one size fits all is best apparently….

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  18 February 2012 at 12:10 pm

                  Yes burt, it is.

                  • burt …
                    18 February 2012 at 12:12 pm

                    So if it is… why was my 1,000 cc motorbike carrying more ACC levies than my 125 cc scooter….

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      18 February 2012 at 12:22 pm

                      Now you’re changing the goal posts again. Just can’t admit to the reality can you?

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 12:28 pm

                      The reality is that socialists want someone else to pay for the shit they use.

                      I’ve paid a shit load of money for a very good mountain bike, it’s a risky business riding it. Yet there is no extra cost on me for taking that risk…

                      I think that’s shit. It’s good for me I guess because I get to spend more on my kit and get more flashy toys to take risks on. I’m pleased you like covering the costs of me being panel beaten from time to time… You are a good socialist and your generosity allows me to spend more on myself.

                    • Matt …
                      18 February 2012 at 12:30 pm

                      Because the actuaries figured out that hoons riding superbikes were statistically a lot more likely to munt themselves than some Korean girl riding her scooter to Uni, but the KPMG partner with his 911 Turbo wasn’t a lot more likley to get in a shunt than Joe Blow going to the supermarket in his Starlet?

                      Yes.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      18 February 2012 at 12:37 pm

                      The reality is that socialists want someone else to pay for the shit they use.

                      The reality is we live in communities and societies together, not in isolated individual silos.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      18 February 2012 at 12:51 pm

                      The people having accidents are subsidised by those who don’t. That’s the whole point of insurance (and society BTW) as no single person can afford the full costs.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 1:42 pm

                      Matt

                      A mate and I have both been riding motorbikes for years. In the last 12 years he’s stacked his motorbike twice with spectacular results…

                      He can’t get insurance anymore for his bikes so he’s riding a much lower quality bike now. Meanwhile we still both pay the same ACC levies… It’s cool eh. So simple to administer….

                      Funny how the insurers of the bike itself have said – hey no way… but the insurers of his health costs – they can’t be bothered to acknowledge that he’s more risky than someone else….. It’s easier to make the grannies pay more for their car registration.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:03 pm

                      burt, it’s like this: The more complication you add the more it costs. Adding competition and individualised rates adds complication thus adding to the costs. That’s why the US health system is so expensive – lost of competition, lots of (duplicated) administration, lots of advertising, lots of profit – fuck all health services.

                      Go the way you and NAct want and we will end up paying two to three times as much as we do now. Considering how much cheaper do you really think I’m going to be concerned with a little cross subsidy? Not fucken likely – only the morons who vote National, Act, Maori Party or UF would be.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:07 pm

                      Draco

                      If you post up your email address I’ll send you the contact details for my mate who can’t get motorbike insurance (that he can actually afford). I’m sure if you chip in a few thousand a year for him he’ll thank you for that. It’s fair right ?

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:27 pm

                      But it wouldn’t be a “few thousand” would it burt? It’d be a few cents as we’d have everybody paying in. As I said – that’s how insurance works. The problem with private corporation based insurance is that we have competition driving up costs and profits driving down payouts.

                      And if he keeps having accidents the way you say he does he probably should have stopped riding motorbikes (and probably driving) a long time ago. Actually, we should probably withdraw permission for him to drive as he’s an obvious danger on the road.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:13 pm

                      Draco

                      Do you see the complete contradiction in your position…

                      We apparently must have a no fault system because that’s apparently a good thing then you go and say …

                      Actually, we should probably withdraw permission for him to drive as he’s an obvious danger on the road.

                      So in your world view a no fault system fits nicely with a command and control system – only a socialist would take this position….

                    • McFlock …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:19 pm

                      Damned command and control socialists, insisting that vehicle drivers and riders should be reasonably able to avoid crashes.
                          
                      Or should we wait until your friend injures or kills someone else?

                    • felix …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:30 pm

                      So if accident compensation was privatised and run by the same companies who won’t give your mate any insurance cover now…

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:45 pm

                      felix

                      That’s his problem…. Really it is. But he can choose to ride without his bike insured if he wants to.

                      I’ve got no issue with that. Really I haven’t. The thing is there is no ACC recognition that he’s a risk and his cost is just socialised. Apparently that’s a good thing – but apparently we should also stop him riding his motorbike or even driving. So no fault turns into “not allowed to be at fault” go figure.

                      Socialists seem like highly confused creatures some times.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:48 pm

                      McFlock

                      Or should we wait until your friend injures or kills someone else?

                      The no fault system encourages this – that’s they key point I’m actually making. So we have a no fault system but we modify the risk by being nanny and telling people what they can and can’t do…. What a shitty world you socialists want.

                      Please tell me what your threshold would be for banning people from driving or riding motorbikes. Is 1 crash the limit.. 2 ? 2 in 12 years…

                      Please explain how completely restricting freedom of individuals is better than modifying their behaviour using the easiest option we have – risk assessment translated into costs…..

                    • McFlock …
                      18 February 2012 at 7:18 pm

                      “No fault” is for civil liability, not criminal. Criminal liability is the deterrent, not bankruptcy through medical bills.
                          
                      And requiring a certain level of ability to control a vehicle is not totalitarian – it’s called driver licensing. I would not actually have an issue with people causing injury crashes being required to undertake driver training, because obviously they need it. With periods of disqualification if they obviously learn nothing. Or are you also opposed to sustained loss of traction offences?

                    • felix …
                      18 February 2012 at 7:37 pm

                      burt, it’s up to the courts to revoke people’s licenses if they’re dangerous on the road. They do this all the time, as they bloody well should. Not sure why you think that’s tied to your mate’s insurance status though or what it has to do with socialism.

