Open mike 05/04/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 5th, 2023 - 67 comments
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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67 comments on “Open mike 05/04/2023 ”

  1. Sanctuary 1

    I don't know the ins and outs of this Mani Dunlop & Kiri Allan brouhaha, but as a general rule for anyone working in a small, incestuous industry publicly quitting your job in a huff because you didn't get the promotion you thought you were entitled to and having your partner (who happens to be a prominent government politician) pile in on it as well is usually a hugely career limiting move.

    • Cricklewood 1.1

      Potentially for both parties…

    • Anker 1.2

      christ is that what happened? Did Kiri Allen join a pile on about her partner not getting a job?

      • Shanreagh 1.2.1

        Yes, Cabinet Ministers seem to think we need to know how they feel personally about these things despite warnings in Cabinet Manual.

        Marama Davidson

        Michael Wood

        Chris Hipkins

        Kiri Allen

        I really don't give a toss about their personal opinions while they are Cabinet Ministers. I just want them to be doing their cabinet jobs efficiently and effectively which clearly they are not doing if they are making personal pronouncements.

        The only time I want to know about personal opinions is when they are standing for parliament just so I can know that I am not voting for a climate change denier or anyone who is anti women.

        The PM should be tapping into the good will of the country as PM Ardern did for the Chch Massacre, & PM Hipkins said for the victims of Cyclones Hale & Gabrielle. I don't mind that in the slightest, it is 'statesman' like. I also don't mind in the slightest when Pms adopt projects such as the Christchurch Call that will help people around the world from being exposed to frightening and frightful ideology.

        But a PM dismissing women, 51% , of the population….nah.

        That's capture not statesman-like.

        • SPC 1.2.1.1

          The PM also represents the people who were born male or female and now identify with a different gender on their DL or passport.

          And most women in fact recognise this. Which is why there is greater support from women for gender ID.

          Sure there is cause for concern about the safety of women's spaces … but society recognition of gender ID has already happened.

          • Shanreagh 1.2.1.1.1

            Zoom SPC.

            I was talking about the concept of personal views vis a vis Cabinet Roles bearing in mind that the Cabinet Manual explicitly states to be careful.

            I was making the point I could not care a less about someone's personal view/s especially when they are a Cabinet Minister.

            I am intensely interested in the personal views of a candidate standing for election to parliament as I said and would not wittingly vote in a climate change denier or anti women or anti women's rights person. .

          • Visubversa 1.2.1.1.2

            Please stop conflating sex and gender. You can get your assumed sex marker on both your passport and your driver's license. And yes. because of "self ID" any person can say that they are the sex that they are not. They don't have to do anything – just open their mouths and say the magic words "I identify as". Ans most of society has no idea that is happening because of the institutional capture and the demand for "no debate". But the debate is happening and the more that violent and dangerous men are described as women and people realise that allows men like them to enter any women's space or service, the unhappier people get.

          • weka 1.2.1.1.3

            And most women in fact recognise this. Which is why there is greater support from women for gender ID.

            What's the evidence base for that please?

            It's not straight forward. Most women in NZ don't realise that self ID means any man can enter women's spaces. Or that most TW haven't surgically transitioned. I'd be interested in any research that looks at that.

            I haven't seen NZ stats, but the UK research is clear. While women are more likely than men to support gender ideology rights eg access by TW to women's toilets and changing rooms, support drops in the whole population if they are asked about TW who haven't had surgery.

            .https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13-01-2023/#comment-1930267

            Scroll down to the Facilities question https://yougov.co.uk/topics/society/articles-reports/2022/07/20/where-does-british-public-stand-transgender-rights

        • bwaghorn 1.2.1.2

          Hard to be anti women if ypu don't know what one is !!

          • Shanreagh 1.2.1.2.1

            Yes this is true. This difficulty is long standing I think.

            • bwaghorn 1.2.1.2.1.1

              The clue is in the name,

              Woman =womb

              • Anne

                Not according to the pre televison British radio comedy "Take It From Here." They ran a series about a Cave family called Ig, Ug and Og.

                Ig was the cave man.

                Ug was the cave woo-man.

