Open mike 02/08/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 2nd, 2020 - 71 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

71 comments on “Open mike 02/08/2020 ”

  1. Dennis Frank 1

    One News last night ran this story;https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/deepfake-pornography-triggering-alarm-bells-nz-officials

    The country's first report of deepfaked pornography saw the identity of a New Zealander being used.

    Apparently, you can't tell it's a fake. So this is how Trump can wipe out Biden's 13-point lead overnight: a deepfake political ad showing him doing something scary.

    Deepfake technology enables anyone with a computer and an Internet connection to create realistic-looking photos and videos of people saying and doing things that they did not actually say or do.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/robtoews/2020/05/25/deepfakes-are-going-to-wreak-havoc-on-society-we-are-not-prepared/#7fb451167494

    Several deepfake videos have gone viral recently, giving millions around the world their first taste of this new technology: President Obama using an expletive to describe President Trump, Mark Zuckerberg admitting that Facebook's true goal is to manipulate and exploit its users…

    The amount of deepfake content online is growing at a rapid rate. At the beginning of 2019 there were 7,964 deepfake videos online, according to a report from startup Deeptrace; just nine months later, that figure had jumped to 14,678.

    Today we stand at an inflection point. In the months and years ahead, deepfakes threaten to grow from an Internet oddity to a widely destructive political and social force. Society needs to act now to prepare itself.

    Imagine deepfake footage of a politician engaging in bribery or sexual assault right before an election; or of U.S. soldiers committing atrocities against civilians overseas; or of President Trump declaring the launch of nuclear weapons against North Korea. In a world where even some uncertainty exists as to whether such clips are authentic, the consequences could be catastrophic.

    In a recent report, The Brookings Institution grimly summed up the range of political and social dangers that deepfakes pose: “distorting democratic discourse; manipulating elections; eroding trust in institutions; weakening journalism; exacerbating social divisions; undermining public safety; and inflicting hard-to-repair damage on the reputation of prominent individuals, including elected officials and candidates for office.”

    So AI tech has achieved this new higher-level competence and expertise and made it available to market players. And we have this local operation:

    Weta Digital, the company behind the special effects for the Lord of the Rings trilogy and one of Li's former workplaces, has been a pioneer in the media trickery. https://www.govtech.com/products/Deepfakes-The-Next-Big-Threat-to-American-Democracy.html

    The time for Trump to strike with one of these ads is around a week prior to the close of his campaign, giving enough time for the impact to swing 20% of voters around, and not enough time for technical evaluation to counter the impact persuasively.

    • Morrissey 1.1

      The actual, unfaked clips of Biden making inflammatory speeches are far worse than anything coming from those crafty North Korean and Russian masterminds in the Valley of the Uncanny.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unXkkvNxIfU

    • Gabby 1.2

      Who's this Li?

      • Dennis Frank 1.2.1

        To get yourself the answer, you need to read the linked reports. Clue: an expert in the tech. Another clue: oriental…

    • greywarshark 1.3

      No not our Weta! We are better than this, but can you step out of the fakery and still stay in the tech world? Is it going to be so intertwined that it is impossible to have any probity?

      • Dennis Frank 1.3.1

        You know human nature: attracted to money & power. Tech fakery gets you both, who's a gonna say no?? 🤑 😕

  2. Peter 2

    Fake portrayal of a politician doing something scary?

    Trump has been doing scary things for a number of years. Not fake, boldly overtly, proudly. Bizarre.

    The way things work in the States what heinous thing would have Biden have to do to be worse?

  3. Ad 3

    Big Ups to the New Lynn LEC last night for putting on another excellent Mid Winter Dinner.

    In fact, shoutout to all the Labour crews working their butts off knocking on doors this morning.

    Love ya work team.

  4. Rosemary McDonald 4

    Could this… https://www.mfe.govt.nz/waste/product-stewardship-responsible-product-management/regulated-product-stewardship

    …be the means to resolving this…https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/422298/environment-court-accused-of-multiple-errors-in-awaiti-water-take-case ?

    The Environment Court ruled that it was not within its jurisdiction to consider the impact of exports or plastic waste, particularly because bottles in itself did not require a resource consent.

    Ngāti Awa has alleged the court, therefore, closed its mind to the impact the end-use would have at a local level.

    Hopkins said it was impossible to separate the water-take from the bottling, and the court should have considered the impact of end-use.

    "My submission is that the bottling is an essential part of the activity and that the Environment Court got it wrong when it said the primary activity was the water-take.

    Is it too late for the new Regulated Product Stewardship Scheme to have an effect in the High Court case brought by Sustainable Otakiri?