                      (Unless this is one of those “any govt is tyranny” arguments of course)

                      As far as being a greater insurance risk, I ask again: So what?

                      People do ride motorbikes and fish off the rocks and ride skateboards on half-pipes and surf on reefs and do dangerous jobs and cross the road without looking and fall over in the bath and get affected by loud noise and get assaulted by cretins and cut themselves gardening and bump their heads on doorways and burn themselves on the stove and any number of other things every day.

                      And everyone is cross-subsidising all of those things for everyone else. You and your mountain bike just ain’t as special as you think.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      18 February 2012 at 8:00 pm

                      The no fault system encourages this – that’s they key point I’m actually making.

                      No it doesn’t as it has nothing to do with being dangerous.

                      Please explain how completely restricting freedom of individuals is better than modifying their behaviour using the easiest option we have – risk assessment translated into costs…..

                      So, according to you people should be allowed to endanger others no matter what…

                      Gotcha. You’re one of these libertarians that’s thinks oppressing others rights to not be negatively influenced by you so that you can do whatever you like is liberty.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 9:18 pm

                      OK Great we rovoke his licence and he rides a motorbike and crashes… we still pay to patch him up… again and again…

                      I guess it would be so wrong to slap a $40K medical bill on him as we lock him up for driving without a licence….

                      No fault and all that right …. I guess it would be wrong if we give him a condition of riding a motorbike that he pays the first $10K of medical bills – hell the motorbike is worth more than that but … no it would be wrong to make him pay – much easier if we just share the cost. One size fits all ….

                    • McFlock …
                      18 February 2012 at 9:30 pm

                      Much cheaper bureaucracy-wise if we pay the bill. Even in your worst-case scenario, I think the problem would solve itself before the bills began to be noticable in the greater scheme of things.
                        
                      I mean, you might be happy for your “mate” to lie untreated in the gutter because he already owes $30k, but if dangerous driving and driving w/o license charges don’t teach him a lesson, medical bills won’t.
                       
                      And he’d become an organ donor pretty quick, by the sounds of it. So really we should thank him for his sacrifice, not begrudge him a few grand in medical bills. /sarc

                    • felix …
                      18 February 2012 at 11:29 pm

                      I can see why it winds you up burt. Really, I mean that.

                      I believe that you fundamentally think of us as representing independent economic units making transactions with each other, and you want to know that all the transactions balance and are accounted for. That no one is paying more than their share and everyone is individually responsible for the consequences of their actions – at least theoretically, I mean we are talking about accidents after all. It’s not always someone’s fault.

                      I get that. I don’t see the world that way but I get that you do.

                      I don’t consider us individual economic units at anything more than a superficial level. All the important things we do, we do together. In families, in teams, in iwi, in work gangs, in companies, in communities, and as a society.

                      And in a group it’s not aberrant behaviour to pay for things you don’t use the precise value of yourself, just as it isn’t unusual to work on projects that you don’t recieve the sole benefit from. By pooling resources and skills we’re all better off. The tribe does better because no individual has all the skills and resources that the tribe has.

                      That’s society. That’s humanity. We’re quite simply in it together.

                      It seems to me that the fundamental difference of views here is that you want all the transactions to balance at an individual level while others see more value in having a system which is more efficient overall and serves the needs of the society as a whole.

                      I don’t see you changing anyone’s mind about this unless you can show that your model could operate more efficiently than the current one.

                      And so far there’s no way. The dead weight of profit, the adversarial litigation, and the duplication of administrative functions see to that.

                      What we have works better, provides more, and costs less than anything you’ve proposed so far. I don’t see how you’re going to get around that.

                    • RedLogix …
                      18 February 2012 at 11:46 pm

                      Very concise felix. A pleasure to read.

                    • burt …
                      19 February 2012 at 10:47 am

                      felix

                      I believe that you fundamentally think of us as representing independent economic units making transactions with each other, and you want to know that all the transactions balance and are accounted for. That no one is paying more than their share and everyone is individually responsible for the consequences of their actions – at least theoretically, I mean we are talking about accidents after all. It’s not always someone’s fault.

                      That’s a nice simplification. Well done. Your following comments about the tribe doing better than individuals make more sense. But tribes also banish individuals for all sorts of reasons.

                      Human nature will happily carry a ‘weight’ where the individual can’t help that ‘weight’. That’s one of the good things about human nature compared to say a herd of buffalo. But stupidity, recklessness and complete disregard for others becomes another issue.

                      The ACC mentality seems to take the approach that no action to modify an individuals behaviour will be taken… it’s simply not easy to administer and therefore not “efficient”.

                      If what we have works better, provides more, and costs less than anything I’ve proposed so far then why is NZ the only country in the world enlightened enough to put ease of administration ahead of all else ?

                      There is no getting around the fact we stand alone having a no fault one size fits all system – why is that?

                    • burt …
                      19 February 2012 at 11:59 am

                      felix

                      Another analogy that fits here is RUC paid by diesel vehicles v generic tax on petrol.

                      Under the ACC one size no fault model we would simply say a 50t truck uses more diesel than a 3t truck and add a road maintenance tax as a cost per liter of diesel?

                      Why don’t we do that ? Surely it would be a lot easier and cheaper to just say a per liter charges are more efficient because them nasty hubodometer manufactures are just scooping profit from all the truckies and that’s just inefficient?

                      Hey a 1,000cc vehicle uses less petrol than a 6,000cc V8 so it all kind of washes up right ? Easy peasy …. is it right ?

                      Another approach would be to tax tires, hell if you blast through a set of tires on the twin turbo in 15,000k’s then surely you are doing more damage to the roads than a V8 driven carefully getting 40,000k’s out of a set of tires….

