Open Mike 06/09/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 6th, 2016 - 63 comments
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63 comments on “Open Mike 06/09/2016 ”

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  1. Paul 1
    6 September 2016 at 6:48 am

    I see the Nats are starting another smear campaign against Winston Peters.

    And that RNZ are cheerleading for Key’s gang.
    If Guyon Espiner’s puerile interview of Peters yesterday is anything to go by, today’s interview at 7.25 a.m. will be dreadful.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201814830

    • The lost sheep 1.1
      6 September 2016 at 7:55 am

      Just last week you were saying we should ‘switch off the mainstream news.’ ‘there are good alternatives’ and ‘We can bypass these corporate puppets.’

      And here you are just days later rushing to wallow in the MSM as soon as you get out of bed. Admit it Paul. You’re addicted. Those corporate puppets have you by the balls.

      • Gangnam Style 1.1.1
        6 September 2016 at 10:06 am

        Has Paul got you ‘by the balls’ Lost Sheep? You seem addicted to reading & replying to his comments.

    • Rodel 1.2
      6 September 2016 at 8:10 am

      Paul
      It was also obvious last night in Gower’s obsessive hatred of Peters.He wouldn’t have the courage to speak of the PM that way.
      Watch for surge of petty ‘gotcha journalism’ over the next months.
      Little forcefully refuted and countered this kind of rubbish in an interview on RNZ this morning.

  2. Pat 2
    6 September 2016 at 7:32 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/83895850/chris-trotter-new-zealand-needs-a-patron-to-grow-its-economy

    “Those wondering how it feels to see one’s country subordinated to foreign interests should probably consult a Maori.”

    you can usually rely on Mr Trotter to find a historical parallel….

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      6 September 2016 at 8:24 am

      It’s pretty much all happened before and always has the same end result. We just forget about it and the capitalists tell us that we need to sell more to them so as to make us wealthier which is a lie. If society sells everything to the capitalists then we’ll be poor as we won’t have anything at all but we will be dependent upon the capitalists who will then get to dictate what we do, when we do it and even if we get to live.

      Where seeing this already in increasing poverty and homelessness while the 1% get ever so much richer.

      • Pat 2.1.1
        6 September 2016 at 9:27 am

        it always astounds how a supposedly intelligent species appears stuck in a repetitive loop of failed behaviour…..although probably not for much longer.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1
          6 September 2016 at 11:36 am

          We forget and a large part of that is because capitalism isn’t attached the collapse of Ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt and the South American civilisations as well as the driving forces of the revolutions against feudalism. If we were taught that then there’s no way that the capitalists and their stooges would be able to tell us that capitalism is the only way. We’d know that it was a lie.

          • TheExtremist 2.1.1.1.1
            6 September 2016 at 6:25 pm

            Errrr the South American, Ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt societies collapsed because of capitalism?

            You might want to check up on that, dude

            • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.1.1
              6 September 2016 at 7:09 pm

              Top down hierarchy, private ownership, for profit and over use of resources. Ancient Sumer even used debt based paper money.

              Sounds just like capitalism to me.

              • TheExtremist …
                6 September 2016 at 7:31 pm

                I have studied a wealth of history and nary once has capitalism been raised as the reasons for the decline of these ancient societies – at least not by any of the leading academic works on the topic. Most, if not all, were brought down by religious war, famine/disease or environmental factors.

                Now I expect you’ll link to “debt: the first 5000 years” again.

                • Halfcrown …
                  6 September 2016 at 8:00 pm

                  I find your comment interesting. Remind me, as you have studied a wealth of history, are you trying to tell us that Cortez (the first one that easily comes to mind) who pillaged central America and shipped back to Spain shitloads of Aztec pillage wealth was not some form of capitalist. Did the Aztec civilisation survive after the intervention of Cortez and the conquistadors?

