82% in a poll reject foreign ownership of our land. (btw, the chinese do not let foreigners own their land)
“A UMR Research survey, commissioned by a North Island farmer group trying to buy the in-receivership Crafar dairy farms against a Chinese bid, showed 82 per cent of 500 respondents believed foreign ownership of farms and agriculture land was a “bad thing”. Only 10 per cent believed it a “good thing” and 8 per cent were unsure. ”
But deceptive bastard Bill English deceptively confuses the issue of foreign ownership of land with foreign investment in business…. “We recognise the important contribution foreign investment can make to New Zealand”
Foreigners can invest in business, they just cannot own land. It is a fundamental so that we are owners of the land on which we live. An absentee landlord is weak for the entire community. Tenant communities are weak – examples abound, domestically and internationally.
Foreign investors can lease land. There are plenty of instruments for dealing with a business which requires land to operate on without having to own the land.
Why do they want to own it anyway? They claim they are incvesting in the business, not the land… rats smell.
This splitting of the two issues should be raised with the public…. foreign investment in business is entirely different from foreign ownership of land.
Land should be nationalised and users no more than leaseholders held to public account for its conservation.
That would give the right something to think about.
It would also give the left something to think about.
Well, yep, that’s further along the spectrum but definitely worthy of consideration.
Another colossal benefit of either idea is that land prices would fall, which means less of our daily toil has to go into paying for the land on which we walk and rest, leaving more available for actual real costs like food, housing, health, etc. And I challenge anybody to explain how that is not a good thing …..
I also challenge anybody to explain how high and rising land prices is a good thing ….
A majority of voting NZers will not sanction it, however, until they become landless serfs (which is probably about 3 or 4 generations away at the rate we’re going). The “Quarter Acre King” meme is too deeply programmed as a kind of “New Zealand Dream” . For settlers coming here in the mid-19thC, cheap land was a solution to the problem of land unavailability in Britain. But it was ultimately an evasion not a solution to this problem, because the same set of problematic values got imported. It all began when common land in England began to be enclosed in the 15thC.
For settlers coming here in the mid-19thC, cheap land was a solution to the problem of land unavailability in Britain. But it was ultimately an evasion not a solution to this problem, because the same set of problematic values got imported.
I remember reading Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series and in one of the books she mentioned the same problem (although, as she’s a RWNJ, she classed the problem of the rich sons not having any land to rule over). Her “solution” was opening up of the massive Southern Continent which, as you point out, just puts problem off for a few more generations.
It all began when common land in England began to be enclosed in the 15thC.
Privatisation of the commons was certainly part of the problem and needs to be addressed but the bigger one is actually uncontrolled population growth. Excess population growth will always result in too little land but the capitalists want it anyway because it’s from the work of others that capitalists get their wealth and the more people there are the more wealth they’ll have.
So John Key wants this campaign to be all about economic credibility.
He should rethink this. After all his Government:
1. Has overseen two recent credit rating downgrades.
2. Is responsible for the biggest budget deficit in the country’s history.
3. Intends to sell assets to pay for operating costs.
4. Has at various times said that the asset sale proceeds will be used to reinvest, to pay down debt or to pay for operating costs.
5. Has not taken the income dividend out of the financial forecasts even though it has included the sale proceeds in the same forecasts.
6. Has allowed for a billion dollars of savings on operating expenses in the latest budget even though the government does not know where these savings may come from.
7. Failed to convince IRD to accept in its entirety its financial forecasts.
Key is quickly becoming the worst overseer of the economy since Rob Muldoon.
And if Labour nails its presentation of its costings he is in trouble this election.
A tax free threshold basically simplifies a number of welfare policies that
sees many getting benefits in and out of work, you simply can’t have missed
the obvious that working for families won’t cost as much if it doesn’t have
tax removed, similarly benenit. fact is a bennie pays 20% tax unlike a
bennie in OZ, so when some bennie fraudster is caught they are actually
force to pay back not only the amount they stolen but the tax they
paid on it unlike in Oz. Weird that, bennies pay more tax, suffer stiffer
penulaties if they steal than in Oz, and if they move to oz they aren’t
even afforded welfare!!! who stacked those decks!
I’m talking about UF’s policy of splitting the income of a parent with children with their partner for tax purposes. Eg instead of being taxed on your $100k income, it would be split between your partner and yourself and only taxed as if you earned $50k each.
This was posted on the Standard recently from a contributor from an Asian country, and deserves better coverage as many people take astrology seriously.
“I’ve been catching up with a few Feng Shui masters and astrologers here, including those who do their castings based on the Vedic system.
Key is inauspicious for National and for New Zealand. Given his birthdate/year and his face reading (Mian Xiang) and if he clings on to power, there will be another lot of bad news arising before Christmas 2011.
Am told that Goff has castings that are better for the country as his aura is that of a guardian (as compared with Key’s being a parasite).
If astrology is your thing, good luck with your vote.”
National claims that partial asset sales will bring in 5 – 7 billion (and have already banked this money in their forcasts to return to surplus).
Labour claims that these same assets brought in $900m in dividends last year
National claims that the average is more like $300m
I’m no rich financial trader so I might have my figures wrong, but:
1. If the assets bring in $300m a year, and they are going to sell half, investors will be sharing $150m in dividends per year.
2. At a 5% p.a. return that makes them worth $3b (not 5 or 7). At less than 5% then a savings account is better for these (mythical?) ‘mum and dad’ investors with billions in the bank, and there are plenty of investment oppurtunities that can return more than this.
3. Some have argued that private ownership is more efficient and would make more money than they do now, the implication being that its worth paying over the odds because the power companies will make much more money with shareholders than they do at the moment.
4. Even if it was true that private run companies are more efficient and make more money the Government is retaining a controlling stake. Won’t this negate the effects of private ownership? Either the Government already has the capability to run these assets more efficiently (and could return more money to the government coffers as Labour is arguing) or is already doing the best job possible and $300m on average is what investors can expect see point number 2.
In short, who is going to be buying these assets? And are they really going to be looking to put $5 – 7bn into them and be happy with their investment making 2.1% a year?
I only skimmed through the article you linked to bu doesn’t the bit below impact real returns on an annual basis…… I could have misread.