                Og – was their son who wasn't very bright.

              • Incognito

                Nope, these two words have different etymologies, which you can look up [for] yourself if you wish.

        • Stuart Munro 1.2.1.3

          If you add the dismissal of women to Marama Davidson's dismissal of straight white men, you end up with 90 plus percent of the population that these folk don't want voting for them.

          All this malarkey is funny until the votes are counted.

          • Shanreagh 1.2.1.3.1

            Yes that is true.

            What concerns me is that I feel that the Govt/Ministers are tired and therefore not firing on all cylinders.

            Thus the numbers of unforced errors and wierd reckons.

            If they abided by the good sense of the Cabinet Manual in not making personal comments while Cabinet Mintser a number of the errors would drop.

            Perhaps they feel it makes them one of the boys/close to the people, a debatable concept.

            When they make the errors like the Ministers I've mentioned, where it is questionable if they have achieved the aim of being of the people, the people just go whaaaat?

            Abraham Lincoln

            Quote – Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.

            I'm not suggesting remaining silent in matters to do with their portfolios. But please don't do off the cuff stuff where the info you are giving ia incorrect (Marama Davidson)

            I fee doubtful about Michael Wood, the Minister of Immigration making personal comments about KJM when his Department had a decision making/or expertise role to do with this.

      • gsays 1.2.2

        From Checkpoint yesty evening, Kiri Allen was at the farewell, at RNZ and was asked to say a few words on behalf of Dunlop and her family.
        https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018884637/minister-kiri-allan-apologises-for-comments-at-rnz-event

        By the sounds of it, the issue is a Cabinet Minister is always a Cabinet Minister, regardless of any preamble offered clarifying that you are speaking in a private capacity.

        I am more intrigued by the assertion "…publicly quitting your job in a huff…"

    • Blade 1.3

      Kiri opining at her partner's farewell is a non issue with me. Of more concern is a switched on Maori woman in position of power casually claiming racism against a government institution without offering proof. I would have thought diversity and fairness would be the hallmark of RNZ. If a Maori reporter can't make it at RNZ, they may as well go home. That leaves me wondering how other Maori working for different legacy media managed to obtain jobs?

      Of course racism is in the eye of the beholder. In this link Kiri shares some hateful comments she (undeservedly) received when she was undergoing cancer treatment. She must have left out the more obnoxious comments??

      https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/05/kiri-allan-shares-hateful-social-media-comments-she-received-after-cancer-diagnosis.html

      • weka 1.3.1

        Looks hateful to me. What kind of person talks to someone with cancer like that? At this point in history the denial of institutional racism to this extent is also nasty.

        btw, re the Māori women should stop being sluts comment, the risk for cervical cancer via HPV increases with multiple sexual partners, but also increases if having sex with someone who has had multiple sexual partners. In other words, if a woman marries a man who is her only sexual partner but he has had lots of sex with different people, then her risk increases.

        It’s not actually connected to lots of sex, it’s just that the more people someone sleeps with the greater the statistical chance of coming into contact with HPV.

      • Shanreagh 1.3.2

        Quite apart from the ‘wisdom’ of the Kiri Allan's comments, in her position as a Minister, my view lines up a bit with yours Blade.

        It was not too long ago that we had the idea about diversity and reflecting back diversity to NZ's communities in our corporate staffing, particularly in Govt funded entities.

        So I would have thought that, if we have a competent Maori presenter we would retain them, or try very hard to, as a taonga, an example for others to aspire to. I am not saying hold onto mediocre people.

        I wish Mani Dunlop well and hope she finds a place that appreciates her talents.

        The comments on SM about Kiri Allan are a reflection of the troll world of SM, especially relating to females, especially females who break the troll-determined norms. In the examples these trolls seem to be mainly male, judging by their names. Hmmmm.

        • Belladonna 1.3.2.1

          Mmmm. Maybe.
          We don't know what RNZ did to attempt to retain Mani Dunlop – what radio slots she was offered, or which programs.
          It's pretty clear that they felt that she did not yet have the experience to present on the Morning Report flagship – being, as yet, a relatively young journalist.

