Open mike 07/01/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 7th, 2023 - 79 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:


Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step up to the mike …

79 comments on “Open mike 07/01/2023 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. SPC 1
    7 January 2023 at 8:20 am

    Migrant workers working in extreme heat barely last 10 years.

    One-third of transplant patients at a center near Kathmandu have been young men who worked abroad in extreme heat

    In recent years, scientists and groups including the International Labor Organization have increasingly warned about the deadly, yet often overlooked, link between exposure to extreme heat and chronic kidney disease.

    “These epidemics of chronic kidney disease that have surfaced … [are] just the beginning,” said Richard Johnson, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado who is studying pockets of kidney disease globally. “As it gets hotter, we expect to see these diseases emerge elsewhere.”

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/06/climate-change-heat-kidney-disease/?

  2. joe90 2
    7 January 2023 at 11:00 am

    Won't be holding my breath waiting for an admission from Kaushal that he's overstating the threat of beggars and “feral families”.

    https://twitter.com/sfchronicle/status/1611067264974917652

    Dairy owners working in increased fear have declared a “retail crime emergency” and called for urgent support from law-makers including more legal protection to use self-defence, installation of facial recognition cameras and cracking down on beggars and “feral families”.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dairy-crime-fury-if-the-government-is-not-able-to-provide-safety-they-have-no-right-to-govern/6KHRRVE2MRBAPKGAGTBQWH3QE4/

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 2.1
      7 January 2023 at 3:01 pm

      But the fine appeared only to provoke further errant behaviour by Mr Samuel.

      Over the following two months, he made explicit threats to two employees by phone, which were recorded and disclosed to the Labour Inspectorate.

      Believing one worker to be responsible for the initial complaint, Mr Samuel said he would arrange someone to cut off the man’s limbs and harm his family.

      A second man was told to "prepare for his parents’ funeral in Sri Lanka.".

      https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/exploitation-migrants-revealed

      As time went on, Sanjay's conditions worsened. The business owners, he says, began to abuse him, accusing him of stealing, or of abusing customers and other staff. They fabricated events, letters and complaints, digging at his self-esteem, and eroding his mental health.

      Eventually, when it came to a head, Sanjay had a mental breakdown.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/479673/man-denied-day-off-for-wedding-after-working-70-hours-a-week-for-five-years

      The two liquor barons who have mansions and underpaid staff

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/119699816/the-liquor-barons-who-have-mansions–and-underpaid-staff?rm=a

      IMO Dairies…will have the same exploitations going on. Does Mr Sunny follow those up? I'm sure….

    • tWiggle 2.2
      7 January 2023 at 9:19 pm

      Once again, my interpretation of these attacks is crime gangs using underage kids to soften up retail business owners for protection rackets. The actual stuff stolen is not the point, the social menace is. A point: many migrant dairy owners are from countries like India where rule of law and the courts are barely functional, and bribery and protection rackets are common. How to address this criminal intimidation is to target not only offenders, but also those who plan to benefit from their actions. There needs to be good education and solidarity at the local business community level, coordinated with police, to resist any 'protection' approaches.

      • Incognito 2.2.1
        7 January 2023 at 9:54 pm

        It is a lovely theory but you have zero evidence for protection rackets happening, do you? In other words, it is pure speculation on your behalf, isn’t it? You know that we like to see evidence for claims of opinion because they make debate informative and relevant.

      • joe90 2.2.2
        7 January 2023 at 10:04 pm

        I know nothing about older offenders but according to my SO who works at the pointy end of child protection; in our burg at least the majority of these incidents are social media driven copycat crimes. Offences are committed by young people who've had little previous contact with police/youth justice. They're egged on by media peers to record their offending and post the evidence, their social media is monitored and high clearance rates ensue. Apparently there's little evidence of any Fagin like organiser involvement in young people's offending.

        btw, anecdotally, the only dairy in a 5 Km radius of where I live has given up reporting thefts and stand-over tactics. The plods insistence on shutting the doors while they carry out their forensics costs a lot of money, and, I suspect, their presence may interfere with the day to day rorts.

