Open mike 05/03/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 5th, 2024 - 41 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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41 comments on “Open mike 05/03/2024 ”

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  1. joe90 1
    5 March 2024 at 8:38 am

    lol!

    Luxo's first big gig and he has to catch the bus.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has flown to Melbourne commercially because of a fault with the Defence Force plane.

    Luxon headed across the Tasman to meet leaders of Southeast Asian nations, on the sidelines of a special Australia-ASEAN summit.

    He was due to fly out on a Defence Force Boeing 757 aircraft about 6am on Tuesday.

    After several delays, media were told the Defence Force had identified a "maintenance fault" with the plane and advised the Prime Minister to fly on a commercial service.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/510870/maintenance-fault-on-defence-force-plane-forces-luxon-to-fly-to-australia-commercially

    • georgecom 1.1
      5 March 2024 at 6:24 pm

      RumpleLuxon, the guy spins gold into straw, everything he touches at the monent breaks.

  2. Ad 2
    5 March 2024 at 9:54 am

    Anyone interested in why we are about to get:

    – 15 new Roads of National Significance,

    – massive cuts in cycleways and pedestrian protection,

    – big fuel tax increases next term, and

    – a true gutting of the ability of local government to consult with their citizens about their priorities,

    well this is all ably summarised by Matt Lowry over at Greater Auckland here:

    https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2024/03/05/the-governments-ideological-transport-policy/

    Mickey may well have thoughts on how this will alter the power imbalance between local government and central government and its agencies.

    Anyone with a non-RONS project to lock down with signed contracts better get it done fast.

    • georgecom 2.1
      5 March 2024 at 6:35 pm

      2017 estimated cost of the East-West route $327 per km, that's 2017 remember. Does simple simeon think construction costs have declined? the $2 billion figure I have seen quoted in the media is a joke, probably closer to $2.5 billion or more. there is something they can immediately put back on the scrap heap and save the tax payers a huge wedge of cash. Hopefully the next Labour-Green maybe TPM government will immediately cancel any work on that dud of a road

      Here is a video of Simeon giving a press conference

    • Marcus Morris 2.2
      5 March 2024 at 10:05 pm

      Heavy freight (trucking) companies are delighted of course. It's what their election donations bought. The minister claims the policy will open up vast areas for green fields development while informed opinion says that cities such as Auckland need to go up, not out. Developers will be delighted to of course. Amazing how the money can be found while Labour's brilliant plan to enhance the rail connection between the two islands has to be scrapped. Future generations will curse this government.

  3. joe90 3
    5 March 2024 at 9:59 am

    Taxpayers as a bottomless ATM.

    /

    The corporate tax cuts that President Donald J. Trump signed into law in 2017 have boosted investment in the U.S. economy and delivered a modest pay bump for workers, according to the most rigorous and detailed study yet of the law’s effects.

    Those benefits are less than Republicans promised, though, and they have come at a high cost to the federal budget. The corporate tax cuts came nowhere close to paying for themselves, as conservatives insisted they would. Instead, they are adding more than $100 billion a year to America’s $34 trillion-and-growing national debt, according to the quartet of researchers from Princeton University, the University of Chicago, Harvard University and the Treasury Department.

    The researchers found the cuts delivered wage gains that were “an order of magnitude below” what Trump officials predicted: about $750 per worker per year on average over the long run, compared to promises of $4,000 to $9,000 per worker.

    https://archive.li/ThnEa (nyt)

    • AB 3.1
      5 March 2024 at 12:20 pm

      If only we could compare this data to a different case where similar largesse is distributed exclusively to people at the bottom of the wealth-power pyramid. But we can't, because it never is distributed that way.
      It’s likely that most of the money dished out went into the speculative purchasing of assets, including housing, rather than any productive activity.

  4. Phillip ure 4
    5 March 2024 at 10:50 am

    A grumble about our 'print' media:

    I'm picking the number of staff at both stuff and nz herald…is quite high..

    And I am mildly astonished by the paucity of product they produce…each and every day..

    When you go to a website like the guardian…you get a website full of new.. intelligent news/analysis..each and every day..

