Open mike 01/02/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 1st, 2023 - 58 comments
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58 comments on “Open mike 01/02/2023 ”

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  1. Sanctuary 1
    1 February 2023 at 7:57 am

    Anyone hear the long interview with Michael Wood on RNZ this morning between 7.30am-8am? If anyone thought he wasn't appointed to take over the role of the mayor then they'll be disabused of that notion after listening to that.

    Also, this story in the Herald (paywalled, but almost worth unlocking) on Wayne Brown's long and whining phone conversation with a Herald "reporter" (who so coy? We all know it is Orsman) is just wow, wow, wow inducing. What a narcissistic bastard Brown is.

    • Stephen D 1.1
      1 February 2023 at 8:15 am

      You can see the full story here.

      https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/10q5l1v/dont_fk_me_over_wayne_browns_30min_phone_call/

      And we’re stuck with him for three years.

      • Visubversa 1.1.1
        1 February 2023 at 9:17 am

        Might not. A friend of mine who worked in aged care for many years says that she has seen that "possum in the headlights" look many times. The sight of Councilor Desley Simpson dragging Mayor Wayne out of the car crash interview by his jacket sleeve was telling also.

        • Sanctuary 1.1.1.1
          1 February 2023 at 9:40 am

          The political consequences for this for Brown are likely to be severe. He was elected to cut services – something that is likely to be unpopular. He is now only three months into his job but at 76 and clearly not up to it he is already the lamest of lame ducks. The CCO's will simply wait him out and his councillors, where he may have had the slimmest of majorities to cut services, will now be scattering like geese at a gunshot.

          Brown is likely to respond by raging at everyone and everything, while the heirs presumptive (Simpson vs Hills) commence their campaigns early.

        • Matiri 1.1.1.2
          1 February 2023 at 10:07 am

          One of the early signs of dementia is not moving your eyes normally, and looking as if you are staring a lot. Possum in the headlights is a good description.

        • weka 1.1.1.3
          1 February 2023 at 10:36 am

          The sight of Councilor Desley Simpson dragging Mayor Wayne out of the car crash interview by his jacket sleeve was telling also.

          Which interview was that?

          • Visubversa 1.1.1.3.1
            1 February 2023 at 12:30 pm

            The one on Saturday where he fronted up a bunch other older blokes to say he didn't to anything wrong.

        • Stephen D 1.1.1.4
          1 February 2023 at 11:30 am

          Could be tricky to get rid of him. Petitions won't cut it.

          [unlinked copypasta removed]

      • Anne 1.1.2
        1 February 2023 at 10:56 am

        What an extraordinary read! Wayne Brown appears to have the emotional IQ of a 7 year old!

        Now we know why the new Auckland ministerial post (we had one under Clark) came about? Hipkins and co. knew they couldn't leave Auckland in the hands of an emotionally stunted clown so they resurrected the ministerial post allowing them to bypass him?surprise

    • Ad 1.3
      1 February 2023 at 9:37 am

      Brown is National's best advertisement for Labour through this election year.

      He should keep speaking out, keep the tweets up.

      Like Biden, Labour is only going to get back in if the Trump-ettes are loud.

      • newsense 1.3.1
        1 February 2023 at 3:46 pm

        And check this very odd attempt to blame Hipkins for Brown, which basically ignores all the local counsellors and MPs and tries to suggest Luxon was all over it.

        Not reassuring in an election year, but it is so different from the reality others were reporting it makes Patterson’s bias clear.

        RNZ sumarises why Chippy didn’t babysit Wayne Brown and so it’s Chippy’s fault.

        • observer 1.3.1.1
          1 February 2023 at 4:13 pm

          Flip a coin, that strange take was heads, whereas tails was …

          "PM Hipkins rode roughshod over local democracy when he took over from the elected mayor and made himself the centre of attention …"

          Just like Ardern, who was attacked for doing nothing ("where is she?") or doing everything ("why is she everywhere?") depending on what side of the bed the commentator got out of.

        • Anne 1.3.1.2
          1 February 2023 at 5:16 pm

          She's done it before… twisted a story to make it seem like it was a govt. or a minsterial failure. I stopped rating her several years ago.

          • Macro 1.3.1.2.1
            1 February 2023 at 5:29 pm

            Same here. In fact I give little credence to any of the so called political commentators of the local media. They all see politics as a sort of game.