    "We have an acknowledgement that the water would not be taken if it could not be bottled … the water bottling is arguably the primary activity or, at the very least, an essential component of the activity, and it should not be considered as subordinate to the water take," he said.

    Creswell New Zealand Limited – a subsidiary of Chinese Company Nongfu Spring – has proposed to produce 154,000 plastic bottles per hour over a period of 25 years.

    That is 3.7 million bottles per day, 3 billion bottles a year and 33.75 billion bottles in total.

    Think about that for a minute or two….

    • Draco T Bastard 4.1

      That is 3.7 million bottles per day, 3 billion bottles a year and 33.75 billion bottles in total.

      That would be:

      3,696,000 bottles per day

      1,349,040,000 bottled per year

      33,726,000,000 for the 25 year period

    • greywarshark 4.2

      edit
      Oh dear, folk tales time again, for truth! The Emperor's New Clothes – the fact that The Emperor was naked could only be observed and spoken about by an innocent unhampered by the overwhelming conventions and precedents of the herd.

      That the water needed to be contained in some way was beyond the power of knowledge or imagination of the Court. Would a dam have received such positive acceptance? What if the plastic bottles had to be returned to the country of origin – would the profit-taker accept responsibility for recycling them?

  5. Dennis Frank 5

    RNZ political panel this morning, Richard Harman's take on Labour's campaign: "they're trying to pretend they don't exist."

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018757586/the-weekend-panel-with-jane-clifton-and-richard-harman

    • AB 5.1

      Harman seemed a tad bitter about it. But it's a reasonable strategy – to try to appear like some natural phenomenon one barely notices but is essential and inevitable all the same; like air.

      • Morrissey 5.1.1

        Harman has never gotten over Bill Rowling's humiliating him live on television on election night 1981. Harman had not prepared properly for the interview and froze up on camera. Rowling cut him no slack and didn't help him out by speaking and thus giving Harman a chance to sort himself out. A large crowd of Labour Party workers surrounded them, and their jeering laughter must still resonate in Harman's memory all these years later.

        It was one of the only happy memories for Labour supporters in an otherwise grim night as Muldoon held on to win.

        Harman has only got older and bitterer and more right wing since then.

    • Ad 5.2

      Both major parties reek of complacency and lack of policy.

  6. Dennis Frank 6

    I wonder what his dad thinks? If he's still alive. Back in the seventies, he was our very own Carlos Santana, he was that good a guitarist.

    Before the pandemic, Te Kahika’s Facebook page was free of politics. It primarily documented his career as a guitarist, following in the footsteps of his father, the pioneering musician Billy TK.

    His posts started to become politically tinged in late March, in the early days of level four restrictions. Like everyone else, Te Kahika was in self-isolation with his family, which meant he had his days free to research issues online.

    Much of this research veered towards fringe ideas, circulated on Facebook and YouTube. His political posts became regular, and increasingly incorporated information from the emerging ecosystem of conspiracy theories related to the pandemic, typically centring on unsubstantiated or outright false claims.

    It culminated in his live broadcast, which merged these ideas into a unified theory: That the pandemic had been planned, and the New Zealand Government was at the forefront of a global push to enslave the population.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300070891/the-conspiracists-election-how-the-farthest-fringes-of-politics-are-making-a-play-for-the-centre

    The party’s Facebook page, not yet two months old, already has 20,000 followers, more than the ACT party, which has been online for nine years.

    They even share their political culture. Consider

    how far the Outdoors Party has shifted. Five years after its formation as a party for moderate environmentalists, it has come to embrace the farthest fringes of the conspiracy movement… Both the NZPP and the Outdoors Party have tapped into a conspiracy pipeline that has prospered online, particularly on Facebook and YouTube, and has come to dominate the edges of New Zealand politics.

    • Rosemary McDonald 6.1

      A pity the writer of that article didn't provide links to the two featured parties' websites so readers could read for themselves the policies and kaupapa.

      https://www.outdoorsparty.co.nz/policy/

      https://www.nzpublicparty.org.nz/what-we-stand-for

      This article was first published back in May…and I guess has had a reprise due to the rise and rise of NZPP. Their website is most certainly more slick than I expected and there is a sophistication in their policy statements that came as a pleasant surprise. Other than demanding open and transparent government ( and who doesn't want that?/sarc) there is a refreshing lack of dogma. There's ..'this is what we believe, but we want you, the people, to help us form policy that more of us can live with.'.

