NRT: Nats killing the Kiwishare

Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, June 17th, 2011 - 27 comments
Categories: telecommunications - Tags:

When the government sold Telecom twenty years ago, they reassured us that free local calling would be protected under a “Kiwishare”. Now National is repealing it, with an SOP to the Telecommunications (TSO, Broadband, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill removing the relevant provisions “reflect that the KSO will not be operative following the structural separation of Telecom”. Note that there has been no public debate over this; National has done it out of the blue, by stealth. They’re even refusing to front up in the House to explain the amendments.

This will allow Telecom’s foreign owners to introduce American-style local call charging. And it has significant implications for access to information in this country. It should not be rammed through in this fashion,without consultation, without debate. The only reason for the government to do so is because they are afraid of that debate, and seek to limit the political price they will pay for an unpopular move with no benefits to New Zealanders.

This is how National operates: undemocratically. They’re making a major change to the structure of telecommunications in New Zealand, one which affects every single one of us. They should at least be saying why. Instead, we have arrogant silence.

———————————————————-

Eddie: Perhaps more importantly, the Kiwishare prevents a foreign national from owning a majority of Telecom. It’s removal would mean there is no bar to Telecom falling entirely into foreign ownership.

27 comments on “NRT: Nats killing the Kiwishare ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Rusty Shackleford 1
    17 June 2011 at 12:02 pm

    WTF. Last time I checked, a phone line was 40 odd bucks. What is free about that?

    Oh no! The govt is ending its subsidies for buggie whips! Who cares?

    • The Voice of Reason 1.1
      17 June 2011 at 12:13 pm

      The calls you make on the phone line are free, you muppet. The forty bucks is the monthly charge to maintain the line, whether you use it or not. Ask your parents, they’ll explain how it works.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1
        17 June 2011 at 6:57 pm

        I remember when Telecom had the $25/month plus charges for local calls. It was awesome. I assume Telecom dropped it when they realised that they weren’t pulling in as much money as they were giving people a choice.

        BTW, there’s absolutely no way it costs more than about $20/month to maintain the line.

    • lprent 1.2
      17 June 2011 at 12:36 pm

      Muppet – you could have just said that you don’t know what in the hell the Kiwishare is. It would have been faster and a lot clearer than your usual method of displaying your overwhelming ignorance.

  2. Jim Nald 2
    17 June 2011 at 12:10 pm

    That’s another social contract they’re tearing up.
    They’ll stealthily sell the house and land under you before lunchtime if they get a chance.

  3. X 3
    17 June 2011 at 12:25 pm

    The foreign ownership restrictions remain on the Network. Its only the retail business where they no longer apply.

    TSO regarding local free calling is under the Telecommunications Act. That isn’t to change.

    http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1106/Kiwishare_QA.pdf

    The Government previously announced:

    The government recognises the importance of the TSO as a mechanism to assure the affordability and availability of essential telecommunications services. The government is committed to the option of toll-free local calling as a feature of any TSO for local residential telephone service.

    There will be no change to expected line rental prices as a result of the TSO reforms. Residential telephone line rental charge increases are currently capped in the TSO at the rate of the change in the Consumer Price Index and this won’t change.

    http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/rural-telecommunications-plans-finalised

    • mickysavage 3.1
      17 June 2011 at 12:48 pm

      So Mr X why didn’t the Government put these changes into the original bill?
       
      Why did it not give Labour and the Greens a bit more notice of the SOP?
       
      Why bash the change through?
       
      Why not have at least a limited submission period so that everyone can be satisfied that there is not going to be any actual change?
       

    • toad 3.2
      17 June 2011 at 1:34 pm

      TSO regarding local free calling is under the Telecommunications Act. That isn’t to change.

      No, as I explained here, there is a significant difference. The free local calling provision is still supposedly protected. But there will be a new and far less robust mechanism than the previous statutory requirements. The mechanism to do this will not be a special rights share, but according to the Ministry of Economic Development in the Scoop link you provided, X, will be:

      …a combination of constitutional requirements on the company, a small parcel of ordinary shares held by the Government, and a Deed between the company and the Government.

      So there will be no protection of free local calling in statute law. The constitutional requirements and the Deed will be able to be reviewed by any future Government without any reference to Parliament. And if Don Brash and his Actoids are part of a future Government, you can bet the farm on free local calling being gone by lunchtime.

