NRT: Climate change: Cross-purposes

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, February 3rd, 2012 - 48 comments
Categories: climate change, energy - Tags:

No Right Turn has a look at two of the incoming minister briefings impacting on climate change. They are incoherent and it is clear that neither ministry talks to the other. If it wasn’t affecting a important long term issue, it’d be as funny as a Yes Minister episode. But since it does, it just highlights the growing incoherence of this incompetent government and their increasing politicization of the civil service.

The government dumped its Briefings to Incoming Ministers today, and I’ve spent the last few hours skimming a few of them. As someone interested in the sustainability of my future, I was particularly interested in the energy and environment BIMs; unfortunately, what they show is that the government is working at cross-purposes in this area.

First, here’s the Ministry for the Environment [PDF], with a clear idea of what we need to do:

The Government, therefore, needs a mix of policies that demonstrate credible action in the short term and position New Zealand well to deliver the substantial emissions reductions needed in the longer term. A smooth transition to a low carbon economy will be needed, with the emphasis being on options that enable New Zealand to produce more with fewer emissions, generate co-benefits and gain competitive advantage.

And then there’s the Ministry of Economic Development’s briefing for the Energy and Resources portfolio[PDF]. Its chief priority?

Encouraging investment in the Crown’s petroleum and mineral resources

Yes, while MfE is talking about the need to move to a low-carbon equality, MED is pushing for more oil, more gas, more coal, promising self-sufficiency and mega-profits if we subsidise foreign oil explorers more. As for the government’s target of 90% renewable electricity generation by 2030, they have this to say:

The Ministry’s view is that commercial enterprises are best placed to identify the lowest cost generation mix, the government’s role is to ensure there are no undue barriers to invest in generation of any type, and environmental effects are priced wherever possible. The relative economics of generation types is dictated by exchange rates (a higher exchange rate favours high capital cost options such as wind), emissions price (a high emission price favours renewables) and input resource availability and price (the availability and price of gas has a major bearing on gas plant economics).

“Leave it to the market”, in other words. Unfortunately, according to their own projections [XLS], the market is not going to deliver. The reference scenario in the latest New Zealand’s Energy Outlook shows us achieving just 81% renewables by 2030, thanks to new builds of gas, oil, and even coal generation.A competent Ministry would highlight this discrepancy, and present options for resolving it. A government which cared about the target would demand they did so. Instead, MED’s “leave it to the market” approach puts us on the path to failure.

But its worse than that – because while they’re ignoring renewables, MED is also talking up new non-renewable generation:

New Zealand also has significant non-renewable resources which could be developed. As well as traditional oil, gas and coal, there are emerging new technologies – such as underground coal gasification, coal seam gas and methane hydrates – which open up new future opportunities. Supporting technologies such as carbon capture and storage will in time make it possible to develop some of our resources that are not currently environmentally or economically viable.

They don’t go into any further detail on this, but it displays the mindset at work. MED doesn’t care about climate change. They don’t care about sustainability. All they care about is digging things up and burning them – and the cheaper, the better.This sort of disconnect between goal and implementation will doom our climate change policy to failure. It is the government’s job to do something about it, to ensure that their departments are working to achieve their goals, rather than to thwart them. The question now is whether they will, or whether they’re happy for this subtle sabotage of their own stated policies.

48 comments on “NRT: Climate change: Cross-purposes ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. jaymam 1
    3 February 2012 at 1:24 pm

    How does NZ compare with all other countries? Doesn’t NZ have the highest proportion of renewable energy? In which case why should we wreck our economy trying to look better?

    This is what I found with a quick search. I can’t find a world renewables table with NZ in it. Can someone find such a table please. Sweden tops the countries in one table.

    “In 2010, 74% of the electricity generated in New Zealand came from renewable sources”

    “Sweden leads the European Union on renewable energy, producing 44.4% of its energy from renewable sources”

    • lprent 1.1
      3 February 2012 at 1:46 pm

      You are talking about electricity generation for NZ rather than the whole energy picture which is what NRT and those briefing papers are looking at.

      Dig around and have a look at all the energy usage in NZ compared to other countries including all transport and heating rather than just the electricity generation.

