Mermaids – the significantly influential transgender childrens' charity in the UK is being challenged on demonstrably inadequate safeguarding processes, and its direction towards medical interventions, even as they testify in court that they don't offer medical advice.
(To indicate the reach, Susie Green (CEO) was part of the group writing the recently released WPATH Standards of Care, which removed minimum ages for medical interventions.)
This scrutiny was in part increased bytheir decision to take the Charity Commission to court for granting charity status to the UK's LGB Alliance.
Many have raised concerns about Mermaids over the years, and been ignored by those who do not see problems by the simple expedient method of refusing to look.
It is hard to give those who held positions of influence and responsibility any leeway for their intentional blindness. We have the same visual impairment here in NZ.
If you want a peep at the succession of revelations regarding Mermaids, they are easily found, and will no doubt be added to. Go look if the wellbeing of children is a matter of interest to you.
For now, Dennis Kavanaugh releases some of his disdain:
…Just as children have been used as validation objects for those who would never have surgery. Just as children have been used as a tactical wedge in the creation of this seasons must-have, the mythical and fashionable “trans kid”. Gender is the engine and children have been flung into its gears with abandon for years now.
…
That is not in my nature and I ask people to reflect on the magnitude of what we are witnessing here. Society has been under a wicked spell for years. Mediocre little bureaucrats who organise genders and sexuality into 100 boring flags and identities pursued a campaign to allocate children to such categories and were prepared to countenance surgical correction if the child didn’t fit. These were in the main gay children, autistic children, children leaving or in care. Above all they were children.
I can find no excuse or accommodation with those who cheered this on. This is the single most obvious medical scandal in human history. An open air live experiment where the gender brog were contemporaneously told in detail exactly what was wrong. These serious and heartfelt objections were met with the tactics of the Stasi or Gestapo. By cancellations. By character assassinations. Dr. David Bell. Sonia Appleby. Transgender trend. The LGB Alliance. All castigated, marginalised, forced to court by a vicious monster which believed itself to be beyond and above question or scrutiny.
"children have been used as validation objects for those who would never have surgery"
"society has been under a wicked spell for years"
"I find no excuse or accommodation with those who cheered this on". Labour MPs at the select committees (and Jan Tineti) who on current polling look set to loose their seats (unfortunately this will not be the case for Deborah Russell)
If you want good deep analysis of what New Zealand does really well and what we value, check out this literature review from Feb this year from MBIE's research unit.
Covers long trends, strengths in depth, institutional kinds of strength.
At 61 pages it's one of the most hopeful and considered pieces on New Zealand's potential outside of the Productivity Commission papers.
Happy weekend reading to all the nerds.
Tears of rage and demands to kill any Western leaders supporting Ukraine.
As well as advocating capital punishment for Russian troops who retreat or surrender.
How Russian state media responds to Russian military setbacks in Ukraine.
……Prominent experts routinely featured on Kremlin-controlled state television roundly reject the mere idea of negotiations, and none of them dare suggest Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine in order to end the war. Instead, they’re doubling down—and proposing to kill leading Westerners in charge of helping Ukraine defend itself from the Russian invasion…..
….Satanovsky, who serves as the president of Russia’s Institute of the Middle East after heading the Russian Jewish Congress, replied: “Russia is what it is, in terms of a nation. We’ll continue to be the way we are. Those who are with us will be fine and the rest we will kill…
…..
Andrey Sidorov, deputy dean of world politics at Moscow State University, wholeheartedly agreed, noting that in light of Russia’s recent annexations, the war is now happening on what they consider to be a territory of the Russian Federation. Sidorov stressed: “Now these are our defeats, we’re fighting on our land. Why should we show any mercy to those who are directing this war?”
Humiliating failures on the battlefield are indeed at the core of Russia’s desperate attempts to redirect rage at NATO for helping Ukraine fight the invasion.
Appearing on the state TV program 60 Minutes on Tuesday, war correspondent Alexandr Sladkov nonchalantly admitted that Ukrainians have been able to retake 17 settlements—and counting. Sladkov also told a stunned host Olga Skabeeva that Russian forces are at least two months away from even attempting to advance, due to lack of manpower and the time it will take to train newly-mobilized reinforcements. train.
Devastated by the failing conquest in Ukraine, state TV host Vladimir Solovyov admitted he was in a foul mood and advocated the restoration of the death penalty, in order to execute those who dare to retreat, surrender or desert….
…..Appearing on the same show, TV host Boris Korchevnikov broke down in tears, accusing those who don’t want to die in Russia’s war of being “a zero, decay and garbage.” While the despondent propagandist wept live on-air, urging others to join the battle, he didn’t express any desire to do so himself.
Tears of rage and demands to kill any Western leaders supporting Ukraine.
As well as advocating capital punishment for Russian troops who retreat or surrender.
I'm inclined to agree. Russia would be better off “playing the nuclear card” than employing those policies. However Russia is a different country, with a different history, traditions and geography from ours. I believe you are being somewhat ethnocentric in judging her by our traditions.
WMDs Weapons of Mass Destruction are misnamed. They are weapons of mass murder, they are tools of genocide. No need to bother with cattle cars and concentration camps. Nuclear weapons can kill millions in less time with less effort.
The use of nuclear weapons is a war crime and an act of genocide. The Tokyo war crimes tribunal judges fell into disunity and acrimony over the refusal of the US prosecutors to bring charges against the US authorities for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Mikesh claims Russia would be better off to use nuclear weapons.
Mikesh personifying Russia as 'her', argues that a difference in 'traditions', is the reason for Russia's death threats against Western leaders, and nuclear weapons threats against Ukraine.
"…Russia would be better off “playing the nuclear card” than employing those policies. However Russia is a different country, with a different history, traditions and geography from ours. I believe you are being somewhat ethnocentric in judging her by our traditions." Mikesh
Assassination and nuclear threats are the result of different Russian traditions?
Give it a rest Mikesh.
Mikesh you might as well argue that the holocaust was a result of different German traditions.
Their leaders may be genocidal megalomaniacs but I don't think that the German people or the Russian people are that different to us, in that they consider genocide to be traditional to their history.
I reject Mikesh's accusation that I am being ethnocentric. I am being human centric. I judge Russia not be western values, but by human values.
“But the chief problem for Jacinda Ardern and her Government is that they’ve seemingly forgotten how to do politics.”
I agree with that. Whether its tiredness after a bruising few years, or whether they have become a little too complacent I don’t know. A mix of both?
But they do seem to have lost their way a bit and, imo, they are too gun-shy. Its time they seriously reconsidered the CGT – set up a nation-wide debating chamber if necessary to counter the politically motivated opposition. And they need to start showing a much greater commitment to Climate Change. These are two of the serious problems facing the country but there are plenty more.
Nice words and “kindness” are not – on their own – cutting it any more. More action on the front line is needed.
Nice words and “kindness” are not – on their own – cutting it any more.
I agree, and add nice speeches to this, whether here or overseas; they’re simply fodder for Google and YouTube and will be forgotten soon otherwise. Nobody remembers a nice person saying nice things, but they do remember nice acts, i.e., a nice gesture combined with nice words, as long as it is genuine. Unfortunately, though, many people have become hardened, cynical, and closed up; even genuinely good acts are perceived with distrust, and shoulder shrugs at best and with outright hostility and venom at worst.