        .

  4. millsy 4
    7 January 2023 at 11:23 am

    Dont know why the media is giving this reactionary thug a platform:

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/i-would-have-been-killed-why-farmer-bill-burr-ordered-his-son-to-chop-off-the-tip-of-a-teens-finger/WYZYNJR64VHHPA6Q6BWIWADRCM/

    The guy mutilated someone just because they broke into his house. I am picking if he had his way, they would have been strung up from lampposts.

    His support for Trump is pretty vocal as well, which means the guy probably condones police brutality, lynching and crackdowns on the LGBT communuty, all things that Trump has backed. He deserves no sympathy. If he had his way, NZ would be like 1950's Mississpi.

    The guy is full of hate. Plain and simple. Hate for brown people, hate for LGBT’s, hate for women, hate for due process. He has KKK written all over him.

    [1 year ban. Long pattern of behaviour of unsubstantiated claims of fact and slurs, that the mods are sick of, that you apologise for at the time but then keep doing. Explanation is here from one of the more recent moderations, including clear instructions that you need to provide pre-emptive links as evidence for claims. Which you appeared to agree to but you haven’t been doing. https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-11-2022/#comment-1920681 and https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-11-2022/#comment-1920633 – weka]

      • alwyn 4.1.1
        7 January 2023 at 1:31 pm

        You must be very well off yourself if you regard having to pay a $73,000 fine as being so trivial that you can ignore the law with impunity.

        If I was going to have to pay a fine of that magnitude I would feel that I had been whacked with the full force of the law.

        • joe90 4.1.1.1
          7 January 2023 at 1:41 pm

          Good thing I didn't say that he was able to ignore the law with impunity, eh.

          • alwyn 4.1.1.1.1
            7 January 2023 at 2:41 pm

            OK. You said that he was "above the law". I merely paraphrased it.

            You may therefore be willing to explain how, if he is "above the law" he was prosecuted and appears to be facing a large fine. If he was "above the law" he wouldn't have been charged at all, much less being subject to a large fine would he?

            So, in spite of this do you still think he is "above the law" or would you now agree that your statement is simply wrong?

            • Incognito 4.1.1.1.1.1
              7 January 2023 at 2:57 pm

              I’m getting tired of your pedantic nitpicking and your ‘paraphrasing’ that is essentially a euphemism for altering and twisting other people’s words to score trivial points. You don’t contribute to (robust) debate, you divert away from it.

              If you have a point to make, make it. If you want to indulge in frivolous trivialities then start your own blog.

            • joe90 4.1.1.1.1.2
              7 January 2023 at 3:01 pm

              He was informed of the restrictions yet he went ahead. Either the consequences of going ahead, a $73,000 fine and the costs of the remediation order, were a minor irritation or he thought he was above the law.

              He didn't become a wealthy man without knowing the value of a dollar so I'm picking he thumbed his nose.

              • alwyn …
                7 January 2023 at 4:10 pm

                I don't have any problem with you saying that he thought he was above the law. In fact I agree with the statement and I think he may have been expecting nothing to happen.

                What I didn't agree with was that you said, or at least implied, that he was above the law which seems to be saying that no action would be taken and that the Crown would just ignore what he has done.

                This seems to me to be saying that the law in New Zealand is not applied equally to everyone. That prospect scares me.

                Well thank God they haven't ignored it and I like to think they never will ignore such actions. If we ever get to the stage that the law is applied differently depending upon who you are, or who you know we are sunk.

            • Drowsy M. Kram 4.1.1.1.1.3
              7 January 2023 at 3:06 pm

              The Burrs are not "above the law", yet their actions evince their feeling that the law simply did not apply to them.

              Prior to purchasing the property the Burrs received advice from the Department of Conservation and the regional council as to the significance of the wetland and restrictions on what activity can occur that may impact on the wetland.

              Despite this instruction the Burrs immediately started unlawful works.
              …
              Judge Harland described the offending as “energetic” stating that “Mr Burr was moving forward at a very fast pace and the impression I gained was that he was not stopping for anyone”.