                  • TheExtremist66 …
                    6 September 2016 at 8:30 pm

                    It’s far more nuanced than “capitalism”. Religion played a part of course as well as the need to conquer new lands in the name of a country before other such nations did as well as securing a new resource source while proclaiming cultural superiority. Also The Maya, for example, collapsed after famine and disease rather than capitalism. Saying capitalism is to blame ignores a range of historical anachronistic reasons

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      6 September 2016 at 10:38 pm

                      It’s far more nuanced than “capitalism”.

                      Things are always more nuanced that a single word but we can and should point to the commonalities.

                    • Halfcrown …
                      7 September 2016 at 5:42 pm

                      I think your answer confirms what DTB has been saying.

                      “Religion played a part of course as well as the need to conquer new lands in the name of a country before other such nations did as well as securing a new resource source while proclaiming cultural superiority.”

                      Well isn’t that capitalism working?

                      I cannot see any difference between Cortez, or Milner & Rhodes who caused the Boer War to gain control of the Rand gold. Blair and Bush with weapons of mass destruction to get the Iraq oil or the capitalist’s who put up the capital so the East Indian Company could exploit the wealth of India. or the London Bankers who financed the Virginian Company to the New World, and established the Virginian Colony with a settlement at James Town. They were all speculative capitalist invasions and the locals suffered for it. The Virginian Company certainly did not go there to improve the lot of the local red Indians.
                      I also have read a lot of history and the vibes, I get any so called “expeditions” are financed by speculators to gain a capital return. If that is not capitalism I don’t know what is
                      DTB suggested you read Piketty I also suggest reading Pakenham’s Scramble for Africa and tell me if capitalism was not the driving force.
                      None of us knows why the Mayan civilisation disappeared. However, after reading what is suspected of what happened to the advanced civilisation on Easter Island I would not be surprised if that had also been the fate of the Mayan culture.
                      Easter Island, a world that is coming soon near to you and the whole world if capitalism continues unabated without any controls.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  6 September 2016 at 10:37 pm

                  Most, if not all, were brought down by religious war, famine/disease or environmental factors.

                  A lot of which were based around capitalistic like actions. Some famine was caused by over farming where the farmer ‘owned’ the land and the slaves that worked it. And even religious war has had capitalistic underpinnings.

                  Then there’s the actions of the rich in all cases:

                  These factors can lead to collapse when they converge to generate two crucial social features: “the stretching of resources due to the strain placed on the ecological carrying capacity”; and “the economic stratification of society into Elites [rich] and Masses (or “Commoners”) [poor]” These social phenomena have played “a central role in the character or in the process of the collapse,” in all such cases over “the last five thousand years.”

                  And you should probably read Piketty as well.

                  The rich only exist in capitalistic societies and those societies have always collapsed.

                  • TheExtremist66 …
                    6 September 2016 at 11:43 pm

                    That’s because you are defining capitalist societies as societies with rich people. Which is incorrect. Also the Mayan (and other post Neolithic societies) destroyed their environments not because of land ownership but because the only way they could advance was by using the environment they had at hand.

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      7 September 2016 at 9:59 am

                      That’s because you are defining capitalist societies as societies with rich people.

                      No I’m not. I’m defining it as a top down hierarchical system with the power concentrated in the hands of a few.

                      Having rich people is an inevitable result of that system but is not a prerequisite for it.

                      Also the Mayan (and other post Neolithic societies) destroyed their environments not because of land ownership but because the only way they could advance was by using the environment they had at hand.

                      Oh, you mean like the way that the capitalists keep telling us that we can’t protect the environment because it would damage the economy?

                    • TheExtremist …
                      7 September 2016 at 11:26 am

                      “I’m defining it as a top down hierarchical system with the power concentrated in the hands of a few”

                      You know how all ducks are birds but not all birds are ducks? Same applies here.

                      “you mean like the way that the capitalists keep telling us that we can’t protect the environment because it would damage the economy?”

                      Comparing the decline of the Maya in a historical sense with modern capitalism is stupid and you should feel stupid for even suggesting such a dumb idea.

  3. Draco T Bastard 3
    6 September 2016 at 8:12 am

    Bernard Hickey on our debt fuelled housing binge.

