Open mike 05/05/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 5th, 2019 - 113 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step up to the mike …

113 comments on “Open mike 05/05/2019 ”

  1. WeTheBleeple 1

    Damien Grant coming across as a patronising dipshit. Claims Greta Thunberg is too young to understand science. This autistic girl doesn't know – lol! I reckon she knows more science than Damien ever will.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/112369771/for-the-sake-of-the-planet-lets-not-put-teen-climate-activist-greta-thunberg-on-a-pedestal

    This gem: "We're not immune down here in Godzone. One of our leading climate experts is well known scientist Lucy Lawless, who was reduced by global warming to wearing not much more than a metal breast plate and leather skirt."

    He thinks it will distract from the real issue… which I believe is climate change.

    That;s right, women and children are a mere distraction to this twat. Men should be doing the mens work.

    What a prick.

    Just looked at his other article titles. What a completely vile prick.

  2. CHCoff 2

    Rumpty Dumpty

    In contrast, the Liberal Democrats, who lost heavily in 2015, were buoyant, with deputy leader Jo Swinson predicting three-figure gains.
    “Out and about across the country, the mood has been positive. If we can get into the triple figures of gains that would be a really, really good night,” she said.

    https://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/national/17615360.tories-heading-for-a-really-tough-night-in-local-council-polls/

    " The party with the biggest surge was the centrist, pro-EU Liberal Democrats, which gained almost 700 council seats to more than double its total. "

    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190504/p2g/00m/0in/024000c

    https://www.dw.com/uk/%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D1%96-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8-%D0%B2%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%BE-1300-%D0%BC%D1%96%D1%81%D1%86%D1%8C-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BC%D1%96%D1%81%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%85-%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%85/a-48599712

    May and Corbyn say big losses mean voters want them to deliver Brexit deal together

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/may-and-corbyn-say-big-losses-mean-voters-want-them-to-deliver-brexit-deal-together-1.3880444

    • Andre 2.1

      All the commentary seems to be about the gains and losses. None of it seems to be about what the actual results are. Let's look at them:

      Cons 3210

      Labour 1887

      Lib Dems 1157

      Greens 208

      UKIP 30

      Other 1008

      Despite all the breathless hype about how many seats the Cons have lost, it looks to me like they've still got a near stranglehold on UK local politics. Or do numbers somehow work differently in the UK?

      • The Al1en 2.1.1

        calculating how Thursday's vote would translate across Britain, the projection of the national vote share puts Labour and the Conservatives both on 28%. Lib dems on 19% and others on 25%

        And Baldrick's had enough of Corbyn's labour.

        "Sir Tony Robinson quits Labour over Brexit and leadership"

        “I’ve left the Labour Party after nearly 45 years of service at Branch, Constituency and NEC levels,partly because of it’s continued duplicity on Brexit, partly because of it’s antisemitism, but also because its leadership is complete shit.”

        https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-48152475

      • CHCoff 2.1.2

        Regards those numbers alone Andre

        As a broad guage they would show more are against the Cons as for, as far as proportionality of outcomed seats go, which is probably of itself again for the Cons, of even greater reflection of against than for in proportion of votes. Again as a guess, of what would be very traditional voting patterns, & 4 + decades of strident neo-liberalism form of free marketisms, showing perhaps a significant fracturing in the foundation of establishment.

        Then there is the current circumstances, which also seem to have alot of incontinuity in various ways. Too many more own goals and things could start to really unravel perhaps – i don’t know.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 2.1.3

        Looking at (the number of) councils controlled [excluding Residents’ Association (2) and Independents (2)]:

        93 Tory councils (-44)
        60 Labour councils (-6)
        18 Lib Dem councils (+10)
        73 councils with no overall control (+37).

        Before these elections, Tory-controlled councils outnumbered Labour-controlled councils by more than 2-to-1, and Tories controlled ~55% of all councils. They now control ~38% of all councils, so the Tory 'stranglehold' on UK local politics is not what it was.

        • jpwood 2.1.3.1

          And of course not all council's are equal. The Conservatives do well in the large number of rural TA's with low population.

      • lurgee 2.1.4

        Despite all the breathless hype about how many seats the Cons have lost, it looks to me like they've still got a near stranglehold on UK local politics. Or do numbers somehow work differently in the UK?

        Numbers don't but keep in mind that only a selection of council seats are being voted on. There is a vote every year, with seats in different areas up for grabs.

        The seats being contested this year were in areas where the Conservatives are traditionally strong.

        Also, the huge swings you see in local body elections mean the picture changes rapidly. I'm pretty sure a few years back the Lib Dems were bragging about being 'the party of local government.' Now they are just a fringe group which is viewed as a safe protest vote.

