Novichok II

Written By: - Date published: 12:39 pm, July 6th, 2018 - 48 comments
Categories: International, uk politics - Tags:

Moscow’s using the UK as a dumping ground for poison after the hospitalisation of two unemployed people with a room in a homeless hostel.

At least, that’s what the UK’s Home Secretary is saying these days. And Russia must explain what the hell is going on, in spite of the fact that Russia has previously been accused of losing control of its stocks of nerve agents, even though the OPCW verified the destruction of the Russian Federation’s chemical weapons in 2017. Meanwhile, no evidence connecting the Russian government to the poisoning of the Skripals has been produced.

As far as I can gather, we’re to believe that a team of highly trained Russian door handle poisoners, swabbed the door handle of the Skripal’s home in Salisbury…and then drove away along B roads instead of taking the obvious A roads out of there, and wound up in Amesbury about eight miles away, where they threw away the container containing the poison. Something like that anyway.

And sure, it’s possible.

Then again, it’s also possible that back in May, when the Director General of the OPCW claimed in an interview with the New York Times, that he’d been informed that up to 100g of Novichok was kicking about (that up to 100g may have been used in Salisbury), that his information was accurate enough. The entire story was subsequently pulled (not amended or updated) and the OPCW issued a statement saying there was no way they could possibly ascertain the quantities of agent used in the Salisbury attack. And that seems reasonable enough.

But not knowing what quantity of an agent was used in a particular incident, and not knowing the quantity of an agent available for use are two entirely different matters.

Back in May, I did a post on the Guardian’s reporting of the Üzümcü interview. Brigid commented that she’d sought to find the name of who-ever told Üzümcü there was up to 100g of Novichok by dropping a line to the journalist who interviewed him. She didn’t get a response. I also dropped the first of two emails to the OPCW asking who had given that information to Üzümcü. But apparently there was nothing to add to the OPCW press release that followed off the back of Üzümcü’s interview.

But I can’t see why Üzümcü would pull the figure of 100g from out of his arse, and am persuaded to think he was indeed told, by a source he’d consider to be reliable or reputable, that authorities were looking at that sort of quantity. The thing is, that removes the Russian Federation from the picture. Obviously.

And then we are simply left asking whose inventory of Novichok is shy by some 100g. That’s who has lost control of their chemical weapons. That’s who has a lot of explaining to do. And I’d be thinking that who-ever told Üzümcü about that 100g (if their information is accurate) leads right back to where we need to go.

Porton Down, the UK’s chemical research facility, is a few miles away btw. And I think I’m right in saying that it must have samples of Novichok or else it could never have identified the substance used in Salisbury. Which may or may not have anything to do with anything. Much like the Russian Federation may or may not have anything to do with anything.

Whatever it is that has happened, is happening, or will happen, I do wish journalists and the employers they work for were less accommodating to official spin; that they were a lot more critical, curious and tenacious.

48 comments on “Novichok II ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. McFlock 1
    6 July 2018 at 12:54 pm

    Fewer cameras on B roads.
    You don’t need physical comparators to identify a chemical structure.
    As for whose inventory is shy by 100 grams or milligrams, that relies on them reporting their full production of it, no?

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    6 July 2018 at 1:25 pm

    And I think I’m right in saying that it must have samples of Novichok or else it could never have identified the substance used in Salisbury.

    That would be failed logic.

    How to test for any known chemical would be written down. All they’d have to do is to perform the needed tests and see if they get the noted reaction. No need to have their own source of Novichok.

    • Bill 2.1
      6 July 2018 at 1:56 pm

      Failed logic and incomplete knowledge or lack of knowledge. Two different things Draco.

  3. Drowsy M. Kram 3
    6 July 2018 at 1:41 pm

    F*****g commies Ruskies, is no one safe? #RussianToJudgement

    http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/land-at-porton-down-masterplan-2007-february.pdf

    “Masterplan” 😉

    A workforce of ~4000 in 2007. Imagine one disgruntled/unwell employee or former employee – the stuff of fiction?