“During the year Meridian sold the Tekapo A and B power stations on the upper Waitaki to Genesis Energy in a reshuffling of the state-owned enterprise’s generation portfolios intended to boost retail competition.
Of the $830 million sale price, the Government receives a special dividend of $531 million, boosting the total dividend to the Crown for the year to $685 million.”
his regular opinion pieces in the local paper were most irritating, so I stopped even reading them for “alternative points of view”. Not worth it, and frequently missing the main point (which generally involved caring about those who are less well off)
propagandist kerr no real economic facts to back his BS All he has proved is those with money and power have a bigger say in the running of it and us citizen should shut up work for next to nothing and be grateful.
Phone team MacMillan, ask for a test drive, can you bring it to my work; drive car badly for an hour or so, then politely ask about who they sponsor and when they admit national tell them where they can stick their car.
A couple of local businesses have National hoardings, tempted to do similar!
The silly Herald says ACT obtained 1,072 party votes last time but should have mentioned that John Riddell, ACT’s candidate, only obtained 482. A lesser number although still relevant.
Interesting that ACT are still running in Palmerston North. Clearly, the right are conceding that Iain Lees Galloway is going to retain the seat for Labour. New Plymouth is also interesting and the withdrawal there suggests that the Nat’s polling is showing that Andrew Little has his nose in front. Given that there were only 100 or so votes in it last time, it could be the last seat to be decided, with specials making the difference.
Coverage of last night’s Christs College debate by Jon Hardfelt or whatever and Small Vernon in the Christchurch Press was unbelievably biased in favour of Key, ‘ journalism’ reminiscent of Fox News.
Journalism… That’s a laugh! I’d like someone to do a detailed analysis of their language but couldn’t stomach reading their partisan fabrications again. Maybe they were at a different debate.
I once knew a sub editor on a Christchurch newspaper who was so right wing he couldn’t help inserting his sometimes unconscious but usually conscious prejudices into any headlines to do with Helen Clark.The partisan saga continues.
On the inside pages of today’s Press there is a carefully selected unflattering photo of Goff together with a couple of Christ’s boy sycophants assuring us that Key ‘won’ the debate….Surely not something to do with the $$$$millions previously gifted to private schools by Key?
This paper is so blatantly partisan that Fairfax has to be renamed Fairfox!
Good on Goff for fronting for a debate up at the bastion of those ‘born to rule.’
I wonder if Key would front up for a debate at Aranui High school. Ha! Not likely.
the $17 billion lie KEY made up has come back to bight Key he is constantly lying.All the radio statios today are getting phil goffs rebuttal labour borrowing $2.6 billion more than national but paying off debt sooner and holding onto income generating assets
Don’t tell me you didn’t expect it… the US has been providing New Zealand’s MSM with plenty of propaganda to try and justify yet another one of their unjust invasions for a long time now.
Instead, Obama administration staff briefed privately almost immediately that a military response was not being contemplated, not even sending more naval vessels to the Gulf or announcing new military manoeuvres in the region.
No, the US sending more naval vessels into the Gulf would just be giving Iran more targets.
Then there’s the obvious point. If Iran is attacked Iran will turn off the oil to pretty much everyone except possibly China which is where they’ll be buying up to date military hardware.
The USA is already bankrupt and has been decades. The reason why this hasn’t been a problem is because the governments of the rest of the world have been ignoring this fact, kowtowing to the lone “super-power”.
John Key’s Wall Street ‘BANK$TER’ background publicly exposed.
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom
Campaigning against ‘white collar’ crime, corruption (and its root cause – privatisation), and ‘corporate welfare’.
Today, National announced they will continue the same policy that was announced prior to the 2008 election… which means no increase in funding for the arts. However without any increase to match inflation, such policy amounts to a cut…
two things here.
New Zealanders know that only the Labour Party can do a fair deal rebuilding Christchurch.
If National get their hands on it, it will all be corrupt and jobbery.
and
There is no leaders debate.
the moderators are not letting the debates develop.
too many ad breaks and opinions from the sidelines.
and the commentators, especailly claire robinson, are telling the viewers what to do before they text the online polls.
You have to watch these people because they are very sneaky while pretending to be objective.
fire claire robinson.
NOW!
According to figures published by the Social Security Administration on October 20, the median income for American workers in 2010 was $26,364, not much more than the official poverty level of $22,025 for a family of four. Given that a family making even twice the official poverty level faces real hardship and insecurity, it is no exaggeration to say that the SSA report shows that the “poor,” by any reasonable definition, constitute the absolute majority of the American people.
On the other side of the spectrum, a Congressional Budget Office study released October 25 shows that the richest 1 percent of US households saw a 275 percent increase in their income between 1979 and 2007 and more than doubled their share of the national income. While the income of this layer nearly tripled, the income of the middle 60 percent of the population rose only 40 percent over 28 years, and the income of the poorest 20 percent rose by only 18 percent.
Some other revealing statistics:
The unemployment rate for workers aged 55 or older has doubled since 2007, and the average period spent jobless has tripled. One-third of employed workers 65 and older make less than $11 an hour, while the rates of poverty and food stamp dependence have increased sharply for this sector of the population.
The dollar amount of student loans taken out in 2010 topped $100 billion, the largest ever total for a single year, and total student loan debt has passed the $1 trillion mark in 2011, exceeding the total of credit card debt. Students are borrowing twice as much as they did only ten years ago to pay for their college education.
Never be a debtor be. The only debt anyone could argue have is a
mortgage but even that is dumb when job insecurity is hailed as
the goal. Retraining essentially is a way to push costs onto
employees and allow employers to push down wages, retraining
for what exactly? another shallow career that has no value
in the economy. Watered down professional class directly
part of the demolishing of the middle classes. Money talks
and money men went negative, shifting risk onto the masses
when we were promised they’d produce positive outcomes,
they have in fact left the world in a worst state. how is
it we are the fifth best place to live, not because we did
anything, but becuase so much of the world ran its affairs
like John Key does, same thinking same dismal economic
Asked this two days ago, no response!
Anyone care to comment on the legal status of the following?
1) National banners nailed on to the fences of public reserves? (Is it legal for my local MP to have around 50 banners nailed to the retaining walls of roads, fences on public reserves? If I was selling a car, promoting an event or anything else similar I suspect the council would not be impressed – can I ask the council to get them removed?)