              Maybe the Burrs were aiming for a fait accompli drainage, and a 'no use crying over spilt milk' defence – drain the swamp!

    • Nic the NZer 4.2
      7 January 2023 at 11:49 am

      Millsy woulda ordered his son to put a brew on. Then he would have sent the lad on his way with a very stern warning not to do it again.

      • joe90 4.2.1
        7 January 2023 at 12:41 pm

        The son's a recent provincial back rower who weighed in at >95Kgs. He and his father weren't happy with just subduing an overweight teenager. They mutilated him to satisfy their own, racist lust for revenge.

      • weka 4.2.2
        7 January 2023 at 12:46 pm

        Two adult men had the teen on the ground with a rifle pointed at him. All they had to do was wait for the police to arrive.

        • Belladonna 4.2.2.1
          7 January 2023 at 1:00 pm

          Easy to say. He was reportedly (and we only have the reports to go on) – armed with a large knife, and continually getting up to try to attack them.
          They also didn't know if there were other people outside (from the original article – he says he assumed that the guy and his girlfriend had been dropped off – and there were others outside).
          Nor did they know how long the police would take to get there (a real concern in rural communities).

          Do I think it could have been handled better? Sure I do. In many ways, including beginning a lot further back on the criminal trajectory. I also think it could, very easily, have resulted in the teen being dead, or seriously crippled.

          • weka 4.2.2.1.1
            7 January 2023 at 1:11 pm

            definitely a dangerous situation. How does cutting off the tip of the teens finger make that better?

            • Cricklewood 4.2.2.1.1.1
              7 January 2023 at 1:47 pm

              It doesn't, but given it was tue third or fourth time and he'd been clattered around the head with a wine bottle at 1 30 am its hardly suprising he lost the plot at went to far.

              I'd be really interested to know why he was been targeted by the teen and why he was able to continuously return.

              Eitherway the system failed the both of them badly ending in a pretty horrific situation.

              • joe90 …
                7 January 2023 at 1:55 pm

                but given it was tue third or fourth time and he'd been clattered around the head with a wine bottle at 1 30 am

                Cite?

                • weka …
                  7 January 2023 at 2:04 pm

                  It was the fourth time the teen, who he knew, had broken into his home; the previous time was just a week earlier.

                  …

                  The first Burr knew about it was at 1.45am when, in a deep sleep, he was hit over the head with a wine bottle.

                  from the link in millsy's original comment.

                  • joe90 …
                    7 January 2023 at 2:19 pm

                    Deeply felt racial animosities are all too common in that part of the country but we only have the violent thug's word that this was the fourth time the teen, who he knew, had broken into his home.

                    Waiting for Crinkle to justify the assertion that this was the third or fourth time he'd been clattered around the head with a wine bottle.

                    • weka …
                      7 January 2023 at 2:36 pm

                      Crickle didn't say that, they said,

                      it was tue third or fourth time

                      and he'd been clattered around the head with a wine bottle at 1 30 am

                      My emphasis.

                      I assumed that the reporter has some familiarity with evidence from the court case, and wasn't just letting him say what he wanted.

                    • joe90 …
                      7 January 2023 at 2:45 pm

                      and

                      Fair enough. Still disgusted by attempts to justify the actions men who beat, subdued, and used a knife to mutilate a disabled teen with, according family, the intellectual capacities of a child.

                    • Cricklewood []
                      7 January 2023 at 3:58 pm

                      I'm not justifying anything, just saying the reaction is unsurprising. It's possible we see something similar happen if one of the kids holding up dairies gets collared.

                      I do think there's alot about this particular case that we don't know, perhaps due to suppression orders. The repeated targeting seems weird and there were attempts at to sort things out. Like I say the system failed both of them.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      7 January 2023 at 4:03 pm

                      @ Cricklewood. No system has failed William Burr.

                    • Cricklewood []
                      7 January 2023 at 4:49 pm

                      I disagree, to have the same offender in your home multiple times despite restorative justice etc is a failure.