    You go to stuff and herald…if you are lucky you might get 4-5 new stories..the rest of the websites you are scrolling through what you have already seen…with some stories there for weeks on end..

    (An example was a new police car submerged in lake…that was there seemingly forever..)

    So..if we go back to that large number of journos…and their paucity of actual output..

    Ya hafta ask: w.t.f. do they all do all day..?

    Are they unable to find any interesting stuff from scraping o/s sites..?

    Way back in the day when I was doing whoar..I would find about thirty stories a day worthy of lodging..

    W.t.f. is going on with stuff/herald..?

    All those journos..putting out about 10% of what they did when they were serious print offerings..?

    We deserve better…

  5. gsays 5
    5 March 2024 at 12:09 pm

    As far as I can tell, Stuff and Herald are there to serve their paymasters, ie the real estate industry.

    • tc 5.1
      5 March 2024 at 12:49 pm

      That applies to all media not under a public model.

      Look across the ditch where kerry stokes has created another outlet for 'economically conservative' views online in WA.

      It would appear his TV outlet isn't doing enough to further his interests.

  6. Muttonbird 6
    5 March 2024 at 1:08 pm

    NZ politics live: Christopher Luxon’s allowance saga shows an ‘entitlement mentality’, Labour MP says.

    Unlike Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, other MPs who receive the accommodation supplement for the places they stay at in Wellington have mortgages to pay, Labour MP Willie Jackson says.

    This is the important bit about the settings. Despite the fact that Jackson could have also included rent when he said MPs have mortgages to pay, the thing is loan and grant applications for everyone else are dependant on outgoings. I think they should also be dependant on assets because you can easily convert assets to outgoings to pay for stuff, but the is another story.

    I've been helping the kid apply for a student loan and the questions they must answer honestly and truthfully about their circumstances including and specifically, the outgoings the loan is intended to cover.

    Why must students taking on debt on the path to improve their contribution to themselves and society be bound by proof of outgoings, yet egg-head multimillionaires are exempt from that requirement?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350194489/nz-politics-live-christopher-luxons-allowance-saga-shows-entitlement-mentality

    • Barfly 6.1
      5 March 2024 at 2:21 pm

      Because the country is run by and for rich sadists.

    • alwyn 6.2
      5 March 2024 at 3:24 pm

      Willie Jackson has been a List MP for all of his nearly 10 years in Parliament.

      Why doesn't he just face up to the truth that he has no reason to live anywhere outside of Wellington and he should do so. Move here Willie. This is where your job is.

      He, like all the other List members, shouldn't get any accommodation allowance at all and he should refund everything he has ever collected. Willie is far too greedy to do that of course.

      • DS 6.2.1
        5 March 2024 at 4:25 pm

        National's Michael Woodhouse was a Dunedin-based List MP for years. Katherine Rich before him. He'd never win the electorate, of course, but him being a list MP based out of Dunedin provided the city with extra representation that wasn't just Labour.

        List MPs aren't simply about making up the numbers in Wellington. They also provide an important service at the local level.

      • SPC 6.2.2
        5 March 2024 at 4:40 pm

        Desperate repeating of the same post over and over.

        Minor Party list MP's represent their members nationwide. They do not just work in Wellington.

        Major Party list MP's, are often Ministers – if they own a house they live in with their family in Wellington – like English they do not claim. If their family live elsewhere they can claim. If they claim they might try and own – use the money for mortgage payments and not rent.

        When someone owns property in Wellington – with no rent or mortgage cost, they have no need for the housing allowance.

        So does Mitchell own outright. Does Bayly own outright. Does Collins own outright. Does Kuriger own outright?

        Who are you protecting?

        • alwyn 6.2.2.1
          5 March 2024 at 6:56 pm

          Please tell me. Is Mitchell a List MP or an MP whose electorate is in the Wellington area?

          If the answer is Yes he shouldn't get an accommodation allowance. If the answer is No because he is an Electorate MP from outside the Wellington area he should get the allowance.

          The same evaluation should be done Bayly, Collins and Kuriger.