2) National MP’s agents sending out recommendations to government departments to purchase this programme? http://www.eatforkeeps.com/
I know in my electorate that before a sign can be erected on a persons property, they have to sign a declaration showing where the sign will be situated . This is lodged with the council for the duration of the campaign period . From what i understand councils can vary on rules and periods of display times.
There used to be signage on council reserves, but not anymore in my electorate . It would be worth ringing up the council to check on the guidelines .
I particularly like the graphs on p.9 and 10; look at the employment rates from 2001 – 2008 and then look at the decline – did something happen to mess things up?
Look again – you mean there was a dip in June 07, returning to 66% by mid 08, then down to 64% – it rose from 62% to 66% during nine years, dropped 2% in three – you figure the relationship.
every bloody year the morwesters arrive in force and smash by beautiful vanilla essenced wisteria to smithereens. Even the roses and their delicate petals get ripped and strewn all through the house.
Lol. I’m not a gardener, but my parents would commisserate. They’re replacing oft-destroyed trellis with corrugated iron for a similar reason. Hopefully the roses will be able to deal with the tin.
Yes – they’re slowly returning to normal after the abysmal start that was the Nat’s opening address. A bit like a student in evening-wear creeping through the botanic gardens on a Sunday morning, the walk of shame” that they hope nobody will notice.
The tory owners of the Herald and Stuff are whipping their journos into a frenzy as well. A lot of subtle spin going on (okay, some of it isn’t so subtle as well). Funny how they’re giving Key lots of air on Labour’s costings when they haven’t hounded him and English on their shonky, shonky figures.
They’re even republishing articles that they’ve already published before. Lazy spin isn’t going to win elections NZ Herald… room full of typing monkeys who can’t do basic math.
FYI – given that mainstream media seem a bit allergic to publicising this issue? 🙂
Perhaps monies saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’ on ‘corporate welfare’ would help release more public monies for ‘social welfare’ – including the cost of superannuation?
________________________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE: Independent Candidate for Epsom Penny Bright:
“How many billion$ of public monies could be saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?
3 November 2011
Where’s National’s ‘corporate welfare’ reform?
Which of the maor political parties are pushing for ‘corporate welfare’ reform and shrinking the long-term dependency of the private sector on our public monies?
Where is the ‘devilish detail’ at both local and central government level – which shows EXACTLY where our public rates and taxes are being spent on private sector consultants and contractors?
Why aren’t the names of the consultant(s)/ contrators(s) – the scope, term and value of these contracts, published in Council or central government Annual Reports – so this information on the spending of OUR public monies is available for public scrutiny?
Where are the publicly-available ‘Registers of Interests’ for those local government elected representatives, and staff responsible for property and procurement, in order to help guard against possible ‘conflicts of interest’ between those who ‘give’ the contracts and those who ‘get’ the contracts?
Where’s the ‘transparency’?
Given that New Zealand is ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world – along with Denmark and Singapore, according to Transparency International’s 2010 ‘Corruption Perception Index – shouldn’t we arguably be the most transparent?
Going back a step – where are the New Zealand ‘cost-benefit’ analyses which prove that the old ‘Rogernomic$ mantra – public is bad – private (contracting) is good’ can be substantiated by FACTS and EVIDENCE?
At last – someone – somewhere has actually done some substantial research – which proves the opposite.
That ‘contracting out’ services that were once provided ‘in-house’ is actually TWICE as expensive.
“USA Project On Government Oversight (POGO)[1] decided to take on the task of doing what others have not—comparing total annual compensation for federal and private sector employees with federal contractor billing rates in order to determine whether the current costs of federal service contracting serves the public interest.
Based on the current public debate regarding the salary comparisons of federal and private sector employees, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO)[1] decided to take on the task of doing what others have not—comparing total annual compensation for federal and private sector employees with federal contractor billing rates in order to determine whether the current costs of federal service contracting serves the public interest.
The current debate over pay differentials largely relies on the theory that the government pays private sector compensation rates when it outsources services. This report proves otherwise: in fact, it shows that the government actually pays service contractors at rates far exceeding the cost of employing federal employees to perform comparable functions.
POGO’s study analyzed the total compensation paid to federal and private sector employees, and annual billing rates for contractor employees across 35 occupational classifications covering over 550 service activities. Our findings were shocking—POGO estimates the government pays billions more annually in taxpayer dollars to hire contractors than it would to hire federal employees to perform comparable services. Specifically, POGO’s study shows that the federal government approves service contract billing rates—deemed fair and reasonable—that pay contractors 1.83 times more than the government pays federal employees in total compensation, and more than 2 times the total compensation paid in the private sector for comparable services. ”
The implications of this both nationally and internationally are HUGE.
If NZ central government figures are comparable with those of USA Federal Government – could the current NZ $82 billion central government spend be sliced in half by $40 billion ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?
Which political parties / candidates are focussing on the SPENDING of public monies, rather than debt and borrowing?
If central and local govt departments /SOEs / CCOs / Crown Research Institutes are all defined as ‘PUBLIC- BENEFIT ENTITIES’ as defined under NZ Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (“NZ IFRS”) – then their primary objective is to provide services and facilities for the community as a social benefit rather than make a financial return.
So – how come so many services that USED to be provided ‘in-house’ are now contracted out to the private sector – whose primary objective is most certainly to ‘make a financial return’?
What magic is this that transforms public (ratepayer and taxpayer) monies into private profit?
WHERE IS THE NZ EQUIVALENT OF ‘POGO’ the USA ‘Project On Government Oversight ‘ which has just completed first-ever research which proves that private contractors cost twice as much as ‘in-house’ providers of Federal Government services?
HOW MUCH MONEY could be saved in NZ at central and local government by cutting out all the private ‘piggies in the middle’ with their greedy snouts in our public troughs?
Why aren’t the statutory ‘third party’ Public Watchdogs, as well as other major political parties demanding this accountability?
How much public money at central and local government level could be saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?
Who else is even asking this question?
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom (nomination accepted today 🙂
Campaigning against ‘white collar crime’, corruption (and its root cause – privatisation) and ‘corporate welfare’.
“Anti-corruption campaigner”.
Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference 2009
Attendee: Transparency International’s 14th IACC 2010
What magic is this that transforms public (ratepayer and taxpayer) monies into private profit?
