Grey Power contemplating establishing a power company
Lobby group Grey Power is contemplating establishing a power company of a different kind, as pensioners face rising electricity bills this winter.
A major upgrade of the grid by state-owned Transpower has driven a nationwide electricity price hike, prompting Grey Power to look at ways to assist its members, said national president Roy Reid.
“We would run a company that distributes on the power networks as is done at present,” Reid said.
“We would only need to gather in enough profit to maintain the cost of the supply.”
Reid said the rising prices are putting too much pressure on pensioners, which Grey Power hopes to change.
Significant increases in line prices in the last five years has seen line pricing outstrip energy pricing in that period.
A power company that only requires to make enough profit to maintain supply? Isn’t that something a Government working in the public interest should be doing?
Transpower hasn’t been investing in upgrades as it should have, if it had we would have had higher prices sooner than we did now. On the other hand, thanks to the recession we now have ample generation capacity for the next 2-3 years.
If Grey Power think they can magically make power transmission cost less, or never upgrade the infrastructure (and watch what would happen to the country if the cook strait cable broke down, for example…) then they really don’t know what they’re talking about.
Members of Grey Power could organise amongst themselves to buy up shares in one of the power companies being partially sold. Maybe they’d prefer National relaxed their policy and sold more than 49%.
You buy it twice because you can use the power twice. Easy. It wouldn’t be fair if old people can go ahead and use the power twice, but just pay once, because that would mean they got a free lunch with it.
We all have to chip in some money so that the infrastructure can be built. These are called taxes and/or power charges. We can then benefit from cheap power. But sell the infrastructure off and we will have to pay Mr Overseas Investor Man more money so that we can have the benefit of our assets.
Members of Parliament could organize among themselves the distribution of electricity to the elderly who paid the taxes which constructed the electricity generation which we all currently enjoy at a price they all,(the elderly),can afford to pay…
Transpower hasn’t been investing in upgrades as it should have, if it had we would have had higher prices sooner than we did now.
The electricity industry is highly profitable. Not the lines side of it, but as a whole (including generators and retailers). So there’s been plenty of money to put into investing in infrastructure upgrades – if you leave aside all the artificial accounting divisions between activties.
Lines companies are still very profitable, as long as they ensure they have the asset base that allows this return the money flows from the retailers with no effort early in every month.
In which case Grey Power trying to set up their own lines company isn’t going to do bunk: if all the profits are in the retail and generator sector anyway.
Seems what they really want is for the government to rationalise the industry and bring it under state control. Unfortunately our current government is trying to do the opposite.
The problem is We keep discussing such things from within the current socio/economic paradigm,
Species of life upon the Planet that have failed to evolve in terms of what conditions are present upon this Planet have in fact ceased to exist,and, as part of our conditions of existence upon this Planet are reliant upon the economic structures we build We must as a species evolve our thinking around and those actual economic structures or face the threat of simply becoming a foot-note in historical occupation of the Planet the same as T-rex or any of the other dinosaurs,
We can take it as a given that the cash equivalent of 1% of inflation is a known number,just as We can also reach an uneasy agreement about what in economic terms is an ”acceptable” level of inflation,
Having the 2 above ”knowns” we can then ”see” that should We need to build an item of infrastucture such as one that provides electricity in bulk from renewable resources then we in effect only ”need” print such monies neccessary as to make such construction a reality,
So, in all reality and still operating from within the realms of to-days economic paradigm We only need build 1 such structure that delivers to the National Grid such a bulk of electricity as to be able to provide those who have reached the age of retirement electricity at the cost of transmission plus maintainence…
“If Grey Power think they can magically make power transmission cost less, or never upgrade the infrastructure (and watch what would happen to the country if the cook strait cable broke down, for example…) then they really don’t know what they’re talking about.”
They can’t change transmission costs, but they can get rid of those profits that are at present passing into the pockets of shareholders.
“They can’t change transmission costs, but they can get rid of those profits that are at present passing into the pockets of shareholders.”
How, exactly? They’re going to stump up $500m or whatever it costs and not expect a return on investment?
When you put money in the bank, you get interest back, 4.5% is an easily achievable return at the moment.
Saying that they will own a lines company and not take profit is the same as putting that money into the bank and getting 0% interest on it. Worse even because in taking on a business you’re taking on massive risks and unexpected costs, and doing it all for 0% return…
When you put money in the bank, you get interest back, 4.5% is an easily achievable return at the moment.
If the government printed the money that it spends at 0% interest and made “loans” available to businesses and home loans at the same rate then nobody would receive any interest but society would work a whole lot better. Which is how it should be.
“Saying that they will own a lines company and not take profit is the same as putting that money into the bank and getting 0% interest on it. Worse even because in taking on a business you’re taking on massive risks and unexpected costs, and doing it all for 0% return…
Who is going to do that?”
Either the banks or the government. The banks probably won’t because they are a bunch of usurers. The government could though. Fiat money I mean.
Grey Power are proposing to set up this as a private power company themselves. They’re not getting banks or the government involved, nor are they calling for the banks or government to do it.
I doubt they could do it without government involvement. But the debate only serves to highlight the fact that government could sell power at cost, but only if they retain ownership. Public ownership, or government involvement, seems to be the only ways of keeping out the ticket clippers and keeping prices down.
Thousands has been spent on food, chefs and travel for family gatherings under a multimillion-dollar Government “whanau innovation fund”.
The Dominion Post has obtained, under the Official Information Act, details of the 25 most recent successful applicants to the controversial Whanau Integration, Innovation and Engagement (WIIE) Fund.
What a rip-off. Supposedly anyone can apply……… Perhaps we should arrange a Standard whanau gathering!
Yes, but…for us dualies on the South Island renewing the US passport is a pain. If there is a child’s passport to be renewed it means a flight up to Auckland for a visit to the American consulate to have a chat with some politically appointed nincompoop who without the help of his competent staff walking him through the bureaucratic steps, it would devolve into a horrible parody of Kafka’s worst nightmare. The littlies passports are only good for five years so twice a decade it’s a schlep up to effin’ Auckland to apply again.
The DIA’s applications for passports were fairly straightforward, although I thought the bit of having a page filled out by a current passport holder a bit stupid and redundant. Now, a question – for those of you overseas, is it a pain in the arse to apply for your Kiwi passport overseas?
Going up to a possible 800,000 passports – more volume cheaper prices surely. We shouldn’t just look at what Australia does as an excuse to keep prices up.
I can perhaps see why a biometric passport can cost more, as it contains more material. But why only five years? Does biometric data change every five years? Wouldn’t think so!!
And some other countries have the same biometric passport for 10 years.
If the govt is really about seeking efficiency gains (not that they really are – they just like kicking the public sector) – here’s a simple one to change. Make the term 10 years, and cut the total national cost of issuing passports in half just like that.
$500m has been added to the value of Skycity in a few months: how?
Skycity has long cosy relationship with the National Party. British American Tobacco’s then PR man, was a multiple purchaser of $10,000 tables at National Party fun raisers hosted at Skycity. That was Carrick Graham, son of the disgraced Dough Graham. The NATZ annual conferences, election launches and election parties have been held there. The path to the Skycity Executive Offices in Federal Street is well worn by National Party Managers. The latest deal only has upsides for Skycity: a Government backed monopoly on large Conventions; possible Government subsidies, and 100s more pokie machines that were unachievable under the normal regulatory regime.
The Skycity share price shot from $3.25 in mid-November to over $4.00 in April, a 23% leap. That is an increase in market capitalisation from $1.8b to $2.3b. The Skycity Chairman, the talented Rod McGeoch, is doing a great job for his shareholders. That is what he, his board and Exec, is meant to do. Good on him. The National Party are doing the people of New Zealand a great dis-service on many fronts. They are short sighted, greedy, vain-glorious, twits. This is an issue the Labour Party should push very hard. It stinks at many levels.