          Nothing further needs to be considered.

          • DS 6.2.2.1.1
            5 March 2024 at 7:04 pm

            A world where all List MPs live in Wellington is a world where half of Parliament is made up of Wellingtonians. That's not exactly a representative Parliament, is it?

            A List MP from outside Wellington ought to get the allowance too.

            • alwyn 6.2.2.1.1.1
              5 March 2024 at 9:04 pm

              They can choose where they live, if they are a List MP. Well let them choose Wellington and if they also want a place somewhere else let them pay for it themselves.

              I can't be sure of the numbers, and I really can't be bothered tracking them down but at one stage there were {I think) 3 List MPs who chose to live on Waiheke Island. There were also 4 or 5 who claimed to be an MP for Tauranga. Tauranga was a nice place to live of course.

              I once met an MP at a family do who told me he was the National MP for Otaki. I was a bit rude to him and told him the MP for Otaki was Darren Hughes and he was just a List MP who chose to live in Otaki. If and when he won the seat he could claim to be the MP

          • SPC 6.2.2.1.2
            5 March 2024 at 7:56 pm

            For what housing cost? Rent or mortgage only for mine.

            • alwyn 6.2.2.1.2.1
              5 March 2024 at 9:14 pm

              I can't see anything wrong with the current scale. Cabinet Ministers spend much mor time in Wellington and ought to be allowed to have their families with them so it should be more than a back bencher.

              The PM also has to entertain a bit so should get more. I don't care who owns it. Do you remember when Delahunty and Fitzsimmons shared a place and they both claimed the maximum allowance? It was actually owned by the Green Party Super fund. Now, at the time that was a rort. I wouldn't see anything wrong with it though if there was a fixed rate and no real way to rort the budget. Of course they wouldn't be eligible under my scheme as they were on the List.

              At the time they claimed it was all just an accident!

              https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/2930084/Greens-give-back-6000-in-housing-mistake

              • SPC …
                5 March 2024 at 10:08 pm

                English lived in Wellington with family and eventually stopped claiming the allowance.

                He also owned property back in his electorate.

                Greens should place all their MP's in Green Party owned housing.

    • Tipa 6.3
      5 March 2024 at 3:29 pm

      If eligibility were based on whether you had financial prudence or you had squandered everything, that would make it a benefit like the dole you moron. A point clearly lost on muppet Jackson too.

      • SPC 6.3.1
        5 March 2024 at 4:44 pm

        What housing cost do those who own property in Wellington – without rent or mortgage liability have, that requires $52,000 for a Minister and 36,400 for an MP?

      • alwyn 6.3.2
        5 March 2024 at 9:17 pm

        Don't you dare call Jackson a muppet? My kids when young loved the muppets.

        Q. Why do some of my comments go into moderation???

        • weka 6.3.2.1
          5 March 2024 at 9:53 pm

          it’s not your comment, it’s a keyword in the filter that is catching some extra things atm.

  7. Phillip ure 7
    5 March 2024 at 3:02 pm

    Rare moment of honesty/Freudian slip from seymour in q-time..

    'we're up to.it..'

  8. SPC 8
    5 March 2024 at 3:26 pm

    Not just lack of new investment in making Auckland a liveable city, but action to make it less liveable.

    It was fish mouth to fish butt, with each rainfall sewage is flowing into the harbour and onto beaches but now … its either blowing in the wind, or you're walking with it.

    Making Auckland a place for those with cars, windows shut.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/residents-up-in-arms-over-rubbish-bins-removal-by-auckland-council/UW6I3A7TZRBCJJE4QPP5H6LMU4/

  9. Visubversa 9
    5 March 2024 at 3:43 pm

    Medicine must be evidence based – not ideologically based. Especially when it comes to children and young people.

    "Newly leaked files from within the leading global transgender healthcare body have revealed that the clinicians who shape how “gender medicine” is regulated and practiced around the world consistently violate medical ethics and informed consent. The files, which were leaked from within the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), were published today by the US-based think tank Environmental Progress.