                      The other instance where ACC fails considerably is that the “accident” cost is apportioned to a vehicle, not a driver. Now vehicle insurance acknowledges that different demographics have different accident risk profiles and that risk is reflected in policy premiums. But not ACC… Hell I have 3 registered vehicles and I can only drive one at a time – Most of the time they all sit at home while I ride my bicycle – which has no ACC component attached to it….

                      IMHO ACC road accident levies should be levied on the driver, adjsuted by age in the same way that vehicle insurance is – I get that it’s not in the best interest of a monopoly state insurer to manage that – but it’s a shit load more fair and equitable.

                    • felix …
                      19 February 2012 at 4:10 pm

                      But burt, we already pay different ACC levies depending on the type of work we do.

                      I’m not sure exactly what you’re proposing we do differently.

                      As for why no other countries have systems as good as ours, you’d have to ask Price Waterhouse Coopers about that.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      19 February 2012 at 7:33 pm

                      There is no getting around the fact we stand alone having a no fault one size fits all system – why is that?

                      Dunno burt, why do you think it is that all other countries go for the least cost effective option that enriches a few at everyone else’s expense?

                • mik e …
                  18 February 2012 at 1:36 pm

                  burt your lucidity is unbelievable one size fits all or are we going to have secret police running around and checking on every bodies activities .Something so simple is to complicated for you to work out burt.
                  Having a simple system is much easier to administer.
                  So if the knitting club all have a bus crash while visiting another knitting club the boy racers will pay as well or if the knitting club all come down with RSI why should the boy racers pay.Also some boy/girl racers obey the law and just drive round in their hotted up cars looking good.

                  • burt …
                    18 February 2012 at 1:52 pm

                    Mik e

                    burt your lucidity is unbelievable one size fits all or are we going to have secret police running around and checking on every bodies activities

                    ACC levies are no harder to tailor than other insurance costs. You have regular motor vehicle accidents and your motor vehicle insurance costs are higher – it’s not really rocket science. But I get that it’s not the socialist way…

                    Tell me why don’t we have one size fits all insurance for everything ? It would be so simple if the overall costs associated with say vehicle insurance we just divided equally between all vehicle registrations – would you go for that ?

                    • KJT …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:13 pm

                      What a good idea. Lets have one Government insurance provider for all house, contents, vehicle and other insurance.

                      The costs of competition would go and premiums could be much cheaper for more comprehensive cover. Just like ACC.

                      Not to mention the lessening effects on the national debt off reducing offshore profits.

                      Burt!. You have hit the nail on the head!

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:21 pm

                      KJT

                      For some reason the state don’t seem to want to take that one on… I wonder why that is…

                    • felix …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:22 pm

                      Yep KJT I agree, that’s a bloody good idea. Especially seeing as it’s the state (i.e. all of us) who shell out when the shit really hits the fan anyway.

                      Good work burt.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:23 pm

                      For some reason the state don’t ant to take that one on… I wonder why that is…

                      Coz NATs are working for the private corporate insurance sector, not for ordinary NZers.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:29 pm

                      Oh, remember to be like our insane ACC system it would need to be completely “no fault”. So hey if you are stupid and burn your own house down because you thought it would be fun to see how long it took to burn then collectively we would all just pay for a new one for you.

                    • Zetetic …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:35 pm

                      self-inflicted injuries and injuries from the commission of a crime are not covered by ACC except for treatment – no income insurance in these cases.

                      By analogy, the public home insurer would cover putting out the fire you start (we already have a public and universal fire-putting-out insurance scheme called the Fire Service) but not the cost of rebuilding your house or the cost of your accommodation during the rebuild.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:42 pm

                      Burt you just made up your own meaning of ACC’s no fault practitioner principle and applied it to arson.

                      Shit you’re dumbass.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:42 pm

                      self-inflicted injuries

                      Like falling off my mountain bike… I think I chose to ride it…. Perhaps [somebody else] made me do it and that’s why the time of work still gets covered….

                      Rugby players…. who forces them to run onto the field ?

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 2:44 pm

                      CV

                      Prove it was arson…. In my example I said the person was stupid enough to see how long it would take… but hey if they said “I fell asleep while cooking some chips” and they started the fire in the kitchen…

                      It’s OK though because even if they had done it 300 times over the last 20 years the ACC model would rather just share the costs to other people than actually tag that person as high risk and increase their levies accordingly.

                    • McFlock …
                      18 February 2012 at 3:08 pm

                      Burt,
                       
                      if arson were that easy to get away with, fire insurance wouldn’t be available because of all the insurance fraud that went on.

            • James Henderson 4.1.1.2.1.2
              18 February 2012 at 12:05 pm

              Burt. stop trolling and explain why you do or don’t support the government’s move to increase ACC levies and make it pay a dividend so that private insurers can enter the market, also charging higher premiums with the result that NZ pays more for injury insurance for more fragmented and uncertain coverage.

              If you can’t elucidate a position on the topic of the post, take a week off.

            • Foreign Waka 4.1.1.2.1.3
              18 February 2012 at 12:09 pm

              Yes, she will! As long as you support her fractured hip when she gets old and frail – you anti social brick.

            • KJT 4.1.1.2.1.4
              18 February 2012 at 12:18 pm

              Yeah. I just love paying $200 extra a year insurance to private companies, to pay for Christchurch ,when the insurance companies should be paying for it, out of the profits from the insurance premiums they were paid over the last 50 years.

            • Vicky32 4.1.1.2.1.5
              19 February 2012 at 7:27 pm

              Yes, the Karori Woman’s knitting club just love subsidising my mountain bike injuries….
              Shit I spent so much on my bike I simply couldn’t afford an extra premium to cover that risk… luck the old biddies don’t mind helping me out.

