Open mike 07/12/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 7th, 2023 - 59 comments
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59 comments on “Open mike 07/12/2023 ”

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  1. bwaghorn 1
    7 December 2023 at 6:13 am

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/12/06/te-reo-maori-bonuses-acceptable-for-relevant-roles-willis/

    Willis quietly backs away, after first feeding raw Maori meat to the baying pack.

    • Tiger Mountain 1.1
      7 December 2023 at 7:16 am

      Nicorette’s first lesson perhaps.

      What is not often considered is that with the dominant language being English, Māori reo speakers are compelled to be bilingual to get by in society.

      There is no such pressure on pākehā. Other tauiwi of which there are scores of nationalities, and those with English as a second language might feel similarly pressured.

      A friend worked in Europe for years, based in Geneva and by the end of his long tour could converse in 4-5 languages proficiently.

      The fuss over Māori culture seems part of post colonial fallout, from descendants of those that benefited from land grabs and attempted cultural assimilation/destruction.
      There will be some 21st century culture war element too I guess for some.

      • Stephen D 1.1.1
        7 December 2023 at 7:58 am

        That's my general feeling about this Nact1 government and their supporters.

        We won the wars in the 1860s. so suck it up.

      • Bill Drees 1.1.2
        7 December 2023 at 10:41 am

        Yes, it is an anglo-saxon push back. It is straight forward white supremacy.

        If we view Luxon as a Christian Nationalist then we should not be surprised.

        • adam 1.1.2.1
          7 December 2023 at 1:41 pm

          If we view Luxon as a Christian Nationalist then we should not be surprised.

          Funny how the media have no spine to ask the questions to confirm if he is or not.

    • AB 1.2
      7 December 2023 at 9:06 am

      Mostly a smokescreen – it displaces the argument from something front-page worthy into a series of invisible background niggles about 'relevance' which the media will largely ignore. As others have pointed out, it's a shift from the vulgar boofheadery of Luxon in campaign mode to Key's quiet evisceration of the possibility of civilised communities.

  2. Peter 2
    7 December 2023 at 8:49 am

    Herald headline: 'Mark Mitchell explains why he released letter to Coster." Then,

    "Police Minister Mark Mitchell has explained to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking why he took the unusual step of releasing a letter of expectations for Police Commissioner Andrew Coster."

    Simple, it's because he's a grandstanding dick and he knows his boofhead supporters will like it, and get all excited about it. Not doubt he has list of strategic announcements to be made to keep them, and him, all orgasmic over the next months. All the tra las around gangs will be the next big one.

    He'll be crapping himself that that there might be a ram raid. No doubt he's had a tête-à-tête with Sunny Kaushal of the Dairy and Business Owners Group suggesting a leaf has been turned, being positive will help keeping the 'bad news' off the front page will be of use. Who knows while he's there maybe they could talk about the importance of peddling tobacco and vapes since it seems they're on the same page with those.

    • Tiger Mountain 2.1
      7 December 2023 at 9:10 am

      Don’t mention the ram raids…I zee nothink…

    • weka 2.2
      7 December 2023 at 9:22 am

      Please supply a link every time you quote, including now.

    • Sandra Le Cron 2.3
      7 December 2023 at 9:44 am

      Kia Ora. It is certainly about time we had some common sense applied to policing and crime.Far too many dangerous buggers in the community wearing bracelets for a start.and,whilst liberated, they are comitting some very serious crimes.And, we surely need some recovery from a bit of financial mischiefness that Grant Robertson bluffed us with.

      Ma te wa.

      • Louis 2.3.1
        7 December 2023 at 11:26 am

        "financial mischiefness" “bluffed us with” describes Nicola Willis.

      • Peter 2.3.2
        7 December 2023 at 12:54 pm

        It's always time to have some common sense applied to policing and crime. And to justice.

        There's a massive chasm in thinking of how crime and justice issues should be handled.

        In one hand there are those who believe in principles of restorative justice, both victims and offenders involved in finding ways to hold the offender accountable for their offending and, as far as possible, repair the harm caused to the victim and community. Moving forward constructively in a way which edifies all and improves society in then long term.