      The NZOP… I spent an evening with this bunch when they came to support a local activist group and I was made welcome even though I have no commitment to either group. A lovely assemblage, headed up by the inimitable Sue Grey, and I felt like the time machine had transported us all back to an early, early Green Party hui. Jeanette got more than one mention.

      Of course both of these parties have individuals with what can be described as 'fringe' views…but scratch the veneer of many sitting MPs and no doubt you will find some pretty extreme opinions. Well concealed, in the main, by the attendant spin doctors and minders. For the most part.

      Personally, I think Charlie Mitchell erred by trying to incorporate the word "conspiracy" as many times as possible…poor reading of the then (in May) and now insecurities of the communities poorly served by the governments of the past thirty years.

      Interesting to see Billy Te Kahika attracting so many views….maybe the time is ripe for some of these new parties to gain some ground.

      • The Chairman 6.1.1

        I see former Horowhenua Mayor Michael Feyen is standing as a candidate for NZPP, exposing how the shadow government operates in NZ.

        https://youtu.be/NOedKQ4DLJQ?t=43

        • PaddyOT 6.1.1.1

          It's more a video of Vinny under false pretences of wanting to hear Feney, dominating the entire conversation with his theories. According to Vinnie we're all to go into our police stations and demand to speak to the " chiefs" about our government.

          It'll be good to hear back from those who do?

          • The Chairman 6.1.1.1.1

            Feyen gets his point out.

            But yes, Vinny is too much. Unfortunately, the mainstream don't seem to be covering this.

      • PaddyOT 6.1.2

        Agreed on this point, Rosemary-

        " Personally, I think Charlie Mitchell erred by trying to incorporate the word "conspiracy" as many times as possible…poor reading of the then (in May) and now insecurities of the communities poorly served by the governments of the past thirty years. "

        But -:

        "Their website is most certainly more slick than I expected and there is a sophistication in their policy statements that came as a pleasant surprise."

        Why so Rosemary? Seems as if the promotion is undermined by exceptionalism.

        Alternately, mistrusting more empty promises, the Party could just post on their website news like –
        ——————–
        A laissez-faire pollie was campaigning in the back country, let's just say in Northland. Outside a derelict house, he saw a young guy digging a garden. The pollie approached the man, ready to make his pitch for a vote.
        Just as the pollie was getting started, an old man called from inside the house, " Son, get in the house! And who is that guy you're talking to?"
        "Says he's a politician," the son said. "In that case, you'd better bring the spade and your shoes inside with you."

        ——————–

        "The myth of Māori exceptionalism says that only a handful of us are worthy, and that we damn our sisters, aunties, mothers and grandmothers to worthlessness with our material success. “If you can do it, why can’t they?"

        https://i.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300058729/the-myth-of-mori-exceptionalism

        • Rosemary McDonald 6.1.2.1

          Why so Rosemary? Seems as if the promotion is undermined by exceptionalism.

          I was, I thought, making a comparison between the established NZOP and the very newly minted NZPP.

          Hence my evaluation of surprising political slick.

          • PaddyOT 6.1.2.1.1

            I did understand your comparison and support your views. The thinking is similar – that Charlie's duplicious piece needed addressing and I support your challenging him by looking further.

            The alternate story is a push back too. I don't support BillyTK's prior theories either nor JLR exploiting Billy.

            That BillyTK has decided to bring attention to the shite deal Northland has historically got ( which you rightly pointed out ) AND put his hat in to run for parliament, is worthy of some praise. Apologies if I misread.

    • weka 6.2

      "It culminated in his live broadcast"

      Do you know when that was, or have a link?

  7. Pat 7

    Vox pop

    Speaking to a connected lifelong Tory yesterday….the election conceded and the narrative is its a good time not to win.

    • I Feel Love 7.1

      Tory/RWs scared of hard work, only like to lead in the good times, Trump & Johnson great examples of this. Even Hooton bails when going gets tough.

    • tc 7.2

      What needs to be done post covid is against nact dna. They'll be happy to 'oppose' as they've done so far.

    • PaddyOT 7.3

      Election victory a desirable prize but could turn into a covid poisoned chalice.

  8. Herodotus 8

    Anyone else viewed "Head High" Great to see Te Reo be used in an everyday situation.

    The live play does not depict just how impressive any 1st 15 game is, be it 1A,1B or 1C.

    • Sacha 8.1

      Well written, eh. For another level of the same smooth use of te reo in daily life, see Ahikāroa on Māori TV.

  9. The Chairman 9

    There has been a bit of talk of 'Cancel Culture' of late, thus I thought some here may be interested in this clip below.

    https://youtu.be/_3MccCsSuU0

    • Stuart Munro 9.1

      A very slanted report, for all that there are issues with cancel culture. It would have been more persuasive had it been more even-handed.