  4. Stuart Munro 4
    6 July 2018 at 2:21 pm

    Your assertion that Porton Down must have had samples of Novichoks and that someone would be able to abstract 100g from there is fanciful.

    Russia is the only country known to have possessed significant stocks, and it also had lax security for some of them, which precipitated the US funded destruction program.

    Your Porton Down scenario requires two steps – both creation of Novichok agents, and someone getting them out undetected. Small quantities of rare nerve agents created for specific work in a research facility are probably not as accessible as poorly warehoused weapon stockpiles. The Russian scenario only requires someone to have abstracted some of stocks already known to have existed – one step.

    Only a perverse determination to exculpate Russia prefers the more complex explanation given the absence of evidence.

    • Bill 4.1
      6 July 2018 at 4:18 pm

      Gee Stuart. Where is it that I “assert [..] someone would be able to abstract 100g (of Novickok from Porta Down)”?

      Don’t bother looking, because the fact is that I haven’t asserted any such fucking thing.

      Where are you getting the information that allows you to assert that” Russia is the only country known to have possessed significant stocks”?

      Why are you asserting there are stocks of various(?) nerve and chemical weapons in the Russian Federation when the OPCW has verified the destruction of said stocks? There must be some basis for that particular assertion, no?

      And how “rare” do you think the group of chemicals labeled as Novichok by some western governments actually is? Iran developed some. And reported as such to the OPCW. You don’t think other countries and/or other facilities can produce or have produced the stuff?

      All that aside, it seems you are not paying attention. In the posts I’ve done on this, I’ve simply been asking where the evidence is (where-ever it may point) and/or questioning aspects of what we’re being fed on the grounds that it comes across as bullshit. (Bad mushroom!).

      If that’s “perverse determination” in your book, then hey, what can I say? Why don’t you just you carry on clinging tenaciously as you get reeled in, if that’s your thing?

      • Stuart Munro 4.1.1
        6 July 2018 at 9:20 pm

        “Where are you getting the information that allows you to assert that” Russia is the only country known to have possessed significant stocks”?”

        It’s a matter of public record that they did – The OPCW report described them and the conditions in which they were stored. You could of course try to produce evidence of other country’s stocks, but given that these are usually secret, and no evidence has surfaced thus far of such programs you’d struggle. A research paper is not a production facility, much less a series of warehouses and compounds secured by simple padlocks and sporadically guarded.

        I’m sure the OPCW are wonderful, but the ability to detect 100g of forbidden materials in a country making up half a continent is not one they possess.

        Peverse determination it is – you have no new evidence – you’re simply wasting our time.

        • Bill 4.1.1.1
          6 July 2018 at 11:22 pm

          Peverse determination it is – you have no new evidence – you’re simply wasting our time.

          New evidence?

          I have no evidence. But neither, it seems, does anyone else. So that leaves the main difference between me and others, not on the evidence front, but on the pointing of accusatory fingers front, aye?

          • Stuart Munro 4.1.1.1.1
            6 July 2018 at 11:50 pm

            There is evidence – both the victims and the modus operandii are linked to Russia. The investigation proceeds. Your denials nothwithstanding.

            • mauī 4.1.1.1.1.1
              7 July 2018 at 7:02 am

              The last victim was a known heroin user, not a vodka drinker or anything like that.

              • Bill …
                7 July 2018 at 11:58 am

                Possibly an unemployed user of heroin with some awkward explaining to do given his address in a pricey area of town. (Muggleton Rd)

                And I’m surprised no-one has gone for a “taking out Muggles” angle. Where’s Draco?

  5. Treetop 5
    6 July 2018 at 5:33 pm

    The life of novichok has been reported to be effective 4 years later.

    The background of the latest people affected by it, what the link is needs to be established.

    • Gristle 5.1
      6 July 2018 at 6:07 pm

      I think the comment about the expected potent life novichoc needs some explanation as surely to be highly toxic bl nerve agent it would breakdown reasonably quickly in rain and sunlight. My guess is that the 4 year figure being raised was in relation to a sealed package and in good storage conditions. Any insights?