David Cunliffe asked Joyce in Parliament if he had one of those magical cards that let you do anything. He said he did not. I wonder why David asked the question?
Nothing exemplifies greed more than this sky city deal.
Casinos are gilt edged money spinners yet they will not be happy until they’ve wrung every possible cent from the taxpayer and punter and having a compliant corrupt govt is a bonus.
A mugs game those pokies all computerised to ensure the rate of return, luck and skill….yeah right.
“Immigration Minister Nathan Guy said the changes were aimed at “reducing red tape” and “making it easier for low-risk, high-value students to come to New Zealand”.
The international education sector is worth $2.3 billion to the economy.”
Sopheng Veng, a former postgraduate accountancy student from Cambodia who faced a deportation order after he was diagnosed with hepatitis B and C during a medical screening, said he was thrilled with the changes.
Another stupid idea from a wanna-please- my Key master by cutting anything at any cost and hopefully look as though I’m saving money and being productive. (Doesn’t think to self that, even though he will gratefully and happily get the “”Key beam”” for a short while – in the long run he will get disgrace and New Zealand’s disgust and fury as people die due to another unregulated cock up by the National Government e.g. those wonderful 29 men who died at Pike River, may they come home soon.)
Phil Heatley is already well on the path to national disgrace as being completely in thrall now, he desperately grovels trying to get back into the “”Key Beam”” of his pre resignation position, by piling agony upon agony on already stressed and pressured housing NZ tenants (who were supposedly for life tenants ’til kill em off Natty assassins come along. )
You are right muzza there is “something very, very wrong about this change of policy” from Key/ Joyce/English groveller Guy. I am angry -and fearful.
mmmmm, follow the Money Trail. I recall John Banks making a significant investment in an Auckland “International College” business a few years ago. It was around the time he was in court fighting fellow greedy shareholders in a dodgy manuka honey business.
John Banks has form in mixing personal business with government: PM Jim Bolger kicked him out of government when he was Tourism Minister for shonky dealing on the Waitangi Hotel.
Another over-coat changer,whichever way the wind blows as the Queen song goes,it would be nice to believe that Coddington has had an epiphany,such an out of body experience allowing Her after so many years to in effect ”see the light”,
More likely tho,the opportunists have a well honed sense of smelling whats in the wind and Coddington is attempting a piece of re-branding in case such a breeze morph into a storm…
Another muddle of contradictory logic.. support for the large numbers of women who have suffered domestic violence (indeed)….. and for poor (victim?) Nick Smith bruised and trampled by women in sensible shoes?
Coddington!
Weeping crocodile tears over domestic violence and child abuse while advocating the policies of meanness and austerity that have made these problems so much worse.
In a land of plenty,We look to our right as we type, considering the elderly, most of whom worked their whole damn lives to build this country,s infrastructure,
Comparing like with like in terms of the political world we cannot escape the comparison of NZFirst, described by many as the ”old” National Party and the National Party of ”now” best, in our opinion described simply with the word ”spit”,
Whenever We have cause to amble past the local community centre We are caused to smile by the sign being out showing the ”gold-card” holders where this month,s organized ”trip” with the use of the ”gold-card” on the public transport net-work will be, a NZFirst initiative,(the gold-card),which values the elderly for their contribution to our present society,
In comparison, We can only draw any conclusion that springs to mind when We have as our only comparison in ”stated” policy to draw upon being the pre-election sojourn of the present Prime Minister to a retirement village where He addressed the elderly residents,
Slippery left this particular venue visibly perplexed obviously still in the throes of egotistical rapture believing that ”everyone” was entranced with His media enhanced image,and, wondering why He, after having addressed these elderly potential voters He had been met with a stony silence at question time,
Slippery of course had stood befor these people and informed them that He was all in favor of ”euthanasia”,its a wonder He didnt tell Them that He was in favor of pulling the plug now and making it compulsory…
The trip to the retirement village was also Pre the Epsom chimps tea-party, so its easy to see that Slippery carries the dents to His ego round in His head for a while from His ”NZFirsts supporters are all dying off” comment,that(snigger)was reportedly made at that meeting…
wondering why He, after having addressed these elderly potential voters He had been met with a stony silence at question time,
I have in the past 2 weeks * been very surprised in chatting with three or four people ranging in age from my age (50-summat) to fully elderly, who have made absolutely clear their disgust with NACT and John Key! I am amazed, because 6-8 years back, the 50-somethings were all true-blue rightists. (The seriously old, in their late 70s-80s, were good lefties in contrast. )
Some of these people I spoke recently must be the formerly enchanted, who are now the disenchanted…
* Come to think of it, the most surprising was my 50-something boss, the Principal at a language school who in a staff meeting last year, expressed his extreme dis-satisfaction with the ESOL establishment, the government and schools (not ours!) who were out to exploit foreign students, get their money and who cares then?I didn’t know him very well, and I did not expect such dangerously left-sounding comments, especially in a staff meeting!
Aha,the initial love affair with Slippery was part the media generated image of smile’n’wave politics where at all costs He was to be shielded from any public in depth analysis lest there were a revelation of an empty suitcase of intellectual rigour more suited to the used car lot than the 9th floor at the height of our democracy,
The other part of the attraction tho can be found in that most basic of human emotions, Greed, those earning under 50,000 per annum will have or will soon have come to the conclusion that what they did receive from such ”tax changes” was merely an illusion overcome quickly by subsequent events…
The Health Department figures show that year in year out elderly people continue to die every winter from winter ills or complications of previous illness simply because they cannot afford to properly heat their homes,
We havn’t got the figures here,but from memory, the uneccessary annual death toll is around the 400 mark and ”in the land of plenty” We see this as both disgusting and unacceptable,
Our view, in consideration of the elderly,s previous contribution to society is that ”in a land of plenty” is that their power account should be rebated at a rate of at least 20% monthly,or,50% during the winter months…
When urban centres are developed or upgraded, what are the provisions for the elderly?
Is the focus of such developments on a commercially-focused centre, with residential properties for the elderly, and/or retirement villages relegated somewhere to the suburban margins?
How easy is it for elderly people to walk or get a bus to warm community centres, libraries, mainline public transport, etc in winter?
More and more older people are living in inner city and local centre apartments these days. Bus at the door, supermarket across the road, safe and usually easy to heat. The ones by St Lukes are popular with the Library and the CAB as well as all the foodcourts at the Mall. One couple I was talking to had a fortnight when the wife was incapacitated and the husband walked over to the food court every day. He said they ate their way around the world! They sold the car after they had been there 6 months as they never used it.
Carol – How about linking parents with young children in with the elderly when planning. Both
have more vulnerabilities and difficulties than others, and the low income proportion of each group struggle, and the parents have the responsibility for their dependent children as well.
Something could be said on the plus side for having more of the ”older” members of our society who choose to continue to be employed being encouraged into the field of pre-school or after school care of the young, an interesting social juxtaposition may be created where the older workers would be providing care and life skills for those who could conceivably be the care-givers to those older workers at a future time…
Good point, prism, especially with regard to low income parents. As far as I can see new urban developments focus more on providing residential property, largely targeting workers and consumers with easy access to commercial centres. So families can be well catered to. But, of course, housing close to commercial centres becomes more less affordable to those on low incomes.
Retirement villages seem to be located at a fair distance from commercial centres.
But, as the focus is on commerical activity, children’s playgrounds etc, can be placed away from the commercial heart, if they are provided at all.
Good idea bad, re older people being involved in childcare.
Carol – An example that came to mind was the difficulty that poor families can have in getting health care checks etc. If money is short, children have to be gathered, and the sick child/ren made ready then all set off dressed for the weather and a long outing, in good time to make sure they are early at the bus stop, have the money for the fares, get on the bus with pushchairs etc then off. What a task. What a carry-on on top of the normal worries, and parents on low incomes always have more worries than up times. That is a hypothetical example of difficulty even if there are footpaths to the bus and it goes fairly near the needed destination. Then there is getting back and knowing what time to be at departure bus stop.
