Nuclear Options.

Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, January 17th, 2018 - 54 comments
Categories: identity, liberalism, quality of life, Social issues - Tags: , ,

It’s the modern way, the right way, the civilised way.

We and our partner and our children live in glorious, isolated union; we interact with the market, and build a life of our choosing for ourselves and our children. We take our opportunities, and as  rationally optimising economic units rational people, we seek the dream, we build the dream, we are the dream.

No more community. Community; that throw back to darker, fettered times is gone. No more threat to the rights of the individual to enjoy an unencumbered life! We are safe now, in our homes; our castles; our total entertainment centres.  Now, unlike before, we are better able to concentrate on those opportunities that will deliver us to a better and happier place than “the Jones’s”. And we remember! A rising tide raises all boats. So our striving and grasping will inevitably result in “good things” all round. One day, when the dream is complete, we won’t need to keep an eye over our shoulders lest some “Jones” sets us back, pushes us under, tramples us down or casts us out…one day, we will all be optimum!

It’ll work out. It’s been working out for 40 years. And the 40 before that. In fact, it’s been working out ever since we abandoned the silly notion of collective identity and realised that sovereignty resides in the individual, and that the individual then, ought to be free to pursue individual happiness.

We’ve come far.

Sure, some hippies and weirdos did some “stuff” back when. And some political mal-contents tried to derail this wonderful, unstoppable steam train to the future before that. But that’s all gone now. Hippies parachuted themselves back in and class is just a drug grouping.

We are good. Things are fine.

Yeah. No they’re not. It’s time to push the big red button on that nuclear fantasy, because this shit doesn’t “just happen”.

 

54 comments on “Nuclear Options. ”

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  1. weka 1
    17 January 2018 at 1:12 pm

    Humans are evolved to exist in tribes. Smallish* groups of people within larger groups of people where the central organisational structures are connected via bloodlines. Lot of variations on that, but that’s the gist of it. It means that kids get raised by people who care for each other. It’s very hard for civilised people (aka those that live in civilisations) to replicate that, although I agree that community helps a great deal. But once you break the bonds of blood family, there’s fewer bonds that exist to hold people together enough to give a shit when it matters.

    Nuclear families are very recent, and an aberration in human terms. As soon as you give women financial emancipation from nuclear families, they tend to not stick with them for their life time. Men without that obligation also. Most humans for most of time have lived in extended family situations, often not based around the central male/female sexual relationship e.g. many cultures have organised around the relationships between women as the centre of things (makes sense, raising of young children is then shared amongst women kin and not disrupted if the two parents separate). Sticking women alone in a house with young kids while the man goes out and wages slaves is one of the stupider things humans have done.

    Needful to say, there are differences around ethnicity. If we’re going to generalise about NZ today, we probably need to take into account that Polynesian cultures do this stuff differently than Anglo/Euro ones (and similar differentiations can be made in lots of places). There are people alive today who have talked to and learned from people that lived in societies that weren’t nuclear or individualistic, but collective.

    • weka 1.1
      17 January 2018 at 1:21 pm

      As for nuclear button options, there are good reasons for why the hippies and co didn’t make a huge amount of headway into the mainstream. Part of that is the societal economic stuff, but it’s also that most of us have been raised to be individuals and most of us aren’t willing to change to collective because collective means giving up some of the individual freedoms.

  2. greywarshark 2
    17 January 2018 at 1:15 pm

    Harry Chapin Cats in the Cradle 1977
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUNZMiYo_4s
    and

    Rich Girl (or Boy)
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_dzs4Zg6wc

    Thinking of the family and the children’s essential nature and socialisation along with their welfare is a good start, but what about a bit of loving care for others who don’t have the same opportunities, the same busy schedule of activities, access to toys and outings and holidays and to parents who have some energy to giving them loving guidance and encouragement. Sometimes for the despondent and tired, it is only instructing words, Do this, be quiet, stop crying, stop fighting.

    Locally about community, the local trolley derby race that has run for years is being cancelled, there are people prepared to give their time to organise it but they need some money, sponsorship. I wonder if a group of the men who get a lot of pleasure from it and making karts for their boys, and sometimes girls, will be able to energise their community spirit.

  3. Siobhan 3
    17 January 2018 at 1:46 pm

    This family is just a Daily Mail clickbait freak show about some religious nutters…this is the American Nuclear Family Nightmare story that should be going viral..