  2. Ghostwhowalksnz 2
    1 February 2023 at 8:00 am

    NZs highest 1 hourly and 24 hr rainfall wasnt in the 'sub tropical north' but the colder West Coast

    https://niwa.co.nz/education-and-training/schools/resources/climate/extreme

    134mm in 1 hr in Hokitika catchment 2004

    869mm in 24 hrs Hokitika catchment 2013

    • Ad 2.1
      1 February 2023 at 9:38 am

      It's just that there isn't 1.7 million people in Haast.

      • weka 2.1.1
        1 February 2023 at 10:07 am

        and despite that, the West Coast is losing infrastructure at an alarming rate and will probably count as one of NZ's first CC displacement populations.

        The other main difference is that the West Coast still has a very large amount of natural ecosystems that are evolutionarily adapted to large rainfall events. I've seen raging rivers in flood and the adjacent forest the water is either still or flowing slowly. The river banks take a bounding but the surrounding forest fares better on the flat. Things to be learned.

        • Sanctuary 2.1.1.1
          1 February 2023 at 10:31 am

          About 4,500 people live in Westport. The town is low lying and sandwiched between two rivers – the town still haven't recovered from the 2021 floods. Yet no one is talking about relocation or managed retreat, just requests for more flood defenses.

          • weka 2.1.1.1.1
            1 February 2023 at 10:34 am

            some people are talking about managed retreat,

            https://www.newsroom.co.nz/planned-retreat-from-flood-prone-westport

            • Ghostwhowalksnz 2.1.1.1.1.1
              2 February 2023 at 12:34 pm

              A few outlying streets that arent able to be protected and if they were would increase the flooding in the central town.

              Westport just had a 1 in 100yr flood , as they say the same happened in 1926. I have pictures of relatives from early 1900s standing in front of houses that are still there

              Same applies to a few streets in Auckland

              I see St Marys bay residents are fuming because the stormwater overflowed 'and ran down their drive' . Thats actually the plan for SW thats designed for 1 in 25 year floods not 1 in 150 years or so.

              their other problem is the SW and sewerage is combined due to the age . Separating the sewage flow is underway but wont change the 1 in 25 yr SW design

        • Mac1 2.1.1.2
          1 February 2023 at 10:37 am

          Like my area where the council administers a huge area with 50,000 people to provide funding by rates, the West Coast has similar problems.

          Huge areas, rural, sparse popn, mountains, massive rivers, long highways, bridges galore and water issues of contamination, potability and flooding.

          The Three Waters issue has to be better explained, understood, consequences of any and all decisions faced.

          My area has faced earthquakes, floods, Sounds roading hugely and possibly irreparably damaged, coastal erosion by nature and by vessels in the Sounds, logging issues with slash and water pollution, sea dredging, dairy, vineyard pollution, ferry traffic and ferry sailing problems, and long coasts open to weather and sea level rise.

          50,000 people in an area the size of Israel.

          Not 1.7 million people with monetary and political clout. (At least our mayors have been reasonable).

          • weka 2.1.1.2.1
            1 February 2023 at 10:56 am

            thanks for that perspective. One of the biggest problem the coast has is that people have historically voted in conservatives and climate deniers.

            A number of the issues you name in your area largely resolve by transition to regenerative models. That's the good news, because we have the tech to do that. Less available is the imagination to see how it works.

            We're very overdue the discussion about attrition of functional infrastructure eg roads, because we can't keep up with repairs. Grim laugh at idea that Auckland will need five years to rebuild (as in replace BAU). What do they think is going to happen with the weather in that five years? What should be happening is immediate shift to transition design. We're in the long emergency right now and many people still don't get it and of those that do, they're struggling to see a way through.

  3. Visubversa 3
    1 February 2023 at 9:26 am

    Can she call a friend? One violent rapist in a woman’s prison is one too many.

    May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'ARE ALL TRANS-WOMEN WOMEN? A THAT'S NOT THE POINT B NOT IN PRISON DEPENDS ON THE CRIME YES BUT'

    • Ghostwhowalksnz 3.1
      1 February 2023 at 10:05 am

      Its rare but other women have been jailed for sexual abuse /rape in UK

      Like this

      A woman who admitted the "shockingly depraved" sexual abuse and rape of a vulnerable young girl has been jailed for life.