        On the other hand, pun intended, there are those who have the sort of attitude that a 15 year old shoplifting a loaf of bread because he's hungry should have his hand chopped off. 14 year old car stealing a car? Her parents should have any benefits cut, the thief off to boot-camp for whatever period. An 18 year old Hutt Valley youth who gets pissed and does something dumb and the only thing he's got going or him is his sport? Ban him from playing it forever.

        I see a lot of the noise from the 'off with his head' lot as lashing out as an acknowledgement and admission from them that they have helped construct, actively or incidentally, a society with a lot or undesirable facets.

        At the moment the 'lock 'em up forever' redneck Mark Mitchell, David Seymour and zb loonies types are in charge.

      • Bearded Git 2.3.3
        7 December 2023 at 1:52 pm

        If you are going to say things like that Sandra you need to back it up with a link to stats.

        You are also implying the previous government wasn't applying common sense. I disagree. Labours humane policy of releasing non-dangerous prisoners from prison (often ankle tagged as you say)significantly reduced the number of people held in jail. This helped both the person released normalise their life and reduced the cost to the taxpayer .

    • Ad 2.4
      7 December 2023 at 9:51 am

      Commissioner Coster needs the scrutiny.

      The massive growth in gang violence in the regions and gun violence and homicide in Auckland needs permanent NZPolice accountability.

      Letters of Expectation should be made public as a matter of course.

      • UncookedSelachimorpha 2.4.1
        7 December 2023 at 12:12 pm

        If NAct actually gave a damn about gang crime etc, they would have written letters to Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Social Development, Inland Revenue Department, Treasury, Ministry of Education etc etc, DEMANDING urgent action be taken to address poverty, disadvantage and inequality – which are powerful drivers of rising crime.

        The police are the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff – and 'tough on crime' policies are not that effective.

        • CharlieB 2.4.1.1
          7 December 2023 at 12:29 pm

          Thanks UncookedSelachimorpha..

          You wrote the post I came here to write..

          This obsession with the police is dangerous because it's only a very short step away from arming them full time, and then militarising them in the long term.

          The issue isn't not enough people being arrested..

          The issues are the things driving crime and the Police, Corrections or Justice as a whole have very influence over those things.

        • Ad 2.4.1.2
          7 December 2023 at 2:20 pm

          They likely will.

          More public service accountability not less is what is needed.

          But only NZPolice can enforce against crime.

      • Peter 2.4.2
        7 December 2023 at 2:46 pm

        Police police the results of social policy. The ambulances and staff at the bottom of the cliffs aren't doing what we want and expect them to do?

        And the best thing is to give them 'Letters of Expectation?'

    • Jester 2.5
      7 December 2023 at 6:00 pm

      There already was another ram raid just the other day at Pakuranga.

  3. Adrian 3
    7 December 2023 at 9:02 am

    A small mention a few days ago in Stuff or Granny stated that ram raids were still going on, one in fact for a 7k damage bill garnered a 1 dollar chocolate bar.

    • weka 3.1
      7 December 2023 at 9:23 am

      it would be cheaper to the country to 1) pay everyone a living wage (including those without jobs) and 2) fix the housing crisis.

      • Chess Player 3.1.1
        7 December 2023 at 8:45 pm

        Interested in how you see this working please.

        1. If people get a living wage for not working, why would they go to work?

        2. What ‘fix’ exactly, to the housing crisis, would you apply? And who would do the work involved?

        thanks

        • weka 3.1.1.1
          7 December 2023 at 9:52 pm

          not everyone can or should work 40 hours a week. eg disabled people and women with young children. Why should they not have enough to live on?

          • Chess Player 3.1.1.1.1
            8 December 2023 at 5:22 pm

            Of course some can’t work 40 hrs a week.

            The minority though, and by some measure.

            How do you see this working though if a kid leaves school then goes onto the living wage, but never actually works?

            Or maybe you mean people who have proven disabilities or issues determining that they can’t work, should have their benefits set at the nominal living wage.

            I agree with that, but I’m not sure it’s what you mean.

            • weka 3.1.1.1.1.1
              9 December 2023 at 10:46 am

              there are over 100,000 NZ citizens who are on a benefit because of long term disability and sufficient disability to prevent them from working, and who are forced by circumstance, government policy and societal attitudes/values to live in poverty.

              I'm glad we are in agreement that they should be getting the living wage.