… many people have become hardened, cynical, and closed up; even genuinely good acts are perceived with distrust, and shoulder shrugs at best and with outright hostility and venom at worst.
And the hostility and venom is winning the day. To be honest, I don't know how the government counters this phenomenon. Its typical right-wing style messaging made popular by Cameron Slater and co. and it works. When you have an MSM who seem to turn the other way and let them get away with it without proper appraisal then what can the government do about it?
Unfortunately for this Labour govt they are fighting on two fronts. On one front they are consumed in running the country through very volatile times, on the other front they are constantly having to defend themselves from aggressive opposition attacks under the guise of "being held to account" and a media that revels in point scoring gotcha politics.
Jacinda is going to have to start showing her warrior side more and wack off a few heads with her sword in the lead up to next years election. Doing that in her trade mark kindly style is the challenge.
Contrary to popular belief, the Government cannot and does not make rain nor sunshine. This is a mini-Zeitgeist, IMO, a state of (hive) mind of humankind, at least in the Western nations that are now experiencing stronger economic (and social!) headwinds – mirroring the changes in climate & weather patterns that show us that CC is as real as day & night and already happening right now. On a smaller and more local scale, even smug homeowners in NZ feeling ‘the pressure’ with falling house prices, increasing interest rates, and increased cost of living. I can go on, but you’ll get my drift – not the message that people want to hear and thus not the message MSM will tell.
Agree Anne. I expect exhaustion plays a role in this. I do have some sympathy for them as they have had to face so much.
But in my opinion another three years of this govt and things will only get worse. Society will be even more divided. And they are only tinkering re making significant change to address issues like inequality.
I am thinking more and more about voting TOP. Their tax policy makes sense to me.
Things to like the cost of living payment, a knee jerk one off reaction, look clumsy and vote grabbing and of course they ended up with egg on their face when money got paid out to NZders overseas.
The first leaders debate on tv at before the last US Presidential election. Their first statements, the line on what they were all about. At the beginning on the achievements of his term? Trump saw his prime achievement as the number of judges he'd appointed.
From the outset Biden talked about unifying the country.
How did that work out? Well, Trump got booted out, cried like a baby he and his supporters went crazy and said the resultant turmoil was down to Biden & Co creating division.
Here? Under National housing problems flourished, there was a veritable crisis they wouldn't call a crisis, there was instead a "Comprehensive Housing Plan and people were put up in motels. Labour got in, suddenly there was housing crisis and the only way it will be sorted is to have a National government.
"Trump saw his prime achievement as the number of judges he'd appointed."
Given the changes those supreme court justices have already made to the legal fabric of the US, and the fact that there will be a right-leaning supreme court for decades (based on the age of the current appointees) – he was not wrong.
Appointing the socially conservative justices to the supreme court was one of the most powerful long term actions he could make.
Laws can be changed. Judges remain until they die.
I am not sure the US is anymore United under Biden, but I am open to others views on this.
Re Luxon, do people really imagine he would incite people to storm parliament a la 06/01, He had his chance in February and yet he would not even meet with parliament protestors.
I suspect many people who are on this site and do not visit other sites eg The Daily Blog have no idea how angry people (including those on the left) are about a raft of Govt policies including Three Waters, Co-Governance, Mandates, welfare policies (lack of them) housing and many more.
Agreed – Luxon is wrong, cynical, backward-looking, acharismatic and otherwise worse than useless. But he is not a corrupt demagogue that would cheerfully incite an insurrection to retain power – at least thus far.
Problem with voting tax policy of TOP is your basically voting for their major coalition partners actual tax policy (if your vote counts). I doubt TOP would refuse coalition based even on a minimum progressive change in income tax. IMO National will wangle an increase in GST to go along with their top tax rate giveaways, and blame TOP for negotiating "fiscal neutral" and then the media will basically cover over this regressive tax policy even though its adding insult to injury in policy terms. Its a question for TOP which phrase holds more weight, fiscally neutral or progressive.
Nic TOP have previously said they would sit on the cross benchers. they may of course havechanged their position. That is one of the things I will be waiting to hear about. But I do take your point that a vote for TOP could be a vote for either National or Labours tax policy
Your comments about National and GST are purely speculative. Of course its fine to speculate, but not the strongest arguement.
(1) Cost of living + (2) Covid shine suddenly fading (putting spotlight back on Govt’s core weaknesses/failures) + (3) Woke excesses/extremism [esp the attacks (largely by stealth until forced into the open) on the fundamentals of liberal democracy] + (4) Law/order.
I think this is an example of forgetting how to do politics. Right now the govt has introduced an effective CGT with the 10 year bright-line test. In fact they have done it so stealthily that a large number of CGT advocates didn't notice and keep calling for a CGT to be implemented.
You will note that TOPs recent land tax policy position talks about replacing the bright-line test. Key described the bright-line test as being a CGT (though his govt kept it at 2 years). Robertson has alluded to this being a CGT in effect. Insiders know that this is another name for the same thing.
I'm fine with the CGT policy BTW, however I believe the interest deduction changes were far more significant in discouraging property speculation as a savings vehicle behavior. I just don't think there is a significant difference with the bright-line test and don't see the name of the policy as an important political battle to be had.
Why don't Labour shoot out the campaigns of the Nats and Act by initiating their own tax rate levels review?
If they did this and either left the high rates untouched or increased them it leaves the Nacts only able to advance an argument for the moving, lowering, the tax rates on the higher salary levels. Somehow I think if the lower salary levels are looked after people are able to resist any policy changes giving windfall gains such as an extra $18,000 to those on the same salary levels as Luxon
Changing tax brackets doesn't take into account the fact that in an inflationary situation monies paid to the government by way of taxation are worth less, in real terms, than before. If the rate of inflation is zero a progressive tax system works exactly as it is meant to work, so there would be no need to alter thresholds.
Note to moderator: I have now amended the username on my browser and re-submitted the comment. I apologize for the mistake. Would you please delete my previous comment(s).
Because they cannot see that, they the government are part of the cause and contributing to the cost of Living crisis. Everyone earning over $14,000 are paying more % in tax and as a consequence having less to cover the essentials. And when Labour previously noticed the consequences, our then Finance Minister went all nasty and cancelled his adjustments to the tax brackets.
Wasn't that the "block of cheese" taunt by National that caused him to do that? In effect they were arguing that bacause inflation had been small then doing the corresponding small increments for lower tax brackets were too small to be bothered with.
In the end National gave massive tax cuts to the affluent and a even smaller pittance to anyone whose income was mostly in lower tax brackets – ans who were more affected by inflation.
The touted increases in productivity from tax cuts for the affluent never happened because it was either spent in taking money offshore for holidays or speculating in propery prices.
So what about the taunt. The Clarke government were so miserable that they then allowed their emotions to takeaway $$ from needy deserving families. Find any excuse to distract away from the issue. Its was Nationals fault what a f#$%en pathetic excuse, Labour DON'T take ownership of THEIR actions – and it is still having an effect.
And I din't even comment on the GST effect that has meant more tax take and increasing what families are STILL suffer. Labour IS accountable in part for this Cost of Living crisis, and our Min of Finance tells us how good the govt books are,pity he cannot or does not want to see who is paying the cost for his moment on the pedistool !!!