    Such bubbles have always ended in sorrow and this can’t end any other way. It’s the inevitable result of the monetary system not being connected to reality.

  4. Pat 4
    6 September 2016 at 8:14 am

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/05/soaring-ocean-temperature-is-greatest-hidden-challenge-of-our-generation

    ‘The ocean has absorbed more than 90% of the extra heat created by human activity. If the same amount of heat that has been buried in the upper 2km of the ocean had gone into the atmosphere, the surface of the Earth would have warmed by a devastating 36C, rather than 1C, over the past century.”

    hmmmm..

  5. Bearded Git 5
    6 September 2016 at 9:43 am

    Get the popcorn out…Dirty Politics meets weird Colin.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11704407

    • Gabby 5.1
      6 September 2016 at 10:59 am

      Hopefully it’s costing both parties shitloads.

      • Bearded Git 5.1.1
        6 September 2016 at 11:04 am

        I’m sure it is…shame…terrible shame.

        • James 5.1.1.1
          6 September 2016 at 11:09 am

          Bound to be cost awarded to the winner.

          • Rodel 5.1.1.1.1
            6 September 2016 at 12:14 pm

            We need this. (Colin vs Jordan show)-Why should the USA have all the fun?

            • Halfcrown 5.1.1.1.1.1
              6 September 2016 at 7:53 pm

              Yeah great Aye, better than watching that crap called the Hobbit.

              I hope they make it into a TV soap. Also, agree with Bearded “Get the popcorn out”

          • Bearded Git 5.1.1.1.2
            6 September 2016 at 2:28 pm

            Here are some verbatim extracts from “Dirty Politics” concerning Jordan Williams, to show what a lovely man he is (courtesy of Nicky Hager):

            “The Jordan who was trying to get a copy of Hide’s texts for Lusk and Slater was a young lawyer named Jordan Williams. He was headed for a prominent role in the Slater–Lusk–Farrar attack politics, acting as an apprentice to Lusk and Slater, including anonymous writing for the Whale Oil blog, and as a close collaborator of David Farrar, regularly working, socialising and holidaying with him.”

            “Williams had grown up in Hawke’s Bay and got to know Lusk while he was a student and National Party volunteer. He wrote to Don Brash, a family friend, when he was living in a Victoria University hostel, offering to help in National’s 2005 election campaign. Later, it was Williams who escorted Brash in public during the days of his ACT Party leadership bid. Lusk, Slater and Farrar used him repeatedly in their schemes ……”

            “When Peter Dunne was in trouble for leaking to a journalist in June 2013, Jordan Williams wrote to Slater saying, ‘Hey, you know an easy way to push dunne out? get him to stand for Wellington mayor, have the conversation with him.’ Slater said, ‘I know a much easier way.’ If they wanted Dunne out of Parliament, they could ‘release details of his donations (undeclared) that he received personally from tobacco companies’.”

            “Farrar’s most recent political campaign was an initiative called the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union (NZTU), launched in October 2013. Like the blogs that ‘need not be associated (in name) with your party or campaign’, the NZTU is an example of a supposedly independent organisation designed to back up the work of a political party. Its launch press release described it as a ‘politically independent grassroots campaign’, but it is no more politically independent than the election finance and anti-MMP campaigns. In fact, it was like a rerun of the anti-MMP campaign, with Jordan Williams once again as frontperson and Farrar as founder and main strategist.”

            “The partisan nature of the NZTU and its direct involvement in attack politics was summed up by its assistance during Slater’s campaign against the Labour mayor of Auckland, Len Brown. Slater tackled Brown about his affair… but the NZTU was used to help carry on the attacks. An information request to the Auckland City Council made while researching this book asked how many requests for information they had received concerning Brown ….there had been a total of 18 requests from eight news organisations, but 14 from the NZTU and Jordan Williams alone, as they repeatedly dug for any spending by the mayor that they could publicise to add fuel to the sex scandal.”

