A huge gain in wealth, has not resulted in any increase in tax
"I thought the rich list was really interesting, the thing that stood out for me is that over the last year the increase in wealth of that very small number of people at the top has increased by $23 billion," Wood said.
"That would be the equivalent of $10,000 for every single wage and salary earner in New Zealand, and that's been at the time of a recession.
The Taxpayers Union perspective
"No one in the world taxes that (unrealised CG), and it is disinformation to encourage comparisons to those primarily earning PAYE income," spokesperson Jordan Williams said at the time.
In this he is not siding with income tax payers, but those who would be subject to CGT or estate tax (24/36 in the OCCD have both) – making ours one of the the least progressive regimes in that group.
We have only a bright-line test lasting up to 2 years, no zero free threshold and our top rate of income tax is in the bottom third.
The only companies we could successfully tax like this are the ones with assets that are fixed in New Zealand.
The rest would quickly offshore to avoid new taxes, because they are mobile.
Typical examples of likely capital mobility are Xero who listed in Australia, the Mowbrays who are entirely family-held, NZSuper because they are mostly international shares. Another would be ACC Fund, other than their local projects.
The large ones who would be taxed would be all the iwi entities, many of the energy entities, Fonterra and Tatua, all local government companies and Crown entities, all local housing entities and owners. Those taxes would be passed on to the local consumers: us.
The question I'd like to see from any party is: how do we generate more multimillionaires not fewer?
Great comment Ad. If the left really wanted to get rid of poverty we'd see policies designed to create as much wealth as possible for as many as possible.
Often it seems what they desire is as much power as possible for as few as possible.
Great comment Ad. If the left really wanted to get rid of poverty we'd see policies designed to create as much wealth as possible for as many as possible.
Weka that is a great question. I have been thinking about a response all afternoon. I don't want to give a trite answer so will respond tomorrow on OM.
The only companies we could successfully tax like this are the ones with assets that are fixed in New Zealand.
Total nonsense. The only tax on companies mentioned was a windfall profits tax on Oz banks – who make some of the world best returns here – so would not leave.
Would you care to explain in what way a CGT, or estate tax or stamp duty impacts on any of the companies mentioned?
The question I'd like to see from any party is: how do we generate more multimillionaires not fewer?
Little ol' NZ is apparently up there (#5 of 48 countries listed) when it comes to the percentage of Kiwis who are millionaires (~9.6%). Some might say that's not a bad platform for "more multimillionaires", and that we should be aiming to close the gap with Australia (#4; 11.2%).
Others might argue that somewhere in the 4.8% to 8.5% range (Ireland – UK – Norway – Belgium – Sweden – Canada – Denmark – Netherlands) is a more sustainable platform, and healthier in a socioeconomic sense.
Maybe it boils down to what one values. If Aotearoa NZ really needs moar multimillionaires, then a quick fix would be to direct market NZ citizenship to wealthy foreigners – just until we crack the problem of domestic generation, of course.
He was controversially granted New Zealand citizenship in 2011 after the Fifth National Government intervened on his behalf. Thiel had spent 12 non-consecutive days in the country, a fraction of the normal residency requirement of 1,350 days for citizenship. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel
As proffered some years back by – stop putting our effort into low waged, low productivity industries like tourism, apple production, bringing in foreign students…..
Oh and learn from Maori about making the country better for our mokopuna.
Your a dick Michael Scott with your "if the left" because you well know the right has no interest in doing anything about poverty and are the ones who clearly want power for powers sake. Bunch of fuckers pretending to care about anything other than themselves and their wealth. Labour anyway, if you are referring them as left are really national light.
His primary concern was our place in the world. He showed that New Zealanders work longer and harder than just about anybody, but earn less per hour than nearly all other countries we compare ourselves to. This was true then and it’s still true today.
Why are you answering a straightforward question with another question?
Your link is to an essay about Callaghan, or rather his vision for NZ. It says nothing about international students, which appears to be your opinion. So, again, what do you mean and what is your problem with international students?
BTW, I don’t think Paul Callaghan did have a problem with bringing in international students into NZ to study here, or did he? His views and vision were not parochial in a narrow sense.
The point was that we built part of economy around bringing overseas students here which doesn't increase our productivity while they are studying.