      While we are on the topic of nerve agents, any update on why green mussels from Marlborough Sounds have stopped being sold? Perhaps we have our very own source of paralytic nerve toxins.

      • Graeme 5.1.1
        6 July 2018 at 6:47 pm

        There’s a paralytic shellfish poisoning alert for Pelorus Sound

        https://www.mpi.govt.nz/travel-and-recreation/fishing/shellfish-biotoxin-alerts/

        These are pretty common, and nothing new.

      • Treetop 5.1.2
        6 July 2018 at 8:06 pm

        I heard the time frame on the midday news. You are correct in asking what the storage condition is. I do not know the answer.

        • Treetop 5.1.2.1
          6 July 2018 at 8:34 pm

          According to the now – retired scientist,
          “novichok” can bury itself in paint, trees, and perhaps, in wooden benches: “It can get in and remain there for a very long time. If it is on a neutral surface, it will only degrade on account of evaporation. And that would be a long process.”

          https://www.independent.co.uk

          • Brigid 5.1.2.1.1
            6 July 2018 at 9:40 pm

            “In fact, rain affecting the “novichok” on the door handle was given as the reason that the Skripals were not killed. But now the properties of the agent have to fit a new narrative, so they transmute again.
            It keeps happening. Do you remember when Novichok was the most deadly of substances, many times more powerful than VX or Sarin, and causing death in seconds? But then, when that needed to be altered to fit the government’s Skripal story, they found scientists to explain that actually no, it was pretty slow acting, absorbed gradually through the skin, and not all that deadly.
            Scientists are an interesting bunch. More than willing to ascribe whatever properties fit the government’s ever more implausible stories, in exchange for an MSM appearance fee, 5 minutes of fame and the fond hope of a research grant.”
            Craig Murray

            https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/07/the-amesbury-mystery/

            The whole article is rather entertaining.
            Except for those who are horrified as Russia’s so called attempt at the genocide of Brits two by two.

            • Treetop 5.1.2.1.1.1
              6 July 2018 at 10:20 pm

              Vladimir Uglyov one of the men credited with inventing the “novichok” series of nerve agents is the now retired scientist.

              Dangerous to have a substance which the long term effect is unknown.

              • Brigid …
                6 July 2018 at 11:16 pm

                Yes but he says
                “In order to make it easier to understand the subject matter, I will not use the name “Novichok” which has is now commonly used by everyone to describe those four substances which were conditionally assigned to me to develop over a period of several years. Three of these substances are part of the “Foliant” program, which was led by Pyotr Kirpichev, a scientist with GOSNIIOKHT (State Scientific-Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology). The first substance of a new class of organophosphorous chemical agents, I will call it “A-1972”, was developed by Kirpichev in 1972. In 1976, I developed two substances: “B-1976” and “C-1976”. The fourth substance, “D-1980”, was developed by Kirpichev in the early 1980s. All of these substances fall under the group referred to as “Novichkov”, but that name wasn’t given to the substances by GOSNIIOKHT.”

                https://thebell.io/en/the-scientist-who-developed-novichok-doses-ranged-from-20-grams-to-several-kilos/

                • Treetop …
                  7 July 2018 at 9:02 am

                  Thanks for the link.

                  The fact that the substance can be transported and on a cotton ball in a prepared container, it could not be detected in a person’s luggage.

  6. Ike 6
    6 July 2018 at 8:20 pm

    First the Russians were accused of poisoning an ex agent who they had in custody for years and ample opportunity to dispose of, and his irrelevant daughter. Now they are accused of poisoning two completely inconsequential persons. Wake up and smell the truth. These incidents are contrived by the UK intelligence services whenever positive news about Russia is about. Oh yeah and where are the Skripals now? Word is Yulia’s cousin says she wants to return to Russia. That bastion of freedom the UK will surely allow that to happen. sarc.