In economic terms it (private profit) is called a dead-weight loss as monies given for one purpose are subsumed to another in cases like this just to make an individual richer. In real terms it’s private tax on our public monies.
The government doing the job in house is more efficient than getting contractors in part time. The part time contractors have to charge to cover their own over-heads and the times that they’re not working which pushes the costs up. A government employee working in the normal building that the government owns (if they really are looking for efficiency and cost saving they’re owning and not renting (which would be another example of private tax on our public monies)) on the other hand just has to paid their normal weekly pay.
Everything about private contractors to do government jobs and privatisation in general is about shifting more of the communities wealth into private hands. There’s no benefit achieved (in fact there’s often a decrease in service) but it always costs more.
What the fuck are you worried about Farrar? They’ve shored up this tory lot for three years, why use them as a whistle for racists to get stuck into MMP? Oh that’s right, you’re a whore to FFP and National.
Have come home and read many of the comments and that is a lot of interesting reading!
Body talk. Last night when Phil started his remarks about the young Morgan not paying any tax, it seemed to me that John Key suddenly stared at the ground. Often when people do that it is an indicator of guilt. Maybe. S’pose we will never know how much tax Key pays on his millions.
A fantastic report about fracking causing earthquakes on 3 News tonight. Labours upcoming environment policy announcement will be one to watch. I’m interested to see the balance Labour has between our environment and industry.
With the majority of people recently polled saying the environment is their number one concern, it looks like Labour is playing their cards well while National are just reacting with spin.
Reminding everyone that there is a debate with Bill English, David Cunliffe, Russel Norman, Pita Sharples and Stephen Whittington. Starting at 7pm on Radio Live tonight, dont think its being streamed or Televised.
And last night on Campbell Live John interviewed Paula Bennett on Beneficiary reforms. He pointed out that nothing had changed in three years and that John Key’s statement on the subject was identical to that he made in 2008. Campbell pinned Bennett down quoting her words back to her and she just sort of grunted. He gave good weight to the question and pointed out that nothing had or would change.
This good interviewing is why Key and others do not usually appear before JC. http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/Campbell-Live-Wednesday-November-2-2011/tabid/59/articleID/4584/MCat/73/Default.aspx (Part 1 of Wednesdays Campbell Live.)
JERUSALEM — Israel’s summertime protest movement, which was occupying “Wall Street” before it was cool, can now celebrate their first major tangible success.
At a Sunday cabinet meeting the government approved the restructuring of Israel’s tax system, shifting a few degrees of the social burden onto corporations and the very rich.
On Monday, during the opening day of the winter session of parliament after a three-month summer break, legislators received the new tax plan for approval, alongside a lengthy list of demands for financial reform and social justice that were nonexistent when the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, was last in session and which have been catapulted to the forefront of a pre-electoral year.
As lawmakers gathered it became clear that Likud, the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hoped the government’s imprimatur of approval on significant changes in taxation would shift credit from the young protest leaders to the party itself.
More bank profits while the economy stagnates and unemployment increases.
The largest bank in New Zealand made a $1.085 billion profit even as lending contracted.
How is it that the financial sector, which is the cause of the GFC, is making record profits while the majority of people are seeing wages and salaries decreasing?
And yesterday, sulky pants decided to write another pathetic post in yet another failed attempt to discredit Trevor Mallard, by claiming he couldn’t spell…
I sort of feel sorry for Cam. He overwhelmingly strikes me as someone on the wrong side of the political paradigm. He has a weird vulnerability, and too much anger… I used to enjoy his strange friendship with Bomber and how they seemed to get on despite hating each others politics.. Until Bomber accused him of being a right wing gun totin’ fundy.. He put his sulky pants on then too.. http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/tag/citizen-a/
Does anyone know if National have paid for the music they are using in their TV adverts?
It appears to be The Feelers – Stand Up and be Counted, and royalties should be paid for that.
You all remember how embarrassing and costly it was for National last election when they used Coldplay Clocks without permission, and they had to withdraw tens of thousands of DVDs.
Well I’m not an expert on The Feelers and have not got a recording of the National Advert.
But knowing that last election National had a complete idiot adviser who made slight changes to a Coldplay song then all the Nats said there was no similarity, maybe they’ve done it again.
I read that the feelers were glad of the money National was paying for their music. Claimed to be non-political though, (where have I heard that before?)
But yeah, their music is naff, and is a perfect match for the purpose it is being put to.
Yeah Nah VoR. It’s purely a business deal that is negotiated between the Feelers admin and the Natz… I don’t think the band has an opinion, although some have speculated that they are happy to make some cash.
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Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 - ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
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82% in a poll reject foreign ownership of our land. (btw, the chinese do not let foreigners own their land)
“A UMR Research survey, commissioned by a North Island farmer group trying to buy the in-receivership Crafar dairy farms against a Chinese bid, showed 82 per cent of 500 respondents believed foreign ownership of farms and agriculture land was a “bad thing”. Only 10 per cent believed it a “good thing” and 8 per cent were unsure. ”
But deceptive bastard Bill English deceptively confuses the issue of foreign ownership of land with foreign investment in business…. “We recognise the important contribution foreign investment can make to New Zealand”
Foreigners can invest in business, they just cannot own land. It is a fundamental so that we are owners of the land on which we live. An absentee landlord is weak for the entire community. Tenant communities are weak – examples abound, domestically and internationally.
Foreign investors can lease land. There are plenty of instruments for dealing with a business which requires land to operate on without having to own the land.
Why do they want to own it anyway? They claim they are incvesting in the business, not the land… rats smell.
This splitting of the two issues should be raised with the public…. foreign investment in business is entirely different from foreign ownership of land.
My vote swings on it. 2c. Actually, 2,000,000c.
Land should be nationalised and users no more than leaseholders held to public account for its conservation.
That would give the right something to think about.
It would also give the left something to think about.
Well, yep, that’s further along the spectrum but definitely worthy of consideration.
Another colossal benefit of either idea is that land prices would fall, which means less of our daily toil has to go into paying for the land on which we walk and rest, leaving more available for actual real costs like food, housing, health, etc. And I challenge anybody to explain how that is not a good thing …..
I also challenge anybody to explain how high and rising land prices is a good thing ….
This is a good general approach.