(Now that doesn't mean I think we shouldn't bring students here – there are both negatives such as you have mentioned – used for low cost labour, pressure on housing markets, displacement of NZ students, scams that use study as a means of getting residency as well as positives such as increased diversity of thought, those students once qualified may go on to produce high productivity work, knowledge, inventiveness, etc.)
Your assumption that I had a problem was irrelevant to the issue of productivity.
If the issue is the productivity of the economy, it would not involve continuation of a focus on adding more people in it (migration of workers or students placing pressure on infrastructure) for growth, or focus on low profit sectors (I'd except the food/resource export sector from this – but expect and encourage investment in harvesting tech to reduce dependence on there being available seasonal labour).
As per foreign students, the focus should be on graduate students (research) in areas important to our economy and locale. Otherwise study in areas where we and the world have skilled labour shortages (such as health care/some areas of teaching – maths/science .. specialist IT/AI, etc).
if you see Māori negative stats as a reflection of Māori rather than the system we live in, then there are a whole range of solutions that will be invisible to you.
Do you really not understand theories of colonisation and systems of oppression? Or is it that you understand them but don't think they are real? Or is it that you understand them but are ideologically opposed to the solutions that arise out of those theories?
This subject is fraught but my question was about what we could learn from Maori about raising children.
I'm not sure that I fully understand theories of colonisation but I do know that we have all been colonised at some point.
I don't believe that Maori disproportionally kill their children because they were colonised as there is a lot of evidence that Maori practiced infanticide before they were colonised.
The primary cause of child murders is the decision of a person to harm the child
I'm not saying that Maori are predisposed to killing their children.
Simply that you can't blame the the effects of colonisation on infanticide committed by Maori today as it was happening before Maori were colonised.
Maori pre colonisation lived a class based existence where chiefs ruled . Ordinary Maori had some rights and slaves had no rights at all by historical account.
Simply that you can't blame the the effects of colonisation on infanticide committed by Maori today as it was happening before Maori were colonised.
Why not? Europeans don't have the same child practices from hundreds of years ago, why would Māori?
Your sources are google light. Elsdon Best was a British man who didn't get Māori culture, hence phrases like "the quaint customs of the barbaric Maori". He makes a single sentence reference to infanticide. My understanding is that infanticide was part of many cultures where food was scarce and was the killing of newborn babies. That's the same as the kind of lashing out violence we see now, where there is no intention to end a baby's life in order that older children don't starve.
Weka Maori changed their infanticide practices because the missionaries showed them a better way. They abandoned slavery and cannibalism for the same reason.
Not because they signed a treaty but because they became convinced that forgiveness was better than utu.
The inter tribal wars that had killed a third of the Maori race from 1800 to 1830 virtually ceased and Maori began to walk a better moral path.
yes there were things Māori valued from the missionaries, for sure. But also, declining population and more secure food sources, infanticide was not needed. Do you understand the pressure of having to kill a new born because there isn’t enough to feed it? All cultures have been there.
I just don’t see the connection between that and the violence against children that happens now. We know from European accounts that when they arrived there was very little child abuse among Māori. It was so unusual to the Europeans, that they commented on it.
I didn’t say anything about the Treaty, not sure why you bought that up.
And btw, utu means reciprocity. It’s not inherently negative in the way you seem to be implying. And at that time, Europeans were shipping people across the globe to a penal colony for stealing loaves of bread. So let’s not forget how other peoples were brutal too.
inter tribal wars that had killed a third of the Maori race
Now do the Wars of Religion, the warm up for Europe's mechanised warfare of the 19/20thC, that ravaged Europe for > three hundred years.
Just one war, The thirty Years War, claimed the lives of around a third of Germans, and in the territory of Brandenburg close to half the population, and in some areas populations declined by an estimated two thirds.
my people in Scotland were apparently running round killing all the men in a rival clan village apart from young kids and oldies. We all have brutal histories.
I was thinking about the European wars recently, they’re mindboggling in terms of the politics and scale and how long they did that shit for.
Some time ago I listened to Kim Hill's interview with author Louise Noble…hoo boy…
However, consuming human remains fit with the leading medical theories of the day. “It emerged from homeopathic ideas,” says Noble. “It’s 'like cures like.' So you eat ground-up skull for pains in the head.” Or drink blood for diseases of the blood.