      This should be obvious right? You can make any old thing up if you simply discard inconvenient facts – something that the denier fools are adept at (they certainly aren’t adept at checking facts or science).

      But the question NRT was asking was why should we plan on doing worse than we already are now?.

      But I guess you’d prefer to ask your own questions using questionable comparisions. Right? It is a familiar tactic.

      /sarcasm

      • Lanthanide 1.1.1
        3 February 2012 at 4:10 pm

        Pretty sure jaymam was genuinely asking, not being a right-wing troll.

        • jaymam 1.1.1.1
          3 February 2012 at 5:56 pm

          Yes I really want to know. OK, I missed out the other energy usage.
          I have worked with electric power and electric transport for years, and electricity is being used for Auckland’s new trains. Freight should be taken by railway where possible. I believe there is an excellent future for electric cars one day.
          I still can’t find a world renewables table with NZ in it. Even with all energy uses I’d guess that NZ would be very high on the list.

  2. tc 2
    3 February 2012 at 2:36 pm

    1. Someone’s going to get roasted for forgetting to black those contradictions out
    2. More ‘look over here not there’ playing to the climate debate which’s fertile ground
    3. Clear evidence more rationalisation required in the public service i.e. more cuts.

    Given the effort in blacking out the other BIM’s I’m picking 2.

  3. Clashman 3
    3 February 2012 at 3:25 pm

    The climate has always and will always continue to “change”. We have now had 15 years of cooling, while co2 levels have continued to increase.
    NONE of the climate models advanced by proponents of AGW have predicited this cooling cycle which now must call into question the validity of the models.

    “According to IPCC scientist Mojib Latif , it could be just the beginning of a decades-long deep freeze. Latif is known as one of the world’s leading climate modelers.”

    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/01/11/ipcc-scientist-global-cooling-headed-our-way-for-the-next-30-years/

    http://www.c3headlines.com/global-cooling-dataevidencetrends/

    • Lanthanide 3.1
      3 February 2012 at 4:13 pm

      Just wait for another 10-15 years when it will be difficult to construct misleading graphs out of the raw data.

    • lprent 3.2
      3 February 2012 at 4:14 pm

      We have now had 15 years of cooling, while co2 levels have continued to increase.

      I read to that statement and suddenly realised that you were a scientific moron. Go and look at a real actual report with verifiable figures from NOAA.

      The only reason to quote anything from Watts is to demonstrate that years of being a TV weatherman rots your brain.

      • Clashman 3.2.1
        3 February 2012 at 4:18 pm

        So the IPCC scientist is a moron too?

        • lprent 3.2.1.1
          3 February 2012 at 4:28 pm

          No, but the reporter who wrote the orginal article and you are… If you’d ever bothered to check back to the Watts post you’d have found that even he put up a link to Latif’s refutation

          http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/11/climate-change-global-warming-mojib-latif

          • muzza 3.2.1.1.1
            3 February 2012 at 5:14 pm

            http://www.weatheraction.com/pages/pv.asp?p=wact37

            Perhaps you can agrue the point with this guy then LP….

            • lprent 3.2.1.1.1.1
              3 February 2012 at 7:07 pm

              I’ve argued with many people until I am blue in the fingers. What is irritating is the complete dorks that like this clown who seldom bother to read back through their own links to understand it. In this case you go to Watts site, find a update has been added long ago, go down that and find that the “IPCC scientist” that he was quoting had completely refuted the interpretation that the idiot reporter at the Daily Mail and Watts had put on it.

              How hard is that? How lazy was it for a denier to have not done the same thing before trying to assert the “truth”. It took me less time than it probably took him to write his comment.

              Based on past experience with CCD’s, I suspect he never ever read Watts post. He just copied and pasted some lines. It does seem to be too difficult for most CCD’s to actually read and understand the material that they link to, let alone look for material actually written by people who know what they’re talking about.

              • ropata …
                5 February 2012 at 12:04 am

                Evolution denial, AGW denial, GFC denial, there is a theme there.

                Suspicion of edjumacation, trust in poor sources, lack of critical thinking.

                There’s one born every minute.