As for bad12 idea of older people looking after youngers, it would be good for those who want to do it and go through a short period of training. (The problem with us older people is that we tend to think we know it all or to follow personal routines which may have failed us and definitely need to be revised.)
And coercion would not be the answer. Likewise the idea of making older women or the unemployed become caregivers in rest homes. I think Winston Peters threw that up as an idea. The yacht-owning class come up with easy manpower solutions like that. Quality of care plus skill plus kindly attitudes, patience and respect are needed in caring roles. Not everybody is suitable for such tasks.
The cost to communities from the overuse of alcohol by the young is bad but the personal cost as youth explore what their bodies can stand and go to the limit is too high for a responsible society that cares about its youth.
The “Hospitality Industry isn’t going to change in its leech-like attraction to selling booze and exploiting our fun-loving sides. You get into it, make a success, make money and get a knighthood for it too. The sky-city discussion shows how deeply the pollies are in the pockets of the alcohol drug companies for campaign money enabling events to be held in regal surroundings compared to the grassroots political parties venues in church halls.
It’s almost as bad as the sleaze of prohibition days, because we can’t rein in this racehorse and can’t hire political jockeys with the right stuff to slow it down. Is there any integrity out there that has a backbone? It seems out of control, and the situation gives an inkling of why the Temperance Society fought so hard against alcohol in the past.
It seems out of control, and the situation gives an inkling of why the Temperance Society fought so hard against alcohol in the past.
Agreed. The Prohibition era debacle was one of those ‘victories’ of capitalism that bulldozed over the right of communities to determine for themselves how they would control the abuse of alcohol.
And of course the victor re-wrote history to suit themselves as usual.
Kaipara is a hugely important area for snapper fry to develop, there is legitimate concern they will be minced in these turbines. Things like this are always tough. I support alternative energy projects, but we can’t repeat the same mistakes of the past and make them ecologically unsustainable.
They should just build one and see how it goes first. Need to know what the maintenance will be like on it as the marine environment is highly corrosive.
I’m not overly concerned about the fish though, I doubt that many would get minced meanwhile the turbines will act like reefs stirring up the food and thus make the area around then a better breeding ground.
It’s not something that I’ve really been following.
I know reefs stir up the food from the floor of the ocean which is what attracts fish to them. Reefs also provide shelter which the blades won’t do but the rest of the body will. An interesting side effect of oil rigs is the amount of life that grows around them. It’s all this extra life growing on them combined with the corrosive qualities of salt water that is, IMO, going to make these turbines non-viable but will most likely improve the fishing in and around the harbour.
Build one, see how it goes for a few years (i.e. learn what’s happening) before building any others.
“There have been no changes in abundance of either seals or porpoises detected which can be attributed to SeaGen; seals and porpoises are continuing to swim past SeaGen, demonstrating a lack of any concern or hindrance.
The only changes observed after three years of operation of SeaGen have been relatively small scale changes in the behaviour and distribution of seals and harbour porpoises, which suggests a minor degree of local avoidance of SeaGen.
The benthic ecology (seabed life) was also monitored as part of the EMP, using divers. The EMP concluded that the seabed life surrounding SeaGen’s foundations has recovered since its installation in 2008. In addition, the EMP has showed no evidence of significant change to the tidal speeds and flow directions within Strangford Narrows and that it is unlikely that marine traffic between Strangford town and Portaferry has been affected. With regard to bird life, although not a key feature of the EMP, the studies have shown that the overall bird numbers in the Narrows have remained stable.”
Some of the discussion about the Kaipara turbines:
“According to a study by NIWA, 98 percent of all North Island west coast juvenile snapper originate from the Kaipara Harbour, and we already know that the commercially important west coast snapper stock (SNA8) has only 8 percent of its original stock left.”
Kaipara Harbour in poor health
The iwi questions why this “experiment” is being done in the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour – a harbour that the Integrated Kaipara Harbour Management Group’s (IKHMG), gap analysis showed was not in good health and was trying to restore its low levels of fish stocks and marine life.
The Kaipara Harbour ecology was not robust enough to absorb the risks associated with an experimental energy project, he said. Kaipara turbines (Suite101.com since 1996, has a Canadian address and publishes informative articles on wide topics.)
Been following this story for years. The idea is brilliant, renewable energy with no visual pollution. When in full production it’s capable of powering all homes pretty much north of Auckland.
I can understand the environmentalist worries though, which is why Crest should be allowed to go ahead with well monitored trials.
It is a tough one but I agree it needs to be trialled first. Shark, dolphin & other larger fish populations might get hit pretty bad too.
It doesn’t pay to jump into the green stuff without weighing the consequences first. I read a report about windmills in California. They put many on the migration path of various birds, when they decided to research it they discovered tens of thousands of birds were being killed each year by the windmill blades. I wonder what the cost is here.
The barrage has caused progressive silting of the Rance ecosystem. Sand-eels and plaice have disappeared, though sea bass and cuttlefish have returned to the river. By definition, tides still flow in the estuary and the operators, EDF endeavours to adjust their level to minimize the biological impact.
In the United States, an unofficial non-peer-reviewed estimate by a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) scientist in 2009 claimed that wind turbines kill 440,000 birds per year, with future mortality expected to increase significantly as wind power generation expands by 2030 to levels about 12 times higher than 2009 levels.[36] However the high figure estimated was disputed by several organizations, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service later pointed out that it was only an ‘estimate’ by one of many scientists, and was not officially supported by the USFWS. An article in the journal Nature stated that each wind turbine kills an average of 4.27 birds per year.[39]
Sorry, Muzza, gotta disagree on this one. Some pretty good backgrounds and credibility there. And not there to represent their employers. Not my favourite bunch of organisations either, but these people bring their own values to this.
I reckon this lot seem pretty sharp. Let’s see how staunch they might be in exposing some of the dodgy stuff around the place. If they prove to be limp and useless, I am happy to be called on that.
China will stall this through the WTO for years. Hearings and rehearings, appeals and re-appeals. Classic, the Orientals using the western imperial powers’ globalisation mechanisms to their own advantage.
China is stockpiling a wide range of commodities because unlike the West the politicians look further than the next election and they can see where the world is heading.
At current consumption rates there is about 20 years left for zinc, 19 for lead, 18 for tin, 12 for silver and 15 for gold.
Empire has always been about transferring resources from the periphery to the centre. If it’s not done willingly then it will be done by force. The empire we’re in now is the Washington Empire. What we’re seeing is the periphery of that Empire say no to the wealth pump that made the USA rich which is the beginning of the end of the empire.
Yeah, I spotted that too. Totally believable for countries that select the likes of Dr Rowan Williams to lead their church – the best side of Christianity. I suggest a U.S study would reach an entirely different conclusion.
Whatever has already been decided you can be sure that the tech deals have already been done, and it will be very interesting to hear who gets the work for it!
Never any real creative thinking coming to the fore, only ever the beg, steal or borrow!
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Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...
One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the ...
If our strategic position was already challenging, it just got worse. Reliability of the US as an ally is in question, amid such actions by the Trump administration as calling for annexation of Canada, threating ...
Small businesses will be exempt from complying with some of the requirements of health and safety legislation under new reforms proposed by the Government. The living wage will be increased to $28.95 per hour from September, a $1.15 increase from the current $27.80. A poll has shown large opposition to ...
Summary A group of senior doctors in Nelson have spoken up, specifically stating that hospitals have never been as bad as in the last year.Patients are waiting up to 50 hours and 1 death is directly attributable to the situation: "I've never seen that number of patients waiting to be ...
Although semiconductor chips are ubiquitous nowadays, their production is concentrated in just a few countries, and this has left the US economy and military highly vulnerable at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. While the ...
Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New ...
In short in our political economy this morning:Fletcher Building is closing its pre-fabricated house-building factory in Auckland due to a lack of demand, particularly from the Government.Health NZ is sending a crisis management team to Nelson Hospital after a 1News investigation exposed doctors’ fears that nearly 500 patients are overdue ...