                      Burr is an odious individual but nobody deserves been burgled robbed or threatened especially in their own home.

              • weka …
                7 January 2023 at 2:09 pm

                yeah, there's a lot about that whole story that's not clear.

                It's not hard to imagine that cutting the finger tip happened from escalation and trying to stop the kid with the knife from getting up off the floor. But it's also not hard to imagine that the solutions coming into Burr and his son's head arose from their values and lives. Other people would have reacted differently.

    • weka 4.3
      7 January 2023 at 12:20 pm

      mod note

      • joe90 4.3.1
        7 January 2023 at 12:30 pm

        Prick told an ambulance driver that they were “too PC” and were “dealing with black people”. But millsy's overstating things.

        /

        • weka 4.3.1.1
          7 January 2023 at 12:44 pm

          It's milly's commenting style and behaviour that is the problem. I assumed there was some truth in what he was saying, but the inflammatory spray style runs counter to TS's requirement of evidence based robust debate. And as you say, the comments are misleading. There's also the problem of defamation and what happens when one of milly's comments puts the site owners at risk.

          If millsy had provided the link you did, they wouldn't have gotten banned. They've been told so many times, sucked up so much moderator time, and we're sick of it. Also, election year, so we're tightening up.

        • Belladonna 4.3.1.2
          7 January 2023 at 12:52 pm

          From your link

          He denies a claim made in court by an ambulance officer that he told them they were “too PC” and were “dealing with black people”.

    • Muttonbird 4.4
      7 January 2023 at 4:35 pm

      I stand with you, millsy.

      It is obvious Burr is MAGA (it's in the link you took the time to provide) and, as you say, therefore it's probable he condones aggressive policing, vigilantism, and crackdowns on vulnerable and minority communities.

      The other link provided by joe90 @ 4.3.1 details more of Burr's character, where he likens the young Māori offender to a dog:

      “He’s still [his mother’s] kid. He just went off the rails. If you have a dog, and you don’t train it and no discipline – they need education and discipline.

      So, probably racist too, which was your other reasoned assertion.

      Another link from joe90 @ 4.1 describes Burr's attitude to environmental laws and the environment itself. It's pretty clear what the man is like when you build a picture from his own words and actions, ie, not someone who progressives would defend.

      One thing I'd like to say about millsy's extremely heavy ban is that for some commenters TS is a means to document and release frustrations. One commenter who does this a lot is Swordfish in his ongoing battle with the imaginary managerial middle class.

      I do it myself, not necessarily seeking feedback, just wanting to get down on paper as it were what I'm thinking, with links, for possible reference later. My point is, some commenters rely on TS for the ability it provides to 'get things down on paper' as described, and this helps with their mental health.

      Also, the requirement for commenters to be thorough with expanding on claims and providing links for each claim is discriminatory to those who are time and technology poor.

      Such a long ban (particularly for highlighting the behaviour of a horrible individual) doesn't seem to factor much of that in at all.

      Frustrated moderator decisions do affect frustrated real people…

  5. Peter 5
    7 January 2023 at 2:15 pm

    Guns and the right to bear arms is always a hot US topic. A six year old shot a teacher in a classroom.

    I understand all the stuff about preventing crazed people having guns, them taking guns into schools and procedures in the event of terrible incidents happening.

    The need to check 5 and 6 year olds to see if they're carrying?

    It's another context for all the talk in the country just a year after there was insurrection at the country's Capitol. And at a time so many in the debate for House Speaker are talking about the US being the greatest country in the world.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shooting-virginia-elementary-school-leaves-1-adult-injured-rcna64695

    "Data also suggests that young people disproportionately commit gun homicides. For example, 18-20-year olds comprise just 4% of the US population, but account for 17% of known homicide offenders."

    https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/policy-areas/who-can-have-a-gun/minimum-age/

  7. tsmithfield 7
    7 January 2023 at 3:02 pm

    It looks like the West is getting serious in the arms it is supplying Ukraine.

    The US is supplying 50 Bradley fighting vehicles amongst other things.

    France is sending AMX-10 RC light tanks.