              And so you blithely assume that none of the ‘old biddies’ (sexist and ageist, well done!) goes mountain biking herself? Note – it’s a very unwarranted assumption. My sister (an old biddy by your standards) goes tramping and also rides an off-road motorbike)

              • burt …
                19 February 2012 at 11:15 pm

                My sister (an old biddy by your standards) goes tramping and also rides an off-road motorbike)

                Good on her, I’m pleased to hear that. I apologize if my generalizations offend you. I can see how you might read them as sexist and ageist but really I didn’t intend to have that effect.

                As a younger man I have been blown into the dust by older woman while tramping, their stamina and hardiness are formidable. I learnt a valuable lesson back then about making assumption based on age, it’s a shame it appears like I have forgotten it – I haven’t really.

                But hey, are you here to just have a go at me, or is ACC and the one size fits all conundrum something you also have views on ?

                • Colonial Viper …
                  19 February 2012 at 11:25 pm

                  or is ACC and the one size fits all conundrum something you also have views on ?

                  I dunno is Apple also a one size fits all conundrum?

                  • burt …
                    19 February 2012 at 11:48 pm

                    What the hell… The day we can only buy Apple computers due to an act of parliament prohibiting other suppliers from selling their products in our market you’ll be bang on… But I’m sure given you love of nanny state you’ll be defending it. Perhaps you should get some sleep CV……

          • Fortran 4.1.1.2.2
            19 February 2012 at 1:45 pm

            Having made numerous enquiries (being ex insurance) I cannot find any Insurance Company who will undertake ACC work as before.
            They have been stuffed by Christchurch and do not have the time to consider ACC in the forseeable future.
            Could somebody tell me of one please.

          • Vicky32 4.1.1.2.3
            19 February 2012 at 7:24 pm

            Ask yourself how much it would cost to replace benefits (State income insurance) with individual privateer schemes, with the same cover.

            That reminds me of the late 1990s, when the same ideas were floated, and in fact private insurance was being invited to ‘compete’. The Herald was against the idea (!) and ran a series of articles about it. In one of them, it asked all the private insurance companies to give quotes for coverage for people in various occupations. What was notable was the number of occupations the private insurers refused to cover! Most notable, crane operators. (There had recently been a dreadful accident in which a crane operator on a building site had been rendered quadriplegic.) * I can’t remember what they said about home handymen – my Italian friend in Welly was seriously injured at work when he fell 4 metres off a balcony – 5 years later, he’s still disabled but works when he at all can, as ACC keep giving him grief… 
            In almost all cases where the private insurers agreed they’d cover someone, the premium was at least one and a half times the ACC levy.
            * Years later, ACC declared this quadriplegic man ‘work ready’ and wanted to cut his ACC, as he still had his voice, and could work as a telemarketer! Insane.

            • burt 4.1.1.2.3.1
              19 February 2012 at 11:38 pm

              That sort of treatment by ACC is all to common. It’s unfortunate that many people see ACC as some caring state provider when really they are as profit (cost reduction) motivated as any private company.

              As an employer in 1998 I don’t agree that (in almost all cases) private insurance premiums were a least 1.5 times the ACC levies, my company almost halved it’s work place insurance costs during that time but quickly lost that saving when ACC was re-nationalised in a move Muldoon would have been proud of.

              I do agree that some industries had significant cost increases for insurance, but looking at the details at the time I couldn’t help but see that as a reduction in cross subsidisation. The private insures had no political motive to socialise the risks outside of where they actually belonged.

              It’s quite possible that if your friend had a private insurance ‘contract’ at the time of his accident that he wouldn’t now be fighting for the continuation of what he was ‘promised’ at the time. This is one area where I think ACC fails miserably, it’s compensation is litterally ‘compensation de-jour’. You never know from one year to the next what your levies will provide you with in the advent of an accident – they just collect the fees and very the conditions for compensation as they go along.

              Using private insurers however requires careful reading of the contract and comparing the benefits between suppliers compared to the premiums – but you can chose a cost/cover mix that you think is appropriate – not even remotely possible with ACC. The state is you nanny and knows what you should pay and what you need in return.

              • Colonial Viper …
                19 February 2012 at 11:42 pm

                Wow still shilling for the ailing rip off US private insurance model

                • burt …
                  19 February 2012 at 11:49 pm

                  Did you read what Vicky32 said ?

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    20 February 2012 at 1:06 am

                    Oh noes, ACC isn’t perfect – still, it’s a damn site better than private insurance companies.

                    • Carol …
                      20 February 2012 at 7:46 am

                      And it seems to me ACC has got meaner in what it provides for rehab/recover since the NAct government came into being and started to focus on cutting costs & prepping ACC for privatisation.

                      However, I’m very grateful for what ACC has provided for me in the first place and, for the most part it has worked efficiently – operations, lost income payments for a month or so, a certain amount of physio etc, visits at work from an occupational therapist…. and there are procedures for contesting the stopping of physio.

        • Matt 4.1.1.3
          18 February 2012 at 11:45 am

          On behalf of everyone who knows first hand about the US health care system and how it is corrupted and co-opted by private insurers, you’re an idiot.

          • happynz 4.1.1.3.1
            18 February 2012 at 10:08 pm

            Yup. The horribly high cost of health insurance and the absolutely ridiculous byzantine bureaucracy that has to be navigated to get simple health matters attended to is the reason I no longer live in the US and it counts as one of the reasons why I have no desire to return to that country. How many people here would be keen on paying $1,500 a month for premiums, $10,000 deductibles?