A majority of voting NZers will not sanction it, however, until they become landless serfs (which is probably about 3 or 4 generations away at the rate we’re going). The “Quarter Acre King” meme is too deeply programmed as a kind of “New Zealand Dream” . For settlers coming here in the mid-19thC, cheap land was a solution to the problem of land unavailability in Britain. But it was ultimately an evasion not a solution to this problem, because the same set of problematic values got imported. It all began when common land in England began to be enclosed in the 15thC.
I remember reading Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series and in one of the books she mentioned the same problem (although, as she’s a RWNJ, she classed the problem of the rich sons not having any land to rule over). Her “solution” was opening up of the massive Southern Continent which, as you point out, just puts problem off for a few more generations.
Privatisation of the commons was certainly part of the problem and needs to be addressed but the bigger one is actually uncontrolled population growth. Excess population growth will always result in too little land but the capitalists want it anyway because it’s from the work of others that capitalists get their wealth and the more people there are the more wealth they’ll have.
So John Key wants this campaign to be all about economic credibility.
He should rethink this. After all his Government:
1. Has overseen two recent credit rating downgrades.
2. Is responsible for the biggest budget deficit in the country’s history.
3. Intends to sell assets to pay for operating costs.
4. Has at various times said that the asset sale proceeds will be used to reinvest, to pay down debt or to pay for operating costs.
5. Has not taken the income dividend out of the financial forecasts even though it has included the sale proceeds in the same forecasts.
6. Has allowed for a billion dollars of savings on operating expenses in the latest budget even though the government does not know where these savings may come from.
7. Failed to convince IRD to accept in its entirety its financial forecasts.
Key is quickly becoming the worst overseer of the economy since Rob Muldoon.
And if Labour nails its presentation of its costings he is in trouble this election.
And if they don’t nail their costings?
Petey
The costings have been done and I am assured are bulletproof. Perception of course is everything.
If not the perception will be that National and Labour are both pushing dodgy figures.
Does UF have costings on it’s tax-splitting bribe for working families?
The one where many families will get $5,000-6,000/year and some will get up to $9,000?
More tax cuts for the well-off. Pity John Key already ruled out more tax cuts.
A tax free threshold basically simplifies a number of welfare policies that
sees many getting benefits in and out of work, you simply can’t have missed
the obvious that working for families won’t cost as much if it doesn’t have
tax removed, similarly benenit. fact is a bennie pays 20% tax unlike a
bennie in OZ, so when some bennie fraudster is caught they are actually
force to pay back not only the amount they stolen but the tax they
paid on it unlike in Oz. Weird that, bennies pay more tax, suffer stiffer
penulaties if they steal than in Oz, and if they move to oz they aren’t
even afforded welfare!!! who stacked those decks!
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
I’m talking about UF’s policy of splitting the income of a parent with children with their partner for tax purposes. Eg instead of being taxed on your $100k income, it would be split between your partner and yourself and only taxed as if you earned $50k each.
This was posted on the Standard recently from a contributor from an Asian country, and deserves better coverage as many people take astrology seriously.
“I’ve been catching up with a few Feng Shui masters and astrologers here, including those who do their castings based on the Vedic system.
Key is inauspicious for National and for New Zealand. Given his birthdate/year and his face reading (Mian Xiang) and if he clings on to power, there will be another lot of bad news arising before Christmas 2011.
Am told that Goff has castings that are better for the country as his aura is that of a guardian (as compared with Key’s being a parasite).
If astrology is your thing, good luck with your vote.”
I’m not one for astrology, but there’s no denying that Key is a bad luck PM.
No, Key is not a “bad luck” PM, that implies that it’s all out of his control.
He’s just a bad PM, full stop.
With a bit of bad luck fu on top of it all! 🙂
+1
jinxed key
I probably didn’t need astrology to tell me Key’s a parasite.
I’m confused:
National claims that partial asset sales will bring in 5 – 7 billion (and have already banked this money in their forcasts to return to surplus).
Labour claims that these same assets brought in $900m in dividends last year
National claims that the average is more like $300m
I’m no rich financial trader so I might have my figures wrong, but:
1. If the assets bring in $300m a year, and they are going to sell half, investors will be sharing $150m in dividends per year.
2. At a 5% p.a. return that makes them worth $3b (not 5 or 7). At less than 5% then a savings account is better for these (mythical?) ‘mum and dad’ investors with billions in the bank, and there are plenty of investment oppurtunities that can return more than this.
3. Some have argued that private ownership is more efficient and would make more money than they do now, the implication being that its worth paying over the odds because the power companies will make much more money with shareholders than they do at the moment.
4. Even if it was true that private run companies are more efficient and make more money the Government is retaining a controlling stake. Won’t this negate the effects of private ownership? Either the Government already has the capability to run these assets more efficiently (and could return more money to the government coffers as Labour is arguing) or is already doing the best job possible and $300m on average is what investors can expect see point number 2.
In short, who is going to be buying these assets? And are they really going to be looking to put $5 – 7bn into them and be happy with their investment making 2.1% a year?
Meridian made $659.9M profit in the last year, by itself.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/2011-financial-results/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503017&objectid=10747012
I only skimmed through the article you linked to bu doesn’t the bit below impact real returns on an annual basis…… I could have misread.
“During the year Meridian sold the Tekapo A and B power stations on the upper Waitaki to Genesis Energy in a reshuffling of the state-owned enterprise’s generation portfolios intended to boost retail competition.
Of the $830 million sale price, the Government receives a special dividend of $531 million, boosting the total dividend to the Crown for the year to $685 million.”
Colonial, try this link. You’ll get to read something by an extremely bright man.
http://rogerkerr.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/the-truth-about-privatisation-14-dividends/
I’d recommend reading some of the other references there as well.
Anything written by Roger Kerr is designed to benefit Roger Kerr and no one else.
his regular opinion pieces in the local paper were most irritating, so I stopped even reading them for “alternative points of view”. Not worth it, and frequently missing the main point (which generally involved caring about those who are less well off)
propagandist kerr no real economic facts to back his BS All he has proved is those with money and power have a bigger say in the running of it and us citizen should shut up work for next to nothing and be grateful.
This whole thing is a hoodwink and the media are complicit. We need far more analysis, instead they’re shilling for Key.
You’re right to be confused. That’s how National like it.
I have a further question I might ask John Key myself (though I doubt he’ll answer).