    WPATH is considered the leading global scientific and medical authority on “gender medicine,” and in recent decades, its Standards of Care have shaped the guidance, policies and practices of governments, medical associations, public health systems and private clinics across the world.

    However, the WPATH Files reveal that the organization does not meet the standards of evidence-based medicine, and members frequently discuss improvising treatments as they go along. Members are fully aware that children and adolescents cannot comprehend the lifelong consequences of “gender-affirming care,” and in some cases, due to poor health literacy, neither can their parents.

    “The WPATH Files show that what is called ‘gender medicine’ is neither science nor medicine,” said Michael Shellenberger, President and founder of Environmental Progress. “The experiments are not randomized, double-blind, or controlled. It’s not medicine since the first rule is to do no harm. And that requires informed consent.”

    https://environmentalprogress.org/big-news/wpath-files?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

    • weka 9.2
      5 March 2024 at 4:56 pm

      just reading the twitter thread, I will say that we live in a society that socialises us all to 'doctor know best'. It's a very strong socialisation and across the board. So when they talk about parents not understanding implications, I don't think that is unusual in medicine especially complex medicine. There are whole swathes of people that want to hand over their health care to the experts.

      That doesn't excuse what the WPATH people and doctors taking their advice do. I'm pointing out that the problem isn't limited to trans health care. The additional issues here are the age and vulnerability of the patients, and the strong No Debate/Affirmation Only environment which they are living in.

    • That_guy 9.3
      6 March 2024 at 9:58 am

      Yeah, I've repeatedly said this will end up as a massive medical scandal but I picked it being about 3-5 years away. But the wheels are falling off the clown cart so fast. I may need to revise my estimate.

      • weka 9.3.1
        6 March 2024 at 11:03 am

        I'm not so sure. The things those doctors are saying will sound normal to many genderists.

        Agree it's a massive medical scandal.

  10. SPC 10
    5 March 2024 at 4:22 pm

    Luxon travels public coach civilian.

    Making our lack of modern infrastructure – from PM housing to PM travel, world famous.

    There is nothing wrong with the plane.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_757

    It was made before Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas.

    Only a fool would look at anything they have made since.

    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=boeing+merger+mcdonnell+douglas+

  11. newsense 11
    5 March 2024 at 4:56 pm

    Has cutting 3 waters and the uncertainty in response to the floods cost us large scale Amazon investment?

    Concerns about waste water in West Auckland…

    https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/03/01/amazons-7-5b-nz-data-centre-plan-quietly-put-on-hold/

    • SPC 11.1
      5 March 2024 at 5:14 pm

      The centres need spare "power, water and waste water" capacity – resources they will not find in an infrastructure deficit zone – with storm water problems.

    • Ad 11.2
      5 March 2024 at 5:34 pm

      Amazon will use any excuse it can muster. They're the same guys that pulled out of a major Lord of the Rings deal three years ago with no excuse at all.

      Don't for a moment blame NZ. Amazon do not give a fuck.

  12. Mike the Lefty 12
    5 March 2024 at 6:16 pm

    Cheers to the Hurricanes Poua rugby team daring to publicly call out the redneck divisive NACTZ government for what they are.

    They can add one more to their fan list.

    • Michael P 12.1
      5 March 2024 at 7:42 pm

      I disagree. Surely they can comment on politics and take political sides all they want in a personal capacity, but here they are representing the Hurricanes and therefore shouldn't be doing politics. Maybe they should focus on their jobs instead because they got thrashed.

      Not to mention the fact that they receive taxpayer funding, talk about biting the hand(s) that feed them….

      I wouldn't be surprised at all if in the next few days the Hurricanes organization will end up having to apologize because I very much doubt the people in charge there would have approved this.

      Really amateur stuff from supposed professional athletes.

    • Michael P 12.2
      5 March 2024 at 7:53 pm

      Bingo

      "The Hurricanes will apologise to the government over a haka performed by its women's side…."

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/510919/hurricanes-to-apologise-over-redneck-haka

      • Mike the Lefty 12.2.1
        5 March 2024 at 8:20 pm

        Please give details of the taxpayer funding that they receive.

        I am interested to know.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

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