          The actual appointment, Ingrid Hipkiss, has double Dunlop's experience – and clearly RNZ felt she was an outstanding candidate.

          https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/482697/morning-report-reveals-television-presenter-ingrid-hipkiss-as-new-co-host

          It sounds to me as though Dunlop's self-evaluation is greater than that shared (at this stage) by her employer.

          Having heard her on RNZ in various programmes, I'd rate her as OK – but she's no Kim Hill or Lisa Owen. [I've not yet heard Hipkiss, so I can't comment on how she compares]

          I've been in that situation – beaten out for a top job, by someone with greater experience – and it hurts. However, the best thing to do is outlive them….

          Unless Dunlop has another position already lined up – she would have been better advised to go to RNZ, and ask them to facilitate broadening her experience base. Her relationship with Kiri Allen makes this more problematic – she would almost certainly be accused of bias if she were reporting on politics – and, in Wellington, what else is there? However, this is not impossible to overcome, cf Jane Clifton & Trevor Mallard.

  2. Joe90 2

    Tl;dr: Marin and her party did better than what the headlines would have you believe and forming the next government won't be easy for the election winners.

    https://twitter.com/jmkorhonen/status/1642778804371193856

    https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1642778804371193856.html

    • Bearded Git 2.1

      Agreed Joe90. The international press's reporting of the result has been abysmal.The results are:

      Right 20.8 Seats 48

      Far Right 20.1 Seats 46

      SDP(Marin) 19.9 Seats 43 (which was more than the last election)

      You need 101 seats to form a coalition in the 200 seat parliament and nobody wants to go with the racist far right, which means that the National Coalition (Right) will almost certainly have to form a coalition with the SDP (Left), so Marin will still be in power, albeit with less influence.

      • SPC 2.1.1

        Finland generally switches PM's with each election and party leaders more popular than their parties have the option of remaining in politics. And in this case, there is only a coalition led by Orpo Right and including Marin SDP, or one led by Marin and excluding Right and Far Right.

  3. RosieLee 3

    I am fed up to the back teeth with all the hooha on Trump every 5 minutes on National radio. Enough already.

    • Peter 3.1

      The laws of nature seem to have it that the prime purpose of media is to be a vehicle for politics. Murders and major disasters like earthquakes and national sports losses occasionally intrude to disrupt the order. Until a politician reclaims the right way of things, earth-shatteringly, by saying some triviality or having been found to have broken their sibling's toys when they were eight years old.

      For a smile about the former leader of the 'greatest country in the history of the world' I've added another post below.

    • Bearded Git 3.2

      Agreed Rosie Lee. He is a washed up 76 year old that even many Republicans would like to go away. RNZ is obsessed with news from the USA however banal.

      For instance there have been more than a 100 mass shootings in the USA this year alone yet when 6 people get shot over there is is headline stuff.

      https://www.wbay.com/2023/03/29/us-surpasses-125-mass-shootings-2023-heres-every-event-mapped/

    • tc 3.3

      RNZ is a joke these days….a taxpayer funded one.

  4. Ad 4

    Could someone put up a post about Jacinda Ardern since she's off today?

    She should be thanked for the hard work she did for New Zealand.

    • Tricledrown 4.1

      Not according to Mr nobody David Seymour trying to invoke his far right mysognist,racist, fascist base with his dogwhistle.Seymour is Trying to mirror Trump by saying Jacinda Adern wasn't up to the job.Maybe if he was getting the death threats Jacinda was getting by the conspiracy theorists that the Hollow Man (hologram) that Seymour is dog whistling just shows how much of a grovelling coward he really is.

      • Belladonna 4.1.1

        Seymour achieved exactly what he wanted – headlines about him, rather than ones about Ardern.

    • Anker 4.2

      Can't do a post, but I thank Jacinda for her hard work.

    • Jilly Bee 4.3

      Ad, Darien Fenton has penned a lovely tribute to Jacinda Ardern. IIRC it's on her Facebook page.