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/16/why-does-it-cost-32093-just-to-give-birth-in-america

    While the internet addicted world is distracted by these stories and Trump Russia…..the world we know sinks further into the pockets of the elite few..

  4. Ad 4
    17 January 2018 at 1:49 pm

    One couple’s crime does not mean throw the entire model out.
    If I fall over and injure myself on the footpath, that does not mean it makes any sense for me to call for the eradication of footpaths.

    • Sam 4.1
      17 January 2018 at 1:55 pm

      Our ideological crime is to save the family home and never mind the fact that some knowledgable in the area of Auckland city planners think “building up” and not “out” is the best way forward. And those with political capital and investment for political speak reasons think the experts should not be trusted. Same goes for Climate Change.

      • greywarshark 4.1.1
        17 January 2018 at 3:06 pm

        I can’t see that you have a point of importance there Sam. Housing is a different subject than the nuclear family, try and think things through will you, without so much invective.

    • Bill 4.2
      17 January 2018 at 2:06 pm

      One couples crime is yet another in a growing known list of really fcked up stuff happening that, arguably, can be traced back to nuclear family living arrangements.

      Isolation – try it! – can lead fairly quickly into spinning out and falling over, sometimes into dark places. More communal living arrangements provide checks, balances and touch-stones that (I’d argue) mean the horrible shit that people do, and that people are subjected to by dint of isolation’s “protective” properties, are ameliorated or eradicated altogether.

      But sure, view the Turpins as an anomaly or an exception if you prefer to. And don’t link what has happened there to the welter of less headline grabbing, even mundane, instances of ongoing abuse and damage that surround us all – next door, down the street, around the corner…

      edit. And of course, when you haven’t done that, also don’t question why it is that we came to be living in such an often jam packed, yet isolated fashion 😉

      • Ad 4.2.1
        17 January 2018 at 2:26 pm

        You want to make the case that “nuclear family” living arrangements are so universally bad that we should “push the button on that nuclear fantasy”. You need to set out your case with some actual facts rather than one anecdote, because that is the claim that you are making in the post.

        You would have a much better shot at anything resembling an argument if you wrote a post against home schooling. After all, avoiding state regulation through public schools provides the maximum unregulated time and space to abuse children – which is what happened here.

        • weka 4.2.1.1
          17 January 2018 at 2:31 pm

          I’m not sure if you are serious but most child abuse happens in families who send their kids to state schools.

          • Ad 4.2.1.1.1
            17 January 2018 at 2:33 pm

            That would be because most children go to state schools. Of course.

            You see how easy it is to make a dumb argument out of one anecdote, and it just looks real stupid real fast.

            • weka 4.2.1.1.1.1
              17 January 2018 at 3:08 pm

              That’s why I said I wasn’t sure if you were serious. Now I have no idea what you are talking about.

              I thought the post was a rant, and it pointed to a single instance at the end (which I ignored, because who knows why they did what they did).

        • Bill 4.2.1.2
          17 January 2018 at 3:18 pm

          I’ve provided a framework and multiple sign-posts that point to underlying reasoning Ad. You want to engage in debate within the parameters of the post, or wank on about home schooling?

          If the latter, go away and write a post about home schooling.

          If the former, then pull you socks up please, and avoid any future temptation to be telling me what I ought to say, or what I ought to argue, or how I ought to, generally, frame my thoughts and opinions.

          Thank you.

          • Ad 4.2.1.2.1
            17 January 2018 at 3:31 pm

            I will tell you that you have not provided any facts.

            You have not provided any definitions of your key terms.

            You have not provided any historical studies or indeed even any local studies that might verify some of your claims.

            You have provided one example, from California.

            No-one is “wanking on” about anything Bill. But good work slanging me off rather than responding with actual content about your post,.

            So, to that end, if you put up shit like this as a post, that is the standard you are going to be held to. By me.

            • Bill 4.2.1.2.1.1
              17 January 2018 at 3:49 pm

              You want “facts” provided in relation to some very basic aspects of liberal philosophy?

              Or you want “facts” provided in relation to isolated (nuclear family) living arrangements?

              Or do you want “facts” ‘proving’ that we retreat to our homes – or maybe “facts” showing that we view them as our ‘castles’ and ‘total entertainment centres’?