Another reason human remains were considered potent was because they were thought to contain the spirit of the body from which they were taken. “Spirit” was considered a very real part of physiology, linking the body and the soul. In this context, blood was especially powerful. “They thought the blood carried the soul, and did so in the form of vaporous spirits,” says Sugg. The freshest blood was considered the most robust. Sometimes the blood of young men was preferred, sometimes, that of virginal young women. By ingesting corpse materials, one gains the strength of the person consumed. Noble quotes Leonardo da Vinci on the matter: “We preserve our life with the death of others. In a dead thing insensate life remains which, when it is reunited with the stomachs of the living, regains sensitive and intellectual life.”
The idea also wasn’t new to the Renaissance, just newly popular. Romans drank the blood of slain gladiators to absorb the vitality of strong young men. Fifteenth-century philosopher Marsilio Ficino suggested drinking blood from the arm of a young person for similar reasons. Many healers in other cultures, including in ancient Mesopotamia and India, believed in the usefulness of human body parts, Noble writes.
[…]
As science strode forward, however, cannibal remedies died out. The practice dwindled in the 18th century, around the time Europeans began regularly using forks for eating and soap for bathing. But Sugg found some late examples of corpse medicine: In 1847, an Englishman was advised to mix the skull of a young woman with treacle (molasses) and feed it to his daughter to cure her epilepsy. (He obtained the compound and administered it, as Sugg writes, but “allegedly without effect.”) A belief that a magical candle made from human fat, called a “thieves candle,” could stupefy and paralyze a person lasted into the 1880s. Mummy was sold as medicine in a German medical catalog at the beginning of the 20th century. And in 1908, a last known attempt was made in Germany to swallow blood at the scaffold.
There's not too much that's alternative about that view. 'Capital flight' is just another catch cry for the defenders of the hegemony of neo liberalism.
There is plenty enough wealth in this country, the issue is distribution.
National act on behalf of their affluent donors and Labour, under Ardern and Hipkins, are too gutless to do redistribute it
Gsays there is a strange logic that says the profit I make after paying all due taxes from my own hard work is unjust. But living off the work of others is fine.
Yes that Atlas network thing..has developed some major tentacles. And just some of the Notable members..Cato, Heartland, et al; major Climate Change deniers and funders of same.
The Atlas Network is a consortium of roughly 450 right-wing think tanks from around the world. Is the Taxpayers' Union a member of the Atlas Network?
"Of course. I'm really open about it. I find it just totally bizarre that this is suddenly an issue. There's literally someone tweeting that, you know, 'the first rule of Atlas is not to talk about Atlas'.”
The National-ACT-New Zealand First coalition has scrapped plans to implement Labour government initiatives that would have reduced the number of stores legally allowed to sell cigarettes from 6000 to just 600.
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello is in charge of the reforms and is a former chair and board member of the Taxpayers' Union. Williams said the TPU played no role in helping her formulate the government's tobacco policy reversal.
"I do not think I've ever discussed tobacco matters with Casey Costello. And I can certainly say she didn't have involvement in any of that fundraising or with those industry members."
Big Hairy news discuss the Israeli hostage rescue raid (from 49 min 60 min). More than 200 people, half children were killed, in a commando raid launched from an aid truck coming off the US aid jetty.
Sort of explains the US sponsorship of the latest resolution in the UNSC then.
Israeli and American officials point towards U.S. involvement in intelligence gathering for Israel's hostage rescue mission in Gaza, but images claiming to show aid trucks and the American-built pier used as part of the operation invite criticism, as the future of the hostage deal is up in the air
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's arch-conservative Brothers of Italy group won the most votes in the European parliamentary election over the weekend, boosting her standing both at home and abroad.
the Brothers of Italy…led by a Woman….and some of their guests
international guests included British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak , Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Spanish right-wing leader Santiago Abascal and businessman Elon Musk.
It is like a reprise of the founding myth of Rome itself, the lupa – night worker (maybe a solo mother of her own child) – who provided a home for a pregnant woman carrying twins.
Italy has issues being in a Euro zone unable to devalue and having high debt costs – and being expected to carry a heavier burden with refugees/migrants (worse since the chaos in Libya and Syria).
Questions that Corin didn't ask Luxon on RNZ this morning when discussing accusations that TPM misused census data:
Why is Luxon calling for a public enquiry into the data security of systems, that he does not yet know have actually been breached?
Why is he not waiting for the Police enquiry to establish the facts and proceed with an enquiry only if there really was a breach?
What is motivating this premature and potentially unnecessary response?