Is he going to be buying shares in these assets?
Is there video or audio of last night’s debate anywhere?
Team McMillan BMW donates $35,000 to National
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/campaign-trail/5898672/Campaign-donations-favour-the-Right
Money rolls into Right Wing parties
And not much into Labour, since they allow their donors details to be laid bare to anybody that feels like looking.
Which is exactly how it should be so that corruption can more easily be detected. NAct don’t like this idea though as they’re inherently corrupt.
BTW, As businesses are not people and don’t vote they shouldn’t be donating to political parties at all.
Phone team MacMillan, ask for a test drive, can you bring it to my work; drive car badly for an hour or so, then politely ask about who they sponsor and when they admit national tell them where they can stick their car.
A couple of local businesses have National hoardings, tempted to do similar!
ACT and National Gaming It: ACT steps down in Waitakere and New Plymouth to give NATs clear run
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10763541
The silly Herald says ACT obtained 1,072 party votes last time but should have mentioned that John Riddell, ACT’s candidate, only obtained 482. A lesser number although still relevant.
More relevant of course since candidates not standing would logically only be handing across their personal vote.
So is this more tory spin or just poor journalism? I’m picking the former.
Interesting that ACT are still running in Palmerston North. Clearly, the right are conceding that Iain Lees Galloway is going to retain the seat for Labour. New Plymouth is also interesting and the withdrawal there suggests that the Nat’s polling is showing that Andrew Little has his nose in front. Given that there were only 100 or so votes in it last time, it could be the last seat to be decided, with specials making the difference.
unexpected earthquake observation #007;
All the recent immigrants leave and go back home. England will have experienced a recent reverse influx.
http://www.tumeke.blogspot.com/
Finally – protest music. Love this song. Hope it gets airplay.
Debate
Coverage of last night’s Christs College debate by Jon Hardfelt or whatever and Small Vernon in the Christchurch Press was unbelievably biased in favour of Key, ‘ journalism’ reminiscent of Fox News.
Journalism… That’s a laugh! I’d like someone to do a detailed analysis of their language but couldn’t stomach reading their partisan fabrications again. Maybe they were at a different debate.
I once knew a sub editor on a Christchurch newspaper who was so right wing he couldn’t help inserting his sometimes unconscious but usually conscious prejudices into any headlines to do with Helen Clark.The partisan saga continues.
On the inside pages of today’s Press there is a carefully selected unflattering photo of Goff together with a couple of Christ’s boy sycophants assuring us that Key ‘won’ the debate….Surely not something to do with the $$$$millions previously gifted to private schools by Key?
This paper is so blatantly partisan that Fairfax has to be renamed Fairfox!
Good on Goff for fronting for a debate up at the bastion of those ‘born to rule.’
I wonder if Key would front up for a debate at Aranui High school. Ha! Not likely.
FauxFax?
FairFaux?
Maybe “unfairfax?”
Or ‘fair balanced and full of b***sIt!’
fearfix
Yeah the right wing nickname for Vernon Small isn’t ‘comrade’ for nothing…
the $17 billion lie KEY made up has come back to bight Key he is constantly lying.All the radio statios today are getting phil goffs rebuttal labour borrowing $2.6 billion more than national but paying off debt sooner and holding onto income generating assets
Good grief!
Tell me it’s not so. A war with Iran is all the world needs.
The sooner the US cuts itself loose from Israel, the better.
Exactly!
Puddleglum, that was precisely my thoughts when I heard this news on ALjazeera this morning – very scary.
Don’t tell me you didn’t expect it… the US has been providing New Zealand’s MSM with plenty of propaganda to try and justify yet another one of their unjust invasions for a long time now.
No, the US sending more naval vessels into the Gulf would just be giving Iran more targets.
Then there’s the obvious point. If Iran is attacked Iran will turn off the oil to pretty much everyone except possibly China which is where they’ll be buying up to date military hardware.
War with Iran will bankrupt USA. If they go convention not Nuke that is.
They’ve been 10 years in th 5th poorest country in the world with no progress, the last few months the bloodiest.
Iran will fight back hard, and will likely be joined by Iraq having brought them
onside via Sadar.
Will the f16’s end up being used against their master?
The USA is already bankrupt and has been decades. The reason why this hasn’t been a problem is because the governments of the rest of the world have been ignoring this fact, kowtowing to the lone “super-power”.
YouTube video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2w5X-SFllQ
March on banks – Queen street Auckland – 29 October 2011
ANZ financing Lockheed-Martin cluster munition exposed
National bank occupied
John Key’s Wall Street ‘BANK$TER’ background publicly exposed.
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom
Campaigning against ‘white collar’ crime, corruption (and its root cause – privatisation), and ‘corporate welfare’.
National Cuts Funding for the Arts
Today, National announced they will continue the same policy that was announced prior to the 2008 election… which means no increase in funding for the arts. However without any increase to match inflation, such policy amounts to a cut…
Bank News………..RNZ news at 11am today.
Westpac & ANZ Bank profits up 41% this year.
Requests for help at NZ food banks up 30%.
I’d say the Aussie banks are winning.
two things here.
New Zealanders know that only the Labour Party can do a fair deal rebuilding Christchurch.
If National get their hands on it, it will all be corrupt and jobbery.
and
There is no leaders debate.
the moderators are not letting the debates develop.
too many ad breaks and opinions from the sidelines.
and the commentators, especailly claire robinson, are telling the viewers what to do before they text the online polls.
You have to watch these people because they are very sneaky while pretending to be objective.
fire claire robinson.
NOW!
A Portrait of America in Decline
Some highlights:
Never be a debtor be. The only debt anyone could argue have is a
mortgage but even that is dumb when job insecurity is hailed as
the goal. Retraining essentially is a way to push costs onto
employees and allow employers to push down wages, retraining
for what exactly? another shallow career that has no value
in the economy. Watered down professional class directly
part of the demolishing of the middle classes. Money talks
and money men went negative, shifting risk onto the masses
when we were promised they’d produce positive outcomes,
they have in fact left the world in a worst state. how is
it we are the fifth best place to live, not because we did
anything, but becuase so much of the world ran its affairs
like John Key does, same thinking same dismal economic
Asked this two days ago, no response!
Anyone care to comment on the legal status of the following?