              What’s the “fact” you want provided that would be crucial or necessary in terms of validating the argument/opinion/view expressed in the post?

              Meanwhile, three references from you about homeschooling in the space of five comments under a post that has nothing to do with home schooling is “wanking on” in my book. (One of your other two being an irrelevant something about tripping on a footpath)

              That you don’t understand the post is okay Ad. And if you did understand it but disagreed with it, that would be fine too (and an occasion for debate)

              You don’t get to set criteria for any other author this blog though. You want to only write opinion pieces that are thick with references to facts, then fine. That’s your choice, and you can impose that restriction on yourself if you want to.

      • Siobhan 4.2.2
        17 January 2018 at 2:44 pm

        Broadly speaking I agree, certainly I can go on about the effect the housing market, capital gains , greedy landlords, job insecurity, self service, end of night classes, remote internet based learning, social media etc has had on destroying family/group cohesion, community and the individuals sense of belonging..still it would be interesting if you could reference a system/time where these problem families were less prevalent, because you seem to be hinting at such a time, yet I’m not sure if we can accurately say any particular era/system was better or not.

        Though, as a reader of the DM it seems Americans have a penchant for chaining up children, usually drug related, and it would be interesting to see a study comparing and explaining American vs European record on this sort of thing and reasons why it happens.

        “As Men Do with Their Wives”: Domestic Violence in Fourteenth-Century Lucca∗∗∗∗Corinne Wieben

        a link for the historical perspective.

        • Bill 4.2.2.1
          17 January 2018 at 3:07 pm

          All I’m arguing is that isolation is conducive to “festering” and that the ‘nuclear family’ is an exercise in isolation. Further to that, I’m only signposting the obvious political and economic genesis of ‘nuclear family’ living arrangements.

          Oh. And obviously suggesting we (figuratively) nuke the caboodle.

          Different times have different problems.

          And I’ll always (as argued often enough over time) point to the environment as the determinant factor in (what we might, but problematically want to call) aberrant behaviours.

          Have we ever created a healthy environment for ourselves in terms of socio/economic/political arrangements? I don’t know.

          What I do know is that our current arrangements are obviously fcking huge numbers of us up quite badly in a multitude of ways.

          And that the case of the Turpin’s is just one in a growing number of extreme examples.

          • Carolyn_Nth 4.2.2.1.1
            17 January 2018 at 7:05 pm

            I recall sociological research from my studies a while back: basically, the nuclear family arose because workers needed to be more mobile to get jobs. It is a result of capitalism and changing transport and technologies of production, mass production, etc.

            Bill, you tend to have monolithic notions of liberalism, etc. Drawing on marxism: society is in a continual state of conflict between the ruling and subject classes – and as a result continually morphing.

            Liberal philosophy actually arose as a challenge to autocratic rule. Since then it has fractured into some more progressive and more conservative strands.

            Capitalism, and liberalism, also arose on the back of patriarchal society, and as European countries were expanding their focus to other countries: so capitalism and liberalism also arose on the back of European notions of superiority, and empire building.

            Some communities based on extended families were also patriarchal, and oppressively treated women as second class – ditto oppression of non-European people.

            There was not pre-liberal golden age.

            Sometimes liberalism has been the vehicle for opposing some of the most authoritarian of societies. Sometimes it has sanctioned oppressive policies of the elites.

            It’s never static. It’s never just one monolithic un-changing thing, where one kind of philosophy was always bad, and another was always good. It’s necessary to look at the details, and how things play out on the ground in different circumstances.

            • Bill 4.2.2.1.1.1
              17 January 2018 at 7:19 pm

              Not really anything I disagree with there Carolyn. (And this is, by necessity, a very quick comment)

              I fully acknowledge the existence of different strands of liberalism – obviously bound within some basic defining features of liberalism (eg – individualism, the denial of class etc)

              Yes, society is in a state of conflict, both within liberalism and between liberalism and (for example) libertarianism or, to the other side, various shades of authoritarianism.

              There was no pre-liberal golden age. (And yes, all the references to patriarchy etc)

              Liberalism arose by way of a challenge to autocratic rule (and capitalists replaced landed gentry), but other liberatory movements also challenged autocratic rule. Liberalism (with its attendant capitalism) merely attained primacy.