  3. cleangreen 3

    CHCoff. Yes I read that to, so the voter doesn't like 'diddy-dallying around' for sure.

    So perhaps our NZ Labour coalition needs to take stock now here in NZ for their upcoming election next year.smiley

  4. James 4

    Hope those on here who shoot had a good start to game season.

    Stay safe and have fun.

    Tasty duck for dinner.

    • cleangreen 4.1

      Oh dear James did you get the cranberry sauce for it?

    • WeTheBleeple 4.2

      Yeah my Bro will be out there. Stay safe for sure.

      He loves a feed of duck goes and buys it off season. I think his wife merely endures it. cheeky

      • Andre 4.2.1

        If I ever fell off a ladder and hit my head really hard and developed a hankering for duck, I'd just wander up the road and grab one from the traffic-hazard horde of them outside the crazy duck lady's place.

        • One Two 4.2.1.1

          Why is she "crazy duck lady" ?

          • Andre 4.2.1.1.1

            Well, there was the time I was going down the hill well below the speed limit with a lot of my attention on the dude trying to back a trailer into a driveway further up the road, and she suddenly marches out into the middle of the lane from behind a bush to shake a road-kill duck at me. It was too close to stop for her, even if I hadn't had a moderately heavy trailer on, I had to swerve around her. Just as well nobody was coming the other way.

            • Ad 4.2.1.1.1.1

              They're worse than the village chickens.

              • Andre

                Yeah, at least the chickens just settle down and roost after dark. But the ducks will do a last-second suicide run right in front of you. Or even indulge in a session of duck gang-rape round and round in the middle of the road.

                • Ad

                  There's still time to get to the community weeding on that Paturoa Road trail this afternoon.

    • mauī 4.3

      Yes, we have had our first of the season too. A most enjoyable dinner feast which carried on till supper where we sucked the marrow out of the bones. My kids loved cracking the wishbone this morning as well. Wifey will boil what's left of the pathetic carcass after lunch, and then it will be buried to fertilise our new apple tree. We've advised our youngest to visit that spot for his morning tinkle for an added nutrient boost.

      Poor old Jimmy was our oldest cock and basically good for nothing in the end so it was almost a celebration last night seeing him go. Cock a hoop we were!

    • adam the dim 4.4

      Is it because ducks have bigger dicks than the hunters, that they have to have a season?

  5. dv 5

    I note that The herald has an article about the mosque killer, with his name in the headline.

    How very sensitive!!! At least you have to pay to read it.

  6. Ankerrawshark 6

    So pissed off with the herald re naming the white supremicist murderer. Strengthens my resolve not to give them money. Actually the only thing that has really tempted me has been Steve braunias secret diary, which I love. I have started reading a few articles then paywall notification comes up. So I click off and actually it’s a good feeling. Like I ve avoided some harmful drug. Sad to loose Braunias, but will go to utube and watch other comedy

    • James 6.1

      Newsroom name him as well and give really good reasons for it – they will name him right they the trial.

    • greywarshark 6.2

      Radionz did a piece on Media Report this morning about the NZ Herald paywall. Some things that I noticed. Their spokesperson says they intend to have a wide range of opinions. That having Hosking on one side, and Simon Wilson on the same subject with a different view is regarded as good journalism. When questioned – 'Isn't that merely columnists arguing with each other' or something similar; apparently that's okay.

      Another thing we should all take in, the NZ Herald is not an “organ of record”. It is not the job of newspapers/media today to be an “organ of record”. (So those who call it fish'n'chips wrap are right on).

      https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018693163/tapping-the-readers-for-revenue

  7. One Two 7

    How the FDA manipulates the media

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been arm-twisting journalists into relinquishing their reportorial independence, our investigation reveals. Other institutions are following suit:

    “It has been brought to our attention that there has already been a break in the embargo…. Third-party outreach of any kind was and is not permitted for this announcement. Everyone who participated agreed to this,” she wrote.

    “Moving forward, we will no longer consider embargoed briefings for news media if reporters are not willing to abide by the terms an embargo…. We take this matter very seriously, and as a consequence any individuals who violated the embargo will be excluded from future embargoed briefings with the agency.”

    Violate the rules, even in spirit, and you'll be left out in the cold with the rest.

  8. cleangreen 8

    URGENT We are this morning getting scammers trying to get us to link to a phony xtra email account to upgrade our outlook mail server, and the email address comes from a account on a gmail server jmkattah1 at gmail.com so why did tis scammer think we would fall for a scammer using another server other than the xtra email server?