            • Matt 4.1.1.3.1.1
              18 February 2012 at 11:31 pm

              Absolutely, ACC is one of the things I like best about living in NZ. It’s certainly not wages, nor tax rates, nor the prices or quality of consumer goods, nor WOFs. But I very much like that an injury, even if you’re a serial self destructive fucktard like burt, will not bankrupt your family to pay the medical costs. Only a lunatic would want to undermine something which NZ has done so well.

              • McFlock …
                18 February 2012 at 11:37 pm

                the tax rates are actually pretty good

                • Matt …
                  19 February 2012 at 12:25 am

                  Nominal rates are one thing and real, effective tax rates are another. For example there is no mortgage interest deduction in NZ, which is particularly notable since mortgage interest rates here are a) generally higher and b) not fixed for the life of the loan. In the US there is also no GST, which like all similar taxes is pretty regressive, and every US state sales tax rate is far lower.

                  The flip side is in the US there is no ACC or public health system comparable to NZ’s until you’re on medicare, so taxes here cover something which would be a (large) out of pocket expense in the US.

                  In short, our tax burden here is larger than in the US, but some big things are covered by that added tax which mitigates a lot of it. God bless ACC, though we’ve been fortunate enough to not need it so far.

                  • McFlock …
                    19 February 2012 at 12:38 am

                    But the NZ govt tax burden is pretty much the limit of taxes – no state or county income taxes also coming into the picture.

        • Foreign Waka 4.1.1.4
          18 February 2012 at 12:06 pm

          You must be one of the people with the head in the sand. You have no idea what you are talking about. There is a legal framework in place for this system, trust me. And when that is gone anyone and everybody can sue the hospital, practitioner etc. All that will happen is that we truly become a 3rd world country in which the very few – and mark my words there will only be a very few – can afford health care. And by the way, all the taxes collected today as an ACC levy, payroll – driver license- petrol- you name it, they better get that one off my bill if that happens. The reason the health bill is not affordable is that the tax goes in to the general collective and none of it is distributed in % to the area for which is was collected in the first place. Right now, most of the road user charges (ACC) is going to Auckland’s infrastructure. It maybe better to use it for Christchurch rebuild. ACC has been collected via insurances for decades for that very reason. Research the issue before you give those statement.
          Oh by the way, the only “other” country that cannot afford health care because it became a share market rort is the USA. If you look to Europe you will find a different approach. But if you just belief what the propaganda tells you, of cause hauling with the wolfs becomes second nature.

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.5
          18 February 2012 at 12:07 pm

          That no other country has been stupid enough to pretend it can afford.

          Um, burt, you did notice the bit about the government forcing ACC to up its fees so that the private corporates can compete didn’t you?

          The simple reality is that our ACC is amongst the most cost effective accident compensation schemes in the world. NAct are arguing that we need to make it more expensive and they’re not even saying that introducing competition will cheaper any more.

          • burt 4.1.1.5.1
            18 February 2012 at 12:15 pm

            Oh I see, when Labour put ACC levies up it is to provide better service and acknowledge the increasing cost of medical care – but when National put them up it is to make it easier for private insurers… That’s great… lets be so fucking partisan we are completely stupid and forget what the fees are actually for…. One size fits all – yeah baby pay pay pay.

            • Zetetic 4.1.1.5.1.1
              18 February 2012 at 12:17 pm

              the ACC papers say that they want to put levies up to allow private competition. There is nothing about extending services. The extra levies will be paid to the Crown as a dividend.

            • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.5.1.2
              18 February 2012 at 12:21 pm

              but when National put them up it is to make it easier for private insurers

              That’s what they’re saying burt. Didn’t you read the post? Where it actually shows that’s exactly what they’re doing.

            • Matthew Whitehead 4.1.1.5.1.3
              18 February 2012 at 1:07 pm

              I don’t think we’d have a problem if there were actual services planned for the levy- this is partly softening the market for privatisation, and partly National desperately searching for money to cover its asset sales budget hole.

            • bbfloyd 4.1.1.5.1.4
              18 February 2012 at 3:21 pm

              still making a virtue of willful stupidity eh berty??? can you tell me the rate the ladies sewing circle pays? and their classification?… and can you tell me how much a painter pays in acc levies… as a comparison?…… do you have the first clue regarding the structures, and systems in place now??

              from every wasted word you write, your willful ignorance shines through….. you have managed to irritate me with your blind, willful stupidity….. you prove the case for why it is such a good system whilst attempting to impersonate someone who genuinely wishes to debate seriously….and i’m sure you fail to notice the inherent contradictions in every word you write….

              your playacting is as obvious as your bigotry and ignorance…. and why people bother to take the time to inform you i will never know…..i applaud their patience….

        • Shane Gallagher 4.1.1.6
          18 February 2012 at 12:08 pm

          I am a business owner. I used to live in the rest of the world a lot – in fact I grew up there – ACC is amazing both to me as an individual and as a business owner. It is cheaper than anything elsewhere and is universal and I don’t have to worry about people bringing personal injury claims against our company as ACC handles all that. I don’t have to worry when I injure myself at work as I just go through ACC. It is a brilliant system. Why anyone would want to degrade it is beyond me – except that is sets an example of a state-run enterprise that out-performs the private sector and so must be eliminated.

          • burt 4.1.1.6.1
            18 February 2012 at 12:16 pm

            Forestry employers like ACC – Office employers mot so much….

            • Foreign Waka 4.1.1.6.1.1
              18 February 2012 at 12:56 pm

              And so do Rugby players earning heaps, or for that matter any sportsperson…

            • felix 4.1.1.6.1.2
              18 February 2012 at 1:03 pm

              So what?

              Some forestry workers are probably more accident prone than others by virtue of their nature.

              They’re being subsidised by other forestry workers too. And so what?