              • Carolyn_Nth …
                17 January 2018 at 7:34 pm

                Well, of course, Marx/early marxists, predicted that the first revolution (of the bourgeoisie against the aristocrats – as happened in France), would be followed by a second revolution (of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie). The first revolution saw a shift from mercantilism to capitalism

                The second revolution never really happened in western European countries as a whole of society thing. It just became an ongoing class struggle. And that is why, in the 60s and 70s, many left wingers turned to adding cultural explanations, to economic ones, to explain why the oppressed working classes never staged a revolution – they are continually conned by the media, and other institutions.

                Your arguments against liberalism kind of fits that sort of cultural explanation.

                • Bill …
                  17 January 2018 at 7:57 pm

                  Interesting. Because I’m not a Marxist, and absolutely reject notions of historical determinism.

                  I also don’t think the working class has been “conned” by media or whatever, though I would argue that a certain ‘burying of the past’ has occurred.

                  The left also, and for various reasons in different places, lost most of its leaders (ie -and just to make the distinction – those who could better articulate, inspire and envisage, as opposed to those who would assume to rule)

                  My argument against liberalism is down to it being a deeply misanthropic ideology.

        • Draco T Bastard 4.2.2.2
          17 January 2018 at 4:48 pm

          still it would be interesting if you could reference a system/time where these problem families were less prevalent

          http://www.ririki.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/TradMaoriParenting.pdf

    • Sam 4.3
      17 January 2018 at 2:26 pm

      Often the stuff that make New Zealand liveable and people want to come to New Zealand is not economically viable or has no profit motive, like schools, teachers, police and takes huge ongoing investment to maintain. Under a regime of tax cuts you literally are throwing the baby out with the bath tub. But you can’t say any of this stuff because mainstream media need screw ups to sell paper.

      • Ad 4.3.1
        17 January 2018 at 2:35 pm

        The post only cites one case, from California.

        Or are you about to cite some fact about most abuse occurring within married male-female couples raising their children with total homeschooling in New Zealand?

        • Sam 4.3.1.1
          17 January 2018 at 2:43 pm

          4 out of 5 children in the entire world will suffer some kind of abuse. so you really don’t want to double down on the same bullshit narratives that got us here in the first place. You kind of want to maintain an IQ above 95.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.4
      17 January 2018 at 4:38 pm

      One couple’s crime does not mean throw the entire model out.

      It’s not one couples crime. Child and partner abuse is rampant throughout society.

      If I fall over and injure myself on the footpath, that does not mean it makes any sense for me to call for the eradication of footpaths.

      Not even remotely relevant.

      It’s more like: If you fell over on the footpath and broke your leg the next person along will help but in our isolated households if you fall over and break your leg there is no next person along and you die of starvation.

  5. JO 5
    17 January 2018 at 2:11 pm

    +100

    In this radically innovative new venture’s operating manual, Roger Douglas, the self-appointed CEO of NZ Inc., forgot to add that all boats should be maintained to the highest level of seaworthiness before the unusually high tide he had forecast came in. Left unprepared, they would still be stuck in the mud, and would also be catalogued as having sunk beyond the point at which raising them could be regarded as viable or cost-effective.

  6. greywarshark 6
    17 January 2018 at 2:48 pm

    I hadn’t looked at the link Bill till now. What a shocker. I think to size it up it demonstrates the desire to be seen as exemplary, to treasure style above substance.

    Playing a role of high standards, almost a celebrity role. It’s common for children to be dressed like little princesses who would be told don’t go out and get dirty playing, that’s not what you do. JonBenet Ramsay’s life was affected by this artificial skewing of life, in her case with a mother trying to achieve perfection. She was murdered at age six by someone who was tainted by that weirdness.
    (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_JonBen%C3%A9t_Ramsey

    Here on contrast is a sentimental, loving thing that a son did for his aged, dying father who though near dying got pleasure from it. This was videoed, yes, but not for ‘show’.
    (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gf491i3B3Q

  7. SPC 7
    17 January 2018 at 2:56 pm

    An alternative requires suitable housing supply models/means of provision – beyond the ability of individuals to organise. But community housing does exist in Europe. Small homes based around shared facility spaces and apartment buildings with shared space.