  4. mickysavage 4
    17 June 2011 at 12:30 pm

    This really is bizarre.  The Government have released a paper suggesting that the rights protected by the Kiwishare will continue to be protected by a deed and other action taken.  But this really is a constitutional monstrosity for a few reasons:
     
    1.  There was no consultation.  If it was necessary to remove the Kiwishare when why wasn’t this put into the original legislation.  At least they could invite submitters to submit on the new proposal before enacting it.
    2.  The SOP was tabled on Tuesday the 14th but not given to the opposition until yesterday the 16th.  Some industry insiders knew about it before the opposition did.
    3.  The SOP is technical and its effect not immediately apparent.  The opposition should have been allowed time to at least get advice on it so that its effect could be understood.
    4.  Relying on a deed for protection is crazy.  In a weeks time the executive could decide to amend the provisions and there would be no need for Parliament to be told.
     
    Is this really a parliamentary democracy?
     
    No wonder Joyce has been looking so sheepish this week.
     
    I saw some of the debate and a number of people asked a number of questions of Joyce.  Did anyone see him respond?  The only other things I saw were a number of nats moving closure motions.
     
     

    • Blighty 4.1
      17 June 2011 at 12:52 pm

      Yeah, I love the ‘oh, don’t worry, we’ll cover it in the deed’ line.

      This is from the same government who didn’t bother to telling anyone it was doing away with the Kiwishare in the first place.

      And the deed is only for Chorus, not Telecom anyway.

  5. queenstfarmer 5
    17 June 2011 at 1:21 pm

    Wrong. Free local calling is not ending. To quote Computerworld:

    Yes, it appears that sacred cow ‘free local calling’ has not been slaughtered. The last-minute Supplementary Order Paper (SOP 247) added to the latest Telecommunications Amendment Bill will scrap the Kiwishare. But free local calling is safe because it’s part of the Telecommunications Service Obligation – who knew!

    http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/fryup/fry-up-5-tech-things-to-do-this-weekend

    To quote the Minister:

    “No, this is not the end of free local calling or the restriction on price increases.The Kiwi Share Obligation in regard to local calling was superseded ten years ago by the Labour government with the TSO deed. That TSO deed obligation will continue and it will be split between the separated companies – Telecom and Chorus.

    Labour is either unaware that their government made the change or are deliberately setting out to confuse,” Joyce replied.

    http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/end-of-free-local-calling

    • Zorr 5.1
      17 June 2011 at 1:23 pm

      If this wasn’t something they were afraid of the opposition finding out, why is the government being so deliberately devious as to try to slip it in there at the last possible moment?

      • queenstfarmer 5.1.1
        17 June 2011 at 1:44 pm

        It wasn’t kept secret, see The Baron’s post below. But the premise of this article – that free calling will end – is clearly incorrect, according to Computerworld who’s reportage of telecommunication matter I am happy to rely on. In fact it appears that the KSO has nothing to do with free calling at all.

  6. The Baron 6
    17 June 2011 at 1:23 pm

    Slow clap, morans:

    1. The Commerce Commission argues that NZ’s comparatively low value in landlines is due to the kiwishare – see here, page 15: http://www.comcom.govt.nz/assets/Telecommunications/Market-Monitoring/New-Zealand-Retail-Prices-for-Fixed-Line-and-Mobile-Services-November-2010.pdf

    quote:

    “A key driver of price levels and price structure in the fixed line voice market is the Local
    Residential Telephone Service Telecommunications Service Obligation (TSO or formerly ‘Kiwi
    Share’).”

    This is because you don’t get “free” local calling at all – you pay for it with the fucking astronomical monthly line rental charge. Click the link for more, though beware – there are some big words in there kids.

    2. No consultation? Here is a discussion document that contemplates why the removal of all this may be required. See section 6, page 25: http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/74850/Regulatory%20Implications%20Of%20Structural%20Separation%20-%20September%202010.pdf. Plenty more discussion on this in the context of the bill and SOP – but you can find those yourselves on the parliament website.

    That you’re too stupid to realise that consultation has been and gone and you missed it is a whole pile different than no consultation.

    Simple summary, cos I realise I may have lost many of you already – this will likely mean better value phone services, and you had plenty of opportunity to comment. Oh noes, the evil nats strike again!

    Pretty poor work, Malcolm. But then again, you’re a partisan hack. Is getting fisked like this why you no longer allow comments?