      Vicki Bevan, 37, of St Helens, pleaded guilty to 36 sexual offences against the girl, aged under 10, at an earlier hearing at Liverpool Crown Court.

      https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-61415238

      Of course violence against women can come from same sex partners or at same sex bars

      • weka 3.1.1
        1 February 2023 at 10:30 am

        What's your point? Visubversa is pointing out that the Scottish Government are now unable to consistently apply a law they've just passed because it puts women at risk. They were told, they not only didn't listen but they called feminists objecting to the law bigots.

        Your response appears to be 'but women rape too'. What does that even mean in this context? In the UK, rape is a crime that is committed by males, irrespective of their gender identity.

        Its rare but other women have been jailed for sexual abuse /rape in UK

        Ok, I'll take your use of 'other' to mean you are in the camp that believe these men are in fact women. Below are tweets about the two 'other' women you are responding to. I call them men.

        If these two men are women, it means that the two women who have been raped that managed to get Bryson into a court should be required to refer to Bryson as 'she' and talk about 'her penis' and 'her behaviour' and say 'she raped me'.

        https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1618978379621076992

        https://twitter.com/JessDeWahls/status/1619419198945386502

      • Molly 3.1.2
        1 February 2023 at 11:03 am

        "Of course violence against women can come from same sex partners or at same sex bars"

        Statistics on violence that identifies men as the perpetrator for the vast majority of sexual crime, include the small number of women that are also perpetrators.

        So… did you have a further point?

        • Ghostwhowalksnz 3.1.2.1
          1 February 2023 at 7:22 pm

          So violence from trans women against is also rare

          Just saying there is no such thing as absolute safety , even when no men around

          Id hate to think of the violence in mens prisons and mixed bars as of course they arent the same , not that I ever claimed it was equivalence

          • Molly 3.1.2.1.1
            1 February 2023 at 10:52 pm

            "So violence from trans women against is also rare"

            ?. Unclear what you mean and/or what statistics are you referencing?

            (Just as female offenders are included in stats so are men who declare themselves women – offenders or not).

            "Just saying there is no such thing as absolute safety , even when no men around"

            I haven't seen anyone who claimed this. Safeguarding is about reducing likelihood, no one can guarantee safety.

            "Id hate to think of the violence in mens prisons and mixed bars as of course they arent the same , not that I ever claimed it was equivalence"

            Still unclear what you were contributing to the discussion.

        • Corey Humm 3.1.2.2
          1 February 2023 at 7:34 pm

          As a survivor of sexual abuse myself, Yes men are the majority of perpetrators in reported sexual abuse cases and unreported cases but ask any sexual abuse counselor and they'll tell you that men are overwhelmingly less likely to report a sexual assault compared to women due to shame, fear, humiliation.

          Women saw sexually assaulting men is also not uncommon, but men reporting on it is because they think noone will believe a man was raped by a woman and many who have attempted to report it have been laughed at by police or friends.

          There aren't enough studies on male sexual abuse from women but around 35% of men who actually do report sexual abuse are abused by women. It does happen, it's not uncommon and we need to change our societal prejudices so male victims of sexual assault feel more comfortable coming forward regardless of the gender. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sexual-victimization-by-women-is-more-common-than-previously-known/

          Other than that I totally agree with you and weka on this point and Sturgeons totally backed herself into a corner.

          It's disgraceful that these two or anyone else were put into a female prison and that anyone with concerns is demonized and could face real world consequences.

          The one good that is coming of this is that we are discussing rape in prison which is totally ignored and laughed about. Rapists shouldn't be in general population at male or female prisons, period.

          Noone should be sexually victimized while in the custody of the state.

          And noone should be called bigoted for sharing concerns and fears about their changing rooms, toilets and single sex spaces.

          All the progress the LGBT have made has been put at risk over the last 7 years by a radical minority inside the LGBT+s on an ideology campaign that is deeply unpopular, purposely divisive and disruptive and risks the LGBT losing public support but anyone who speaks out about it publicly (we do in private among friends) gets crucified, can lose their job their community and be labeled a bigot and heteros may not feel it but us queers can confirm the public is really over it.

          If one more woke hetero activist tells this gay dude that same sex attraction is transphobic and that a vagina is a male sex organ I'm going to scream.

          I support trans people but I do not support TRAs.

          • Molly 3.1.2.2.1
            1 February 2023 at 11:00 pm

            I'm sorry to hear of your sexual abuse Corey. I hope you did not feel compelled to disclose in order to give weight to your very salient points.

            I believe that there is a strong sex divide in experience, impact and societies responses to sexual assault and you are right in saying more research and support services are needed for male victims.