According to Maslow people are not much motivated by money once they reach a certain level of income, so tax cuts would not probably not motivate the wealthy to greater efforts. Greater productivity is more likely to come from more investment and/or lower interest rates.
I cant understand why at a time of severe destitution and crippling cost of living pressures Robertson wants to concentrate on a surplus.
" "Our priority … is investing in public services and investing in infrastructure and supporting New Zealanders by getting ourselves back to surplus "
Well that has been their approach but its clearly not enough and it seems the polls are reflecting this.
He is right by attacking Aloha Air Luxon's top tax rate cut which seems the Nasty Natz answer to everything wrong in the economy. Give the struggling rich more of their money back.
We live in a country that is susceptible to shocks.
Earthquakes, storms, floods, imported terrorism, imported inflation, imported disease, external trade risks, aging population, warfare, trade disruptions and any number of other issues.
Each of these risks could cause widespread disruption and massive increases in destitution if not handled. Things like tent cities in ChCh fro decades after an earthquake, insane Aussie racists on vacation shoots, massively high plague jobless or death rates, or Nationals timid GFC response throwing people out of work and a 6 year recession etc.
These are handled by a mixture of stored funds like EQC or the Cullen Fund, or by the government having the capacity to borrow because they have kept dropping debt levels after previous unpredictable expenses.
So which of these many prudent measures to prevent really massive destitution from disasters are you going to cut now? So that you can provide to provide support for a much much smaller population of people who are destitute now.
Bear in mind the significant resources are already made towards limiting destitution already. Things that have immediate or indirect reductions of potential destitution like superannuation, schooling, health or housing support payments, flooding defences, roading and transport (as that reduces delivery markups on goods in remote areas) etc etc. If you ever total these up you will find that they account for the vast majority of the government budget.
I look forward reading your unplanned and incoherent magic money response that I anticipate getting. I love tearing idiotic ideas apart.
Before you go tearing, can you explain why getting a govt surplus is a legitimate policy goal. Your argument should address the facts that,
1) the sum of balances of payments internationally is zero.
2) a negative balance of payments reduces NZs GDP.
3) a govt surplus reduces NZs GDP, (a govt deficit increases it).
4) in the absence of a balance of payments surpluses or a govt deficit increases in GDP ride entirely on non-govt debt increases or decreasing non-govt savings.
My actual claim for a valid policy goal is not some fiscal balance. Instead the govt should basically target full employment with its levels of spending and this means replacing any income which goes overseas via the balance of payments deficit, typically.
Criticism of Labour exactly measures NZers immature propensity to criticise any of our sports teams if they are not constantly winning or at the top of the world ranking. FFs look at the numbers, they don't lie. The RBNZs numbers yesterday have us at the top of the world rankings in employment, growth, debt ratio, ad infinitum. No other country is doing anywhere as well at the moment. The so-called weakness in the dollar is caused by the FAILURE of other countries having to raise their interest rates a lot higher than ours, thus leading to a movement of money to those currencys.
Why don't Labour do this? or that ?, because frankly the constant whingers could not do it themselves and no doubt can do bugger all except fucking complain.
If you think Nats could do better, what do you think the minimum wage would be now ? Not within a bulls roar of what it is that’s for sure, how many of your friends dead from Covid, how many more people living in cars than in 2016, now housing prices are falling because we now have almost too many houses.
Criticism of Labour exactly measures NZers immature propensity to criticise any of our sports teams if they are not constantly winning or at the top of the world ranking.
GDP is the banker's scorecard – workers look at what remains after the bills are paid, that is if they can be paid. It's not hard to tell if one is going forwards or backwards – and no amount of neoliberal palaver will make a shortfall right.
If Government debt is high – tax cuts are required to liberate the entrepreneurial class to grow the economy, increase tax receipts and reduce Government debt. And this should be combined with Government spending cuts as an additional tool.
If Government debt is low, too much tax is being collected and tax cuts are required to return the money to the hardworking populace. And this should be combined with Government spending cuts as an additional tool.
The question that comes to mind – is there any possible set of economic conditions when this recipe is not the correct one? And if the answer is "no", how can it be anything other than an article of faith based on the conviction that the state must be shrunk?
In any case, in trying to appease these sophists, Labour is going down the dead end of the Third Way. They need to act. Cut GST to 12.5% and flag future similar decreases. Make the first $10k earned tax free and flag future raising of that threshold. Announce this next year when with luck, overseas-sourced inflation is retreating.
I think adjusting the thresholds is the correct thing to do, as is a tax free threshold. But given we are still running a pretty hefty deficit despite our largest ever tax take adjustment should be made at the top brackets to make these adjustments tax neutral or close to. The tax burden is now sitting far heavier on the lower paid than it should.
I agree with this Cricklewood. Surely tax rate adjustments can be made neutral if an increased take from those who are best able to afford it is not palatable.
Fiscally neutral means somebody pays more/earns less compensating for the other change in policy. If the other change is unpalatable your accepting a non-fiscally neutral policy change or also making other cuts or (as National did) raising GST.
A bit more tax for higher earners and lower rates for lower earners with the aim of ensuring that no more than is currently taken is taken but the mix changes.
I don't find it unpalatable that those who can pay more do pay more. They have more disposable income than those on lower incomes and have the means to make the extra work for them by investing if they so choose. This choice does not exist for income strapped people on lower incomes.
I am not envisaging anything like changes to GST etc, – as this impacts on those on lower incomes more harshly than on those on higher incomes.
I agree a more progressive change in PAYE would be an easily justified policy.
Note however the public response to a minor change to GST, and subsequent backdown. Unfortunately thats how politics works.
Only thing is the fiscally neutral part is completely irrelevant. Govt makes plenty of non fiscally neutral changes as needed anyway and it typically makes larger errors in its forecast (the budget) than entire spending programs.
There are plenty of reasonable policies which should be implemented without undue reverence to a budget estimation process, or negotiated politically in exchange for some tax policy (this process usually sees these projects canned).
criclewood, the TOP policy makes the most sense to me. tax land. it would be very difficult for people to dodge it. the only wat around it would be to sell it or use it more productively
I'm not sure on that proposal as yet, I've got a feeling it will come with a bunch of unintended consequences…
Definitely wont really do anything to discourage land bankers as it's not high enough to really effect them… personally I quite like the idea of a progressive tax or duty based on the number of properties someone or an entity owns.
If the Gummint dropped GST to 12.5 the same bloody grizzlers would complain that it had not been dropped enough!. Grow up, where do you think the money comes from for the hospitals and schools, all the social payments, and everything thing else that is demanded ?. So many people are financially illiterate it is staggering.
Its entirely possible for the govt to remove GST entirely with no other tax changes. The major effect of this would be a recorded increase in NZ GDP. We know this causes no issues with the NZ govt running short of money because all (virtually all) payments to/from the govt occur inside the RBNZ payments system to some domestic bank. In fact the resulting account balances never even leave the RBNZ banks computer system. The implication is that all the impacts of the GST policy are about what happens to the NZ economy as a result.