    Make a submission to Phil …

      • greywarshark 7.1.1
        17 January 2018 at 3:47 pm

        SPC
        Can you enlarge somewhat on the connection between the link you have put and the isolation and nuclear family being discussed as not healthy for good community.

        • Sam 7.1.1.1
          17 January 2018 at 4:01 pm

          Just wanted to confirm with you again, grey worm, about housing??? Is a different subject is it not?

        • SPC 7.1.1.2
          17 January 2018 at 4:22 pm

          The woman concerned was someone who questioned the expectation of co-habitation and living in accord with state sanctioned arrangements. Someone who sought more freedom/other options.

          Such choice is dependent on the availability of suitable (affordable) housing.

          No government is ever going to impose a programme to move away from the nuclear family, but what it can do is facilitate the emergence of housing arrangements that offer up more choice in living (including extended family).

          Why not have some of the 100,000 homes of the community housing type that now occur in Europe?

          Providing this option for those who would prefer it, is healthy in and of itself.

          • greywarshark 7.1.1.2.1
            17 January 2018 at 5:39 pm

            SPC
            We have already started to talk about co-housing and it would be good if we added information and links as we come across them to keep the ideas flowing and current. There are some successful ones in NZ and some were on the drawing board while the SHAs were being encouraged though I think that the program has been cancelled now, not sure.

  8. Psycho Milt 8
    17 January 2018 at 3:51 pm

    It’s time to push the big red button on that nuclear fantasy, because this shit doesn’t “just happen”.

    Child abuse didn’t “just happen” before nuclear families became the norm in western societies, either. But it happened a lot, maybe because nuclear families aren’t the reason child abuse happens.

    And what would “pushing the big red button on that nuclear fantasy” involve, exactly? I’ve no desire to have hippies or any other activists implement a utopia in which I’m made to live among a crowd of relatives because nuclear families are bad, m’kay?

    • Bill 8.1
      17 January 2018 at 3:56 pm

      Hippies and relatives? Yup. With you on that one 😉

      I didn’t say abuses didn’t exist “before”.

      Linking to save repeating.

      • Psycho Milt 8.1.1
        17 January 2018 at 4:22 pm

        Ah, I see. I agree that nuclear families involve isolation and that isn’t a good thing, but on the other hand my experience of Kuwait was that living with and looking to your extended family promotes in-breeding, nepotism and corruption, so there’s no family arrangement without its downsides.

  9. Sam 9
    17 January 2018 at 4:42 pm

    For much of the 200,000 years of human history we weren’t monogamous creatures. For most of it the guys just tapped and gapped, leaving the mother to fend for her self. Well at least the hunter was away for most of the time only to take time out of his busy schedule to maintain weapons and a few grunts every when the boy was strong enough to wield an spear.

    It’s only been since agriculture was invented that we started hording resources that we started getting into monotonous single income families. Because who can afford to keep multiple wives on a western wage…

    So I don’t think most people are different from our homo sapien ancestors. And Merepeka was right. Abuse occurs when the bread winner can not provide the bread and does what is only natural to silence the screams of children in desperate need.

    • greywarshark 9.1
      17 January 2018 at 5:32 pm

      We are looking at matters now Sam and talking loftily about our ancient history is of some interest but of little help when dealing with today’s practicalities.

      • Sam 9.1.1
        17 January 2018 at 5:56 pm

        Well sticking an old building on new foundations won’t work because people are not honest enough to say we are wrong. And I am un-apologetic about roasting normies. And your only response is butt hurt plot armour… We are in a community of learning and traditionally New Zealand was really good at it. If people like me are going to be enticed to come back to New Zealand your going to have to do a lot more work on what good learning spaces look like and there’s a lack of consistency right across the board. And people like greyworm like to rail against any type of change…

  10. The Fairy Godmother 10
    17 January 2018 at 5:17 pm

    I was very fortunate 23 years ago to be involved with playcentre until the youngest went to school. That was a great community. People knew each other and helped each other out when help was needed. There lots of support for people with issues ranging from domestic violence to a child with leukemia. I think that this is less likely to happen now with most people out earning money to survive. Neighborhood support is another thing that is hard to organise.people have no energy left for community.