      • Clashman 3.2.2
        3 February 2012 at 4:23 pm

        Straight to the personal insults. Big of you

        • lprent 3.2.2.1
          3 February 2012 at 4:29 pm

          That is because you deserve them for being such a dickhead that you haven’t checked what Latif said about the article you are referring to.

          See the several places I have pointed you to Latif explicitly saying that your interpretation is completely wrong.

          If you act like a fuckwit, I have few qualms about saying that you are. You can read can’t you?

          • Richard Christie 3.2.2.1.1
            3 February 2012 at 9:27 pm

            Agreed, links to Wattsupmybutt or Prisonplanet TV or Monckton NMHL (Never Member House of Lords)’s website are invariably risible.
            You want science, go to original sources, NASA for example, don’t bother with denier websites.

            oops I forgot, NASA aren’t reliable ’cause they faked the Moon landings and rely on, gee…. models…. in their flight simulators.

  4. randal 4
    3 February 2012 at 3:52 pm

    yes it is trivially true that the climate is always changing but what is of greater concern is why it is changing due to the effects of fossil fuel use, industrialisation and other manifestations of human intervention..
    unfortunately we live in an age where politicians cannot say no to the demands of consumers for devices and processes that are destroying the environment for no good reason except to pander to atavistic desires of voters to emulate or exceed others in useless gimcracks and geegaws such as cars and jets and other producers of heavy metals, carbon particulates and noxious gasses.
    you dont need to be a scientist to see for yourself what is happening.

    • Clashman 4.1
      3 February 2012 at 4:14 pm

      The much vaunted computer modelling has FAILED to predict the cooling of the last 15 years. How can any further predictions be accurate when they will be based around warming that hasn’t happened?
      You do know that the computer models take no account of the Suns input into climate?
      You dont need to be a scientist to see for yourself that is bad science.

      • RedLogix 4.1.1
        3 February 2012 at 4:18 pm

        The much vaunted computer modelling has FAILED to predict the cooling of the last 15 years.

        Which would be a surprise because there has been no cooling.

      • lprent 4.1.2
        3 February 2012 at 4:25 pm

        Look at the links you provided yourself and in particular to the refutation of the article that he used to

        http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/11/climate-change-global-warming-mojib-latif

        The Mail on Sunday article said that Latif’s research showed that the current cold weather heralds such “a global trend towards cooler weather”.

        It said: “The BBC assured viewers that the big chill was was merely short-term ‘weather’ that had nothing to do with ‘climate’, which was still warming. The work of Prof Latif and the other scientists refutes that view.”

        Not according to Latif. “They are not related at all,” he said. “What we are experiencing now is a weather phenomenon, while we talked about the mean temperature over the next 10 years. You can’t compare the two.”

        He said the ocean temperature effect was similar to other natural influences on global temperature, such as volcanos, which cool the planet temporarily as ash spewed into the atmosphere reflects sunlight.

        “The natural variation occurs side by side with the manmade warming. Sometimes it has a cooling effect and can offset this warming and other times it can accelerate it.” Other scientists have questioned the strength of the ocean effect on overall temperature and disagree that global warming will show the predicted pause.

        I realise that this may be too complicated for you to understand – but you are a fool listening to a fool talking about a interpretation done by an idiot reporter who just had his primary source imply that the reporter was a fool.

        So many fools that you are rapidly degenerating into be a dickhead.

        • Clashman 4.1.2.1
          3 February 2012 at 4:30 pm

          Ah yes the too complicated argument. Warming=cooling Drought=floods etc

          Within a few years “children just aren’t going to know what snow is.” Snowfall will be “a very rare and exciting event.” Dr. David Viner, senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia, interviewed by the UK Independent, March 20, 2000.

          Suppose Ive misinterperated that too?

          • lprent 4.1.2.1.1
            3 February 2012 at 4:39 pm

            Yes, you are correct – you have misinterpreted.

            What does a climate scientist consider is a “few years”. My guess is that would be several climate cycles. Since those are at least decade long events for things like southern ocean oscillation, jet stream movements, ocean currents, and just about everything else that a climate scientist considers to be important.