    Germany is sending Mauder infantry fighting vehicles.

    Plus, it looks like countries in Europe are going to send Leopard 2 tanks.

    Most of this stuff is a lot better than the Soviet era stuff the Russians are using atm.

    So, it looks like Ukraine is going to get everything it needs to push the Russians out of Ukraine. This is important, even from a negotiating perspective. It is vital that Russia sees that the west is not going to back down in its support for Ukraine. So, in that way Russia will see that continued aggression on its part is futile.

    • weston 7.2
      7 January 2023 at 4:02 pm

      If it gets hit by Russian artillery it'll blow up just the same tsmithfield

      • tsmithfield 7.2.1
        7 January 2023 at 4:20 pm

        That is a big "if". The Ukrainians tend to be a bit smarter than the Russians who house their soldiers next to ammunition dumps which doesn't lead to great outcomes for the soldiers when their base is targeted by Ukrainian artillery, as happened in Makiivka the other day.

        Even the Russians now acknowledge that 89 soldiers were killed in the attack, which means the number is much more likely to be in the hundreds as claimed by the Ukrainians and many other sources.

        Aftermath of the attack here:

        https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/cellphone-use-by-russian-soldiers-allowed-ukraine-to-target-troops-russian-military-says

      • Scud 7.2.2
        7 January 2023 at 5:13 pm

        Given the way Tsar Poot's Army has handle it's fabled "Red God" Zhukov & Co would be rolling in their graves atm.

        As for it's Combined Arms Tactics/ Doctrine, you wouldn't be getting a Cuppa Tea & Biscuit interview with Chief Instructor & RSM at the School of Armour, Infantry or at Staff College!

        But a RTU or worst a notice to show cause why we shouldn't boot you out on your ass.

        Oh sorry to nit prick, the AMX 10 isn't a Light Tank, it's Wheel Tank Destroyer or Heavy Armoured Car armed with a 105mm gun.

        The AMX 10 would a good vehicle to have alongside the Aussie Bushies for those deep penetration attacks/ offensives after the Heavy Brigades ie Tanks & Infantry Fighting Vehicles have broken through the Russian Defensive Belt in coming spring after General Mud has passed or this winter which is starting to look very unlikely now.

        • tsmithfield 7.2.2.1
          7 January 2023 at 6:55 pm

          Yeah, thanks for that. I realise the term "tank" is a fairly loose description.

          They should be handy for the Ukrainians though. I think they can be transported by air, and I understand the older version is amphibious, which could be handy for the Ukrainians.

          • joe90 7.2.2.1.1
            7 January 2023 at 7:08 pm

            Leopard 2's will be welcomed. Designed specifically to operate on the open steppe against Warsaw Pact armour during a European winter.

            • Scud 7.2.2.1.1.1
              7 January 2023 at 8:26 pm

              Any MBT would be welcome for the Ukrainian Armoured Corp, heck even the old upgraded IDF Cents, T55's & T62's would be a bit of handful for Poot's Army given the Ukrainian Army's Combined Arms Tactics/ Doctrine has been exceptional.

              Yes, it's been rough for the Ukrainian Armed Forces at start of the Russian Invasion & a few things didn't go to plan especially in the Sth Command Region. But they didn't panic & stayed to their Strategic Battle plan as they knew this day would come.

              Leopard 2's would be a game changer on the battlefield especially at a tactical level, also of note Jordan is retiring it's Challenger 1's MBT which is also a beast & would be interesting if a 3rd or the Poms suddenly brought them. It may not have the mobility ie speed on the battlefield, but packs a punch with its firepower & protection with it Cobham Armour.

          • Scud 7.2.2.1.2
            7 January 2023 at 7:10 pm

            The AMX 10 is a good wagon for mobile operations & those QRF/RRF UN Missions which the French used them for during the 80's & 90's.

            They were a vast improvement over the AML 90's from the 1960's- 70's which were a primped up French version of the British Ferret.

  8. Joe900 8
    7 January 2023 at 5:11 pm

    Pride, or they're culling the herd.