1) National banners nailed on to the fences of public reserves? (Is it legal for my local MP to have around 50 banners nailed to the retaining walls of roads, fences on public reserves? If I was selling a car, promoting an event or anything else similar I suspect the council would not be impressed – can I ask the council to get them removed?)
2) National MP’s agents sending out recommendations to government departments to purchase this programme? http://www.eatforkeeps.com/
I know in my electorate that before a sign can be erected on a persons property, they have to sign a declaration showing where the sign will be situated . This is lodged with the council for the duration of the campaign period . From what i understand councils can vary on rules and periods of display times.
There used to be signage on council reserves, but not anymore in my electorate . It would be worth ringing up the council to check on the guidelines .
Unemployment rates up (again!!)
http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/201145/HouseholdLabourForceSurveySep11qtr1.pdf
I particularly like the graphs on p.9 and 10; look at the employment rates from 2001 – 2008 and then look at the decline – did something happen to mess things up?
yes forecasts of National easy return for a second term. The body scanners
at Auckland airport have been cliking over something rotten
every conumer lost to au, every renter, every parents whose child was taught by
a teacher, or seen by a doctor, is a loss of more employment to Nz
Well given the decline started in late 07 early 08 it must have been something Helen Clark said. 🙂
Look again – you mean there was a dip in June 07, returning to 66% by mid 08, then down to 64% – it rose from 62% to 66% during nine years, dropped 2% in three – you figure the relationship.
aaaarrrggh !!!!
every bloody year the morwesters arrive in force and smash by beautiful vanilla essenced wisteria to smithereens. Even the roses and their delicate petals get ripped and strewn all through the house.
it’s just not fair.
Lol. I’m not a gardener, but my parents would commisserate. They’re replacing oft-destroyed trellis with corrugated iron for a similar reason. Hopefully the roses will be able to deal with the tin.
Interesting to see the nervous Right commenting today. They must be rattled.
They want numbers, Numbers! Anyone not speaking numbers should be excluded from life!
They want to turn the clock back 50 years to a time when the system wasn’t so obviously flawed. They’d do it right, this time. Please believe them.
They want to gift us our individuality. Oh dear. They just haven’t been watching the news. People have woken up to the fact they already have it.
3 more years, they cry! Because it’s all just a race to the grave with the most toys… and then … nothingness.
They’re so alone, so scared of being individuals.
Yes – they’re slowly returning to normal after the abysmal start that was the Nat’s opening address. A bit like a student in evening-wear creeping through the botanic gardens on a Sunday morning, the walk of shame” that they hope nobody will notice.
The tory owners of the Herald and Stuff are whipping their journos into a frenzy as well. A lot of subtle spin going on (okay, some of it isn’t so subtle as well). Funny how they’re giving Key lots of air on Labour’s costings when they haven’t hounded him and English on their shonky, shonky figures.
They’re even republishing articles that they’ve already published before. Lazy spin isn’t going to win elections NZ Herald… room full of typing monkeys who can’t do basic math.
FYI – given that mainstream media seem a bit allergic to publicising this issue? 🙂
Perhaps monies saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’ on ‘corporate welfare’ would help release more public monies for ‘social welfare’ – including the cost of superannuation?
________________________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE: Independent Candidate for Epsom Penny Bright:
“How many billion$ of public monies could be saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?
3 November 2011
Where’s National’s ‘corporate welfare’ reform?
Which of the maor political parties are pushing for ‘corporate welfare’ reform and shrinking the long-term dependency of the private sector on our public monies?
Where is the ‘devilish detail’ at both local and central government level – which shows EXACTLY where our public rates and taxes are being spent on private sector consultants and contractors?
Why aren’t the names of the consultant(s)/ contrators(s) – the scope, term and value of these contracts, published in Council or central government Annual Reports – so this information on the spending of OUR public monies is available for public scrutiny?
Where are the publicly-available ‘Registers of Interests’ for those local government elected representatives, and staff responsible for property and procurement, in order to help guard against possible ‘conflicts of interest’ between those who ‘give’ the contracts and those who ‘get’ the contracts?
Where’s the ‘transparency’?
Given that New Zealand is ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world – along with Denmark and Singapore, according to Transparency International’s 2010 ‘Corruption Perception Index – shouldn’t we arguably be the most transparent?
Going back a step – where are the New Zealand ‘cost-benefit’ analyses which prove that the old ‘Rogernomic$ mantra – public is bad – private (contracting) is good’ can be substantiated by FACTS and EVIDENCE?
At last – someone – somewhere has actually done some substantial research – which proves the opposite.
That ‘contracting out’ services that were once provided ‘in-house’ is actually TWICE as expensive.
“USA Project On Government Oversight (POGO)[1] decided to take on the task of doing what others have not—comparing total annual compensation for federal and private sector employees with federal contractor billing rates in order to determine whether the current costs of federal service contracting serves the public interest.
http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/reports/contract-oversight/bad-business/co-gp-20110913.html
Executive Summary
Based on the current public debate regarding the salary comparisons of federal and private sector employees, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO)[1] decided to take on the task of doing what others have not—comparing total annual compensation for federal and private sector employees with federal contractor billing rates in order to determine whether the current costs of federal service contracting serves the public interest.
The current debate over pay differentials largely relies on the theory that the government pays private sector compensation rates when it outsources services. This report proves otherwise: in fact, it shows that the government actually pays service contractors at rates far exceeding the cost of employing federal employees to perform comparable functions.
POGO’s study analyzed the total compensation paid to federal and private sector employees, and annual billing rates for contractor employees across 35 occupational classifications covering over 550 service activities. Our findings were shocking—POGO estimates the government pays billions more annually in taxpayer dollars to hire contractors than it would to hire federal employees to perform comparable services. Specifically, POGO’s study shows that the federal government approves service contract billing rates—deemed fair and reasonable—that pay contractors 1.83 times more than the government pays federal employees in total compensation, and more than 2 times the total compensation paid in the private sector for comparable services. ”
The implications of this both nationally and internationally are HUGE.
If NZ central government figures are comparable with those of USA Federal Government – could the current NZ $82 billion central government spend be sliced in half by $40 billion ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?
http://www.treasury.govt.nz/budget/2011/estimates/est11sumtab.pdf
Which political parties / candidates are focussing on the SPENDING of public monies, rather than debt and borrowing?