Exactly 10 years ago, the then minister for defence, Kevin Andrews, released the First Principles Review: Creating One Defence (FPR). With increasing talk about the rising possibility of major power-conflict, calls for Defence funding to ...
In events eerily similar to what happened in the USA last week, Greater Auckland was recently accidentally added to a group chat between government ministers on the topic of transport.We have no idea how it happened, but luckily we managed to transcribe most of what transpired. We share it ...
Hi,When I look back at my history with Dylan Reeve, it’s pretty unusual. We first met in the pool at Kim Dotcom’s mansion, as helicopters buzzed overhead and secret service agents flung themselves off the side of his house, abseiling to the ground with guns drawn.Kim Dotcom was a German ...
Come around for teaDance me round and round the kitchenBy the light of my T.VOn the night of the electionAncient stars will fall into the seaAnd the ocean floor sings her sympathySongwriter: Bic Runga.The Prime Minister stared into the camera, hot and flustered despite the predawn chill. He looked sadly ...
Has Winston Peters got a ferries deal for you! (Buyer caution advised.) Unfortunately, the vision that Peters has been busily peddling for the past 24 hours – of several shipyards bidding down the price of us getting smaller, narrower, rail-enabled ferries – looks more like a science fiction fantasy. One ...
Completed reads for March: The Heart of the Antarctic [1907-1909], by Ernest Shackleton South [1914-1917], by Ernest Shackleton Aurora Australis (collection), edited by Ernest Shackleton The Book of Urizen (poem), by William Blake The Book of Ahania (poem), by William Blake The Book of Los (poem), by William Blake ...
First - A ReminderBenjamin Doyle Doesn’t Deserve ThisI’ve been following posts regarding Green MP Benjamin Doyle over the last few days, but didn’t want to amplify the abject nonsense.This morning, Winston Peters, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, answered the alt-right’s prayers - guaranteeing amplification of the topic, by going on ...
US President Donald Trump has shown a callous disregard for the checks and balances that have long protected American democracy. As the self-described ‘king’ makes a momentous power grab, much of the world watches anxiously, ...
They can be the very same words. And yet their meaning can vary very much.You can say I'll kill him about your colleague who accidentally deleted your presentation the day before a big meeting.You can say I'll kill him to — or, for that matter, about — Tony Soprano.They’re the ...
Back in 2020, the then-Labour government signed contracted for the construction and purchase of two new rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries, to be operational from 2026. But when National took power in 2023, they cancelled them in a desperate effort to make the books look good for a year. And now ...
The fragmentation of cyber regulation in the Indo-Pacific is not just inconvenient; it is a strategic vulnerability. In recent years, governments across the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, have moved to reform their regulatory frameworks for cyber ...
Welcome to the March 2025 Economic Bulletin. The feature article examines what public private partnerships (PPPs) are. PPPs have been a hot topic recently, with the coalition government signalling it wants to use them to deliver infrastructure. However, experience with PPPs, both here and overseas, indicates we should be wary. ...
Willis announces more plans of plans for supermarketsYesterday’s much touted supermarket competition announcement by Nicola Willis amounted to her telling us she was issuing a 6 week RFI1 that will solicit advice from supermarket players.In short, it was an announcement of a plan - but better than her Kiwirail Interislander ...
This was the post I was planning to write this morning to mark Orr’s final day. That said, if the underlying events – deliberate attempts to mislead Parliament – were Orr’s doing, the post is more about the apparent uselessness of Parliament (specifically the Finance and Expenditure Committee) in holding ...
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC’s plan to build a plant in the United States looks like a move made at the behest of local officials to solidify US support for Taiwan. However, it may eventually lessen ...
This is a Guest Post by Transport Planner Bevan Woodward from the charitable trust Movement, which has lodged an application for a judicial review of the Governments Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 Auckland is at grave risk of having its safer speed limits on approx. 1,500 local streets ...
We're just talkin' 'bout the futureForget about the pastIt'll always be with usIt's never gonna die, never gonna dieSongwriters: Brian Johnson / Angus Young / Malcolm YoungMorena, all you lovely people, it’s good to be back, and I have news from the heartland. Now brace yourself for this: depending on ...
Today is the last day in office for the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr. Of course, he hasn’t been in the office since 5 March when, on the eve of his major international conference, his resignation was announced and he stormed off with no (effective) notice and no ...
Treasury and Cabinet have finally agreed to a Crown guarantee for a non-Government lending agency for Community Housing Providers (CHPs), which could unlock billions worth of loans and investments by pension funds and banks to build thousands of more affordable social homes. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest:Chris Bishop ...
Australia has plenty of room to spend more on defence. History shows that 2.9 percent of GDP is no great burden in ordinary times, so pushing spending to 3.0 percent in dangerous times is very ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Winston Peters will announce later today whether two new ferries are rail ‘compatible’, requiring time-consuming container shuffling, or the more efficient and expensive rail ‘enabled,’ where wagons can roll straight on and off.Nicola Willisthreatened yesterday to break up the supermarket duopoly with ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 23, 2025 thru Sat, March 29, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
For prospective writers out there, Inspired Quill, the publisher of my novel(s) is putting together a short story anthology (pieces up to 10,000 words). The open submission window is 29th March to 29th April. https://www.inspired-quill.com/anthology-submissions/ The theme?This anthology will bring together diverse voices exploring themes of hope, resistance, and human ...
Prime minister Kevin Rudd released the 2009 defence white paper in May of that year. It is today remembered mostly for what it said about the strategic implications of China’s rise; its plan to double ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Voters want the Government to retain the living wage for cleaners, a poll shows.The Government’s move to provide a Crown guarantee to banks and the private sector for social housing is described a watershed moment and welcomed by Community Housing Providers.Nicola Willis is ...
The recent attacks in the Congo by Rwandan backed militias has led to worldwide condemnation of the Rwandan regime of Paul Kagame. Following up on the recent Fabian Zoom with Mikela Wrong and Maria Amoudian, Dr Rudaswinga will give a complete picture of Kagame’s regime and discuss the potential ...
New Zealand’s economic development has always been a partnership between the public and private sectors.Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) have become fashionable again, partly because of the government’s ambitions to accelerate infrastructural development. There is, of course, an ideological element too, while some of the opposition to them is also ideological.PPPs come in ...
How Australia funds development and defence was front of mind before Tuesday’s federal budget. US President Donald Trump’s demands for a dramatic lift in allied military spending and brutal cuts to US foreign assistance meant ...
Questions 1. Where and what is this protest?a. Hamilton, angry crowd yelling What kind of food do you call this Seymour?b.Dunedin, angry crowd yelling Still waiting, Simeon, still waitingc. Wellington, angry crowd yelling You’re trashing everything you idiotsd. Istanbul, angry crowd yelling Give us our democracy back, give it ...
Two blueprints that could redefine the Northern Territory’s economic future were launched last week. The first was a government-led economic strategy and the other an industry-driven economic roadmap. Both highlight that supporting the Northern Territory ...
In December 2021, then-Climate Change Minister James Shaw finally ended Tiwai Point's excessive pollution subsidies, cutting their "Electricity Allocation Factor" (basically compensation for the cost of carbon in their electricity price) to zero on the basis that their sweetheart deal meant they weren't paying it. In the process, he effectively ...
Green MP Tamatha Paul has received quite the beat down in the last two days.Her original comments were part of a panel discussion where she said:“Wellington people do not want to see police officers everywhere, and, for a lot of people, it makes them feel less safe. It’s that constant ...
US President Donald Trump has raised the spectre of economic and geopolitical turmoil in Asia. While individual countries have few options for pushing back against Trump’s transactional diplomacy, protectionist trade policies and erratic decision-making, a ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Maslow, Associate Professor, International Relations, University of Tokyo Two months into US President Donald Trump’s second term, the liberal international order is on life support. Alliances and multilateral institutions are now seen by the United States as burdens. Europe and ...