All the further impacts are forecast based. These include changes to nominal spending due to higher NZ income, changes to income tax receipts due to changes in nominal spending, changes in nominal saving and changes to inflation. But unless inflation fully compensates for the income increase, or the GST change is completely saved then NZs real GDP will increase as a result. Considering its a progressive tax change this would also improve income inequality.
Real economics has very little to do with this notion of financial literacy.
Is it time that some restrictions were imposed on departing Ministers?
I am sure that Kris Faafoi is not the only Minister to get into lobbying for pay, but if there ever is a time to require a delay surely it is when it is a Minister from the current Government . .
I have made some comments on the earlier thread and read the Kiwiblog but I am struggling to understand why this is so bad and what difference the amount of time makes…….
If lobbying is bad, then it is bad whether it occurs 3 hours, 3 days, 3 months or 3 years later.
Lobbyists have been with us since time immemorial. The key point about any lobbying is that there is sunshine about it. Faafoi has certainly publicised this.
But the time? Is it to do with insider knowledge? Huge hedging about using knowledge gained – as many MPs who have wanted to write autobiographies have found out to their cost. The reach from Govt to check & sometimes remove info gained in positions of power and if this should be shared is wide.
I would welcome some comment about WHY it is wrong to be a lobbyist rather than reiterating the ‘shock, horror, they shouldn’t be allowed’ point of view.
I think the basic answer is one of perception. Basically it's pretty easy to start throwing allegations of undue influence and worse around especially if someone steps straight from a ministerial into a lobbying role. Some of that mud sticks and does parliament itself a disservice.
Simply put the right are crying foul about Faafoi but the left would be doing the same if say Joyce had done the same halfway through his last term.
Having a gap of 12 months as other countries enforce helps in removing the perception of undue influence.
It's not being a lobbyist, in itself, which is ethically dubious (that's another debate)
Someone who has just resigned as a cabinet minister from the government still in power, has unprecedented knowledge of non-public material, due to his previous role.
He knows what was discussed around the cabinet table, what the government priorities are, where the potential weak points are to pry open on behalf of his clients.
Any ex MP has *some* degree of knowledge (just knowing who are the power brokers in the various ministries is highly valuable – and it's not always based on the organizational structure). But the knowledge that a just-retired cabinet minister has, of the government still in power, is vastly greater.
Many industries have mandatory stand-down periods, and or restraint-of-trade clauses – for just this reason.
And, many other countries impose this restriction on their ex-MPs for a varying period. No one says 'forever'. But lots of people say, 'not too quickly'
One charge against Labour seems to be sticking. The meme about MIQ and Lock Downs has become "Authoritarian Bureaucrats", (who lack experience) and…
National has the high ground in not being "Tainted by covid" and selling an old chestnut of "More of your own money", ( they are wasting it).
Labour needs to start listing what is at risk, and countering any issues raised.
Labour needs to sell their vision using "influencers" the same way National has had NZers of prominence endorse their beliefs.
The pendulum has swung back, and there will be a tough three years ahead who ever wins, because a large group are going to be unhappy with either result.
Plus mental wellbeing has been impacted by the last two years of anxiety, and our fight or flight mechanism has been activated.
Many are trying to cope with cortisol grief and anger at mandates, mistaken beliefs, lack of socialisation, and disappointment in "the middle way."
So Jacinda Ardern has gone from hero to the butt of anger for many.
The constant “they are wasteful spenders” needs to be countered, by spending to support the disabled solo and young families even more.
Promising a meaningful tax review with ideas from consulted public think tanks( not a dry academic with no vision).
They have twelve months to sell a vision. It needs to be clearly expressed through a few real impactful strategic moves imo.
I am sure there will be similar for MPs in in the NZ parliament.
There are rules on how long the lobbying rules apply after leaving the UK parliament
Former Members
20.Former Members must abide by the restrictions of the lobbying rules for six months after their departure from the House in respect of any approach they make to Ministers, other Members or public officials. Former Members may not use their privileged parliamentary pass for the purposes of lobbying on the parliamentary estate.
Of course setting up a lobbying firm without actually doing any lobbying may not breach these rules. The rules are quite specific about what constitutes lobbying.
With this long background 'shock, horror' at the fact of setting up a lobbying firm or of lobbying itself is perhaps a little naive?
We also need to examine appointments to Boards and the appointments of former politicians as Directors or Chairs to Boards that can reach into our everyday life. I think this is a greater threat.
Lobbying as a concept is bound to become more regulated with advice of lobbyists contacts with Govt Ministers ……not so the reach of former politicians with their political theories onto the boards of user groups.
"We also need to examine appointments to Boards and the appointments of former politicians as Directors or Chairs to Boards that can reach into our everyday life. I think this is a greater threat. "
While I'm not opposed to reviewing directorships or board memberships for ex-politicians – I question whether it really is a greater threat.
Both of those are known appointments. For example: we all knew that John Key was appointed to the board of Air New Zealand, and Katherine Rich was the CEO of the Food & Grocery Council. It makes it 'easier' to identify the need to prepare a counter-weight argument.
It's much harder with a lobbyist – when you have no idea who their clients are; so people with opposing views have no idea that they need to do their own political engagement.
Government is now so complex as the World is a lot more complex than only a generation or so ago, and any entity trying to get change or their voice heard really does need help from someone who knows how it works. The tricky bit is if the "voice "is for the greater good i.e others or personal gain. It is the latter that there must be constrictions on and for us to be wary of.
" The Reserve Bank is digging deeper into taxpayers pockets to increase the profits of investors and commercial bank shareholders with today’s lifting of the Official Cash Rate
Is there a lot of noise or is there genuine concern?
It looks as though the local polling is lower than ever, yet apparently councils are telling us that their constituents are "up in arms" at the prospect of the theft of their precious water resources.
Seems, most people don't seem to care who runs their districts and are only concerned about their annual rates and water bills.
I venture that a lot of people are not fully aware yet – the "conversation" about 3 Waters/co-governance has not been fully instigated by the government yet – I wonder why???
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 KotahiThe fact that a ...
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 ...
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 CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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; ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
“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 ...
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, ...
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, ...
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, ...
.“$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 ...
“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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 → ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track 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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
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 publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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, ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Mermaids – the significantly influential transgender childrens' charity in the UK is being challenged on demonstrably inadequate safeguarding processes, and its direction towards medical interventions, even as they testify in court that they don't offer medical advice.
(To indicate the reach, Susie Green (CEO) was part of the group writing the recently released WPATH Standards of Care, which removed minimum ages for medical interventions.)
This scrutiny was in part increased bytheir decision to take the Charity Commission to court for granting charity status to the UK's LGB Alliance.
Tribunal transcripts here: https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/mermaids-vs-lgb-alliance-and-the
Many have raised concerns about Mermaids over the years, and been ignored by those who do not see problems by the simple expedient method of refusing to look.
It is hard to give those who held positions of influence and responsibility any leeway for their intentional blindness. We have the same visual impairment here in NZ.
If you want a peep at the succession of revelations regarding Mermaids, they are easily found, and will no doubt be added to. Go look if the wellbeing of children is a matter of interest to you.
For now, Dennis Kavanaugh releases some of his disdain:
https://dennisnoelkavanagh.substack.com/p/blood-in-the-water?r=g2cl7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Thanks Molly. The quotes say it all.