    Beware folks dont’ fall for this sealing of our date for them to profit from. at a phony account named support at xtra.co.nz

    [lprent: removed email addresses ]

  9. Ad 9

    I'm looking forward to Trump, Bolton and Pompeo explaining the purpose of U.S. foreign policy in South America.

    Venezuela is looking like another win for Russia and a straight loss for the United States. Putin sees the crisis in Venezuela as another opportunity just as Syria was: it can portray itself as a force to be reckoned with, a force capable of keeping U.S. power in check.

    Russia is in this decade consistently confronting the U.S., wherever it can be done, at a reasonable cost. It's grounded in Putin's idea of a new world in which the U.S. doesn't have the freedom to overthrow regimes anymore, because Russia is there to stop it. Russia has strong and deep roots to defend in Venezuela both commercially and militarily.

    Undermining Washington's stated agenda in Venezuela is also a great moment to retaliate for the 2014 revolution in Ukraine. That brought a U.S.-aligned government to power right next to Russia. Now Russia gets to return the favour. Although Venezuela is not as close, it's still filled to the brim with accessible oil.

    I have zero sympathy with President Trump's foreign policy, because it is incoherent, without purpose, and not in our interests. But I also have no sympathy for Putin either, and these games bear a remarkable similarity to those I grew up with in the 1970s.

    Come on Bolton and Pompeo, tell us all what you wanted again when you took the job.

    • RedLogix 9.1

      I have zero sympathy with President Trump's foreign policy, because it is incoherent, without purpose, and not in our interests. But I also have no sympathy for Putin either, and these games bear a remarkable similarity to those I grew up with in the 1970s.

      Absolutely. As every year passes the need to escape these hegemony games becomes more desperate. It's easy and lazy to play outrage games, anyone can point fingers and screech. Much harder to step back and ask yourself the question 'what is the path forward?'

      We are right on the brink, authoritarian regimes gaining dominance, new generation military technologies upsetting the old balance of power, and a complete loss of both moral authority and credibility in the west. Not to mention climate change, environmental breakdown, trade wars and unstable mass migrations. These are all global problems that can only be solved by action at a global scale, with a global mandate.

      We are at the end of the second major phase of globalisation, the first ended with WW1&2, the second might easily be an order of magnitude or more worse. We are at the point where the nations of the earth have to consider the catastrophic consequences of failing to act in the universal interests of all humanity.

    • Andre 9.2

      It could be as simple as an electoral survival strategy for Dolt45 2020. Foreign wars almost always cause American voters to rally around the sitting president.

      The world can only hope the US electorate has learned from the debacle of fabricated reasons for the Iraq war and subsequent disaster.

      • joe90 9.2.1

        Or tRump parroting the last person he spoke to.

        WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump contradicted his own top advisers Friday by suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin was not meddling in Venezuela.

        "He is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela, other than he’d like to see something positive happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday. "I feel the same way."

        His remarks came just days after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Russia of propping up the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is in the midst of a political showdown with opposition leader Juan Guaido. The Trump administration has pushed hard to oust Maduro in favor of Guaido, calling Guaido the legitimate leader of Venezuela.

        https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/05/03/donald-trump-putin-not-meddling-venezuela-contradicts-pompeo-bolton/1090693001/

        • Andre 9.2.1.1

          Well, yeah, in a lot of ways it might be better if Pootee really is pulling the strings on this one. It might save the Venezuelan people the agony of a proxy war that Bolton and Pompeo would probably happily unleash on them.

          • Macro 9.2.1.1.1

            I'm convinced that the chump hasn't a clue what he is doing. He will parrot the last thing he heard, and that is the current position on what ever until his next utterance. I gather he spends most of his "executive" time (which is considerable ) either watching faux news and tweeting, or trying to think up slur nick names for democrats. As for foreign policy…. whatever is good for Donald, has to be good for America (ie if there isn't a buck in it for Donald – then he is not interested) – and that's about it .

      • Ad 9.2.2

        I get mild waves of dark hope when I see President Trump's consistently low polling with the economy going absolutely gangbusters. I know that this economy-v-popularity shearing-away has been occurring under Obama as well.

        Most mainstream media are deeply skeptical of Trump as well, which accentuates the trend.

        So I'm far less sure that this Commander In Chief would get a big poll bump from an invasion or war (even though I still have a reflexive Avengers-style impulse for Someone To Fix It).

        • Andre 9.2.2.1

          I'm kinda hopeful the US public wouldn't get sucked in by fabricated justification for war in Venezuela. There hasn't been anywhere near the decades of demonisation there was towards Iraq, nor a recent deep national trauma to leverage off of. On the other hand, Bolton and Pompeo may just think they could swing it.