Starving public services of resources, gutting the workforce and then proposing private market solutions has been a key strategy of this government, says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
The government’s own Regulatory Impact Statement acknowledges that organic producers will bear the financial burden of adapting to the risks posed by GMO expansion. ...
The committee has "rammed it through with outrageous haste", with a report now expected tomorrow, but excluding thousands of submissions, Duncan Webb says. ...
The US president’s sweeping programme of global tariffs will hit every country abroad, including New Zealand, and dramatically raise prices at home. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here.In a dramatic, flag-draped address from the White ...
Alex Casey talks to Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi, the couple who launched a project to change 51 lives in honour of those lost in the Christchurch mosque attacks. When Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi walked into Naeem’s house in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, they knew immediately that he needed their help. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Shutterstock Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents. The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and ...
The three MPs whose rule-breaking haka caught the world’s attention didn’t attend their scheduled hearing yesterday. Constitutional law expert Andrew Geddis has the rundown of what happened, why, and what’s likely to come next. I see Te Pāti Māori and the privileges committee are in some sort of stand-off – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Turner, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.Nido Huebl/Shutterstock Earth is the only known planet which has plate tectonics today. The constant movement of these giant slabs of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Meta has stolen millions of books to train its AI, including books by kaituhi Māori. What does that mean for mātauranga and its status as taonga? New Zealand authors are among the millions whose books have been pirated and scraped by Meta to train its AI. The New Zealand Society of ...
Some hoped the open of the New Zealand markets would open with a bounce as certain tariffs fell short of the worst-case scenario, but investors were met with a deflated thud.The New Zealand market fell immediately as stock market darling Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s shares were punished, with no update ...
Healthcare dominated the debate in an unusually sober and serious question time. “Hey David!” a group of high school students in the public gallery called out as Act leader David Seymour entered the debating chamber. Standing in the middle of the floor, before any other MPs had arrived, he happily ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Heaslip, Senior Lecturer in Naval History, University of Portsmouth How the Shuqiao barges may be used to ferry troops ashore. X (formerly Twitter) China’s intentions when it comes to Taiwan have been at the centre of intense discussion for years. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiera Vaclavik, Professor of Children’s Literature & Childhood Culture, Queen Mary University of London This spring, Babe is returning to cinemas to mark the 30th anniversary of its release in 1995. The much-loved family film tells the deceptively simple but emotionally powerful ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie King-Hill, Associate Professor at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham Netflix television series Adolescence follows a 13-year-old boy accused of the murder of his female classmate. It touches upon incel online hate groups, toxic influencers and the misogynistic online ...
I don’t want my neuroses about someone being ‘good enough’ to keep me from finding love. But choosing to be with someone who isn’t quite right seems like a death sentence.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,I’m a straight single woman in my late 20s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Reyes, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University Pavel Gabzdyl / Shutterstock The “music” of starquakes – enormous vibrations caused by bursting bubbles of gas that ripple throughout the bodies of many stars – can reveal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney The five-week election campaign is now in full swing throughout the nation. Amid the flurry of photo opportunities and press conferences, candidates campaign in specific areas for a reason: to shore ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Whittle, ANZMUSC Practitioner Fellow, Monash University Marinesea/Shutterstock More than 500 million people around the world live with osteoarthritis. The knee is affected more often than any other joint, with symptoms (such as pain, stiffness and reduced movement) affecting work, sleep, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cornelia Sattler, Research Fellow in Ecology, Macquarie University Samantha Terrell/Shutterstock If you go walking in the wild, you might expect that what you’re seeing is natural. All around you are trees, shrubs and grasses growing in their natural habitat. But there’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeleine Fraser, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Australian Catholic University One of the first things parents want to ask their children after school is “how was your day?” We simply want to know how they are going and what happened at school. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Johnston, Director of Learning and Teaching at Excelsia University College and Research Affiliate, University of Sydney As Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young waved a decapitated salmon dripping with blood in parliament last week, you could feel the election coming. Hanson-Young ...
Grey Power contemplating establishing a power company
Lobby group Grey Power is contemplating establishing a power company of a different kind, as pensioners face rising electricity bills this winter.
A major upgrade of the grid by state-owned Transpower has driven a nationwide electricity price hike, prompting Grey Power to look at ways to assist its members, said national president Roy Reid.
“We would run a company that distributes on the power networks as is done at present,” Reid said.
“We would only need to gather in enough profit to maintain the cost of the supply.”
Reid said the rising prices are putting too much pressure on pensioners, which Grey Power hopes to change.
Significant increases in line prices in the last five years has seen line pricing outstrip energy pricing in that period.
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/lobby-group-mulls-starting-own-power-company-4821444
A power company that only requires to make enough profit to maintain supply? Isn’t that something a Government working in the public interest should be doing?
From tiny acorns…. This would be a wonderful thing to see happen…enough is enough….our elders starting the ball rolling….. a revolution on the way?
Wow, really?
Transpower hasn’t been investing in upgrades as it should have, if it had we would have had higher prices sooner than we did now. On the other hand, thanks to the recession we now have ample generation capacity for the next 2-3 years.
If Grey Power think they can magically make power transmission cost less, or never upgrade the infrastructure (and watch what would happen to the country if the cook strait cable broke down, for example…) then they really don’t know what they’re talking about.
Members of Grey Power could organise amongst themselves to buy up shares in one of the power companies being partially sold. Maybe they’d prefer National relaxed their policy and sold more than 49%.
Why?
They already own the shares as Citizens of this country. Why buy them twice?
Why buy power? They already own it as citizens of this country. Why buy it twice?
You buy it twice because you can use the power twice. Easy. It wouldn’t be fair if old people can go ahead and use the power twice, but just pay once, because that would mean they got a free lunch with it.
We all have to chip in some money so that the infrastructure can be built. These are called taxes and/or power charges. We can then benefit from cheap power. But sell the infrastructure off and we will have to pay Mr Overseas Investor Man more money so that we can have the benefit of our assets.
Members of Parliament could organize among themselves the distribution of electricity to the elderly who paid the taxes which constructed the electricity generation which we all currently enjoy at a price they all,(the elderly),can afford to pay…
The electricity industry is highly profitable. Not the lines side of it, but as a whole (including generators and retailers). So there’s been plenty of money to put into investing in infrastructure upgrades – if you leave aside all the artificial accounting divisions between activties.
Lines companies are still very profitable, as long as they ensure they have the asset base that allows this return the money flows from the retailers with no effort early in every month.
Right, now that I can believe.
In which case Grey Power trying to set up their own lines company isn’t going to do bunk: if all the profits are in the retail and generator sector anyway.
Seems what they really want is for the government to rationalise the industry and bring it under state control. Unfortunately our current government is trying to do the opposite.
Transpower to return dividend to Govt for first time in 6 years
While hiking prices, borrowing money, and denying it is under govt pressure to hand over more dividends than it is making in profits. Figure that.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/6546910/Transpower-not-pressured-on-dividend
Not if that investment in infrastructure came from profits made.
A lower (or no profit margin) will offset end consumer costs.
This threatens to jeopardize the Governments sell-down plans, Grey Power (supplying power at cost) will clean up
The problem is We keep discussing such things from within the current socio/economic paradigm,
Species of life upon the Planet that have failed to evolve in terms of what conditions are present upon this Planet have in fact ceased to exist,and, as part of our conditions of existence upon this Planet are reliant upon the economic structures we build We must as a species evolve our thinking around and those actual economic structures or face the threat of simply becoming a foot-note in historical occupation of the Planet the same as T-rex or any of the other dinosaurs,
We can take it as a given that the cash equivalent of 1% of inflation is a known number,just as We can also reach an uneasy agreement about what in economic terms is an ”acceptable” level of inflation,
Having the 2 above ”knowns” we can then ”see” that should We need to build an item of infrastucture such as one that provides electricity in bulk from renewable resources then we in effect only ”need” print such monies neccessary as to make such construction a reality,
So, in all reality and still operating from within the realms of to-days economic paradigm We only need build 1 such structure that delivers to the National Grid such a bulk of electricity as to be able to provide those who have reached the age of retirement electricity at the cost of transmission plus maintainence…
“If Grey Power think they can magically make power transmission cost less, or never upgrade the infrastructure (and watch what would happen to the country if the cook strait cable broke down, for example…) then they really don’t know what they’re talking about.”