    • mickysavage 6.1
      17 June 2011 at 1:33 pm

      Ah page 25 of a document that was hidden in a disused filing cabinet in a pile of documents 2 metres high in MED’s basement!  How could we miss it.
       
      Three questions though.
       
      1.  If it was consulted on back then why wasn’t the change part of the select committee recommendations?  The report back by the select committee was on May 16, 2011 and the document was released in September 2010.
       
      2.  Why wasn’t it part of the original bill that was introduced in November 2010?
       
      3.  Why the last minute urgency and why wasn’t the opposition given the SOP on Tuesday when it was tabled?
       
      One possible answer is that Joyce forgot to include it,

      • The Baron 6.1.1
        17 June 2011 at 2:20 pm

        Micky, your shortcomings are not evidence of a conspiracy.

        For what was such a secret document from MED (you’re challenging the activities of the impartial public service too to fit your conspiracy? the horror!) plenty of people seemed to realise what was going on and comment on these issues: http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/ContentTopicSummary____45018.aspx

        If you read the documents around the Bill and SOP, you would see that issues such as these were indicated as something that would come later, partially because they would only be necessary if telecom was selected. If you actually READ the documents I have indicated above, you’ll see that – come on man, you’re a lawyer, you can read, right?

        Shall I call you and explain it in smaller words? I have your number thanks to your fucking lame letter to Whale Oil. (I thought there was no credit card details exposed by the way – so what are you wahhing on about?)

        • mickysavage 6.1.1.1
          17 June 2011 at 2:44 pm

          Shesh Baron
           
          Why do some engage in personal attacks rather than addressing the issues.  And why do you attempt to win an argument by belittling your opposition?
           
          Thank you for the explanation.  Yes the choice of telecom may explain why the change was not covered in the select committee report back.  No I have not spent the past few days reading all of the paper on the issue but I believe my criticism of undue haste is valid.
           
          The announcement that Telecom was a preferred supplier was made on May 24.  But, why still the haste?  Why drop the bill on the opposition at the last moment?
           
          I am obviously not an insider on telecommunication issues and I presume you and Mr X are but this is precisely the problem with rushing changes through.  There is no ability to review and no trust.  The opposition are not given the opportunity to comment or make suggestions and stuff ups happen.
           
          This “trust me I know what I am doing” stuff honestly does not work.

  7. Lanthanide 7
    17 June 2011 at 1:34 pm

    Apart from the acronym “NRT” tagged onto the name, there’s no clear indication that this has come from No Right Turn.
     
    People who aren’t familiar with that as another blog, won’t know what NRT means, or that this is essentially a guest post.

    • queenstfarmer 7.1
      17 June 2011 at 1:40 pm

      Perhaps whoever accepted this as a guest post could (a) tell NRT it is wrong, and (b) post a correction.

      [lprent: It is always dangerous to suggest what we should do – see this and it is viewed a evident attempt at self-martyrdom (see the policy).

      Posts here are are matters of opinion with supporting links to fact. They are not guaranteed to be perfect and we have no intent for them to be so. The comments section is there for you to disagree, and you’ll usually find somewhere here to disagree with you.

      However, trying to tell us what we should do on our own site will usually result in you getting a swift eviction as wasting our time. I really can’t be bothered with anyone stupid enough not to figure out what the probable response is. We put the about and policy there for a reason. Read them so I don’t have to waste moderating time on you. ]

      • toad 7.1.1
        17 June 2011 at 2:11 pm

        The post at NRT is wrong only in one minor regard.  That is that the change will not automatically allow for the end of free local calling, as this is proposed to be protected by a Deed between Government and Telecom2.
        However, it still severely weakens the protection, as some future government can just of its own volition agree to amend the Deed.  That is a far lower level of protection than that which exists at the moment, under which a Government would have to get Parliament to agree to amend the legislation.

        • queenstfarmer 7.1.1.1
          17 June 2011 at 3:25 pm

          It’s not wrong in a minor regard – the very first sentence talks about free calling, and then the first comment about the result of the change is “This will allow Telecom’s foreign owners to introduce American-style local call charging.”. So it’s wrong on its main premise.

          It’s also wrong when it talks about “Telecom’s foreign owners”. Telecom is majority NZ owned by law, and the network company which will inherit local calls will remain so.

    • lprent 7.2
      17 June 2011 at 2:08 pm

      ...there’s no clear indication that this has come from No Right Turn.