    • weka 3.2
      1 February 2023 at 10:31 am

      For those that haven't seen it, here's the video that the above image is referring to.

      https://twitter.com/PeterAdamSmith/status/1620051699900755970

      • weka 3.2.1
        1 February 2023 at 10:32 am

        My comment from last night in DR,

        and just like that the central pillar of the edifice of gender ideology crumbles.

        Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister in Scotland and leader of the SNP, championed gender self ID and pushed through the law there despite concerns. She called gender critical feminists raising those concerns bigots.

        Self-ID means that any man can say they are a woman at any time and then should be treated as such. She was told, she didn't listen.

        Now she is confronted with the problem of convicted rapists using self-ID to gain access to women's prisons, with two very high profile cases in the past week. Trans women are women, except when they are not. Finally.

        Well done this journo for asking the questions. She can't/won't answer because if she was truthful the whole thing would fall over, and she would be branded a transphobe and bigot.

        Look at the retweet, quote tweet and likes numbers. And 3.3 million views.

        • SPC 3.2.1.1
          1 February 2023 at 11:28 am

          The next issue will be the right of a women's refuges to deny access to people who have assaulted other women.

    • SPC 3.3
      1 February 2023 at 11:03 am

      They have been left with the ambulance at the bottom of the hill patch to their self ID legislation.

      Keith Brown … justice secretary has announced a … review by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) into its transgender policy

      On Sunday, Brown announced that no transgender inmate with a history of violence against women will be moved from a men's jail to a women's jail until the review ends.

      The rule also applies to newly-convicted or remanded individuals.

      Brown said the issue was "highly emotive" and public concern is "understandable". He went on: "As the First Minister pointed out last week, we must not allow any suggestion to take root that trans women pose and inherent threat to women.

      https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,transfers-of-violent-transgender-prisoners-paused-amidst-review

  4. Drowsy M. Kram 4
    1 February 2023 at 10:51 am

    National announces caucus reshuffle as Napier retreat kicks off

    Does anyone think that the drop down the ranks of Kuriger and Simpson should be taken as an indication that these two may retire?

    In Simpson's electorate (Coromandel), Labour's 2020 party vote majority over National was 5000+, and the impact of CC on the region won't necessarily do him any favours.

    National Party climate spokesperson defends drilling stance
    [11 November 2022]
    Climate change Minister James Shaw leaves today for the COP27 conference in Egypt.

    Also flying out today is opposition climate change spokesperson Scott Simpson – this coming in the same week his National Party reaffirmed it will repeal the Government's offshore oil and gas exploration ban if it wins next year's election.

    That stance earned a rebuke from Shaw, who described it as "bonkers".

    Simpson spoke to Corin Dann.

    "It's the compulsory nature that's the problem. That was the old problem that Helen Clark had with the light bulbs and the showerheads." – Scott Simpson

    Will the opposition NAct parties attempts to surf a VFF-style anti-control wave pay off?
    Time will tell.

    What NZ doesn’t need – middle-aged, risk-averse Pākehā men with narrow backgrounds [Rod Oram; 27 January 2023; updated 29 January]

    Second, National has just changed its climate spokesman yet again – from Scott Simpson back to Todd Muller. That’s a good choice in one sense – Muller knows more and has a better sense of the big picture than Simpson has.

    But it’s also a worry. Muller ran Fonterra’s government relations before he went into politics. It’s hard to imagine him being tough enough to crack the dairy and meat sectors’ climate defensiveness, which is increasingly a major threat to their international competitiveness.

    Third, National just simply doesn’t get the five most fundamental things about the climate crisis: it’s right here, right now; it’s accelerating rapidly; it sets the timetable for our responses; we can’t keep putting off action hoping for a better time to act later; and the right action now helps us build a more resilient, more sophisticated and wealthier economy and society.

    • woodart 4.1
      1 February 2023 at 11:18 am

      good post drowsy. expecting conservatives to be progressive, look at new ideas is an oxymoron.rod oram is exactly correct.simpson would seem to be on shakey ground (slidey ground) in the coromandel with his constant feeble arguments against climate change.

    • Macro 4.2
      1 February 2023 at 11:29 am

      In Simpson's electorate (Coromandel), Labour's 2020 party vote majority over National was 5000+, and the impact of CC on the region won't do him any favours.