  7. Brigid 7
    6 July 2018 at 9:05 pm

    And then theres this:
    https://twitter.com/Snewsma/status/1015119944349085696

    Swindon Fire RDS
    “77 mile round trip for our Operational Support Unit last night to Amesbury.
    Thankfully the incident wasn’t serious and our decontamination shower wasn’t required”

    “An incident in the Kings Gate are of Amesbury on Saturday evening 30 June is thought to have bee a drug-related medical episode.
    A number of roads around the estate were closed for a time but re-opened within a couple of hours”

    The original tweet by Swindon Fire RDS has been deleted.

  8. AB 8
    6 July 2018 at 9:53 pm

    The Russians killed my cat. Poor thing.
    Most likely a tiny dose of Morganov on the catflap. It’s not so much a nerve agent as a ‘get on the nerves’ agent.

  9. Booker 9
    6 July 2018 at 11:04 pm

    I’m with you, the whole situation is extremely suspicious, and not because it points to Russia. I saw the graphic in the Guardian of the locations, and that both are a short drive from Porton Down, and it reminded me of this case: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Edwards_Ivins

    Shortly after 9/11 anthrax started turning up in envelopes around the US. There was never enough evidence to charge Bruce Ivans and he committed suicide while being investigated, but he was the lead suspect (and no one else was ever charged as far as I know).

    Seems to me that a more likely scenario than Russia poisoning random people on UK soil is that someone with access is doing this.

    • dukeofurl 9.1
      7 July 2018 at 12:15 pm

      The interesting thing about Bruce Ivins, apart from the very weak evidence used against him by the FBI who closed the case with his being committed to psychiatric hospital and then convenient death.

      Results of the investigation were initially distributed to the public via ABC News claiming “four well placed sources” attesting to the fact that “trace amounts of the chemical additives bentonite” were found in the anthrax samples, and that this was the chemical signature of Iraqi-made anthrax.[33] It has been confirmed that bentonite was never actually found in the anthrax samples.

      So ABC news was used to plant a false connection to so called ‘Iraqi Anthrax’

      Do we see a picture of how western security agencies use these chemical incidents ?

    • Grtaeme 9.2
      7 July 2018 at 6:19 pm

      “that someone with access is doing this.”

      The proximity to Porton Downs, along with “access” could be purely coincidental.

      I’m thinking more along the lines of a fuckup by the local parks and reserves dept or farmers, spraying an organophosphate and another incompatible agrochemical too close together in space or time. There’s plenty of combinations that can be quite nasty.

      I’ve heard several instances where stock have been killed by spray interactions effectively creating an organophosphate nerve agent. Interactions are are often linked to “drift” incidents as well.

      exkiwiforces made a comment a while ago about being a bit of a hazzard to life and limb with the contents of a garden shed, I think this is what he was alluding to.

      Once the first victim happened to be an ex Russian who had a difference of understanding with the regime, paranoia hit factor 11 and it was all on.

  10. corodale 10
    7 July 2018 at 5:33 am

    Paraglided in, and escaped down river discused as a large beaver, to catch a waiting submarine back to Atlantis. It was Putin himself, maintaining proficiencies. A family of beavers have come forward as witness, to the delight of conservation workers.

  11. mauī 11
    7 July 2018 at 7:05 am

    This keeps on providing the lol’s. Smart people trying to explain the absolutely absurd.

    • Brigid 12.1
      7 July 2018 at 10:09 am

      Note the bbc don’t provide a link to the report, at the risk of looking as stupid as they are.
      “The FFM team needs to continue its work to draw final conclusions regarding the alleged incident and, to this end, the investigation is ongoing.”

      https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/OPCW/S_series/2018/en/s-1645-2018_e_.pdf

      • Bill 12.1.1
        7 July 2018 at 11:01 am

        So the BBC headlines with the announcement that the OPCW have stated chlorine gas was used.

        But when you bring up the pdf you linked and word search chlorine, it’s mentioned precisely twice in the main body of text –

        There were mixed reports of what toxic chemicals had been used, with some citing chlorine and others citing sarin, or mixtures of chlorine and sarin.