              In addition to them, there are:

              • single parents with young children, including women who have recently given birth and/or are breastfeeding. Most of those are women, who are already financially disadvantaged by society and government policy.
              • people aged 65 or older
              • people who can't find enough work to live on
              • people who can't easily hold down enough work to keep themselves out of poverty, for whatever reason including mental health issues and who are excluded from accessing SLP.
              • people who have been working low wage jobs (someone has to do them) and who have lost their job and have no savings. Some of those people will end up on stand downs for the dole.
              • and so on
              • weka …
                9 December 2023 at 10:53 am

                Here are the benefit stats for June 2023. Note that SLP is 100,878 and JobSeeker is 173,130, but that there are many people on JS who are unable to work due to disability, they're just not allowed on SLP.

                This is how the previous Nact government cooked the books and punished disabled beneficiaries at the same time.

                I don't know if MSD doesn't have the figures of JS with medical exemption or if they jsut choose not to publish them.

                You can look at the other charts to see how much emergency money WINZ has to pay out because the benefit rates are set so low and because the government thinks it's appropriate to punish people who don't have work.

            • weka 3.1.1.1.1.2
              9 December 2023 at 10:58 am

              How do you see this working though if a kid leaves school then goes onto the living wage, but never actually works?

              When I left school in 1984, I went on the dole. The dole was the same as the minimum wage. Unemployment was low, so it didn't matter. And most people wanted to work because it brought other benefits in addition to the minimim wage eg career, increasing income, skills training, social contact and so on.

              Neoliberalism broke all that. It massively increased the unemployment rate, it intentionally started to treat unemployed people like shit, it undercut things like apprenticeships, learning on the job, working one's way up through an organisation, workplace culture. It treated people like stock units.

              That was Labour. National in the 90s doubled down and created a long term, intergenerational underclass. Which is why we have so many people living in poverty now. It's not people people are lazy or bludgers, it's because when you treat people like shit and you stop them from having meaningful adult lives, society breaks down.

              Fucked if I know why people on the dole shouldn't get living wage though. They have needs just like everyone else and the economy is run with a set amount of unemployed people so why not just be real about that?

        • weka 3.1.1.2
          7 December 2023 at 9:55 pm

          housing crisis needs a whole systems approach that includes things like targeted rent caps, mass building of housing that stays permanently out of the property market (central and local government, iwi, NGOs, land trusts), rent to own schemes, government, councils, iwi building low cost homes for first home buyers (actual low cost), regulate the building industry including supply chains.

          • Chess Player 3.1.1.2.1
            8 December 2023 at 5:29 pm

            Ok, so a total reinvention of the system.

            That’s only ever been achieved with a revolution, and few of those have worked out well.

            If Labour people couldn’t find the backbone to enact some of those reforms when they had the first majority since MMP came in, and if the Greens refuse to collaborate with anyone other than Labour, I struggle to see how this can ever happen.

            Sad, but true.

            • weka 3.1.1.2.1.1
              9 December 2023 at 11:01 am

              TINA is a poor excuse. The things I suggested don't require the downfall of capitalism, they could probably even be done under a more socialist democractic version of neoliberalism. For a while at least (climate will bring it all down, probably within our livetimes).

              We might get lucky and Labour go away and sort their shit out.

        • KJT 3.1.1.3
          7 December 2023 at 9:58 pm

          Universal income study finds money for nothing won't make us work less | New Scientist

          A foreign concept to right wingers. Working for anything other than personal reward. And the corollary, something beyond their comprehension, working despite being paid regardless. That people work for other reasons than immediate personal gain, is beyond their comprehension,

          “The criticism levelled at basic income that it would disincentivise work is not supported by [the Finnish] data,” says Painter.

          • Chess Player 3.1.1.3.1
            8 December 2023 at 5:47 pm

            Yes I read that a while back when it came out, before Covid, from memory.

            Key quote for me was

            “What we have been able to find out so far is not the whole truth,” said Olli Kangas at the University of Turku, who led the Finnish study in partnership with Kela. “That is much more sophisticated.”

            It’s an interesting idea I keep my eye on, but while humans can have amazing powers of collaboration, and possibly that is something that differentiates us from the rest of the animals (part of the time anyway), I still find most patterns of human behaviour illustrate primal selfishness.