    • Sanctuary 4.4

      I guess the only thing I would say about Jacinda Ardern's legacy is the statistics don't lie – thousands are alive due to her decisions during the pandemic. Forget about delivery this or the spiteful little men of the right that or the crazy cookers. Worrying about that would be like going to Christopher Wren's masterpiece of St Pauls Cathedral and keeping your eyes downcast upon the floor, complaining about the chewing gum or the state of the tiles. Instead, raise your eyes and go for a walk down a busy street. Look at all the elderly, or immune compromised, or those otherwise vulnerable to a novel virus and imagine those of them who might not be here but for the covid response. And recall Wren's epitaph on his tomb in St Pauls:

      “Si monumentum requiris circumspice" – If you seek her monument, look around.

    • Bearded Git 4.5

      Luxon gave her no credit at all for the way she handled Covid on RNZ's Morning Report this morning, instead carping on about how she failed to deliver on policies. He is simply too negative to become PM.

      • tc 4.5.1

        That's the MO from here till the GE from national….. negative, hope noone can see through their rinse repeat austerity/tax cuts/national standards v2.0 etc more negativity and keep the really scary ones away from the media like mitchell etc

        • Bearded Git 4.5.1.1

          True…Luxon scares me. People seem to forget that he is a weird Christian fundamentalist.

  5. Peter 5

    There are stern-faced photos Trump today. How about putting smiles on faces?

  6. Reality 6

    Ad, thank you for suggesting a post about Jacinda. She more than deserves this site's recognition for being PM during a very difficult five years. On reflection it was unprecedented what she had to deal with. From her pregnancy right at the start of her first term, and then having a young baby to nurture and see into a toddler and pre-schooler. It must have been challenging having Winston Peters to mollify and persuade, just like a toddler. Then the terrorist's shocking crimes, White Island, and Covid. I am appalled she had also to contend with social media vitriol and recently David Seymour's nasty podcast with Max Key.

    It is no surprise she had nothing left in the tank. I wish her and her family all the best for the future.

    • Anne 6.1

      I think the problem for Jacinda is incapsulated quite well from this quote:

      Tall poppy syndrome is where there is a tendency to discredit or disparage those who are considered to be too successful or prominent (cutting the tall poppies down to size). It is similar to begrudgery, the resentment or envy. This is effectively the opposite of congratulating someone. Instead others find fault in how they achieved success or simply believe that they don’t deserve it.

      https://www.socialcapitalresearch.com/valuing-success-in-the-organisation

      From my experience: jealousy, begrudgement and an inability to accept her as a politician (and a woman) who really was genuine and selfless, So they spread falsehoods about her which in the end gained so much traction, it entered the realms of insanity.

      • Tiger Mountain 6.1.1

        Yes, the nastiness likely went deeper than the public appreciated. 55 death threats? Such people are ‘not right in the head’ as Mike Williams might say. The NZSIS and GCSB should earn their money and help drag a few more of such cowards before the courts.

        The NZ Police even made an exception to their usual procedure and issued a public statement on Jacinda’s partner Clarke–that he was not of interest to them on any matter!–thanks to Slater Oil and his like there had been an online campaign against Mr Gayford as well.

        Helen Clark pointed out that a key difference between her period in office and Jacinda Ardern's was the rise of social media and the numbers using it.

        There was demonstrably a large misogynistic component to the keyboard attacks on Jacinda. Some people just could not handle a contemporary woman being in charge.

        • Anne 6.1.1.1

          The NZSIS and GCSB should earn their money and help drag a few more of such cowards before the courts.

          I know of a couple of past "cowards" who were never brought to justice for their behaviour despite the turmoil they succeeded in achieving on several occasions. It also included a lack of action by the police.

          It was before the advent of social media so their methods were different in nature.

        • Bearded Git 6.1.1.2

          Clark was excellent on RNZ;s Morning Report today.

        • Michael P 6.1.1.3

          '55 death threats'

          Umm OK.I sort of assumed the way people were talking about things that it was a massive amount. but 55. for a Prime Minister of a country (i.e a huge public profile) seems not that many. I guess I figured Prime Ministers and Presidents of countries probably receive death threats on a daily basis?

          Before I get jumped on let me say that obviously 1 death threat to anyone is 1 too many. But look at someone like JK Rowling who literally has never said anything transphobic whatsoever, yet has received probably too many to count..