"children have been used as validation objects for those who would never have surgery"
"society has been under a wicked spell for years"
"I find no excuse or accommodation with those who cheered this on". Labour MPs at the select committees (and Jan Tineti) who on current polling look set to loose their seats (unfortunately this will not be the case for Deborah Russell)
And stunning last sentences.
"Gender will collapse in three stages. The flight of the cowards. The howls of the zealots. The prosecution of the monsters.
Welcome to stage one. The flight accounts for the silence on the battlefield today."
The NZ media are nowhere to be seen on this. They are too busy showering female pronouns on violent male offenders.
If you want good deep analysis of what New Zealand does really well and what we value, check out this literature review from Feb this year from MBIE's research unit.
New Zealand’s areas of (economic) strength (mbie.govt.nz)
Covers long trends, strengths in depth, institutional kinds of strength.
At 61 pages it's one of the most hopeful and considered pieces on New Zealand's potential outside of the Productivity Commission papers.
Happy weekend reading to all the nerds.
Thanks Ad – completely new to me and a fascinating read.
Found that very absorbing. Thanks for the link.
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Tears of rage and demands to kill any Western leaders supporting Ukraine.
As well as advocating capital punishment for Russian troops who retreat or surrender.
How Russian state media responds to Russian military setbacks in Ukraine.
Who wouldn't want to be shipped off to a winter war.
https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1577642856428216327
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footwraps
Tears of rage and demands to kill any Western leaders supporting Ukraine.
As well as advocating capital punishment for Russian troops who retreat or surrender.
I'm inclined to agree. Russia would be better off “playing the nuclear card” than employing those policies. However Russia is a different country, with a different history, traditions and geography from ours. I believe you are being somewhat ethnocentric in judging her by our traditions.
Yup, best not judge Russia's tradition of genocidal colonialism.
/
https://twitter.com/maksymeristavi/status/1574139953440751616
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1574139953440751616.html
https://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/introduction.shtml
WMDs Weapons of Mass Destruction are misnamed. They are weapons of mass murder, they are tools of genocide. No need to bother with cattle cars and concentration camps. Nuclear weapons can kill millions in less time with less effort.
The use of nuclear weapons is a war crime and an act of genocide. The Tokyo war crimes tribunal judges fell into disunity and acrimony over the refusal of the US prosecutors to bring charges against the US authorities for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Mikesh claims Russia would be better off to use nuclear weapons.
Mikesh personifying Russia as 'her', argues that a difference in 'traditions', is the reason for Russia's death threats against Western leaders, and nuclear weapons threats against Ukraine.
"…Russia would be better off “playing the nuclear card” than employing those policies. However Russia is a different country, with a different history, traditions and geography from ours. I believe you are being somewhat ethnocentric in judging her by our traditions." Mikesh
Assassination and nuclear threats are the result of different Russian traditions?
Give it a rest Mikesh.
Mikesh you might as well argue that the holocaust was a result of different German traditions.
Their leaders may be genocidal megalomaniacs but I don't think that the German people or the Russian people are that different to us, in that they consider genocide to be traditional to their history.
I reject Mikesh's accusation that I am being ethnocentric. I am being human centric. I judge Russia not be western values, but by human values.
Mikesh you might as well argue that the holocaust was a result of different German traditions.
I would not argue that because I don't think it was.
And while I don’t count myself an expert on the subject of nuclear weapons, I understand there are more limited forms of such weapons.
I don’t think there is such a thing as “humancentric”. At least not unless you have something against animals.
A good synopsis by Morgan Godfrey re – the falling poll numbers for Labour:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130081688/morgan-godfery-labour-has-forgotten-what-made-2020-possible
I agree with that. Whether its tiredness after a bruising few years, or whether they have become a little too complacent I don’t know. A mix of both?
But they do seem to have lost their way a bit and, imo, they are too gun-shy. Its time they seriously reconsidered the CGT – set up a nation-wide debating chamber if necessary to counter the politically motivated opposition. And they need to start showing a much greater commitment to Climate Change. These are two of the serious problems facing the country but there are plenty more.
Nice words and “kindness” are not – on their own – cutting it any more. More action on the front line is needed.
I agree, and add nice speeches to this, whether here or overseas; they’re simply fodder for Google and YouTube and will be forgotten soon otherwise. Nobody remembers a nice person saying nice things, but they do remember nice acts, i.e., a nice gesture combined with nice words, as long as it is genuine. Unfortunately, though, many people have become hardened, cynical, and closed up; even genuinely good acts are perceived with distrust, and shoulder shrugs at best and with outright hostility and venom at worst.
And the hostility and venom is winning the day. To be honest, I don't know how the government counters this phenomenon. Its typical right-wing style messaging made popular by Cameron Slater and co. and it works. When you have an MSM who seem to turn the other way and let them get away with it without proper appraisal then what can the government do about it?
Unfortunately for this Labour govt they are fighting on two fronts. On one front they are consumed in running the country through very volatile times, on the other front they are constantly having to defend themselves from aggressive opposition attacks under the guise of "being held to account" and a media that revels in point scoring gotcha politics.
Jacinda is going to have to start showing her warrior side more and wack off a few heads with her sword in the lead up to next years election. Doing that in her trade mark kindly style is the challenge.
Contrary to popular belief, the Government cannot and does not make rain nor sunshine. This is a mini-Zeitgeist, IMO, a state of (hive) mind of humankind, at least in the Western nations that are now experiencing stronger economic (and social!) headwinds – mirroring the changes in climate & weather patterns that show us that CC is as real as day & night and already happening right now. On a smaller and more local scale, even smug homeowners in NZ feeling ‘the pressure’ with falling house prices, increasing interest rates, and increased cost of living. I can go on, but you’ll get my drift – not the message that people want to hear and thus not the message MSM will tell.
Spot on. Sad. Because it only makes the going one hell of a lot tougher for everyone.
Agree Anne. I expect exhaustion plays a role in this. I do have some sympathy for them as they have had to face so much.
But in my opinion another three years of this govt and things will only get worse. Society will be even more divided. And they are only tinkering re making significant change to address issues like inequality.
I am thinking more and more about voting TOP. Their tax policy makes sense to me.
Things to like the cost of living payment, a knee jerk one off reaction, look clumsy and vote grabbing and of course they ended up with egg on their face when money got paid out to NZders overseas.
Just like America's version of Luxon (Donald Trump) united that country?
Anyone who thinks that things will somehow magically get better under the Natz and Act is living in La-La-Land.
The first leaders debate on tv at before the last US Presidential election. Their first statements, the line on what they were all about. At the beginning on the achievements of his term? Trump saw his prime achievement as the number of judges he'd appointed.
From the outset Biden talked about unifying the country.
How did that work out? Well, Trump got booted out, cried like a baby he and his supporters went crazy and said the resultant turmoil was down to Biden & Co creating division.
Here? Under National housing problems flourished, there was a veritable crisis they wouldn't call a crisis, there was instead a "Comprehensive Housing Plan and people were put up in motels. Labour got in, suddenly there was housing crisis and the only way it will be sorted is to have a National government.
"Trump saw his prime achievement as the number of judges he'd appointed."