              And people in offices who develop rsi or eyesight problems are subsidising those forestry workers who don’t have accidents. So what?

              It’s still cheaper and easier to cover everyone the same way via the state, with less duplication, less bureaucracy, less admin cost, and no deadweight loss of profit to the Aussie insurance firms.

              Whether that fits your “private always best” ideology or not isn’t really relevant.

              • Foreign Waka …
                18 February 2012 at 1:34 pm

                Not to forget the solders stationed overseas coming back with injuries. What private insurer will cover that?

            • DH 4.1.1.6.1.3
              18 February 2012 at 1:27 pm

              “Forestry employers like ACC – Office employers mot so much….”

              Other way around there, ACC premiums for forestry workers are high because of the high accident rate. Office worker rates are one of the lowest.

            • burt 4.1.1.6.1.4
              18 February 2012 at 2:12 pm

              Foreign Waka

              And so do Rugby players earning heaps, or for that matter any sportsperson…

              Exactly…. Gee imagine if All Blacks earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year had to pay a premium for their injury costs – oh just not fair…. who would want to be an All Black if your earnings were only 30 times the national average rather than 32 because of the extra medical insurance costs.

              • Zetetic …
                18 February 2012 at 2:42 pm

                professional sportspeople pay earner levies like anyone else. And their employers have to pay higher premiums because of risk classification of their profession.

                you have very strong opinions about ACC for someone who clearly knows nothing about it.

                • burt …
                  18 February 2012 at 3:00 pm

                  I do have strong opinions on ACC. How sure are you I know nothing about it ?

                  I don’t agree it’s the best system in the world… I seem to share that opinion with every other country in the world…

                  Excluding some very detailed knowledge of how the corporation actually operates…

                  I get that for people who don’t like taking responsibility for themselves that it’s a gold system… I get that it’s a good selling point for socialism because most people actually have no idea what it actually costs them.

                  I also get that because there is no individual contract for what benefits the money we pay actually guarantees, that at any time the compensation is what it is and you have no recourse on that… which is perfect for socialists because it is easy for administration and self serving risk mitigation of the ‘monopoly insurer’.

                  But I’m not so fucking socialist that I would rather protect the best interests of a monopoly over the best interests of the population that is “required” to fund it with no particular service level in return.

                  • Zetetic …
                    18 February 2012 at 3:06 pm

                    your comments repeatedly show you have no idea how ACC works.

                    And it’s not about being a ‘socialist’ or not. You’re advocating replacing a system with a more expensive system that would deliver worse coverage. How does that make sense?

                  • Foreign Waka …
                    18 February 2012 at 3:11 pm

                    It certainly does not sound like that you have any interest in the well being of the general population. There are so many variants that my fingers would start bleeding to write all of this down – I would need ACC then 😉
                    You have to see the size of the population, number of people contributing and outcome. Measured on that ACC is world class, commercially and socially. I have worked under different schemes and I do know what the differences are. Sure, improvements in policy of cover could be looked at but by and large it is the same people, same infrastructure, same doctors and nurses that would be looking after you whether private or ACC. So in that regard there are only 2 improvements you could expect with a lot more money paid: you may be having a shorter waiting list (not guarantied) and the doctor smiles at you as you just have paid for his/her new luxury car.

                  • Matt …
                    18 February 2012 at 3:34 pm

                    How does raising rates for users so middlemen (private insurers) can profit at their expense constitute any sort of improvement? If someone is against redistribution of wealth (or something?) and things that are “socialist”, how does a redistribution of wealth further away from users and into the hands of a) private insurers and b) the government which wants to take more from you benefit anyone?

                    Thanks for looking out for the population, or something. << this is sarcasm

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    18 February 2012 at 4:00 pm

                    How sure are you I know nothing about it ?

                    Your comments pretty much prove that you have NFI WTF you’re talking about.

              • Foreign Waka …
                18 February 2012 at 3:02 pm

                I am glad you said that! I have been confronted before with exactly that dilemma but came to the conclusion that I am gladly covering this if in turn I get treatment and insurance cover if I happen to have an accident. You see, if you spend a night in emergency your selfish thoughts seem to disappear.

                • burt …
                  18 February 2012 at 3:25 pm

                  You see, if you spend a night in emergency your selfish thoughts seem to disappear.

                  You seem to have missed the point that I’m a high risk extreme sport person. Having a high pain threshold I’m rather indifferent to injuries. I’m no stranger to emergency and orthopedic departments. Sure being broken is annoying but hey pain is just temporary and so far things seem to go back together OK so I’ve seen no reason to slow down yet.

                  Free patch up’s are great, so is being paid to sit home with shit in casts…. But as much as all you buggers funding my foolishness works for me – I think it’s a completely mad system. There is nothing selfish in saying I should be paying more for my own stupidity. That I should be paying more than the guy who sits next to me at work earning the same who’s biggest risk is a paper cut.

                  I’m getting older though and some mornings the old aches and pains remind me that perhaps some parts have been mashed a few times too many… but you buggers keep funding it. I might go for a ride now actually ! The hills are calling and the hangover needs a good blow out to clear before going out again tonight !

                  Fingers crossed I not lying flat for a few days with shit loads of tax payer funded time to blog some more if I fuck up.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    18 February 2012 at 3:34 pm

                    You seem to have missed the point that I’m a high risk extreme sport person.

                    lol

                    I know people who do this stuff…and they never ever refer to themselves in that way.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:08 pm

                      Well, I guess you know the type of riding I do… and it’s the same as the people you know. But hey I landed all my jumps today so it’s all good. And mountain biking is one of the things I do…. But I guess you know that because I’m exactly the same as the people you know… I must be because one size fits all and we are all the same.