The Police are currently investigating David McLeod's handling of political donations. The facts have not been established here either – but as this doesn't seem to matter, why is Luxon not calling a public enquiry into New Zealand's rules around political donations?
What do we call a government that uses the institutions of the state to discredit political opponents on the back of what is still hearsay?
Oh well. Corin's not alone. Even the guys on BHN last night didn't seem to realise that Luxon's enquiry is into government data security, not the truth or otherwise of the allegations against TPM. The latter is down to the Police obviously.
Apart from data security and or privacy issue, there seems to be a questioning of any association of TPM associated personnel to a government funded delivery role (as per public service neutrality).
Which appears to be part of CoC policy to diminish a politicised or nationalist Maori population – one New Zealand before any Treaty and or indigenous consideration (to dismiss minority “co-governance”). The natural outcome of which would be the end of Maori seats and ban any political party based on Maori/ethnic/race identity.
This is our part in the post Weimar Republic reprise on the right.
In Europe and in USA this is about immigration, via relating this to crime or to a foreign race and or cultural presence. This partners a rise in nationalist identity, economic protectionism and a return to social conservative values.
The driver is "insecurity about change" and orchestration of a retreat into a group nationalism laager mentality.
Yes, it seems AB missed that, which is why I raised it again.
This can't credibly be framed as some kind of coalition witch hunt or beat up. Six separate government agencies are investigating this. Its a serious matter that needs answers. Why anyone would be opposed to an independent enquiry is beyond me.
As the good Chris said:
”And so I think if there was any improper behaviour and improper conduct, then it is important that we find out what happened there.”
RNZ reminder that Michelle Boag leaked covid personal data to a Nat candidate in 2020. Obviously OK strategy for senior Nats, if they can get away with it.
Riddet gossip suggests that the complainants are Destiny Church members who were at Manurewa marae at election time (unsubstantiated, of course, but an interesting twist if true).
The nordic countries with a completely different result than Germany and France: Spectacular electoral gains for green and radical-left parties (MP overtakes SD in Sweden; F strongest party in Denmark, VAS number 2 in Finland), really weak results for the far-right.
a historical perspective from those countries, showing historical european election results for the alternative-left in Denmark and Finland; as well as novelty in Sweden with the far-right SD for the very first time not increasing its vote share in a nationwide election
Ms von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party emerged as the biggest grouping in the next European Parliament – 177 to 186 seats.
And it can govern much as it did in the past European Parliament.
With the centrist Renew (79) it can still build a majority with either Socialists and Democrats or with Conservatives and Reformists (73)** and Independents (c25^ of 45).
186 + 79 + 135
186 + 79 + 73** + 25^
The Italian PM** is in a good position to extract better polices as per support for nations at the immigration front-line and with debt cost – here on side with Spain. Her support for common cause on Ukraine is her opportunity.
The Identity and Democracy group did not increase their total because Le Pen threw AFD out of the group for being too right wing.
The AfD became too toxic even for France’s hard-right leader Marine Le Pen, who threw the AfD out of the right-wing European parliamentary group Identity and Democracy.
A suggestion that National played politics with cancer drugs (as they have done with funding for hip and knee operation funding – older voters), without being on top of the detail or having a methodology to implement action.
Sorting out "funding" being an excuse to think again about how to do it.
It appears twice on National’s list of 13 promised cancer treatments. However, funding one option would make the other one redundant.
This means that if the first-line gap were filled with cetuximab or panitumumab, this gap in the second line would become redundant (for people who received cetuximab or panitumumab in the first-line setting). [same link as above]
There is also the testing available at some events/music festivals – elsewhere the risk is consuming supply obtained on the night out where suppliers did not test.
We (if not New Zealand until 2026), on the political left are seeing some hope.
Labour-Green + TPM support is at 46.1, with NACT at 45.1.
NZF has never had more than one term in a coalition government. Not surviving the 1996-1999 term. And leaving parliament after 2005-2008 and 2017-2020.
Can you imagine the Labour Party campaigning on a line that said that they would go into a coalition with the Maori Party, and include them in the Government?
I find it hard to believe that the average Labour voter would go along with them on that proposition.
Well, I assure you that I am not currently a Labour voter and am unlikely to change at the next election. That said I can't answer the question. Neither can I comment on what National voters might think. I doubt if they are unhappy with ACT as that was very well signaled before the election although what they think about Winston I wouldn't even try and guess.