Given the changes those supreme court justices have already made to the legal fabric of the US, and the fact that there will be a right-leaning supreme court for decades (based on the age of the current appointees) – he was not wrong.
Appointing the socially conservative justices to the supreme court was one of the most powerful long term actions he could make.
Laws can be changed. Judges remain until they die.
I am not sure the US is anymore United under Biden, but I am open to others views on this.
Re Luxon, do people really imagine he would incite people to storm parliament a la 06/01, He had his chance in February and yet he would not even meet with parliament protestors.
I suspect many people who are on this site and do not visit other sites eg The Daily Blog have no idea how angry people (including those on the left) are about a raft of Govt policies including Three Waters, Co-Governance, Mandates, welfare policies (lack of them) housing and many more.
I don't considermyself living inla la land, nor do I things will become magicallybetter under Luxon.
I think comparing Luxon (who I am no great fan of) to Trump is drawing a wide bow really.
Agreed – Luxon is wrong, cynical, backward-looking, acharismatic and otherwise worse than useless. But he is not a corrupt demagogue that would cheerfully incite an insurrection to retain power – at least thus far.
Thanks Stuart, yet again I agree with you.
All the 'ills' of our society, except covid and inflation (which is global) were hatched or nurtured under the last Natz/Act government.
This government, though far from perfect and nowhere as radical as I would like, has done a damn fine job of tackling these 'ills.'
Trump was/is a bumbling incompetent who divided the USA. Frankly, I don't think Luxon is any better.
Problem with voting tax policy of TOP is your basically voting for their major coalition partners actual tax policy (if your vote counts). I doubt TOP would refuse coalition based even on a minimum progressive change in income tax. IMO National will wangle an increase in GST to go along with their top tax rate giveaways, and blame TOP for negotiating "fiscal neutral" and then the media will basically cover over this regressive tax policy even though its adding insult to injury in policy terms. Its a question for TOP which phrase holds more weight, fiscally neutral or progressive.
Nic TOP have previously said they would sit on the cross benchers. they may of course havechanged their position. That is one of the things I will be waiting to hear about. But I do take your point that a vote for TOP could be a vote for either National or Labours tax policy
Your comments about National and GST are purely speculative. Of course its fine to speculate, but not the strongest arguement.
Parties on the cross-benches have little to no influence on tax policy.
And its not only speculation. It's the element National and TOP (+Gareth Morgan) agree on "fiscal neutrality" with National having form.
.
What’s behind the Govt’s fall from grace ?
(1) Cost of living + (2) Covid shine suddenly fading (putting spotlight back on Govt’s core weaknesses/failures) + (3) Woke excesses/extremism [esp the attacks (largely by stealth until forced into the open) on the fundamentals of liberal democracy] + (4) Law/order.
Re: Forgot how to do politics + CGT
I think this is an example of forgetting how to do politics. Right now the govt has introduced an effective CGT with the 10 year bright-line test. In fact they have done it so stealthily that a large number of CGT advocates didn't notice and keep calling for a CGT to be implemented.
You will note that TOPs recent land tax policy position talks about replacing the bright-line test. Key described the bright-line test as being a CGT (though his govt kept it at 2 years). Robertson has alluded to this being a CGT in effect. Insiders know that this is another name for the same thing.
I'm fine with the CGT policy BTW, however I believe the interest deduction changes were far more significant in discouraging property speculation as a savings vehicle behavior. I just don't think there is a significant difference with the bright-line test and don't see the name of the policy as an important political battle to be had.
Thanks to all those who have commented since my contribution @ 4. A lot of food for thought among them. I do hope the Labour luminaries are reading….
Why don't Labour shoot out the campaigns of the Nats and Act by initiating their own tax rate levels review?
If they did this and either left the high rates untouched or increased them it leaves the Nacts only able to advance an argument for the moving, lowering, the tax rates on the higher salary levels. Somehow I think if the lower salary levels are looked after people are able to resist any policy changes giving windfall gains such as an extra $18,000 to those on the same salary levels as Luxon
I can't understand why labour refuses to index the tax brackets to wage inflation, ?
Changing tax brackets doesn't take into account the fact that in an inflationary situation monies paid to the government by way of taxation are worth less, in real terms, than before. If the rate of inflation is zero a progressive tax system works exactly as it is meant to work, so there would be no need to alter thresholds.
Note to moderator: I have now amended the username on my browser and re-submitted the comment. I apologize for the mistake. Would you please delete my previous comment(s).
Because they cannot see that, they the government are part of the cause and contributing to the cost of Living crisis. Everyone earning over $14,000 are paying more % in tax and as a consequence having less to cover the essentials. And when Labour previously noticed the consequences, our then Finance Minister went all nasty and cancelled his adjustments to the tax brackets.
Wasn't that the "block of cheese" taunt by National that caused him to do that? In effect they were arguing that bacause inflation had been small then doing the corresponding small increments for lower tax brackets were too small to be bothered with.
In the end National gave massive tax cuts to the affluent and a even smaller pittance to anyone whose income was mostly in lower tax brackets – ans who were more affected by inflation.
The touted increases in productivity from tax cuts for the affluent never happened because it was either spent in taking money offshore for holidays or speculating in propery prices.
So what about the taunt. The Clarke government were so miserable that they then allowed their emotions to takeaway $$ from needy deserving families. Find any excuse to distract away from the issue. Its was Nationals fault what a f#$%en pathetic excuse, Labour DON'T take ownership of THEIR actions – and it is still having an effect.
And I din't even comment on the GST effect that has meant more tax take and increasing what families are STILL suffer. Labour IS accountable in part for this Cost of Living crisis, and our Min of Finance tells us how good the govt books are,pity he cannot or does not want to see who is paying the cost for his moment on the pedistool !!!
According to Maslow people are not much motivated by money once they reach a certain level of income, so tax cuts would not probably not motivate the wealthy to greater efforts. Greater productivity is more likely to come from more investment and/or lower interest rates.
Labour wants to know more about the ‘invisible’ money and create a fairer tax system.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/06/issue-with-nz-s-tax-system-isn-t-where-bands-sit-david-parker-says-as-national-pushes-for-inflation-adjustment.html
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/shining-light-unfairness-our-tax-system
Besides, tax is not the only government income stream, as it can also generate income through investment, which it does already to some extent.
I cant understand why at a time of severe destitution and crippling cost of living pressures Robertson wants to concentrate on a surplus.
" "Our priority … is investing in public services and investing in infrastructure and supporting New Zealanders by getting ourselves back to surplus "
Well that has been their approach but its clearly not enough and it seems the polls are reflecting this.
He is right by attacking Aloha Air Luxon's top tax rate cut which seems the Nasty Natz answer to everything wrong in the economy. Give the struggling rich more of their money back.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/476167/finance-minister-grant-robertson-says-national-s-top-tax-rate-cut-does-not-add-up
[Can you please stick to one user name here or explain why there are two different names coming from the same account – Incognito]
Mod note
I now see that I’ve modded you before for the exact same thing: https://thestandard.org.nz/the-benefits-of-arderns-recent-overseas-trips/#comment-1898483.
Yes I forget about my two online names and realised only after I went back to check.
” I now see that I’ve modded you before for the exact same thing
Yes well picked up.
My apologies.
Mat Simpson
We live in a country that is susceptible to shocks.