They can’t change transmission costs, but they can get rid of those profits that are at present passing into the pockets of shareholders.
“They can’t change transmission costs, but they can get rid of those profits that are at present passing into the pockets of shareholders.”
How, exactly? They’re going to stump up $500m or whatever it costs and not expect a return on investment?
When you put money in the bank, you get interest back, 4.5% is an easily achievable return at the moment.
Saying that they will own a lines company and not take profit is the same as putting that money into the bank and getting 0% interest on it. Worse even because in taking on a business you’re taking on massive risks and unexpected costs, and doing it all for 0% return…
Who is going to do that?
30’s Labour Government did. Got us out of the recession.
No interest costs because the money did not come from a bank.
You have just given the best argument against asset sales I have seen for a while.
Sure, but we’re not talking about a government printing money, we’re talking about Grey Power setting this up, privately.
If the government printed the money that it spends at 0% interest and made “loans” available to businesses and home loans at the same rate then nobody would receive any interest but society would work a whole lot better. Which is how it should be.
Fine, but Grey Power aren’t advocating for that. They’re saying they’re going to set up their own private power company.
Funding details are short. However, one possibility is a non-profit co-operative.
Why are Grey Power members going to put their retirement money into a non-profit co-operative?
To save money. Their power bills will be down and at possibly a greater rate than the interest that they would normally get.
You forgot to take out witholding taxes.
And inflation.
Whoops now you’re only left with <1.5% pa returns.
1.5% PA is still more than 0%, or a loss, which a power company would return.
When did the last power company bankruptcy happen in NZ?
“Saying that they will own a lines company and not take profit is the same as putting that money into the bank and getting 0% interest on it. Worse even because in taking on a business you’re taking on massive risks and unexpected costs, and doing it all for 0% return…
Who is going to do that?”
Either the banks or the government. The banks probably won’t because they are a bunch of usurers. The government could though. Fiat money I mean.
Grey Power are proposing to set up this as a private power company themselves. They’re not getting banks or the government involved, nor are they calling for the banks or government to do it.
I doubt they could do it without government involvement. But the debate only serves to highlight the fact that government could sell power at cost, but only if they retain ownership. Public ownership, or government involvement, seems to be the only ways of keeping out the ticket clippers and keeping prices down.
The great NZ passport rip off….really the 5 year term is what I find the bigger farce!
Bloody Winston…he’s good that man.
And on Stuff, an unrelated article on an issue Peters raised in Parliament earlier in the year – the Whanau Innovation Fund.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6711592/Thousands-spent-on-whanau-gatherings
Thousands has been spent on food, chefs and travel for family gatherings under a multimillion-dollar Government “whanau innovation fund”.
The Dominion Post has obtained, under the Official Information Act, details of the 25 most recent successful applicants to the controversial Whanau Integration, Innovation and Engagement (WIIE) Fund.
What a rip-off. Supposedly anyone can apply……… Perhaps we should arrange a Standard whanau gathering!
Yes, but…for us dualies on the South Island renewing the US passport is a pain. If there is a child’s passport to be renewed it means a flight up to Auckland for a visit to the American consulate to have a chat with some politically appointed nincompoop who without the help of his competent staff walking him through the bureaucratic steps, it would devolve into a horrible parody of Kafka’s worst nightmare. The littlies passports are only good for five years so twice a decade it’s a schlep up to effin’ Auckland to apply again.
The DIA’s applications for passports were fairly straightforward, although I thought the bit of having a page filled out by a current passport holder a bit stupid and redundant. Now, a question – for those of you overseas, is it a pain in the arse to apply for your Kiwi passport overseas?
Going up to a possible 800,000 passports – more volume cheaper prices surely. We shouldn’t just look at what Australia does as an excuse to keep prices up.
I can perhaps see why a biometric passport can cost more, as it contains more material. But why only five years? Does biometric data change every five years? Wouldn’t think so!!
And some other countries have the same biometric passport for 10 years.
If the govt is really about seeking efficiency gains (not that they really are – they just like kicking the public sector) – here’s a simple one to change. Make the term 10 years, and cut the total national cost of issuing passports in half just like that.
$500m has been added to the value of Skycity in a few months: how?
Skycity has long cosy relationship with the National Party. British American Tobacco’s then PR man, was a multiple purchaser of $10,000 tables at National Party fun raisers hosted at Skycity. That was Carrick Graham, son of the disgraced Dough Graham. The NATZ annual conferences, election launches and election parties have been held there. The path to the Skycity Executive Offices in Federal Street is well worn by National Party Managers. The latest deal only has upsides for Skycity: a Government backed monopoly on large Conventions; possible Government subsidies, and 100s more pokie machines that were unachievable under the normal regulatory regime.
The Skycity share price shot from $3.25 in mid-November to over $4.00 in April, a 23% leap. That is an increase in market capitalisation from $1.8b to $2.3b. The Skycity Chairman, the talented Rod McGeoch, is doing a great job for his shareholders. That is what he, his board and Exec, is meant to do. Good on him. The National Party are doing the people of New Zealand a great dis-service on many fronts. They are short sighted, greedy, vain-glorious, twits. This is an issue the Labour Party should push very hard. It stinks at many levels.
Hi ALPB
David Cunliffe asked Joyce in Parliament if he had one of those magical cards that let you do anything. He said he did not. I wonder why David asked the question?
A case of asking a question to which you already know the answer? But holding fire for the meantime, with more to come at a more appropriate time?
Nothing exemplifies greed more than this sky city deal.
Casinos are gilt edged money spinners yet they will not be happy until they’ve wrung every possible cent from the taxpayer and punter and having a compliant corrupt govt is a bonus.
A mugs game those pokies all computerised to ensure the rate of return, luck and skill….yeah right.
More pressure on the already declining NZ health system and tax-payers?
“Immigration Minister Nathan Guy said the changes were aimed at “reducing red tape” and “making it easier for low-risk, high-value students to come to New Zealand”.
The international education sector is worth $2.3 billion to the economy.”
Argh, I see !
And how did my mother get in? She didn’t tell the immigration folk that she’d had tuberculosis.
Hoping people will be honest about their health when they want to get to NZ isn’t a good idea. This is just more incompetence from NACT.
I enjoyed this comment in the article
Sopheng Veng, a former postgraduate accountancy student from Cambodia who faced a deportation order after he was diagnosed with hepatitis B and C during a medical screening, said he was thrilled with the changes.
Now he could come back!!
Something is very , very wrong with the changing of this policy!
I can’t see for the life of me why they would open the door to risk such as this.
Something reeks as ususal!
The more people you have in a country the more money and wealth can be extracted from it for the benefit of NACTs masters.
Another stupid idea from a wanna-please- my Key master by cutting anything at any cost and hopefully look as though I’m saving money and being productive. (Doesn’t think to self that, even though he will gratefully and happily get the “”Key beam”” for a short while – in the long run he will get disgrace and New Zealand’s disgust and fury as people die due to another unregulated cock up by the National Government e.g. those wonderful 29 men who died at Pike River, may they come home soon.)
Phil Heatley is already well on the path to national disgrace as being completely in thrall now, he desperately grovels trying to get back into the “”Key Beam”” of his pre resignation position, by piling agony upon agony on already stressed and pressured housing NZ tenants (who were supposedly for life tenants ’til kill em off Natty assassins come along. )
You are right muzza there is “something very, very wrong about this change of policy” from Key/ Joyce/English groveller Guy. I am angry -and fearful.
mmmmm, follow the Money Trail. I recall John Banks making a significant investment in an Auckland “International College” business a few years ago. It was around the time he was in court fighting fellow greedy shareholders in a dodgy manuka honey business.