          "I’ve now received so many death threats I could paper the house with them"

          https://twitter.com/Adrian_Hilton/status/1462773980801257474

          Further, the death threats are probably not even quite as scary as the thousands of absolutely shocking graphic descriptions of sexual violence people have threatened to carry out against her and her children. You'll have to find some examples for yourself if you want to see what I mean. I'm really not easily shocked by much but some of these threats are so unbelievably appalling that you have to wonder how a sane mind could come up with such things.

    • AB 6.2

      To be disliked by Max Key is a badge of honour – and courage. It's some small reassurance that what she did had a moral foundation.

    • tc 6.3

      Max key and rimmer have a podcast! The entitled white right show.

      What a shower that must be.

  7. Reality 7

    Anne, agree with you absolutely about the tall poppy syndrome. There was a sector of the population that was so jealous and couldn't stand Jacinda's popularity, hence the vicious lies and venom. The media played a part in that they liked negative headlines. Hosking always was in criticism mode with her in comparison with his soft treatment of National's many and varied blunders, and missteps.

  8. Anne 8

    Interesting report. It backs up the claims so many of us have made about the rapidly increasing violence – verbal and physical – which has beset this nation in recent times and created serious divisions among communities and individual groups.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/sis-identifies-several-spies-in-nz

  9. SPC 9

    If PT is to work there needs to more than bus lanes (half fares), but sufficient drivers and a re-write of the PTOM.

    The record of decline in pay for bus drivers (66% over MW in 1990) to closer to the MW over decades.

    1. the ECA

    2. The Public Transport Operating Model, introduced by the National-led government in 2013

    The recovery getting the bus award to $30 to allow migrant workers to qualify and improved working conditions (more flexible hours of work – for those over 65 etc)

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/04/improving-pay-and-conditions-not-enough-to-stop-bus-divers-quitting.html

  10. SPC 11

    History will record that, after we went into a recession (yet to be confirmed by the March quarter GDP figures) the RBG increased the OCR by 0.5% to 5.25% in April.

    The government really does need to place a windfall tax on banks and use the money to create a supply of (affordable) funding to business.

  11. Reality 12

    Luxon as PM? Besides frequently having to clarify what he meant to say (no doubt after his minders rushed to instruct him on what he should have said), he is extremely boring and dull. No obvious personality has shown through after over a year as opposition leader. Then rather a lot of ultra conservative types becoming candidates. As well as the various others with questionable histories such as Uffindell etc.

  12. RedLogix 13

    If Ardern had focused on building State capacity and addressing core structural productivity and employment challenges, she would have been a truly outstanding PM. And without question there a decent list of achievements have been made. Unlike many critics of this govt I am reasonably happy with much of the unsung work they have pushed through, often under tough circumstances.

    Not to mention her adroit handling of various crisis that overtook the nation. In all of this we can broadly say the left and NZ has been fortunate for her tenure.

    Step outside the confines of The Standard and you will hear a different story. It boils down to two crucial mistakes. The COVID response was going well enough right up to the point where her govt introduced the Vaccine Passports and forcing people out of their jobs.

    The other was of course the decolonisation and co-governance agenda that has been imposed onto our institutions by stealth. John Key at least had the decency to hold two referendums over something as relatively ephemeral as the national flag – Ardern's govt has set in motion a dramatic constitutional reshaping with not so much as a single debate in the House, much less serious democratic engagement.

    Both of these policies have been since undone. Once Omicron came along it was obvious vaccines were barely useful in preventing transmission, which was the only possible justification for making them mandatory. And of course the first and most urgent action of Hipkins was to unceremoniously yank co-governance off the table at least until after this election. On these forums we tend to focus on the noisy passionate extremists, such as the Parliament protests – but what we tend not to see are the largely unspoken views of middle NZ who quietly shifted against what they saw as unreasonable govt over-reach in both instances.

    If Ardern has sidestepped these two largely unforced errors, the Labour govt she led would be serenely sailing on to a third comfortable win.