        And under annex 3 some (among many others) samples from those cylinders that came through a roof, ran across a floor and set themselves down on a bed for a snooze. Remember them? (No CWC – scheduled chemicals found)

        Lots of TNT residue. (2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene). Some chemicals routinely found in wood and clothes (flame retardants, surfactants for textiles etc)

        • Incognito 12.1.1.1
          7 July 2018 at 11:23 am

          No Sarin. On pg. 10:

          Analysis results

          8.7 The results of analysis of the prioritised samples submitted to the designated laboratories were received by the FFM team on 22 May 2018. No organophosphorus nerve agents or their degradation products were detected, either in the environmental samples or in plasma samples from the alleged casualties. Various chlorinated organic chemicals were found in samples from Locations 2 and 4, along with residues of explosive. These results are reported in Annex 3. Work by the team to establish the significance of these results is ongoing. [my bold]

          In fact, the information in the bolded part appeared 8 times in the document.
          Add “chlorinated” to the search and you’ll find three instances in the document.

          Coincidentally, Shoko Asahara got executed yesterday: https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/105294255/japans-doomsday-cult-leader-behind-sarin-gas-attack-is-executed

  13. Incognito 13
    7 July 2018 at 11:35 am

    And I think I’m right in saying that it must have samples of Novichok or else it could never have identified the substance used in Salisbury.

    No, that’s an incorrect assumption and substance identification does not rely on an authentic sample to be present at the time of testing for a direct comparison. Think of breathalysers or illicit substance testing at airports, for example. Put differently, you don’t need the finger to compare fingerprints and make a positive identification (that stands up in court); same applies to DNA samples.

    • Bill 13.1
      7 July 2018 at 12:00 pm

      Yup. I get that I was wrong on that front.

      • Incognito 13.1.1
        7 July 2018 at 12:07 pm

        No worries, we live & learn.

        As far as I know they have not released anything to show they ‘identified’ the substance allegedly used in Salisbury. Nothing that can be scrutinised by independent people (experts), nothing at all. It is in the public interest, I’d say, to be as open & transparent as possible and gets as many facts in the public arena as possible!

      • francesca 13.1.2
        7 July 2018 at 4:31 pm

        Well Bill
        I think we can safely assume that Porton Down would most certainly have samples of the novichok group

        https://www.dailysabah.com/europe/2018/05/17/germany-received-novichok-sample-from-russian-defector-in-90s-report-says

        https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/russian-defector-gave-novichok-sample-to-germany-in-90s-report-1853524

        second link pretty much the same

        And incognito, to match a dna sample, one must already have a sample to match up against
        Having a hair and nothing else will get you nowhere
        The same for a fingerprint, there must be a physical sample in the system to match with

        • Incognito 13.1.2.1
          7 July 2018 at 5:13 pm

          Hi Francesca,

          To match DNA or a fingerprint you only need the data generated from an original sample. This data is usually (but not always) transformed and stored in digitised format.

          Without that data from an original sample to authenticate or to confirm the identity of a sample all is not lost. For example, when a compound is synthesised for the first time it has to be properly identified, checked, confirmed, and authenticated by various techniques with stringent limits of acceptance (confidence). The point is that the same can be done with an unknown sample and it is entirely possible to confirm Novichok even in the absence of an original sample or authentic standard.

          With a hair sample you can establish quite a few things, e.g. whether it is human, sex, etc. In any case, strictly speaking a DNA match won’t tell you that the sample and an original came from one and the same individual; it will tell you how likely (or unlikely rather) the two samples match as well they do by chance alone (i.e. samples from two different individuals).

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_profiling#Considerations_when_evaluating_DNA_evidence

          • One Two 13.1.2.1.1
            8 July 2018 at 11:47 am

            Novice is the translation…

            If you can match the chemicals you can manufacture the agent…

            • Incognito 13.1.2.1.1.1
              8 July 2018 at 2:38 pm

              If you can match the chemicals you can manufacture the agent…

              Can you please explain this for me?