John Banks has form in mixing personal business with government: PM Jim Bolger kicked him out of government when he was Tourism Minister for shonky dealing on the Waitangi Hotel.
http://www.vdig.net/hansard/content.jsp?id=44155
Deborah Coddington in her farewell piece for the HoS. My keyboard nearly got my cup of tea when I read that.
A potential new voter for our new centrist Labour Party then? That’ll be the day!
That’s because she awaits instructions before she spins, so she’s correct in that regard….another hollow shill.
Another over-coat changer,whichever way the wind blows as the Queen song goes,it would be nice to believe that Coddington has had an epiphany,such an out of body experience allowing Her after so many years to in effect ”see the light”,
More likely tho,the opportunists have a well honed sense of smelling whats in the wind and Coddington is attempting a piece of re-branding in case such a breeze morph into a storm…
Another muddle of contradictory logic.. support for the large numbers of women who have suffered domestic violence (indeed)….. and for poor (victim?) Nick Smith bruised and trampled by women in sensible shoes?
Coddington!
Weeping crocodile tears over domestic violence and child abuse while advocating the policies of meanness and austerity that have made these problems so much worse.
Good riddance.
@ Rosy .. agree, eyewatering…… with amazement and disbelieving mirth.
In a land of plenty,We look to our right as we type, considering the elderly, most of whom worked their whole damn lives to build this country,s infrastructure,
Comparing like with like in terms of the political world we cannot escape the comparison of NZFirst, described by many as the ”old” National Party and the National Party of ”now” best, in our opinion described simply with the word ”spit”,
Whenever We have cause to amble past the local community centre We are caused to smile by the sign being out showing the ”gold-card” holders where this month,s organized ”trip” with the use of the ”gold-card” on the public transport net-work will be, a NZFirst initiative,(the gold-card),which values the elderly for their contribution to our present society,
In comparison, We can only draw any conclusion that springs to mind when We have as our only comparison in ”stated” policy to draw upon being the pre-election sojourn of the present Prime Minister to a retirement village where He addressed the elderly residents,
Slippery left this particular venue visibly perplexed obviously still in the throes of egotistical rapture believing that ”everyone” was entranced with His media enhanced image,and, wondering why He, after having addressed these elderly potential voters He had been met with a stony silence at question time,
Slippery of course had stood befor these people and informed them that He was all in favor of ”euthanasia”,its a wonder He didnt tell Them that He was in favor of pulling the plug now and making it compulsory…
Surely euthanasia would reduce the ranks of NZ First members even faster, according to Slippery?
The trip to the retirement village was also Pre the Epsom chimps tea-party, so its easy to see that Slippery carries the dents to His ego round in His head for a while from His ”NZFirsts supporters are all dying off” comment,that(snigger)was reportedly made at that meeting…
I have in the past 2 weeks * been very surprised in chatting with three or four people ranging in age from my age (50-summat) to fully elderly, who have made absolutely clear their disgust with NACT and John Key! I am amazed, because 6-8 years back, the 50-somethings were all true-blue rightists. (The seriously old, in their late 70s-80s, were good lefties in contrast. )
Some of these people I spoke recently must be the formerly enchanted, who are now the disenchanted…
* Come to think of it, the most surprising was my 50-something boss, the Principal at a language school who in a staff meeting last year, expressed his extreme dis-satisfaction with the ESOL establishment, the government and schools (not ours!) who were out to exploit foreign students, get their money and who cares then?I didn’t know him very well, and I did not expect such dangerously left-sounding comments, especially in a staff meeting!
Aha,the initial love affair with Slippery was part the media generated image of smile’n’wave politics where at all costs He was to be shielded from any public in depth analysis lest there were a revelation of an empty suitcase of intellectual rigour more suited to the used car lot than the 9th floor at the height of our democracy,
The other part of the attraction tho can be found in that most basic of human emotions, Greed, those earning under 50,000 per annum will have or will soon have come to the conclusion that what they did receive from such ”tax changes” was merely an illusion overcome quickly by subsequent events…
The Health Department figures show that year in year out elderly people continue to die every winter from winter ills or complications of previous illness simply because they cannot afford to properly heat their homes,
We havn’t got the figures here,but from memory, the uneccessary annual death toll is around the 400 mark and ”in the land of plenty” We see this as both disgusting and unacceptable,
Our view, in consideration of the elderly,s previous contribution to society is that ”in a land of plenty” is that their power account should be rebated at a rate of at least 20% monthly,or,50% during the winter months…
An urban planning question:
When urban centres are developed or upgraded, what are the provisions for the elderly?
Is the focus of such developments on a commercially-focused centre, with residential properties for the elderly, and/or retirement villages relegated somewhere to the suburban margins?
How easy is it for elderly people to walk or get a bus to warm community centres, libraries, mainline public transport, etc in winter?
More and more older people are living in inner city and local centre apartments these days. Bus at the door, supermarket across the road, safe and usually easy to heat. The ones by St Lukes are popular with the Library and the CAB as well as all the foodcourts at the Mall. One couple I was talking to had a fortnight when the wife was incapacitated and the husband walked over to the food court every day. He said they ate their way around the world! They sold the car after they had been there 6 months as they never used it.
Carol – How about linking parents with young children in with the elderly when planning. Both
have more vulnerabilities and difficulties than others, and the low income proportion of each group struggle, and the parents have the responsibility for their dependent children as well.
Something could be said on the plus side for having more of the ”older” members of our society who choose to continue to be employed being encouraged into the field of pre-school or after school care of the young, an interesting social juxtaposition may be created where the older workers would be providing care and life skills for those who could conceivably be the care-givers to those older workers at a future time…
Good point, prism, especially with regard to low income parents. As far as I can see new urban developments focus more on providing residential property, largely targeting workers and consumers with easy access to commercial centres. So families can be well catered to. But, of course, housing close to commercial centres becomes more less affordable to those on low incomes.
Retirement villages seem to be located at a fair distance from commercial centres.
But, as the focus is on commerical activity, children’s playgrounds etc, can be placed away from the commercial heart, if they are provided at all.
Good idea bad, re older people being involved in childcare.
Carol – An example that came to mind was the difficulty that poor families can have in getting health care checks etc. If money is short, children have to be gathered, and the sick child/ren made ready then all set off dressed for the weather and a long outing, in good time to make sure they are early at the bus stop, have the money for the fares, get on the bus with pushchairs etc then off. What a task. What a carry-on on top of the normal worries, and parents on low incomes always have more worries than up times. That is a hypothetical example of difficulty even if there are footpaths to the bus and it goes fairly near the needed destination. Then there is getting back and knowing what time to be at departure bus stop.
As for bad12 idea of older people looking after youngers, it would be good for those who want to do it and go through a short period of training. (The problem with us older people is that we tend to think we know it all or to follow personal routines which may have failed us and definitely need to be revised.)
And coercion would not be the answer. Likewise the idea of making older women or the unemployed become caregivers in rest homes. I think Winston Peters threw that up as an idea. The yacht-owning class come up with easy manpower solutions like that. Quality of care plus skill plus kindly attitudes, patience and respect are needed in caring roles. Not everybody is suitable for such tasks.
Booze barons calling the shots
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d realise that New Zealand has a destructive heavy drinking culture that pervades all sectors of society…
The cost to communities from the overuse of alcohol by the young is bad but the personal cost as youth explore what their bodies can stand and go to the limit is too high for a responsible society that cares about its youth.
The “Hospitality Industry isn’t going to change in its leech-like attraction to selling booze and exploiting our fun-loving sides. You get into it, make a success, make money and get a knighthood for it too. The sky-city discussion shows how deeply the pollies are in the pockets of the alcohol drug companies for campaign money enabling events to be held in regal surroundings compared to the grassroots political parties venues in church halls.