    • tc 13.1

      Good points RL plus the handling of a single health authority (debatable it's even a single authority) and the RNZ/TVNZ merger nobody voted for.

      The right idea but the execution is/was shambolic with out to lunch ministers responsible.

    • Alan 13.2

      well stated RL

    • Stuart Munro 13.3

      Hmm – John Key's decency (sic) proved too flaccid to prevent him ignoring the referendum over the sale of power assets – for which consumers are still paying excessive charges.

    • Bearded Git 13.4

      Without the vaccine passports/mandates NZ would have had a chronically low level of vaccination….Covid would have let rip as it did in other countries.

      The people who opposed the mandates were anti-science weirdos. Are you saying that we should have pandered to them?

    • gsays 13.5

      Thanks Red, well said.

  13. Adrian 14

    SPC, apparently, nobody or very few want to borrow money so the banks have not actually raised lending rates as much as the Reserve Bank expected. So the thrashings will continue until morale improves.

  14. Michael P 15

    With the current publicity surrounding the whole Trans / Gender ideology I had been struggling with what I saw as a really strange aspect to all this. It has astonished me how big corporations. organisations and governments have all seemed to jump on board with Gender Ideology really really quickly and I was trying to figure out why? What is it about this stuff that these groups are benefitting from? Because they don't jump on board with such issues unless they are getting tangible benefits from doing so.

    Especially politicians as I have mentioned in other posts I can't understand why MP's seem to be siding with a tiny minority rather than the majority. Assuming that when taking a side, the important thing for an MP is surely votes. then things just aren't adding up. Otherwise logic would suggest that an MP would align with the majority.

    I'd wager plenty of people on TS may have been thinking similar things.

    Then i just came across the following video of an investigative journalist speaking to Gender / Trans ideology and WOW !… This is very interesting and very informative. For me personally it has joined many of the dots that I was really having trouble with.

    Well worth a watch I reckon.

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    4 days ago
  • FamilyBoost payments make ECE more affordable

    Parents and caregivers are now able to claim for FamilyBoost, which provides low-to-middle-income families with young children payments to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs.  “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we are supporting families with young children who are struggling with the cost of living, by helping ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • South Pacific defence meeting fosters collaboration

    This week’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) has concluded with a renewed commitment to regional security of all types, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. Defence Ministers and senior civilian and military officials from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga gathered in Auckland to discuss defence and security cooperation in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister welcomes larger Police recruitment wings

    Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has welcomed the Police announcement that recruitment wings at the Police College will be expanded to 100 recruits next year. “This is good news on two fronts – it reflects the fact that more and more New Zealanders are valuing policing and seeing it as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Minerals West Coast Forum

    Introduction Good morning! What a pleasure to be back in the stunning West Coast at one of my favourite events in the calendar.  Every time I come back here, I’m reminded of the Coast’s natural beauty, valuable resources, and great people. Yet, every time I come back here, I’m also ...
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    4 days ago
  • Positive progress on Government health targets

    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti welcomes new data from Health New Zealand, saying it demonstrates encouraging progress against the Government’s health targets.  Health New Zealand’s quarterly report for the quarter to 30 June will be used as the baseline for reporting against the Government’s five health targets, which came into ...
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    4 days ago
  • Supporting better access to data for Kiwis

    The launch of a new data tool will provide Kiwis with better access to important data, Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly says.  “To grow our economy and improve productivity we must adopt smarter ways of working, which means taking a more data driven approach to decision-making.  “As Statistics Minister one of ...
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    4 days ago
  • Progressing remote building inspections

    The Government is progressing plans to increase the use of remote inspections to make the building and consenting process more efficient and affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.  “We know that the building and construction sector suffers from a lack of innovation. According to a recent report, productivity ...
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    5 days ago
  • PPTA accepts charter schools

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes the PPTA putting a proposal to members at its annual conference to change its constitution and allow membership of teachers who work in charter schools. “The PPTA has had a come to Jesus moment on charter schools. This is a major departure from the ...
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    5 days ago
  • New TAIC Chief Commissioner appointed