      • Rolling-on-Gravel 3.1.2
        8 December 2023 at 5:55 pm

        Thank you for at least including those who cannot work, Weka. 🙂

    • Chess Player 3.2
      7 December 2023 at 8:00 pm

      Link please, or it doesn’t count

  4. Matiri 4
    7 December 2023 at 9:13 am

    Will Koru Club be renamed? Toby Manhire suggests Fern Frond Spiral Club.

    https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/06-12-2023/what-is-nzta-a-users-guide-to-the-new-english-names

  6. observer 6
    7 December 2023 at 11:29 am

    New government Minister is "incorrect and misleading". This headline is available for daily copy and paste.

    ACT MP Brooke van Velden wrongly quotes Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment | RNZ News

    It's that recurring problem … in opposition you can say any old nonsense, but in government there are these pesky fact-checkers holding you to account.

    Perhaps they'll be abolished. (I wish I was joking).

    • Chris 6.1
      7 December 2023 at 12:27 pm

      On the bright side, it is kind of handy having incompetent people in government. It's not surprising, and quite telling, that van Velden went from loyal Green supporter to rabid right-winger because she wouldn't have had a look in if she'd tried to enter politics via the Greens. You just need to look at the many many instances when Green MPs like Julie Anne Genter or Chloe Swarbrick have absolutely annihilated the likes of Gerry Brownlee, David Seymour and others. van Velden herself's been owned by Chloe Swarbrick more than once. Like so many on her team, she's a complete and permanent lightweight, so while things are bad, at least the calibre of these clowns will make things a little easier to counter, or at least can be factored in when deciding strategy.

    • bwaghorn 7.1
      7 December 2023 at 11:56 am

      He didn't finish his speech , it should have said , labour doesn't own Maori and the poor because they are the property of national and its funders , to work into the dirt for minimal income ,use as a target for the angry, collect smoking taxs off.

    • CharlieB 7.2
      7 December 2023 at 12:33 pm

      It's more of the aspirational politics bullshit that keeps right inline with Key/Bennett's state home/single parent background and Luxon't "first in my family to go to university" crap.. all it supports the illusion that "If I can do it, any one can do it".. Sometimes that's true.. but most often it isn't.

      • Sanctuary 7.2.1
        7 December 2023 at 3:16 pm

        I was interested with the fawning media reaction to James Meager's maiden speech. He has been declared that most precious of things to the middle class – an "authentic" working class joe whose moral suasion appeals to their class values. Of course, the press gallery wouldn't know an authentic working class joe if they fell over one. It's enough though for them to imagine Meager as a sort of woke kryptonite, a guy that woke lefties don’t really have any power because he is "authentic." Meager is fawned over because he is a reassuring confirmation of their conservative identity politics, he reassures them that outside the tinsel circus of the parliamentary Truman show meritocracy is alive and well and ever open to the upwardly mobile with the properly conservative values of true working folk.

        Here at last the gallery has gushed (perhaps literally given the barely repressed sexual frission he seems to have induced in some of the gallery members) is the real "authentic" voice of the politics they approve – a romantic tale as old as the world itself, an antidote to the post-truth, post-modernist discontentment of the weary, savvy alienation of their hipster cynicism.

        Meager is just the next Paula Bennett – she capered about in her leopard prints and gauche put on fake Westie pastiche all the better to make right wingers feel better about her shitting all over beneficiaries, before she dropped the act and stopped pretending. Meager will make pious pronouncements and tell us all the people who work on the coal face of poverty know nothing because he is more "authentic" all the while voting for legislation that fucks over the least advantaged amongst us. He can take his right wing identity politics, his appeal to conservative ideals of "authenticity" and shove it up his backside because to me, he is just another fucking Tory to be defeated.

        • Anne 7.2.1.1
          7 December 2023 at 8:28 pm

          "Meager is just the next Paula Bennett -"

          Imo, you are on the button Sanctuary.

          Young. Handsome. Has a pretty white wife? Couple of cute children? Looking for an easy ride up the greasy ladder of success?

          There is no way he could be there to improve the lives of the poor or the disadvantaged from whence he came. NAct's policies are testament to that. It also sounds like he rejected his family background some time ago. Possibly because he perceived them to be an impediment to his success?

          We all know people who fit the description. Full of sanctimonious and pious ideals but in reality don't give a s**t about anyone but themselves. Some of us even have (or had in my case) a family member who fitted the bill.