          As far as media skepticism goes, it doesn't go anywhere near far enough. It needs to start right at the headline, because that's the only part of a story many people read. Usually the headline repeats the Liar-in-Chief's latest bs and doesn't get to the facts until deeper in the story. That's helping perpetuate the sea of misinformation we're getting drowned in. Instead the headline needs to start something like "Trump falsely claims …" or "Trump lies about …"

          https://thinkprogress.org/donald-trump-headlines-lies-media-matters-study-a279ff0fcca2/

        • Macro 9.2.2.2

          There is a growing resistance movement in the US following the 2016 election and it hasn't gone away. It is being led by women who realise that under this current administration many of their rights are being whittled away. Abortion is one such topic, but their are many more including health. I saw a recent in depth analysis of the 2018 mid terms* where there was a huge increase in voter turn out over previous mid terms, and leading that turn out were women. Black women in particular almost solidly voted democrat. Even amongst married women there was a swing to Democrat over Repugnant – indicating that many married women were no longer voting in deference to their husbands. There are now numerous online communities dedicated to encouraging increased activism towards more progressive policies called The Action Alliance:

          here is a list:

          https://talk.whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/t/the-action-alliance-resources-for-the-resistance/4513

          * I'm sorry I can no longer find the link but if and when I do I'll post it.

          • Macro 9.2.2.2.1

            As an example – here is just some of the action:

            WASHINGTON — Former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards is starting a new women’s political action group, partnering with Planned Parenthood and other advocacy organizations to continue the legacy she began during her time there.

            Richards is cofounding the group, called Supermajority, with Alicia Garza, a cofounder of Black Lives Matter, and Ai-jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. They will officially launch the new organization Monday morning.

            The plan for Supermajority is to partner their organizations, among others, to teach 2 million women how to be political activists. The group will emphasize the intersection of issues affecting different racial and socioeconomic groups in the US, Richards and Poo told BuzzFeed News Saturday. In collaboration with its separate education division, Supermajority will train women on how to participate in politics and activism in their communities, both online and on the ground.

            One of the main goals of the group is to create a “women’s New Deal for gender equality,” the cofounders said, an agenda that their members can push candidates and legislators to adopt. The group will also focus heavily on mobilizing voters during the 2020 primary and general elections, Richards said, but she added that it was too early to say whether the group would endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary for president.

            https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emaoconnor/cecile-richards-alicia-garza-supermajority-activist-group

            • Macro 9.2.2.2.1.1

              And from She The People

              Eight Democratic presidential candidates faced the same basic question today in Houston: Why should women of color vote for them?

              The first-ever She The People Presidential Forum — organized by and centered on questions from women of color — served as a repeated reminder of the key role that minority women play in Democratic politics.

              "Women of color voters in this country are 20 million strong. Our votes matter," Democratic operative Leah Daughtry warned the candidates. "You put us last on your list; we put you last on our list."

              "Remember: We're a powerful voting block," She The People founder Aimee Allison said at the beginning of the event.

              "Our hope is to advance a national conversation to help voters distinguish which candidates stand with and stand for women of color in our communities. And let me tell you something: The candidate that does that best and most consistently will win the nomination and the White House in 2020."

              The questions put forward to California Sen. Kamala Harris, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro and others made it clear that many women of color may not be won over by campaigns tailoring their message toward moderate and independent white voters in swing states. Topics included abortion rights, gentrification, voter suppression, transgender rights, racial disparities in criminal sentencing and police shootings of unarmed black men, among others.

              New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker repeated his pledge to choose a woman as a running mate, should he become the Democratic nominee.

              https://www.npr.org/2019/04/24/716861455/democratic-candidates-pressed-on-priorities-by-women-of-color

    • Wayne 9.3

      The Maduro regime will not survive. It may not go now, but it will fall over within a year or two.

      Venezuela is not going to become another Cuba. Within a reasonably foreseeable time the standard rules of democratic politics will prevail. And a more normal market economy will be re-established.

      So if you view this as a East/West contest, then the East will soon lose. Russia will be unable to seriously support the Maduro regime. As soon as a significant part of the armed forces decides to step back, then its all over for Maduro. Probably some sort of negotiated departure for key regime figures.

      So Russia needs to be careful. If it wants a reasonable level of future influence in South America, they won't fully back Maduro. They may see him as too much of a lost cause.

      • Ad 9.3.1

        I view it primarily as a ruined country brought on by a resource curse paired with populist socialism, who have chosen wrong and narrow international partners.