            Quite simply when you train in a discipline then your perception of time shifts as well. When I did earth sciences, a short time became thousands of years. When I started to do a lot of programming it became milliseconds.

            Your problem is that you appear to be too stupid to challenge your own presumptions.

          • Jackal 4.1.2.1.2
            3 February 2012 at 4:52 pm

            What’s something said in 2000 got to do with the recently released National ministers briefings? Looks like you’re a throw back Clashman… still bitter about a debate you lost years ago.

            Anyway… I put it down to a lack of good leadership. On one hand there are the industries that don’t want to change and then there’s the majority of the public that want to protect the environment.

            Trying to meet the orders of industry while also trying to appear to be doing something about climate change to placate the public and international pressure leads to such contradictions across briefings.

            By releasing such contradictory information, National has shown that they do not even bother to check for consistency, which will assuredly lead to problems when they try to formulate policy.

  5. Clashman 5
    3 February 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Whoah now I am a Fuckwit? Why so easily upset, worried your wrong?

    • lprent 5.1
      3 February 2012 at 4:40 pm

      As I said…

      That is because you deserve them for being such a dickhead that you haven’t checked what Latif said about the article you are referring to.

      It literally took seconds using the links you provided to find that out that Latif explicitly said the interpretation that you used of his work was incorrect. And yet you were too lazy to look.

      What do you think that makes you?

  6. Clashman 6
    3 February 2012 at 4:36 pm

    I’ve had enough abuse I’ll leave you guys to it.

    • lprent 6.1
      3 February 2012 at 4:42 pm

      Good. It isn’t like you add anything useful to the discussion. It appears you can’t read your own links.

    • muzza 6.2
      3 February 2012 at 5:23 pm

      Clash don’t worry too much about it mate – The warming crew have swallowed the shit hook line and sinker, so your better off smashing your head on a brick wall. Any fool can tell that the research/reporting has been so badly twisted knowing what is true from what is false is, lets call it, hard going….that is exatly the point of it though, to keep people is suspended confusion!

      The lack of any coherrent strategy only serves to illustrate who this government is answering to!

      • Richard Christie 6.2.1
        3 February 2012 at 9:31 pm

        “Any fool can tell that the research/reporting has been so badly twisted knowing what is true from what is false is, lets call it, hard going…”

        You hit the nail on the head. Any fool would conclude that.

        • Richard Christie 6.2.1.1
          3 February 2012 at 9:52 pm

          To which I might add that there is no confusion in regard to AGW research and current consensus on that research. Every reputable scientific body on the planet is on board with it, in all the physical and earth sciences. No exceptions.

          • muzza 6.2.1.1.1
            3 February 2012 at 10:59 pm

            Nah, no confusion what so ever mate!

            C02 = EVIL, lets just get rid of it 100%, and see how things look!

            Note: Sustainable, renewable, less environmental destruction – I am all for that!

            Buying into the “Every reputable scientific body on the planet is on board with it, in all the physical and earth sciences. No exceptions.” – NO!

            As sure as politics is corrupted by money, so is science!

            • Richard Christie 6.2.1.1.1.1
              3 February 2012 at 11:30 pm

              “As sure as politics is corrupted by money, so is science!”

              Call the police then, show them your evidence and earn yourself a medal.

              Or, you could forget the konspiracy theories as they’re for suckers and the dim of wit, instead go to the original scientific sources for your information on climate science, all PRATTS and canards in the denier’s big bag of stupid instantly evaporate when confronted with original sources.

              • muzza …
                3 February 2012 at 11:55 pm

                How about you show the trail, and altruistic authenticity of every cent of funding of your “original scientific sources”, Only at that point in time, following an investigation of the funds origin, and validity of source being deemed’ “honest money”, can you claim you have not been fooled. If you cant show that level of evidence, then you can take what you do find to the police, and get that medal for yourself!

                Last project I worked on was “sanctioning of international payments”, so you get to learn rather alot about “dis-honest money”, and its intended destinations. No conspiracey there, just the flow of money, some clean, some dirty!

              • Colonial Viper …
                4 February 2012 at 12:19 am

                Call the police then, show them your evidence and earn yourself a medal.