          Somewhere down the line he will do or say something that will expose him – just like it did with Paula Bennett.

  8. Ad 8
    7 December 2023 at 11:56 am

    Less than a month ago Fonterra were pledging to reduce its greenhouse gases by 30% in just 7 years.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/133258547/fonterra-pledges-to-make-milk-production-30-greener-by-2030#:~:text=Fonterra%20says%20its%20milk%20will,take%20steps%20to%20reduce%20emissions.

    But just 4 weeks later, when it comes to making that same promise with its competitors in full view of COP28 participants, nah:

    https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/dairy/fonterra-refuses-join-global-dairy-companies-methane-pledge

    Thanks to Fonterra we remain the high-volume low-value kings of the dairy world.

  9. Ad 9
    7 December 2023 at 12:32 pm

    Someone work out for me the moral complexities of Brian Tamaki holding a pro-Israel demonstration in Wellington.

    • Sanctuary 9.1
      7 December 2023 at 3:26 pm

      The guy got less votes than I did when I ran to be president of the local pigeon fanciers society, and I lost to Derek, the night janitor of a local sewage plant and a pigeon fancier of long note.

      Not sure, then, if the self-style bishop is worthy of our great minds….

      • Robert Guyton 9.1.1
        7 December 2023 at 6:55 pm

        If Brian had stood against you, my fine feathered friend, you might be just a little less cocky – coz, Power of the Lord!

    • Visubversa 9.2
      7 December 2023 at 5:19 pm

      None at all. Christian Zionists believe that Jesus won't come back until various things have happened. One of them is the establishment of Zionist Israel. The Jews will all then convert to Christianity.

  10. AB 10
    7 December 2023 at 12:47 pm

    Shane Reti has a dream. A dream of solving Maori health inequities through devolved funding, i.e. iwi ambulances at the bottoms of cliffs, not the significant downward redistribution of wealth and power that might actually work.

    • adam 10.1
      7 December 2023 at 1:48 pm

      Cigireti – if you can't have an original thought, reach back to the 80's to pull some failed bullshit out of your ass.

      Call it a shiny new solution.

      This lot are making the marxist-leninists look less ideological pure.

  11. Dennis Frank 11
    7 December 2023 at 12:48 pm

    An Aotearoan foreign policy initiative looms:

    Parliament's agenda for this afternoon states that Peters will ask Parliament to express grave concern at the ongoing violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. He will also "unequivocally condemn" the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October and call for the release of all hostages.

    Peters will also move that Parliament recognises Israel's right to defend itself acting in accordance with international law and that all civilians be protected from armed conflict.

    He had released a statement last Friday saying New Zealand was calling for all countries with influence in the region to work urgently towards a long-term ceasefire, but today's move will set that down on the Parliamentary record and allow the political parties to debate it.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/504102/foreign-minister-winston-peters-to-urge-parliament-to-call-for-steps-towards-ceasefire-in-gaza

    If the govt incorporates feedback from the debate, our consequent policy stance has the potential to be on the basis of cross-party consensus – which would give it way more moral authority. That's the way to go.

    • SPC 11.1
      7 December 2023 at 3:30 pm

      Peters approved the positions of Starmer (a sustainable cease-fire includes ending Hamas capacity to attack Israel again) and Twyford, but dissed that of Maori MP's (of 3 different parties) by referring to the fate of pacifist Chatham Islanders.

      Hipkins asked Luxon to distinguish between an immediate cease-fire (which Labour supports) and National's position – support for a sustainable cease-fire (which includes support for that advocated by the UNSG).

  12. observer 12
    7 December 2023 at 4:06 pm

    Good to see the Herald reporters were paying attention at Question Time today. I watched the Luxon/Hipkins exchange live and heard exactly what they did, with its clear implications:

    "Christopher Luxon has said his new Government has not committed to a referendum on the Treaty principles bill.

    Asked about the Treaty principles legislation, Luxon appeared to suggest National would not allow the Act’s Treaty Principles legislation to proceed beyond select committee.

    He said a bill would be supported to select committee, as said in the coalition agreement, but “that’s as far as it will go”.

    Christopher Luxon’s first Question Time to feature debate about Government’s approach – NZ Herald

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    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
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    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
    16 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
    19 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
    20 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
    22 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
    24 hours 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

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

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