  11. greywarshark 11
    17 January 2018 at 5:36 pm

    Bill the word nuclear has wider connotations than just the nucleus of family life.
    The term ‘red button’ has arisen. Can we not use this word again to discuss human situations. I suggest leave it to science and perhaps for medical terms. We can use close or immediate or basic family groupings surely for descriptions.

  12. eco maori 12
    17 January 2018 at 7:15 pm

    I personally think that having a big whano you can trust with the mokos is a good thing the grandparents have the time and patience to teach the mokos you cannot beat lifes experience it is also good for the grandparents getting exercise ect. The western society system has made me put my whano that my wife and I made first and formost as we have been burned by a some not all whano.
    I think that this society of only care about one self is designed to make it easier to minipulate people as who is better to give the teenagers advice than Nan and grandad children rebel from there parents and listen more to what there grandparents have to say. I think that it just that us grandparents comunacate better than there parents. I admire family business and Marae living so long as everyone can be trusted and everyone pulls there weight. If capitalism is working it’s only working for the 1% In my view with the technology and resources our world society has why the fuck do we have people starving to death and in refugees camps there is no logical reason for this to be happening on OUR Papatuanukue this has to change. The capitalist system is designed to make you look after number one and Fuck the rest and this has to change to have a culture that is fair humane and equal for all OUR people of Papatuanukue we are part of her and we go back to her when we die ashes to ashes dust to dust. We are all one race the human race full stop with many beautiful different cultures.
    Ka kite ano

  13. mickysavage 13
    17 January 2018 at 8:59 pm

    Im with Ad on this. I am struggling with the proposition. I do not see a “nuclear” family as being the antithesis of community. The best communities I know of have the support of a whole lot of nuclear families.

    • Bill 13.1
      17 January 2018 at 10:39 pm

      Just going to note that in your comment, “community” sits apart from basic living arrangements. If that’s your view of what community is, then I’m not surprised you failed to grasp the post.

      The best communities I know of have the support of a whole lot of nuclear families.

      It’s like saying (to borrow from Weka’s comment back up at the top) something along the lines of the best tribes I know of have the support of a whole lot of nuclear families.

      Community is our living arrangements (as determined by physical and cultural factors etc); not something extraneous to it.

  14. Stuart Mathieson 14
    18 January 2018 at 5:19 am

    It’s all been said before. Plato, the Spartans and Fred Engels followed by a host of postmodernist women with their own political agenda.
    My experience as several have said above, strong family units make the best communities. Most abuse happens in casual relationships.

    • Bill 14.1
      18 January 2018 at 8:30 am

      Don’t think I made any claim to originality Stuart, but hey, that’s reasonable company you’re throwing me in with 🙂

      Of course deep, vibrant connections make for better communities. Though whether that need be founded on blood ties ( strong family units make the best communities) is …well, I don’t think so. Community can be decidedly intentional as opposed to being determined by accident of birth.

      Your contention about abuse is highly questionable but basically irrelevant anyway given the post is throwing around ideas about isolation, and strands of culture that surround and promote an aspect of it.

    • David Mac 14.2
      18 January 2018 at 9:04 am

      I remember reading that newborn children are naturally more likely to adopt the physical features of the father. An evolutionary trait that supposedly helps prevent males from rejecting the child.

  15. Ovid 15
    19 January 2018 at 12:30 am

    I too take issue with the Quiverfull movement. Are you saying liberalism has isolated these people? That they didn’t feel part of a community? Because I would bet a dollar the parents viewed their church as their community.

    I think you’re obliquely referencing Margaret Thatcher’s infamous statement in 1987:

    I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand “I have a problem, it is the Government’s job to cope with it!” or “I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!” “I am homeless, the Government must house me!” and so they are casting their problems on society and who is society? There is no such thing! There are individual men and women and there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first.

    Which I’m sure most readers here – myself among them – would agree is tosh. Please correct me if I’m wrong but all I can gather from your post is this position is responsible for the kind of neglect and abuse we see manifested in that shocking case. Can you flesh out that link or point us to some sources?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A7hSaoRv0g

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    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    2 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    3 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    4 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

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

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

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

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago

  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • JERRY COYNE: A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand
    JERRY COYNE writes –  If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
    Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession.  This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • The Scafetta Saga
    It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
    Real ClimateBy Gavin
    1 week ago

  • Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
    TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
      For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
     Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    1 week ago

  • A Womance, and a Nomance.
    After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
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