      • The Chairman 9.1.1

        Out of interest, in what way did you perceive it being slanted? And in your mind, what did it fail to persuade you of?

        • Stuart Munro 9.1.1.1

          It failed to consider what might have prompted the development of cancel culture, or whether it might be appropriate in some circumstances. So the pre-determined conclusion was 'cancel culture bad'. I can think of a few serial abusers of free speech rights whose cancellation did not seem misplaced to me.

          Jones suggested the Prime Minister "shove a sock down her throat" during the tirade on 2GB radio on Thursday morning

          Though Jacinda was surely not the most disempowered victim of the likes of Jones, I don't think the boycott of his advertisers represented the kind of totalitarian tyranny Sky Australia intends such measures should be construed as.

          A better report would have looked at good and bad instances, to help the public appreciate the boundaries of cancel culture legitimacy. Such a meditation was however beyond the capabilities of the "journalist".

          • PaddyOT 9.1.1.1.1

            Bob Jones is 'cancel culture' king. BNA.

            He writes slanging Human Rights.
            in his June 2020 blog " No Punches Pulled ".

            Quote from that piece he wrote -:
            "That said it would be fun to " work" in the Human Rights Commission creating these rights. Some off-the- top examples; the right for me to have it off with Miss New Zealand each year sounds a good start" .

            Caution rushing to his page, his ticker might explode over his rush of excitement from too much traffic.

            A ' Cancel culture' example too , would be silencing youth by banning TikTok.

          • The Chairman 9.1.1.1.2

            Thanks Stuart. Fair comment.

  10. Dennis Frank 10

    RMA reform must proceed on a consensus basis, to serve the nation effectively. Rod Oram's report on the process thus far is here: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/economic-recovery/oram-doing-right-by-the-economy-and-environment

    The report from the panel, led by Tony Randerson, a retired Court of Appeal Judge, explains in depth why the RMA has failed to live up to our hopes for it. Their 23-page summary of what’s gone wrong and how we can fix it is well worth reading. Their full 531-page report delivers extensive evidence and analysis for their conclusions and proposals.

    The RMA’s key failures are: “a lack of clear environmental protections; a lack of recognition of the benefits of urban development; a focus on managing the effects of resource use rather than on planning to achieve outcomes; a bias towards the status quo; lack of adequate national direction; insufficient recognition of Te Tiriti and lack of support for Māori participation; weak and slow policy and planning; weak compliance, monitoring and enforcement; capability and capacity challenges in central and local government; and weak accountability for outcomes and lack of effective monitoring and oversight.”

    The panel says the solution is not more reform of the RMA but to replace it with a new twin-Act approach. The Natural and Built Environments Act would retain some of the key RMA principles, but it would recognise the concept of Te Mana o te Taiao — the importance of maintaining the health of our natural resources, such as air, water and soil, and their capacity to sustain life. Stronger national direction and a significant overhaul of processes and plans would reduce complexity and deliver specified outcomes, targets and limits for both natural and built environments.

    The Strategic Planning Act would set long term goals for the country and help to integrate the NBEA with existing legislation in allied areas such as climate, land transport and local government. In addition, the panel is calling for a new and separate Managed Retreat and Climate Change Adaptation Act. This Newsroom report gives more details on the overall proposals and this one on the new climate act.

    The panel’s report drew strong support from a collaboration of environmental and business groups which have developed their own deeply researched proposals for resource management reform over the past few years. Its members are the Environmental Defence Society, Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern), Property Council of New Zealand and Infrastructure New Zealand. All their reports, including their latest out this week on urban issues, are available here.

    Seems like an impressive effort at producing consensus involving multiple stakeholder groups. We can probably be confident of a robust outcome – which will require proposed legislation to go through the select committee process first.

    • Gabby 11.1

      A bare minimum of common sense.

    • McFlock 11.2

      I daresay I could Jackie-Chan it: 300 takes, several serious injuries, all for one successful take. Dunno about 22 seconds though- might stop for a breather a couple of times.

  11. ScottGN 12

    Level four lockdown for Melbourne and a citywide curfew from 8pm until 5am from tonight. Shit’s getting real over there.

  12. sumsuch 14

    Apart from The Daily Blog I feel in fear of losing my rights to free speech on blogs. Which I take as a compliment though. Though speaking truth without fear nor favour is a cold business. This blog is integrally about power as Labour has always been. Except the 35ists were for us.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
    The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-18T12:59:59+00:00