        The closest to a reasonable transition out of militarily managed chaos I've seen in my lifetime is South Africa. And even that is no triumph. There are other small successes, but nothing of this size.

        Since 1952, those wars with direct United States military or heavy CIA involvement tend to leave the locals far, far worse off: Vietnam, Nicaragua, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, etc.

        It's getting very close to elements of the Iranian 1979 revolution, because the Russian oligarchy will be asking: will the Rosneft oil contracts survive Maduro?

        • KJT 9.3.1.1

          A ruined country bought on by deliberate US economic warfare, destabilisation and sanctions.

          The most competent Government, which Maduro's probably isn't, would struggle with the weight of economic power the USA has bought against them.

          However, if incompetence was the grounds for toppling an elected Government, the USA, would be first in line. For both incompetence and corruption.

      • KJT 9.3.2

        "standard rules of democratic politics will prevail".

        The standard rules for South America, don't you mean?

        Where a democratically elected, mildly socialist Government, (the amount the Chavistas used for income redistribution, was about the same as those well known communists, the NZ National party) is violently replaced by US backed, Fascist Dictators?

        • Psycho Milt 9.3.2.1

          Pretty much. Whenever any on the right use the terms democracy, freedom or liberty with reference to a Latin American country, they mean right-wing authoritarian nationalism, and not the relatively mild dose the US is suffering from either.

  10. Cinny 10

    Crikey, there's a very interesting discussion on radio live between Jenny Marcroft and jlr.

    Apparently paula is flat out actively campaigning for leadership behind the scenes…..but she'd never admit it….

    Here's the link discussion to finish at 1pm. They do an hour of politics with different guests every Sunday from noon.

    https://www.magic.co.nz/home.player.talk.html

  11. Andre 11

    How viruses can become our friends: too much of our research and development has gone towards straight chemical answers to biological problems. But we're starting to see more efforts towards subtler responses, such as helping our own immune systems fight problems with immunotherapy drugs like Keytruda to fight cancer. Then there's also the largely unexplored world of using tailored viruses to fight bacterial infections. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance may be a useful kickstart to opening up that field.

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-my-husband-became-a-poster-child-of-the-post-antibiotic-superbug-era?ref=home

    When we're facing a widespread problem caused by an introduced micro-organism, I reckon there's a good chance we'll find fighting it with a tailored or even engineered virus may be the most effective response. Kauri dieback strikes me as an example close to home outside of human medicine.

  12. Andre 12

    Agent Drumpfov doesn't even feel the need to hide it anymore. Nowadays he's openly spending hours on the phone with Pootee, with no record anywhere of what was said.

    https://thinkprogress.org/trump-boasts-about-his-great-relationship-with-putin-after-their-latest-private-chat-d271937cfb8b/

    • RedLogix 12.1

      Better they talk than the alternatives …

      • Andre 12.1.1

        Well, it would be if we had any reason at all to think the nepotistic narcissist placed any value whatsoever on anything other than his direct personal interest.

    • RedLogix 12.2

      Better they talk than the alternatives …

    • joe90 12.3

      Well, someone had to brief the Russian president about the Mueller Report.

      • adam 12.3.1

        M:R, how that working out for ya?

        • McFlock 12.3.1.1

          better than initially "not summarised"

        • Grant 12.3.1.2

          Madam I’m Adam. Exemplar of the Christian virtues. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: "charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity."

        • joe90 12.3.1.3

          tRump's desperation in wanting to prevent Mueller and McGahn from testifying is a pretty good indication of how it's working out.

          • adam 12.3.1.3.1

            I'm not the one who ignored the biggest transfer of wealth in history.

            I just did not buy into a crazy loony conspiracy theory about Russia.

  13. greywarshark 14

    Why I think we have to keep practicality and kindness in our thinking.

    left-hand palm wrote a post in 2010.

    http://lefthandpalm.blogspot.com/2010/02/most-depressing-story-i-have-ever-read.html

    The most depressing story I have ever read.

    This was part of it, after it referred to some more modern and equally sobering cases.

    Michael Hammond and his sister, Ann, whose ages were given as 7 and 11, were reportedly hanged at King's Lynn on Wednesday, 28 September 1708 for theft. The local press did not, however, consider the executions of two children newsworthy. (3)

    One of these grisly little footnotes of British barbarity that shows that our 12 year old tearaway is not without antecedents; and that, for all that they might satisfy those with a taste for the mortification of young flesh and the trauma of young minds, harsh penalties do not, infact, deter people who are desperate enough.

  14. Morrissey 15

    The New York Times fails to do its job, yet again.

    https://twitter.com/Joannahausmann/status/1112800714252865536

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  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    9 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    12 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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