    China has rebuffed repeated U.S. offers to share advanced vaccines as Beijing battles a fast-spreading wave of COVID-19, a rejection that’s led to growing frustration among American officials concerned about a resurgence of the pandemic.

    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/01/07/asia-pacific/china-covid-vaccines-us/

    • Graeme 9.1
      7 January 2023 at 9:25 pm

      I thought that was well written and quite fair in a neutral sort of way. Whatever happens we will end up with with an amalgamated 3 Waters service model. The current local authority model is a failure in many cases, Haldon's 'orphans', and really can't be fixed.

      About the only bit that can change is how independent of councillor control, and how universal, the new model is. Some councils have done very well, New Plymouth is an example, but they are lucky to have a strong growing economy and helpful topography along with good leadership. Queenstown Lakes is similar, we can do whatever is required thanks to a vibrant development community that willingly* hand over vast sums in development contributions to realise their dreams.

      Down the road is Gore. They have a combined sewage / stormwater system, a shrinking economy along with a similarly shrinking and aging population. Successive councils have kicked the can down the road, funding civic amenities but ignoring the pipes. It's going to be a huge undertaking fixing this and well beyond the resources of the town. Love to see how National and ACT will deal with this.

      Most likely outcome if National are government in 2024 will be a "review" which will change the name of it all, maybe create a couple more entities so it feels more local, and Mana Whenua involvement is up to the shareholding Councils to decide. The regions that choose to develop strong relationships with Mana Whenua will get things done, this that don't might find it a bit harder.

      ACT have been wanting to return GST to councils to reduce rates fund infrastructure for a while. Reality will be more roads, councillors get elected by promising things that constituents can see and touch, not shit that's buried in the ground and they have to dig up the roads to put there.

      • Muttonbird 9.1.1
        7 January 2023 at 9:35 pm

        I'd love to leave the orphans behind because they, in the thrall of the farming lobby, are so resistant to any form of help.

        Let them drink cow piss day and night.

        • Graeme 9.1.1.1
          8 January 2023 at 9:10 am

          That's the problem National will have in trying to dismantle 3 Waters. The 'orphans' are the bluest of the blue. National will be faced with either taking the Gores out the back and shooting it, or having to justify pouring billions into propping up dying towns, which will go down really well with ACT.

          I really don't think National have thought through how they are going to sell this to their constituents or support parties. The few Nat MPs that can think more than one move ahead are probably hoping like hell they either don't win this year, or come up with a viable policy PDQ.

          I'm not sure the orphans are resistant to help or change, it's just that the problem has been so large and has just been getting larger for 100 years. They should have been moving to separated services in 1930, but couldn't afford it then and it's just got harder with time. They aren't alone, Auckland has only just separated the last of it's combined services.

          In Gore's case fixing involves replacing 70% of the towns sewer and stormwater network, and then rehabilitating the street. Starting again on a new site is probably quicker and cheaper.

    • joe90 10.1
      7 January 2023 at 10:48 pm

      Martin Bradbury has an interesting take on the Standard.

      The pompous arse has a new pejorative?

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 10.2
      8 January 2023 at 12:41 am

      His take isn't far from mine. Got to avoid the disaster of a NAct government (and get another Green / Labour one instead) – but Labour has done very little to significantly address the real problems of inequality, poverty, worker's rights and conditions in NZ. And certainly haven’t been transformative in any way, to my mind.

  11. SPC 11
    8 January 2023 at 2:20 am

    Many forecasts were made as to the arrival of winter and its impact on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and wider Europe because of an energy crisis.

    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=general+winter+ukraine

    What no one expected was a heat wave in winter. With temperatures of 19 degrees, rather an 1 degree, people were out jogging wearing a teeshirt rather than going skiing.

    Blame it on a continuance of La Nina (a rare third year).

    https://www.npr.org/2023/01/05/1147116000/la-nina-climate-change-california-bomb-cyclone-winter-heat-wave

    But it is coming to an end. Signs are that it is going neutral for a turn to El Nino later this year.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-19T07:47:12+00:00