Earthquakes, storms, floods, imported terrorism, imported inflation, imported disease, external trade risks, aging population, warfare, trade disruptions and any number of other issues.
Each of these risks could cause widespread disruption and massive increases in destitution if not handled. Things like tent cities in ChCh fro decades after an earthquake, insane Aussie racists on vacation shoots, massively high plague jobless or death rates, or Nationals timid GFC response throwing people out of work and a 6 year recession etc.
These are handled by a mixture of stored funds like EQC or the Cullen Fund, or by the government having the capacity to borrow because they have kept dropping debt levels after previous unpredictable expenses.
So which of these many prudent measures to prevent really massive destitution from disasters are you going to cut now? So that you can provide to provide support for a much much smaller population of people who are destitute now.
Bear in mind the significant resources are already made towards limiting destitution already. Things that have immediate or indirect reductions of potential destitution like superannuation, schooling, health or housing support payments, flooding defences, roading and transport (as that reduces delivery markups on goods in remote areas) etc etc. If you ever total these up you will find that they account for the vast majority of the government budget.
I look forward reading your unplanned and incoherent magic money response that I anticipate getting. I love tearing idiotic ideas apart.
Before you go tearing, can you explain why getting a govt surplus is a legitimate policy goal. Your argument should address the facts that,
1) the sum of balances of payments internationally is zero.
2) a negative balance of payments reduces NZs GDP.
3) a govt surplus reduces NZs GDP, (a govt deficit increases it).
4) in the absence of a balance of payments surpluses or a govt deficit increases in GDP ride entirely on non-govt debt increases or decreasing non-govt savings.
My actual claim for a valid policy goal is not some fiscal balance. Instead the govt should basically target full employment with its levels of spending and this means replacing any income which goes overseas via the balance of payments deficit, typically.
I look forward reading your unplanned and incoherent magic money response that I anticipate getting. I love tearing idiotic ideas apart.
Mr Lyn Prentice you are a wonderful human being sir.
Criticism of Labour exactly measures NZers immature propensity to criticise any of our sports teams if they are not constantly winning or at the top of the world ranking. FFs look at the numbers, they don't lie. The RBNZs numbers yesterday have us at the top of the world rankings in employment, growth, debt ratio, ad infinitum. No other country is doing anywhere as well at the moment. The so-called weakness in the dollar is caused by the FAILURE of other countries having to raise their interest rates a lot higher than ours, thus leading to a movement of money to those currencys.
Why don't Labour do this? or that ?, because frankly the constant whingers could not do it themselves and no doubt can do bugger all except fucking complain.
If you think Nats could do better, what do you think the minimum wage would be now ? Not within a bulls roar of what it is that’s for sure, how many of your friends dead from Covid, how many more people living in cars than in 2016, now housing prices are falling because we now have almost too many houses.
I’d like to point that in all other comparable countries interest rates are also set by independent reserve banks.
Well said Adrian.
Thanks BG
agree Adrian.
Criticism of Labour exactly measures NZers immature propensity to criticise any of our sports teams if they are not constantly winning or at the top of the world ranking.
GDP is the banker's scorecard – workers look at what remains after the bills are paid, that is if they can be paid. It's not hard to tell if one is going forwards or backwards – and no amount of neoliberal palaver will make a shortfall right.
The theology goes like this:
The question that comes to mind – is there any possible set of economic conditions when this recipe is not the correct one? And if the answer is "no", how can it be anything other than an article of faith based on the conviction that the state must be shrunk?
In any case, in trying to appease these sophists, Labour is going down the dead end of the Third Way. They need to act. Cut GST to 12.5% and flag future similar decreases. Make the first $10k earned tax free and flag future raising of that threshold. Announce this next year when with luck, overseas-sourced inflation is retreating.
I think adjusting the thresholds is the correct thing to do, as is a tax free threshold. But given we are still running a pretty hefty deficit despite our largest ever tax take adjustment should be made at the top brackets to make these adjustments tax neutral or close to. The tax burden is now sitting far heavier on the lower paid than it should.
I agree with this Cricklewood. Surely tax rate adjustments can be made neutral if an increased take from those who are best able to afford it is not palatable.
Fiscally neutral means somebody pays more/earns less compensating for the other change in policy. If the other change is unpalatable your accepting a non-fiscally neutral policy change or also making other cuts or (as National did) raising GST.
A bit more tax for higher earners and lower rates for lower earners with the aim of ensuring that no more than is currently taken is taken but the mix changes.
I don't find it unpalatable that those who can pay more do pay more. They have more disposable income than those on lower incomes and have the means to make the extra work for them by investing if they so choose. This choice does not exist for income strapped people on lower incomes.
I am not envisaging anything like changes to GST etc, – as this impacts on those on lower incomes more harshly than on those on higher incomes.
I agree a more progressive change in PAYE would be an easily justified policy.
Note however the public response to a minor change to GST, and subsequent backdown. Unfortunately thats how politics works.
Only thing is the fiscally neutral part is completely irrelevant. Govt makes plenty of non fiscally neutral changes as needed anyway and it typically makes larger errors in its forecast (the budget) than entire spending programs.
There are plenty of reasonable policies which should be implemented without undue reverence to a budget estimation process, or negotiated politically in exchange for some tax policy (this process usually sees these projects canned).
criclewood, the TOP policy makes the most sense to me. tax land. it would be very difficult for people to dodge it. the only wat around it would be to sell it or use it more productively
I'm not sure on that proposal as yet, I've got a feeling it will come with a bunch of unintended consequences…
Definitely wont really do anything to discourage land bankers as it's not high enough to really effect them… personally I quite like the idea of a progressive tax or duty based on the number of properties someone or an entity owns.
If the Gummint dropped GST to 12.5 the same bloody grizzlers would complain that it had not been dropped enough!. Grow up, where do you think the money comes from for the hospitals and schools, all the social payments, and everything thing else that is demanded ?. So many people are financially illiterate it is staggering.
Its entirely possible for the govt to remove GST entirely with no other tax changes. The major effect of this would be a recorded increase in NZ GDP. We know this causes no issues with the NZ govt running short of money because all (virtually all) payments to/from the govt occur inside the RBNZ payments system to some domestic bank. In fact the resulting account balances never even leave the RBNZ banks computer system. The implication is that all the impacts of the GST policy are about what happens to the NZ economy as a result.
All the further impacts are forecast based. These include changes to nominal spending due to higher NZ income, changes to income tax receipts due to changes in nominal spending, changes in nominal saving and changes to inflation. But unless inflation fully compensates for the income increase, or the GST change is completely saved then NZs real GDP will increase as a result. Considering its a progressive tax change this would also improve income inequality.
Real economics has very little to do with this notion of financial literacy.
Is it time that some restrictions were imposed on departing Ministers?
I am sure that Kris Faafoi is not the only Minister to get into lobbying for pay, but if there ever is a time to require a delay surely it is when it is a Minister from the current Government . .
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2022/10/from_cabinet_straight_to_lobbying.html
Did Farrar conveniently forget a few from other parties?
I have made some comments on the earlier thread and read the Kiwiblog but I am struggling to understand why this is so bad and what difference the amount of time makes…….