                  • Foreign Waka …
                    18 February 2012 at 3:35 pm

                    I am happy to live in a society where people can think about life like you do – taking risks and enjoy to reach for the outer boundaries. There is a correlation between mind and body – you know, reaching ….If you feel that you should be paying more, feel free to join the Free Ambulance center near you and start contributing regularly. Or make a one off donation, visit their webpage and just do it! It can feel great being a philanthropist.

                    • burt …
                      18 February 2012 at 6:09 pm

                      Well I already do contribute to a range of charities and the the Welly free ambulance is one of them. But that’s not fixing the system of taking no account of individual risk profiles is it.

                  • Draco T Bastard …
                    18 February 2012 at 4:12 pm

                    You seem to have missed the point that I’m a high risk extreme sport person.

                    You seem to have missed the point that we don’t care. The extra costs that you put on the whole are so minuscule that we don’t notice. ACC is getting enough in a fair and balanced way, which happens to be far cheaper than anything you propose, to cover all the accidents that happen including yours. If the costs aren’t covered they put the levies up.

                    Fingers crossed I not lying flat for a few days with shit loads of tax payer funded time to blog some more if I fuck up.

                    Technically, it’s not taxpayer funded – it’s funded through the ACC levies exactly the same way that any private insurance claim is covered through the premiums paid by everybody paying to that corporation. It just so happens to be a whole lot cheaper and better than any private corporation can do.

          • Hami Shearlie 4.1.1.6.2
            18 February 2012 at 11:30 pm

            Remember when National kept repeating that they were there for the small business owners and the self-employed? I wonder how those people are liking the new little entree the Nats have served up to them now?

        • mik e 4.1.1.7
          18 February 2012 at 1:28 pm

          burt you should jump in the trash can with oscar your naive propaganda is laughable.
          We have the cheapest ACC Workers compensation whatever you like to call it coverage in the world prove me wrong .

    • Campbell Larsen 4.2
      18 February 2012 at 11:22 am

      Good to see that you are finally coming around Burt – you are correct – the disgraceful self serving monopoly that is the National Party and their reprehensible one size fits all neo-liberal nonsense must go.

  5. DH 5
    18 February 2012 at 11:27 am

    We get a bit inured to the hypocrisy of politicians but this one does take the cake for unmitigated gall. For years the Nats have been claiming that private is cheaper and that competition will bring ACC premiums down. This is a complete reversal of that claim and they say it without even blinking.

    Of all our state assets ACC is the most valuable to the private sector looter. On paper the work account has little commercial value if it was put up for sale because the balance sheet is neutral; assets equal liabilities. But it also has some $5billion in cold hard cash of which at least $500million can be stripped out with a few strokes of the beancounters pen. The sharks are circling.

  6. Lanthanide 6
    18 February 2012 at 11:33 am

    I said it before in another thread: this is the clearest example of double-think to come out of this government yet.

    They are going to force ACC to raise its prices so private insurers can compete, because bringing competition to the market will “create efficiencies” and somehow drive prices down.

    • mikesh 6.1
      18 February 2012 at 5:26 pm

      Didn’t George Orwell have a term for that sort of thing. Newspeak or newthink or something.

      • Lanthanide 6.1.1
        18 February 2012 at 5:38 pm

        Doublethink is George Orwell’s term: “describes the act of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct”

        • Kotahi Tane Huna 6.1.1.1
          18 February 2012 at 5:40 pm

          I thought that was wave/particle duality…

          edit: but how stupid of me: wave/particle duality is the reality of knowing that two concepts are simultaneously wrong…

    • Hami Shearlie 6.2
      18 February 2012 at 11:41 pm

      Nick Smith, Minister for ACC, slippery as a cane toad! Thank goodness for Hill-Billy English, the secret sabotage weapon, threatening to undo the Nats by appearing at a press conference, grinning and chuckling and looking like the village idiot, while admitting his costings for selling state assets were just a wild guess!! Who needs an opposition when Bill does it so well? He’s silently screaming that he’s not in favour of the nats selling state assets policy!! I think we may be seeing why Simon Power ran for the hills! What a mess, how humiliating and embarrassing, and how enjoyable to be watching the nats unravelling!! And the Crafer farms mess for dessert!!!

      • Lanthanide 6.2.1
        19 February 2012 at 8:53 am

        It might be amusing if the topic at hand wasn’t so serious for the future of the country.

  7. Dv 7
    18 February 2012 at 12:11 pm

    Usually political ping pong is played BETEEN parties

    NOT within the same aprty.

  8. Akldnut 8
    19 February 2012 at 3:40 am

    This is just a tax by stealth (disguised as a dividend.)

    • Lanthanide 8.1
      19 February 2012 at 9:25 am

      This government has shown that they don’t mind giving tax cuts to the rich if they raise taxes on everything else, like GST, or ‘hidden’ taxes that slip under the radar, like taxing employers kiwisaver contributions.

  9. Descendant Of Smith 9
    19 February 2012 at 9:30 am

    Given the scheme was legally set up to cover accident costs wouldn’t paying a dividend to the government not only go against the legislation’s intent but would also be illegal?

    Not only would this be against the principle purpose of the legislation it would also be against the purpose of all the individual accounts the legislation requires to be set up.

    I’m quite sure that there is nothing in the Act that currently allows the government to pay itself a dividend – or in fact to take funds from the ACC income streams for other purposes.

    We have separation of powers in this country which means the government cannot just do what they like and I for the life of me cannot see how such a dividend requirement could ever be legal. They would not only have to change legislation but actually change the purpose of the act. Paying a dividend as an “administration cost” would be just taking the piss and one hopes would be challenged in court.