            “The most frequent sex-related attacks that Slater tried to organise were against Labour Party MPs. In 2012, for instance, Slater was angry at a Labour MP for suggesting in Parliament that he had helped Judith Collins to leak the controversial Pullar ACC e-mail. Jordan Williams suggested they arrange an attack on him. ‘What’s the plan tomorrow,’ he asked, ‘are you going after [the MP]? Surely he has rooted enough women around parliament to get the hit on.’ Slater replied, ‘Fuck yeah, it will be spectacular. Start digging dirt on the c**t and feed it to Simon.”

            • Muttonbird 5.1.1.1.2.1
              6 September 2016 at 2:47 pm

              Williams has tied himself up with Craig’s muse good and proper. There’s a real battle on amongst the far right people.

              Farrar can’t help getting involved in this one as it is about women and getting in between their legs. This is too much for Farrar who has a predilection for this sort of thing.

  6. mary_a 6
    6 September 2016 at 11:10 am

    I wish Nikki Kaye a positive outcome, as she begins the journey of receiving treatment for breast cancer.

    All the very best Nikki.

  7. mary_a 7
    6 September 2016 at 11:13 am

    Is it just me, or are other people having difficulty opening TS? Same when finally getting into the site, with blogs.

    • BobInAkl 7.1
      6 September 2016 at 11:48 am

      The problems seem to be ongoing, has been pretty hit and miss over the last few days, guess it will get sorted at some stage.

    • Rodel 7.2
      6 September 2016 at 2:04 pm

      Me too. ..Patience…. patience

      • Pasupial 7.2.1
        6 September 2016 at 2:52 pm

        I saw a comment the other day from LPrent saying that he was out of Auckland at the moment so can’t get directly to the hardware (remote fixing obviously isn’t doing the trick).

        The site being a glitchy mess at the moment does draw attention to how good it is usually though!

        • lprent 7.2.1.1
          6 September 2016 at 3:16 pm

          Looks like some new spiders scanning the site. Fixing them now.

          • lprent 7.2.1.1.1
            6 September 2016 at 3:33 pm

            Nope that wasn’t it. It turned out to be my local caching of gravatars with a new plugin. The old one didn’t survive the change to php7. Looks like I should have a look at that plugins code under load. I suspect that it is doing something pretty daft.

            Reverted to getting teh gravatars from gravtar. This has two issues. Firstly gravatar has a really annoying 5 minutes on the caching time to live – which is a pain for several reasons including a lower page speed ranking. Secondly, it slows the page loads because it means more sockets in use under http2.

  8. ianmac 8
    6 September 2016 at 11:36 am

    Oh the irony!
    “Taxpayers’ Union executive director Jordan Williams launched civil proceedings after Craig allegedly defamed him last year at a press conference, and again in a leaflet sent to more than 1.6 million households.”
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11704407

  9. The Chairman 9
    6 September 2016 at 2:29 pm

    Unfairly treated workers still waiting for payouts, ERA powerless

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/83911666/era-powerless-to-force-employers-to-pay-compensation-to-wronged-workers

    Isn’t it time the ERA is given more teeth?

  10. The Chairman 10
    6 September 2016 at 3:03 pm

    Palmerston North dairy owners are concerned a sugar tax could lead to increased shoplifting and robberies after their experience with cigarette tax increases.

    The debate is back in the spotlight after Labour health spokeswoman Annette King told media there was growing support in the health sector for a sugary drink tax.

    While Labour’s position had previously been that there was not enough evidence to support such a tax, no final decision had been made.

    Albert St Dairy owner Dakshina Keshav said she hadn’t had any fewer customers buying cigarettes since a more aggressive tobacco tax was introduced in 2013.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/83826866/tax-on-fizzy-drinks-wont-work-say-palmerston-north-dairy-owners

    University of Auckland researchers say plain packaging and warning labels on sugary drinks could help prevent childhood obesity.

    The study found that a tax of 20 per cent on sugary beverages had only a weak effect on young people’s preferences.

    The Greens want a tax.