If lobbying is bad, then it is bad whether it occurs 3 hours, 3 days, 3 months or 3 years later.
Lobbyists have been with us since time immemorial. The key point about any lobbying is that there is sunshine about it. Faafoi has certainly publicised this.
But the time? Is it to do with insider knowledge? Huge hedging about using knowledge gained – as many MPs who have wanted to write autobiographies have found out to their cost. The reach from Govt to check & sometimes remove info gained in positions of power and if this should be shared is wide.
Earlier discussion
https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-05-10-2022/
I would welcome some comment about WHY it is wrong to be a lobbyist rather than reiterating the ‘shock, horror, they shouldn’t be allowed’ point of view.
I think the basic answer is one of perception. Basically it's pretty easy to start throwing allegations of undue influence and worse around especially if someone steps straight from a ministerial into a lobbying role. Some of that mud sticks and does parliament itself a disservice.
Simply put the right are crying foul about Faafoi but the left would be doing the same if say Joyce had done the same halfway through his last term.
Having a gap of 12 months as other countries enforce helps in removing the perception of undue influence.
It's not being a lobbyist, in itself, which is ethically dubious (that's another debate)
Someone who has just resigned as a cabinet minister from the government still in power, has unprecedented knowledge of non-public material, due to his previous role.
He knows what was discussed around the cabinet table, what the government priorities are, where the potential weak points are to pry open on behalf of his clients.
Any ex MP has *some* degree of knowledge (just knowing who are the power brokers in the various ministries is highly valuable – and it's not always based on the organizational structure). But the knowledge that a just-retired cabinet minister has, of the government still in power, is vastly greater.
Many industries have mandatory stand-down periods, and or restraint-of-trade clauses – for just this reason.
And, many other countries impose this restriction on their ex-MPs for a varying period. No one says 'forever'. But lots of people say, 'not too quickly'
An outrage that Faafoi can become a lobbiest so soon after leaving parliament. 5 year stand down in Canada. And I agree Belladonna with all you say
I'm not going to read about it on Farrar's site. (To protect myself from torrents of hypocrisy.)
Lobbying was a topic for discussion in Parliament in 2012.
"Lobbying Disclosure Bill fails but transparency encouraged
https://duncancotterill.com/publications/lobbying-disclosure-bill-fails-but-transparency-encouraged
"The Government Administration Committee (Committee) has recommended that the Lobbying Disclosure Bill (the Bill) not be passed."
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/00DBHOH_BILL11278_1/lobbying-disclosure-bill
Thanks for the replies and links. I am better informed; and I suspect Farrar was "fermenting stinky mischief" again . . .
One charge against Labour seems to be sticking. The meme about MIQ and Lock Downs has become "Authoritarian Bureaucrats", (who lack experience) and…
National has the high ground in not being "Tainted by covid" and selling an old chestnut of "More of your own money", ( they are wasting it).
Labour needs to start listing what is at risk, and countering any issues raised.
Labour needs to sell their vision using "influencers" the same way National has had NZers of prominence endorse their beliefs.
The pendulum has swung back, and there will be a tough three years ahead who ever wins, because a large group are going to be unhappy with either result.
Plus mental wellbeing has been impacted by the last two years of anxiety, and our fight or flight mechanism has been activated.
Many are trying to cope with cortisol grief and anger at mandates, mistaken beliefs, lack of socialisation, and disappointment in "the middle way."
So Jacinda Ardern has gone from hero to the butt of anger for many.
The constant “they are wasteful spenders” needs to be countered, by spending to support the disabled solo and young families even more.
Promising a meaningful tax review with ideas from consulted public think tanks( not a dry academic with no vision).
They have twelve months to sell a vision. It needs to be clearly expressed through a few real impactful strategic moves imo.
I suspect that Labour also needs to go after the bare-faced liars, Hosking and Whaleoil:
Robert Reich on the effect of suing Alex Jones and Fox News.
In the UK there are prohibitions on the conduct of MPs re lobbying
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmcode/1882/188206.htm#_idTextAnchor052
I am sure there will be similar for MPs in in the NZ parliament.
There are rules on how long the lobbying rules apply after leaving the UK parliament
Former Members
20.Former Members must abide by the restrictions of the lobbying rules for six months after their departure from the House in respect of any approach they make to Ministers, other Members or public officials. Former Members may not use their privileged parliamentary pass for the purposes of lobbying on the parliamentary estate.
Of course setting up a lobbying firm without actually doing any lobbying may not breach these rules. The rules are quite specific about what constitutes lobbying.
Lobbying has been around in the Westminster system for eons, before the beginning of the 18th Century in Britain.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2591264
That is not to say that we should not be aware of who and how our politicans are lobbied and possible impacts of this.
This is a good article.
https://journals.openedition.org/osb/409
With this long background 'shock, horror' at the fact of setting up a lobbying firm or of lobbying itself is perhaps a little naive?
We also need to examine appointments to Boards and the appointments of former politicians as Directors or Chairs to Boards that can reach into our everyday life. I think this is a greater threat.
Lobbying as a concept is bound to become more regulated with advice of lobbyists contacts with Govt Ministers ……not so the reach of former politicians with their political theories onto the boards of user groups.
While I'm not opposed to reviewing directorships or board memberships for ex-politicians – I question whether it really is a greater threat.
Both of those are known appointments. For example: we all knew that John Key was appointed to the board of Air New Zealand, and Katherine Rich was the CEO of the Food & Grocery Council. It makes it 'easier' to identify the need to prepare a counter-weight argument.
It's much harder with a lobbyist – when you have no idea who their clients are; so people with opposing views have no idea that they need to do their own political engagement.
Government is now so complex as the World is a lot more complex than only a generation or so ago, and any entity trying to get change or their voice heard really does need help from someone who knows how it works. The tricky bit is if the "voice "is for the greater good i.e others or personal gain. It is the latter that there must be constrictions on and for us to be wary of.
" The Reserve Bank is digging deeper into taxpayers pockets to increase the profits of investors and commercial bank shareholders with today’s lifting of the Official Cash Rate
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/10/06/reserve-bank-picks-taxpayers-pockets-to-boost-commercial-bank-profits-social-credit/
Credit agency pulls on big boy pants to remind Torys,that the days of disneyland economics are gone.
https://twitter.com/BloombergUK/status/1577782948023177218?cxt=HHwWhMC42erOtOUrAAAA
Three Waters
Is there a lot of noise or is there genuine concern?
It looks as though the local polling is lower than ever, yet apparently councils are telling us that their constituents are "up in arms" at the prospect of the theft of their precious water resources.
Seems, most people don't seem to care who runs their districts and are only concerned about their annual rates and water bills.
I venture that a lot of people are not fully aware yet – the "conversation" about 3 Waters/co-governance has not been fully instigated by the government yet – I wonder why???
You keep wondering because that’s your bliss. Meanwhile, submissions closed 22 July: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/53SCFE_SCF_BILL_124081/water-services-entities-bill
I take it you made a submission, yes?
And what a farce that process was, you must be struggling to keep a straight face.
So you made a submission and are reporting on your experience, or your full of BS and are trying to wind people up.
If you can comment here on TS, which you obviously can, then you also can make a submission: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/how-to-make-a-submission/
With what step of the submission process did you struggle most?