It’s almost as bad as the sleaze of prohibition days, because we can’t rein in this racehorse and can’t hire political jockeys with the right stuff to slow it down. Is there any integrity out there that has a backbone? It seems out of control, and the situation gives an inkling of why the Temperance Society fought so hard against alcohol in the past.
It seems out of control, and the situation gives an inkling of why the Temperance Society fought so hard against alcohol in the past.
Agreed. The Prohibition era debacle was one of those ‘victories’ of capitalism that bulldozed over the right of communities to determine for themselves how they would control the abuse of alcohol.
And of course the victor re-wrote history to suit themselves as usual.
Opposition to 200 tidal turbine power generators in the Kaipara Harbour is heating up http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/nor-west-news/4857978/Tidal-turbine-fight-winds-up
Kaipara is a hugely important area for snapper fry to develop, there is legitimate concern they will be minced in these turbines. Things like this are always tough. I support alternative energy projects, but we can’t repeat the same mistakes of the past and make them ecologically unsustainable.
They should just build one and see how it goes first. Need to know what the maintenance will be like on it as the marine environment is highly corrosive.
I’m not overly concerned about the fish though, I doubt that many would get minced meanwhile the turbines will act like reefs stirring up the food and thus make the area around then a better breeding ground.
DTB Sounds a bit once over lightly and facile from you.
Those tidal generators will be extremely difficult to maintain in an economic environment of depleting oil/energy resources.
It’s not something that I’ve really been following.
I know reefs stir up the food from the floor of the ocean which is what attracts fish to them. Reefs also provide shelter which the blades won’t do but the rest of the body will. An interesting side effect of oil rigs is the amount of life that grows around them. It’s all this extra life growing on them combined with the corrosive qualities of salt water that is, IMO, going to make these turbines non-viable but will most likely improve the fishing in and around the harbour.
Build one, see how it goes for a few years (i.e. learn what’s happening) before building any others.
You might be right
“There have been no changes in abundance of either seals or porpoises detected which can be attributed to SeaGen; seals and porpoises are continuing to swim past SeaGen, demonstrating a lack of any concern or hindrance.
The only changes observed after three years of operation of SeaGen have been relatively small scale changes in the behaviour and distribution of seals and harbour porpoises, which suggests a minor degree of local avoidance of SeaGen.
The benthic ecology (seabed life) was also monitored as part of the EMP, using divers. The EMP concluded that the seabed life surrounding SeaGen’s foundations has recovered since its installation in 2008. In addition, the EMP has showed no evidence of significant change to the tidal speeds and flow directions within Strangford Narrows and that it is unlikely that marine traffic between Strangford town and Portaferry has been affected. With regard to bird life, although not a key feature of the EMP, the studies have shown that the overall bird numbers in the Narrows have remained stable.”
http://www.marineturbines.com/3/news/article/56/seagen_tidal_turbine_gets_all_clear_from_environmental___scientific_studies
Some of the discussion about the Kaipara turbines:
“According to a study by NIWA, 98 percent of all North Island west coast juvenile snapper originate from the Kaipara Harbour, and we already know that the commercially important west coast snapper stock (SNA8) has only 8 percent of its original stock left.”
Kaipara Harbour in poor health
The iwi questions why this “experiment” is being done in the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour – a harbour that the Integrated Kaipara Harbour Management Group’s (IKHMG), gap analysis showed was not in good health and was trying to restore its low levels of fish stocks and marine life.
The Kaipara Harbour ecology was not robust enough to absorb the risks associated with an experimental energy project, he said. Kaipara turbines (Suite101.com since 1996, has a Canadian address and publishes informative articles on wide topics.)
Also a good report by Catherine Delahunty of the Greens – Greens report on Kaipara turbines
Been following this story for years. The idea is brilliant, renewable energy with no visual pollution. When in full production it’s capable of powering all homes pretty much north of Auckland.
I can understand the environmentalist worries though, which is why Crest should be allowed to go ahead with well monitored trials.
It is a tough one but I agree it needs to be trialled first. Shark, dolphin & other larger fish populations might get hit pretty bad too.
It doesn’t pay to jump into the green stuff without weighing the consequences first. I read a report about windmills in California. They put many on the migration path of various birds, when they decided to research it they discovered tens of thousands of birds were being killed each year by the windmill blades. I wonder what the cost is here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rance_Tidal_Power_Station
40 years of operation of tidal power in France.
Environmental impact
The barrage has caused progressive silting of the Rance ecosystem. Sand-eels and plaice have disappeared, though sea bass and cuttlefish have returned to the river. By definition, tides still flow in the estuary and the operators, EDF endeavours to adjust their level to minimize the biological impact.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_wind_power#Birds
Cars kill more.
So we would expect to get transparency out of this lot would we?
What a list of former employers some of the names have had. IMF, World Bank, Reserve Bank, PWC, Deloitte, Bell Gully…
No wonder NZ is the perceived least corrupt country in the world with individuals like these on the board!
What a bloody joke!
Sorry, Muzza, gotta disagree on this one. Some pretty good backgrounds and credibility there. And not there to represent their employers. Not my favourite bunch of organisations either, but these people bring their own values to this.
I reckon this lot seem pretty sharp. Let’s see how staunch they might be in exposing some of the dodgy stuff around the place. If they prove to be limp and useless, I am happy to be called on that.
I very much doubt it
Two thirds down the page has some interesting details…
Oh dear, Muzza. I may have spoken too soon. “limp and useless” may indeed be it. Good follow-up.
So China decides not to sell off it’s Rare Earth Metals as fast as they can be mined. What do the EU and US do? Whinge.
So much for the non-coercive free-market.
China will stall this through the WTO for years. Hearings and rehearings, appeals and re-appeals. Classic, the Orientals using the western imperial powers’ globalisation mechanisms to their own advantage.
China is stockpiling a wide range of commodities because unlike the West the politicians look further than the next election and they can see where the world is heading.
At current consumption rates there is about 20 years left for zinc, 19 for lead, 18 for tin, 12 for silver and 15 for gold.
http://www.24hgold.com/english/contributor.aspx?article=1427726620G10020&contributor=Mike+Hewitt
How many years left?
http://labgrab.posterous.com/how-many-years-are-left-of-earths-natural-res
Also so much for one of the basic tenets of the ism, ”willing buyer, willing seller”…
Empire has always been about transferring resources from the periphery to the centre. If it’s not done willingly then it will be done by force. The empire we’re in now is the Washington Empire. What we’re seeing is the periphery of that Empire say no to the wealth pump that made the USA rich which is the beginning of the end of the empire.
FYI!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/08/religious-people-more-likely-leftwing-demos
I’ve been saying this for years, and will continue to do so.
Yeah, I spotted that too. Totally believable for countries that select the likes of Dr Rowan Williams to lead their church – the best side of Christianity. I suggest a U.S study would reach an entirely different conclusion.
How many cracks at getting tolls in Auckland have they had now!
I wonder what sort of tolls have been planned – Cash, credit card, smart card, in car tracker……
I’d be supportive of tolls on motorways – if it wasn’t so difficult to administer.
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/SiteCollectionDocuments/aboutcouncil/haveyoursay/gettingaucklandmovingfeedbackformdiscussiondocument.pdf
Options are on the final few pages…
Whatever has already been decided you can be sure that the tech deals have already been done, and it will be very interesting to hear who gets the work for it!
Never any real creative thinking coming to the fore, only ever the beg, steal or borrow!
Student loans for kindergarten.
don’t give the bastards here ideas!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10797701
Still just rolling out the AP narrative – Nice framing by the way in this one!
NZ Herald, nothing short of a propaganda message delivery system!
So much BS in this one, I am not even going into it!
Didn’t see this in the Herald
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1203/S00237/four-days-of-israeli-bombing-leave-25-palestinians-dead.htm