    David Clarke has been announced as the Chief Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). David Clarke is a barrister specialising in corporate and commercial law and he has over 20 years experience in governance roles in commercial, public and charitable sectors. He also is a current TAIC Commissioner. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Government secures market access for blueberries to Korea

    The Government has secured market access for New Zealand blueberries to Korea, unlocking an estimated $5 million in annual export opportunities for Kiwi growers Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced.  “This is a win for our exporters and builds on our successful removal of $190 million in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • South Pacific Defence Ministers meet in Auckland

    Partnership and looking to the future are key themes as Defence Ministers from across the South Pacific discuss regional security challenges in Auckland today, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. The South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) brings together Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence and Secretaries of Defence from New Zealand, ...
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    6 days ago
  • Keytruda, CGMs, and FamilyBoost welcomed

    In a triple whammy of good news, 1 October heralds the beginning of the funding of two major health products and a welcome contribution to early childhood fees, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Keytruda is the first drug to be funded and made available from the $604 million boost we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Children’s Unit opens at Rotorua Hospital

    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti today opened the refurbished Children’s Unit at Rotorua Hospital, which will provide young patients and their families in the Lakes District with a safe, comfortable and private space to receive care.  “The opening of this unit is a significant milestone in our commitment to improving ...
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    6 days ago
  • Minor variations no longer major problem

    It is now easier to make small changes to building plans without having to apply for a building consent amendment, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Previously builders who wanted to make a minor change, for example substituting one type of product for another, or changing the layout of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New diplomatic appointments

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced seven diplomatic appointments.   “Protecting and advancing New Zealand’s interests abroad is an extremely important role for our diplomats,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to announce the appointment of seven senior diplomats to these overseas missions.”   The appointments are:   Andrew ...
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    6 days ago
  • SuperGold Information Hub live

    The first iteration of the SuperGold Information Hub is now on-line, Minister for Seniors Casey Costello announced today. “The SuperGold Hub is an online portal offering up-to-date information on all of the offers available to SuperGold cardholders. “We know the SuperGold card is valued, and most people know its use ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • New fund to clean up old landfill and dump sites

    A new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund will help councils and landowners clean up historic landfills and other contaminated sites that are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.  "This $30 million fund, part of our Q4 Action Plan, increases the Government’s investment in ...
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    6 days ago
  • Increased medicines access welcomed following budget boost

    Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...
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    6 days ago
  • Foreign Minister completes successful week of international engagements

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia.   “Our visit to New York was about demonstrating New Zealand’s unwavering support for an international system based on rules and respect for the UN Charter, as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Final 2024 Action Plan focused on infrastructure

    The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “My Government has been working at pace to get the country back on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3

    New Zealanders will be safer as a result of the Government’s crackdown on crime which includes tougher laws for offenders and gangs delivered as part of the Quarter Three (Q3) Action Plan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “I’m proud to say we have delivered on 39 of the 40 actions ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership boosting vineyard productivity

    The Government is backing a new world-leading programme set to boost vineyard productivity and inject an additional $295 million into New Zealand’s economy by 2045, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today announced. The Next Generation Viticulture programme will transform traditional vineyard systems, increasing profitability by $22,060 per hectare by 2045 without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Strong support for NZ minerals strategy

    Over 90 per cent of submissions have expressed broad support for a New Zealand minerals strategy, indicating a strong appetite for a considered, enduring approach to minerals development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  A summary of the 102 submissions on the draft strategy has been published today by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Snapper catch limits up, orange roughy down

    Catch limits for several fisheries will be increased following a review that shows stocks of those species are healthy and abundant. The changes are being made as part of Fisheries New Zealand’s biannual sustainability review, which considers catch limits and management settings across New Zealand’s fisheries. “Scientific evidence and information ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Reforming the building consent system

    The Government is investigating options for a major reform of the building consent system to improve efficiency and consistency across New Zealand, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.   “New Zealand has some of the least affordable housing in the world, which has dire social and economic implications. At the heart ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Cost-benefit analysis for potential third medical school completed

    The Government has announced that an initial cost-benefit analysis of establishing a third medical school based at the University of Waikato has been completed and has been found to provide confidence for the project to progress to the next stage. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti says the proposal will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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