      Simpson is still pretty popular in Coromandel despite the swing to Labour on the party vote last election, and has been Nat spokesperson on CC. I understand is a the go to for Shaw on across party agreements on Climate action. Lots of retired farmers and rural folks from BoP and the Waikato retire here. Coromandel has one of the highest concentrations of retired folk in the country. Also one of the highest concentrations of "ghost houses" ie beach houses for the wealthy. So whereas Jeanette Fitzsimmons was able to once secure the electorate seat after a nod and wink to Labour voters, I can't see any such arrangement happening again. I think Nats are thinking let Simpson win the Electorate seat and see where the list seats lie. Having said that he will have completed 9 years as MP so may just be deciding to pass it on to the next.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 4.2.1
        1 February 2023 at 11:35 am

        Thanks Macro for that info/insight.

      • Incognito 4.2.2
        1 February 2023 at 1:14 pm

        Good comment, thanks.

        Owning a beach house doesn’t make it one’s electorate, does it?

        • Macro 4.2.2.1
          1 February 2023 at 3:13 pm

          Owning a beach house doesn’t make it one’s electorate, does it?

          No – just trying to give flavour to the over all social mix of the electorate. It is by and large a well healed electorate. Those beach houses frequently become the residence. How come Sandra Goudie continued to be MP and subsequent Mayor? She was good at door knocking and the oldies liked her.

          Yes there is a smattering of alternative life stylers in the area, but they mostly choose anonymity rather than political activism – except on some issues such as Coromandel Watchdog.

    • Visubversa 4.3
      1 February 2023 at 12:46 pm

      The NACTS are just like the Republicans in the USA. Nobody was saying that you have to have energy efficient lightbulbs and/or water saving shower heads immediately. However, the Building Standards were being changed to require the showerheads in new builds – just like dual flush toilets and other water saving measures. You can still buy the old style lightbulbs, but nobody much does because they have such a short lifespan.

      The Republicans are trying to make a drama about gas stoves, particularly gas hobs. The Federal Government is pointing out that in a domestic setting – not only is it a fossil fuel but it produces water vapour and contributes to respiratory diseases – especially to children, in badly ventilated dwellings.

      The Republicans are saying that the "Feds" are coming for your gas stoves!

  5. Stephen D 5
    1 February 2023 at 11:35 am

    The Cabinet Reshuffle

    Are comments off for a reason?

  6. joe90 6
    1 February 2023 at 12:46 pm

    Priorities.

    /

    https://twitter.com/ShayKhatiri/status/1620178113622843392

    https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/watch-iranian-blogger-couple-dancing-in-public-sentenced-to-over-10-years-in-prison/ar-AA16TP9T?

    Tehran — An Iranian man has been jailed for more than eight years after decapitating his wife and displaying her head in public in a case that shocked the country, the judiciary said Wednesday. Mona Heidari, 17, was killed in February 2022 by her husband and brother-in-law in Ahvaz, the capital of the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-man-decapitated-teen-wife-paraded-head-in-public-8-year-prison-sentence/

  7. Molly 7
    1 February 2023 at 2:43 pm

    A spot of nostalgia – this recalls (for me) the fa'afafine voices of my younger days. Before they were rewritten and repurposed:

    https://twitter.com/msediewyatt/status/1620578562452619266?s=20&t=L1Vk_9LiozD0js0sOMG1ZA

  8. Mike the Lefty 8
    1 February 2023 at 5:38 pm

    The ACT Party are becoming a populist party.

    A billboard near Palmerston North implies if you are sick of lower speed limits on roads then voting ACT will change it.

    ACT going for the populist vote suggests that their traditional neo-liberal economic policies are not going down so well for the general public.

  9. Stephen D 9
    1 February 2023 at 6:21 pm

    With the Brynderwyns closed, maybe Judith was right?

    Time for a tunnel!

  10. Cave Johnson 10
    1 February 2023 at 10:57 pm

    Anyone else thinking that a huge weakness of '3 Waters' is in its naming. So many people who oppose the programme have no real idea what it's about. The '3 Waters' name is a tidy programme name but because it doesn't directly convey any public benefit it makes it very easy to attack/oppose without seeming negative. If it had been branded 'Safer, Cleaner Waters' from the very start, for example, opponents might have had to to explain their objections rather than just demand it be stopped. This post was inspired by a conversation I had with someone who described '3 Waters' as a policy no-one wants, then quickly revealed they had zero knowledge about what it was.

    • Mike the Lefty 10.1
      3 February 2023 at 9:42 am

      Dead right! but I think its too late now. Once you are stuck with a negative label it is very hard to get rid of it.

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    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

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