If central and local govt departments /SOEs / CCOs / Crown Research Institutes are all defined as ‘PUBLIC- BENEFIT ENTITIES’ as defined under NZ Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (“NZ IFRS”) – then their primary objective is to provide services and facilities for the community as a social benefit rather than make a financial return.
So – how come so many services that USED to be provided ‘in-house’ are now contracted out to the private sector – whose primary objective is most certainly to ‘make a financial return’?
What magic is this that transforms public (ratepayer and taxpayer) monies into private profit?
WHERE IS THE NZ EQUIVALENT OF ‘POGO’ the USA ‘Project On Government Oversight ‘ which has just completed first-ever research which proves that private contractors cost twice as much as ‘in-house’ providers of Federal Government services?
HOW MUCH MONEY could be saved in NZ at central and local government by cutting out all the private ‘piggies in the middle’ with their greedy snouts in our public troughs?
Why aren’t the statutory ‘third party’ Public Watchdogs, as well as other major political parties demanding this accountability?
How much public money at central and local government level could be saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?
Who else is even asking this question?
Penny Bright
Independent Candidate for Epsom (nomination accepted today 🙂
Campaigning against ‘white collar crime’, corruption (and its root cause – privatisation) and ‘corporate welfare’.
“Anti-corruption campaigner”.
Attendee: Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference 2009
Attendee: Transparency International’s 14th IACC 2010
[email deleted]
In economic terms it (private profit) is called a dead-weight loss as monies given for one purpose are subsumed to another in cases like this just to make an individual richer. In real terms it’s private tax on our public monies.
The government doing the job in house is more efficient than getting contractors in part time. The part time contractors have to charge to cover their own over-heads and the times that they’re not working which pushes the costs up. A government employee working in the normal building that the government owns (if they really are looking for efficiency and cost saving they’re owning and not renting (which would be another example of private tax on our public monies)) on the other hand just has to paid their normal weekly pay.
Everything about private contractors to do government jobs and privatisation in general is about shifting more of the communities wealth into private hands. There’s no benefit achieved (in fact there’s often a decrease in service) but it always costs more.
Farrar doing some lovely racist dog-whistling about the Maori Party potentially holding the balance of power.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/blogs/david-farrar-by-the-numbers/5901028/The-October-polls
What the fuck are you worried about Farrar? They’ve shored up this tory lot for three years, why use them as a whistle for racists to get stuck into MMP? Oh that’s right, you’re a whore to FFP and National.
Have come home and read many of the comments and that is a lot of interesting reading!
Body talk. Last night when Phil started his remarks about the young Morgan not paying any tax, it seemed to me that John Key suddenly stared at the ground. Often when people do that it is an indicator of guilt. Maybe. S’pose we will never know how much tax Key pays on his millions.
A fantastic report about fracking causing earthquakes on 3 News tonight. Labours upcoming environment policy announcement will be one to watch. I’m interested to see the balance Labour has between our environment and industry.
With the majority of people recently polled saying the environment is their number one concern, it looks like Labour is playing their cards well while National are just reacting with spin.
Reminding everyone that there is a debate with Bill English, David Cunliffe, Russel Norman, Pita Sharples and Stephen Whittington. Starting at 7pm on Radio Live tonight, dont think its being streamed or Televised.
And last night on Campbell Live John interviewed Paula Bennett on Beneficiary reforms. He pointed out that nothing had changed in three years and that John Key’s statement on the subject was identical to that he made in 2008. Campbell pinned Bennett down quoting her words back to her and she just sort of grunted. He gave good weight to the question and pointed out that nothing had or would change.
This good interviewing is why Key and others do not usually appear before JC.
http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/Campbell-Live-Wednesday-November-2-2011/tabid/59/articleID/4584/MCat/73/Default.aspx (Part 1 of Wednesdays Campbell Live.)
Someone’s succeeded.
JERUSALEM — Israel’s summertime protest movement, which was occupying “Wall Street” before it was cool, can now celebrate their first major tangible success.
At a Sunday cabinet meeting the government approved the restructuring of Israel’s tax system, shifting a few degrees of the social burden onto corporations and the very rich.
On Monday, during the opening day of the winter session of parliament after a three-month summer break, legislators received the new tax plan for approval, alongside a lengthy list of demands for financial reform and social justice that were nonexistent when the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, was last in session and which have been catapulted to the forefront of a pre-electoral year.
As lawmakers gathered it became clear that Likud, the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hoped the government’s imprimatur of approval on significant changes in taxation would shift credit from the young protest leaders to the party itself.
More bank profits while the economy stagnates and unemployment increases.
How is it that the financial sector, which is the cause of the GFC, is making record profits while the majority of people are seeing wages and salaries decreasing?
Worst Blog Post of the Year Award
And yesterday, sulky pants decided to write another pathetic post in yet another failed attempt to discredit Trevor Mallard, by claiming he couldn’t spell…
I sort of feel sorry for Cam. He overwhelmingly strikes me as someone on the wrong side of the political paradigm. He has a weird vulnerability, and too much anger… I used to enjoy his strange friendship with Bomber and how they seemed to get on despite hating each others politics.. Until Bomber accused him of being a right wing gun totin’ fundy.. He put his sulky pants on then too..
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/tag/citizen-a/
Does anyone know if National have paid for the music they are using in their TV adverts?
It appears to be The Feelers – Stand Up and be Counted, and royalties should be paid for that.
You all remember how embarrassing and costly it was for National last election when they used Coldplay Clocks without permission, and they had to withdraw tens of thousands of DVDs.
Given how naff the Feelers are, I imagine they think it’s kewl that Key is a fan.
Well I’m not an expert on The Feelers and have not got a recording of the National Advert.
But knowing that last election National had a complete idiot adviser who made slight changes to a Coldplay song then all the Nats said there was no similarity, maybe they’ve done it again.
I read that the feelers were glad of the money National was paying for their music. Claimed to be non-political though, (where have I heard that before?)
But yeah, their music is naff, and is a perfect match for the purpose it is being put to.
Yeah Nah VoR. It’s purely a business deal that is negotiated between the Feelers admin and the Natz… I don’t think the band has an opinion, although some have speculated that they are happy to make some cash.
Right here right now… fucken epic fail!
You folks are nutters, do any of you actually work?