    I have had experience of private insurers last time they were around and it wasn’t pleasant:

    http://thestandard.org.nz/more-christmas-surprises/#comment-282599

    • Lanthanide 9.1
      19 February 2012 at 10:01 am

      “We have separation of powers in this country which means the government cannot just do what they like”

      Parliament is sovereign, it can do what it likes. But it has to follow it’s own procedures. If there’s an existing act that says a certain thing must not be done, then the government must repeal or amend that act in order to make their new changes.

      If there is any such legislation that prohibits ACC from returning a dividend, I’m sure the government will amend it as appropriate to allow their new policy to be put in place.

      • Carol 9.1.1
        19 February 2012 at 10:12 am

        Parliament is not totally sovereign. It is held in check by law courts as is seen by the rejection of the Crafar decision. It can change the laws, but when they don’t have a great majority, and public opinion against them, changing such laws can be folly.

        • Descendant Of Smith 9.1.1.1
          19 February 2012 at 10:35 am

          I specifically said government which is separate also from parliament which is separate from the courts.

          The government can only introduce legislation to parliament. You may feel that’s a moot point given the abuse by this government via urgency but I don’t – particularly with such a slim majority.

          While the required legislative change can get through parliament it is difficult to see how a dividend payment can be worded in any way to meet the purpose of the legislation. There would have to be some convoluted twisting done to try and justify this. Something I think the courts would take a dim view of.

          Neither government nor parliament have unfettered power.

        • Lanthanide 9.1.1.2
          19 February 2012 at 11:24 am

          Sure, but ultimately they can still do it.

  10. ghostwhowalksnz 10
    19 February 2012 at 9:56 am

    Reading burts lament that he is paying the same rate ( non work, non vehicle) for his high risk sports as the Karori sewing circle.

    This may not be in the fine print loved by insurance companies but it works the same way. Once he is old enough to join the Karori sewing circle he may find his previous ‘high risk’ life will catch up with him.

    I can just read the medical report for claims for injury in his later years . Declined they will say , evidence of life long degeneration from previous activities.

    Hope you have saved up

  11. RedBaron 11
    19 February 2012 at 10:46 am

    The Insurance Companies will definitely be keen for the action but just how keen will corporates etc be to insure privately, not with ACC? Dealings with private insurers never seem to be easy.

    Is it time to remind them all of the AFFCO problem. If I remember correctly, there was a shoot out
    in the carpark of one of their freezing works and a person was injured. AFFCO’s private insurers said “not me” and ACC said the same thing. It seemed to dribble on for ages and then finally went quiet – did they settle privately?
    However, the amount of management time and legal fees etc that went into this dispute must have been substantial, probably far exceeding any payout and was presumably a major distraction from running the real business of the company.

    In Australia, broad statistics for dust disease compensation showed that roughly half of all payouts went to the claimant’s lawyers [and the other half to the claimant]. Companies and State governments had to meet their own legal costs on top of the payout. The deadweight of transaction costs in the system are very high.

    Under the old worker’s compensation schemes the Insurance Companies didn’t bother with rehab of any sort. They just delayed and delayed, leaving people with pain and disability and when they finally died they would calculate the difference between the age at death and the age they would have received the old age pension, and then pay out this pittance to the surviving family.

    So, if we don’t want private insurers, then we should all vote with our money. As Shane Gallagher says above there are plenty of benefits for employers from ACC and we should spread this word far and wide.

  12. vto 12
    19 February 2012 at 10:54 am

    If ever there was proof that privatising such things as ACC is more expensive then this is it.

    it
    is
    absurd

    absurd

    absurd

    absurd

    Just like having foreign landlords, the nats and others simply seem to have their heads screwed on backwards.

  13. Vicky32 13
    19 February 2012 at 7:43 pm

    Why don’t we do that ? Surely it would be a lot easier and cheaper to just say a per liter charges are more efficient because them nasty hubodometer manufactures are just scooping profit from all the truckies and that’s just inefficient?
     
    Another approach would be to tax tires, hell if you blast through a set of tires on the twin turbo in 15,000k’s then surely you are doing more damage to the roads than a V8 driven carefully getting 40,000k’s out of a set of tires….

    Burt, sweetie darling, use a spell check please! ‘Tires, liters’, I didn’t know you are an American!
    (In case of a tanty, I’ll point out that with ‘sweetie darling’ I am channeling Pats from AbFab) 😀

    • burt 13.1
      19 February 2012 at 7:50 pm

      No drama Vicky32, grammar police are fine with me….

      Any comment on what I actually said re: the analogy of RUC and Petrol tax compared to ACC ?

      • Vicky32 13.1.1
        20 February 2012 at 2:08 pm

        Any comment on what I actually said re: the analogy of RUC and Petrol tax compared to ACC ?

        Only that when I could get past your crazy spelling, I found that what you’re talking about is nothing like analogous to ACC. You seem to have completely missed the point – again!

  14. feijoa 14
    20 February 2012 at 6:32 pm

    How much money did the Insurance Council donate to the National Party over the last few years?

    Also I believe there are alot of employers who are lukewarm on privatising ACC. There may have been cheaper premiums in 1999, but if they had any injured workers in that time, they probably found having treatment or compensation or even having the claim accepted was not a smooth process

    • Foreign Waka 14.1
      25 February 2012 at 5:07 pm

      And if an injury does not get treated and becomes chronic because of bureaucratic failure you can sue the hell out of any company not having measures in place that gets you back on your feet in the quickest of times. Now imagine that.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 hour ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    8 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    9 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    10 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    12 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    13 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    20 hours ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    21 hours ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    21 hours ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    21 hours ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    22 hours ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    22 hours ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    22 hours ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    22 hours ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    23 hours ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    24 hours ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    29 mins ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-19T04:42:59+00:00