      Agreed. Which is why I usually write a paragraph on the front when I repost them. But there isn’t a standard. It is difficult to see how there could be – we’ll get criticized whatever way it goes.

      I have been criticized for writing material to make it clear where it comes from. For expressing my opinion of a post in an introduction and not being enough of a sycophant (yeah right!). For not making it the way that others thought it should appear. For not writing anything at all.

      Some of the editors (like whoever put up this one up) do it differently with the same effect.

      I think that it is simplier make it a banning offense to mention even mention the issue in comments because there doesn’t seem to be an solution that someone won’t complain about. The effort of a rapid banning it seems like a more productive use of my time than listening to or responding to critics (see the last section of the About for the rationale)

      This isn’t specifically directed at you, but I’ll get irritated if this side track goes on too long.

  8. hellonearthis 8
    17 June 2011 at 2:47 pm

    I was hoping the free local calling would have become an option as the monthly phone rental (which is really high when you look at other OECD countries) covers the maintenance of local calls. If they where charged then the monthly phoneline rental could drop to match the rest of the civilized world.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4323932/NZ-has-highest-phone-costs-in-OECD

  9. Colonial Viper 9
    17 June 2011 at 5:04 pm

    Let’s just learn that when the NATs govern, they govern in favour of their core constituencies i.e. the monied individuals and the monied corporations, and they don’t care to justify their decisions with debate or evidence. The Right are not here to convince, convert, or win over any one else. That would be a waste of their time and energy.

    They are already on to the next bloody minded thing while the Left is left in a spin wondering what the hell happened and what is going to happen next.

  10. mickysavage 10
    17 June 2011 at 9:38 pm

    Well looks like the lefties may have been handed our arses on a plate here but I still believe that the process was stuffed.  If this Government wants to get these changes put through they should give notice and allow the opposition to get its collective head around the changes.

    Otherwise the risk is that we will keep jumping up and down about these sorts of issues.

    • MrSmith 10.1
      17 June 2011 at 11:13 pm

      Mickey: Unfortunately jumping up and downs not going to attract much attention with our media, maybe running around in your birthday suit with your cordless phone might get some attention, But home phones and cel phone companies will become a thing of the past before long, we will all be communicating through the internet mostly soon, unless of-course you are one of the poor hicks like me that live on the edge of the earth.

  11. tc 11
    20 June 2011 at 2:01 am

    more of that relentless focus….now watch the smiley wavey clown please everybody whilst the dark lords such as joyce go about ‘their’ business.

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    Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

    The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • A Time For Unity.

    Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

    National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

    Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

    The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago
  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

    This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons Every summer brings a new spate of headlines about record-breaking heat – for good reason: 2023 was the hottest year on record, in keeping with the upward trend scientists have been clocking for decades. With climate forecasts suggesting that heat waves ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 99

    Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

    One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

    This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago
  • Can Brown deliver his roads

    The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

    Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    7 days ago
  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

    A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago
  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

    On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

    There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

    A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

    This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    1 week ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears

    I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • When Do We Look Away?

    Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 week ago
  • The decades just fly by

    You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: August

    Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago
  • White Noise

    Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.

    Norman KirkPrime Minister of New Zealand 1972-1974Born: 6 January 1923 - Died: 31 August 1974Of the working-class, by the working-class, for the working-class.Video courtesy of YouTubeThese elements were posted on Bowalley Road on Saturday, 31 August 2024. ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • Claims and Counter-Claims.

    Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent  that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Honours Maori King ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • The Principles of the Treaty

    Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.

    An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • A Big F U to this Right Wing Government

    Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off

    One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Gravity

    Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost

    Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 hour ago
  • Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians

    Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris.  “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

    A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report.  “It will have the mandate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Passport wait times back on-track

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New appointments to the FMA board

    Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • District Court judges appointed

    Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

    Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

    New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

    Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

    5 September 2024  The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

    As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

    Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations.   “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • More choice and competition in building products

    A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

    On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

    Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

    The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  “That is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

    The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government backs women in horticulture

    “The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says.  “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout

    The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants.  “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

    Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti

    A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand

    The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Delivering priority connections for the West Coast

    A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington

    A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki

    A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland

    A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland

    A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure

    A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui

    A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...
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    7 days ago
  • Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay

    A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “We are committed to making sure that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne

    A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury

    A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty

    A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...
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  • Getting transport back on track in Auckland

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