    The centre-piece of the Government’s new childhood obesity plan is to have 95 per cent of children identified as obese in the Before School Check of 4-year-olds to be referred to a health practitioner.

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702893

    Thoughts?

    • McFlock 10.1
      6 September 2016 at 3:10 pm

      I think it looks a lot like you’ll put these comments under a “social media focus group” line item on your charge-out costs.

      • The Chairman 10.1.1
        6 September 2016 at 3:27 pm

        Your thinking is incorrect. Moreover, I’m not the subject matter. Care to comment on the topic?

        • McFlock 10.1.1.1
          6 September 2016 at 3:36 pm

          It’s open mike. You don’t get to dictate what other people comment on.

          Besides, why would I bother thinking about a topic upon which you can’t be bothered to express an opinion?

          • The Chairman 10.1.1.1.1
            6 September 2016 at 3:44 pm

            Dictate?

            Far from it.

            I merely highlighted I wasn’t the subject matter (of the discussion you replied too) and asked if you cared to comment on the topic you were replying too.

            The question you should ask yourself is why did you bother replying to a topic which didn’t express a personal opinion?

            • McFlock 10.1.1.1.1.1
              6 September 2016 at 4:29 pm

              Because while the topic within the comment didn’t interest me, the comment itself struck me as being an odd digression from the usual form on this site.

              As I said, it reads more like someone doing ad hoc policy/marketing research or wanting ideas on how to approach a homework assignment than it reads like someone actually wanting to discuss the issue.

              Many people throw something up as a link because it might be of interest, and leave it at that beyond a quick summary of the link contents. Many other people might not even put up a link, but give their opinions on an issue. Either format can spontaneously form into a discussion.

              I don’t get why you want the discussion without having at least a rough opinion on the issue. The only people that come to mind who want reactions that are affected as little as possible by their own behaviour are psychology researchers or marketing focus group coordinators.

              • The Chairman …
                6 September 2016 at 5:56 pm

                I see. You want to make me and my form of posting the topic.

                • McFlock …
                  7 September 2016 at 4:11 pm

                  No. One topic is whatever you’ve decided you want to take advice on. Another topic is why you choose to be an intellectual leech rather than starting an actual discussion.

                  We all discuss the topics we choose to discuss. Except for you, who simply selects the topic and expects to observe the discussion before committing to it himself.

              • Robert Guyton …
                6 September 2016 at 6:01 pm

                I support McFlock here. “Thoughts” is discordant and doesn’t encourage engagement. Why do you continue to use it, Chairman? No one has expressed support for its use. Why not try another approach? You can’t do worse than you’ve already done.

    • Bearded Git 10.2
      6 September 2016 at 6:07 pm

      Oh yeah, right, a black market in gummy bears.

      If a sugar tax is a good idea, which it is IMHO, some minor and unlikely side-effects have to be accepted.

      I think Key and friends are blaming the out-of-control dairy burglaries on the rise in cigarette taxes rather than the reality which is they have lost control of burglaries after major cuts to the police budget.

      • The Chairman 10.2.1
        6 September 2016 at 6:20 pm

        “I think Key and friends are blaming the out-of-control dairy burglaries on the rise in cigarette taxes…”

        Are you including the police and dairy owners in that assertion?

        Moreover, you are aware National supported continuing on with tobacco tax increases? Therefore, it’s far from the ideal scapegoat.

    • The Chairman 10.3
      6 September 2016 at 6:10 pm

      For those who are interested, back to the subject matter.

      What would you like to see Labour do?

      Should they align with the Greens on this and campaign on a tax?

      Or hold off, advocate for plain packaging and warning labels and see what impact they have?

      Thoughts?

      [I’ve got a thought. This is a site for the expression of opinions. So, to borrow from Pulp Fiction, say thoughts again, I dare you … TRP]

  11. Leftie 11
    6 September 2016 at 3:04 pm

    For the past 5 years Immigration NZ have been actively soliciting immigrants and lying about “abundance” of job opportunities in New Zealand.