  14. Siobhan 14
    7 July 2018 at 11:58 am

    Gee, Russian secret agents/assassins aren’t very good at their job really.

    They would have to have the competence level of Mr Bean to pull this off.

    Wait a few months for the next dodgy victims and then sit back and laugh as they try to join the dots.

  15. dukeofurl 15
    7 July 2018 at 12:28 pm

    We seem to be looking too closely at reports from the UK media expecting ‘information’
    The D Notice system is still in operation, or as they became DA notices and now DMSA

    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/31/d-notice-system-state-media-press-freedom

    examples of recent use:
    ‘The Observer kept secret its 2004 revelation about a memo showing Britain helped the US conduct a secret and potentially illegal spying operation at the UN in the runup to the Iraq war.’

    and
    ‘And the Guardian did not consult the DA-notice secretary before publishing first Snowden leaks , although it did so with subsequent stories.’

    This site says they have seen copies of some DMSA for the Skripals case
    https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/12746/spinwatch-publish-confidential-media-d-notices-skripal-case

  16. cleangreen 16
    7 July 2018 at 2:27 pm

    Another ‘gotta russian moment hatched by NATO’

    NATO wont stop building another case of a war with Russia untill they are singled out as ‘war mongers’.

    NATO are controlled by European corporations and war armaments supplliers.

    These captains of EU industry want bussiness to increase now because the banks are about to fail, and they want to take land off Russia again.

    By the way the NATO are holding a summit in two seeks before they began this next Novichok event as the time seems to suggest it was staged, before this NATO meeting planned, so we are in a planing mode to antoher European war in 2 -10 yrs or less.

  17. francesca 17
    7 July 2018 at 4:31 pm

    Well Bill
    I think we can safely assume that Porton Down would most certainly have samples of the novichok group

    https://www.dailysabah.com/europe/2018/05/17/germany-received-novichok-sample-from-russian-defector-in-90s-report-says

    https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/russian-defector-gave-novichok-sample-to-germany-in-90s-report-1853524

    second link pretty much the same

    And incognito, to match a dna sample, one must already have a sample to match up against
    Having a hair and nothing else will get you nowhere
    The same for a fingerprint, there must be a physical sample in the system to match with
    sorry if this damn well repeats
    god dammit , it has!

  18. Lola 18
    7 July 2018 at 7:54 pm

    Saturday 30 June – Trowbridge – is this just another Wiltshire registered Methadone junkie in a poisoning “incident” ?
    http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/16323717.six-emergency-services-vehicles-attend-trowbridge-medical-incident/?ref=twtrec
    https://twitter.com/LolaBurjanadze/status/1015091122371100672

  19. Liberal Realist 19
    8 July 2018 at 6:17 pm

    Realpolitik manifests itself in some very strange ways doesn’t it? Dam those evil Russians wanting their independence and sovereignty! How dare they.

    Seems Russia is to blame for any number of things from ‘election hacking’ with the purpose of putting Trump in the White House, to not quite knocking off a useless turncoat for an unknown transgression.

    Not that evidence is important in ascribing culpability these days is it? If it’s chemical, it must have been Russia!

    Quite the coincidence the UK’s only chemical / bio weapons labratory happens to be located within less than 10 miles from the location of both incidents… Has Porton Downs been infiltrated by the Russians perhaps?

    Guess the football world cup in Russia is just going far too well for the UK establishment to stomach?

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    In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
    A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
    “You talking about me?”  The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 hours ago

  • A crisis of ambition
    Roger Partridge  writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago

  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
    Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 hours ago

  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
    Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 hours ago

  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
    Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 hours ago

  • The worth of it all
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, 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?Full story Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    10 hours ago

  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    12 hours ago

  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    18 hours ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    20 hours ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    21 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    22 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • 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 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    1 day 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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
    2 days 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 ...
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    2 days 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 ...
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    2 days 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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
    4 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
    5 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 ...
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    5 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 ...
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    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
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    5 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
    6 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

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