                Calling the police in on matters of research funding? You sorta have no idea, do you?

                • Richard Christie …
                  4 February 2012 at 9:52 am

                  You have evidence of corruption call the police, police deal with corruption or refer it to bodies such as SFP in NZ.
                  Forget the konspiracy theories that posit that the entire scientific community on the planet are trying to hoodwink you. It only makes you look like a kook.
                  NASA is not lying to you. Really it isn’t. The Royal Academy doesn’t endorse fraud. Believe me.

    • tc 6.3
      3 February 2012 at 5:41 pm

      Exactly the sort of mentality the govt is playing to…..whilst you’re busy denying climate change your country been sold out from under you.

      Game set match, thanks for playing the distraction game.

  7. ChrisH 7
    3 February 2012 at 4:40 pm

    There’s nothing on climate change (or peak oil) in the Ministry of Transport BIMs either.

    Not an issue with the government road gang I guess.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Poster_of_the_movie_Road_Gang.jpg

  8. Seamack 8
    3 February 2012 at 4:56 pm

    People who resort to “attacking the messenger”, with ranting, unsupported, abusive, personal attacks should crawl back in whatever vermin infested hole they crawled out of.

    It does the advancement of knowledge no good.

    Fanatic.

    [lprent: You mean the operator of the site isn’t allowed to call someone a fuckwit when a commentator is talking pure drivel. Yeah right… Everyone is allowed to do that here provided they make the point about why they are doing it.

    However just to make it clear even for a luser like yourself.

    1. I am the system operator – so this is the ‘hole’ I am from. Surprisingly few of the other commentators will share your opinion because it was an issue they’d have left long ago (voting with their comments). Instead we seem to have increasing readership (and fewer fools)
    2. Since I run the site which means that I help set the rules along with the other authors (see the policy). You’ll notice that trying to dictate the rules of the site to the people who run the site is defined as being a darwin offense.
    3. You aren’t even a commentator worthy of respect because you change your handle so often that noone apart from me knows who you have been. Sysop’s like myself can figure out exactly who you are.
    4. My first degree was in earth sciences. It isn’t hard to figure out when someone is talking total crap in areas that I trained in. Your comments fall into that category.
    5. The first rule about advancing knowledge is to look at the evidence. I looked at your links which appears to have been more than you did. I pointed out the problem with your interpretation; that the person you were holding up as an example said that your interpretation was wrong. So you repeated the same incorrect assertion multiple times.
    6. Of course we have also been subjected to similar tactics including the faux outrage and lack of reading your own links many times before. It just looks completely stupid.
    7. And you’re wondering why you’re treated with disdain?

    ]

  9. randal 9
    3 February 2012 at 5:01 pm

    hey clashman.
    wassup bro.
    is whaleshit late with the brown paper bag?

  10. grumpy 10
    4 February 2012 at 1:28 am

    ………and meanwhile…….sitting at snow covered Copenhagen airport, en route to Zurich and then to Berlin on Sunday, locals are saying the coldest (albeit late) winter will bring unusually low temperatures to both my destinations – what would I not give for some localised Global Warming right now……….

    • lprent 10.1
      4 February 2012 at 5:34 am

      Climate change means that the climate becomes less stable. Having more heat in the system means that there is more energy to push air masses around. In your case where you are, it means a higher probability of pushing cool air masses from the artic further south…

      Given the oddities of the north Atlantic climate, I’m expecting that overall global warming is likely to make winters and even summers in northern Europe to have more than usual cold snaps for many decades. The artic warms up by pushing colder air and water south and having warmer air and water from the south moving north. That very active mixing of air masses is going to cause some exceptional extremes, so I’d expect that Europe and the top of North America are going to get ‘interesting’ weather for a while.

      I am half expecting to see the same in the south of NZ whenever the circum antarticia flows start breaking down and antartica starts heating up more rapidly. But that will be som time away.

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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    11 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
    11 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
    11 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
    11 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
    11 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
    11 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
    17 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
    19 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
    20 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
    21 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
    23 hours 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

  • 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
    3 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
    3 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
    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
    7 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
    23 hours 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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
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