    <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ImmigrationNZ/videos

  12. Muttonbird 12
    6 September 2016 at 3:21 pm

    A brutal assessment of Dr. Smith by Paddy Gower.

    I won’t muck around here, because New Zealanders aren’t thick – there’s no real need for political analysis.

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/opinion/opinion-million-dollar-indictment-on-housing-2016090613

    Indeed, the numbers speak for themselves, Dr. Smith.

  13. joe90 13
    6 September 2016 at 3:28 pm

    And then the dogs came.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuZcx2zEo4k

    Sometimes, you wake in 2016, but it feels like 1875 because Natives are still fighting for our land. pic.twitter.com/mEN4G4yvgs— Sherman Alexie (@Sherman_Alexie) August 24, 2016

    That afternoon, the Crow Nation marched into camp in war bonnets, waving flags, singing and whooping, bearing a peace pipe and a load of buffalo meat, offering the first real reconciliation since 1876, when Crows were scouts for Custer at Little Bighorn, where the U.S Cavalry got its ever-loving ass kicked by the Lakota. At last count, representatives from more than 120 tribal nations had arrived from as far as Hawaii, Maine, California, and Mississippi.

    http://www.outsideonline.com/2111206/whats-happening-standing-rock

    • Gangnam Style 13.1
      6 September 2016 at 5:13 pm

      The ODT editorial today talked about homelessness in NZ, used some article from before 1890 to prove that it has always been here & anyway teachers hate National & John Key is super awesome, so there!

      • Pat 13.1.1
        6 September 2016 at 6:17 pm

        did they neglect to add that in the intervening decades a number of governments in NZ embarked on a state housing programme to solve the ever present problem?

  14. smilin 14
    6 September 2016 at 6:59 pm

    Got this one today
    Where do you think all the money for the NZ million dollar average is coming from ?
    Remember a place called Hong Kong ?
    That to the wise should make all the pieces fall into place
    Cheers
    Hope some one smarter has the guts to expand on this

  15. North 15
    6 September 2016 at 9:59 pm

    E!-Errrgh-Vomit-Channel.

    Good on them though. I guess they’re buzzed being the ‘New Black’, the extraordinarily pocked ‘Face of Wank’. Nice relief from Mex Key whom obviously Crosby Textor have told to zip his insolent androgenous lips. “Napping on Air Force One” FFS !

    http://spy.nzherald.co.nz/spy-news/better-together-20-meet-nzs-newest-power-couples/

  16. Murray Simmonds 16
    7 September 2016 at 12:08 pm

    Here’s a very readable and useful posting on “Zero Hedge” just now:

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-09-06/industrial-economy-paper-economy-stunning-decline-manufacturing-america

    To quote a bit (as clickbait; but of course from the perspective of the USA):

    “When you have got about half a trillion dollars more going out than you have coming in year after year that has severe consequences.
    Let me try to break it down very simply.
    Imagine that I am the United States and you are China. I take one dollar out of my wallet and I give it to you and then you send me some stuff.
    After a while, I want more stuff, so I take another dollar out of my wallet and send it to you in exchange for more products.
    But that stuff only lasts for so long, and so pretty soon I find myself taking another dollar out of my wallet and giving it to you for even more stuff.
    Ultimately, who is going to end up with all the money?
    It isn’t a big mystery as to how China ended up with so much money.”

    And a couple of perceptive comments:
    “in the long run China relatively has all the money”
    No, China will have a lot of inflated US paper$, they will not be able to sell it, otherwise they drive down the value of the paper even more.

    “America has become a blood sucking leech that lives on the rest of the world through the reserve dollar.”

    “Marx loosely called it the rentier class. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include the vast majority of Americans. American oligarchs/bankers have become a blood sucking leech that live on the rest of the world through the reserve dollar.”

    OK, thats 3 comments – I can’t count.
    A really clear exposition of what’s wrong with the current economic state of affairs, and a GREAT summary, by the way, of whats wrong with “Free” Trade and “Globalisation.”

    While written from the perspective of the USA, NZ is no exception to the points made in this excellent article.

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    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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