Alwyn-Labour will not say they would go into a coalition with TPM.
They will say a coalition with the Greens (who continue to poll strongly) is likely, and will not rule out forming a government with the support of TPM. This is how MMP works.
The biggest story from that poll is the one that has never changed, and probably never will until Luxon is dumped by National.
His personal favourability rating has dropped again, in negative territory. Reminder: it took Ardern 5 years to go "negative" in the same Curia poll. Key took even longer (using other comparable polls).
Luxon is a total outlier, uniquely unpopular among winning PMs in the MMP era, and even well before that. There was no honeymoon, no budget boost, nothing.
He appears to have zero self-awareness, so he won't change. His caucus will have to do the change for him. Not this year, but before the election. MPs don't vote to give up power.
I can see them replacing Luxon with Bishop, who seems at ease supporting all of COC’s terrible policies, but is more eloquent and personable than Luxon and has a better political pedigree.
Have you guys been affected much by the cost of living in NZ? It’s getting a bit horrific over here, especially in Vic where we were locked down for 2 years. Guess you can’t print money non stop and expect that inflation won’t go through the roof!
That last sentence suggests to me that particular RW talking point is certainly doing the rounds, and if you say something often enough, then, not only will you end up believing it yourself, you can bring a lot of the population along with you. (Said relative sadly ended up right down the FB rabbit hole during the pandemic, to the anti-vax extreme, so I don't bother engaging with him on any of this).
It did get me interested in the current VIC leadership, and policies. It's an interesting budget over seen by Jacinta Allen. A lot of it seems very familiar to our last Labour budget- a wasted opportunity. It will be interesting to see if by their next election in 2026, they too will punish-voted out. They also have a lot of people still stewing about the lockdowns.
So you think the huge inflation spikes in all of the western economies in 2021/2022 were caused by something other than vast amounts of government borrowing? (I think the figure in NZ was around $70 billion?)
What do you think was the cause?
Note I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the pandemic response, or lockdowns or vaccines or anything else including the money printing (borrowing).
Just stating that it obviously caused the jump in inflation and I'd love to hear what the poster can dream up as to what they think caused it…
"QE certainly had an impact on house price inflation – all that money available to banks for on-lending in the housing market and all at low cost."
Also untrue, bank lending is not constrained on settlement balances (what your calling money available). The OCR system is setup to ensure there can not be a shortfall of settlement balances regardless of how much lending banks have done. And the OCR was at close to zero before QE anyway, it had been for a long period.
The spike in house prices was because the housing market was shut down for a few months and all the transactions got compressed together when it re-opened so there was very hot competition on price for a short time.
Grant Robertson and the Government were warned in January 2020 that there was a ‘significant’ risk Reserve Bank money printing would push up house prices and deepen inequality
QE replaces bonds in the banking system with cash, effectively increasing the money supply, and making it easier for banks to free up capital. As a result, they can underwrite more loans and buy other assets.
This so-called quantitative easing increases the size of the central bank's balance sheet and injects new cash into the economy. Banks get additional reserves (the deposits they maintain at the central bank) and the money supply grows.
The bank will keep some of it on hand as required reserves, but it will loan the excess reserves out. When that loan is made, it increases the money supply. This is how banks “create” money and increase the money supply. When a bank makes loans out of excess reserves, the money supply increases.
Unfortunately the mainstream economics framework for discussing this is fiction. This has been very widely researched by scores of economists, though primarily (not all) outside the mainstream. In fact banking was better understood by Keynes, Keldor, Robinson and formed the basis of their critique of Monetarism. The mainstream today tends instead to go with the monetarist view that there is a stable money multiplier which relatively expands the broad money supply when some notion of the monetary base expands relative to that stable multiplier. This is total fiction.
What actually happens when commercial banks agree to extend a loan is they grow their own balance sheet with their own bank deposit liabilities (paid into a sellers account) in return for the agreement to repay the loan (the deposits in a commercial bank account are money and are recorded as such in statistics). If a loan agreement happens within the same bank then no interbank settlement payment happens so clearance balances are irrelevant. The OCR system however means if any bank is short of settlement balances then they can always borrow them to clear payments. The upshot of this is the availability of settlement balances doesn't have any implications for commercial banks ability to extend loans.
The main driver of lending is the credit worthiness of potential borrowers and regulations which might inhibit certain loans being made.
That this must be accurate should actually be very easy to see when your not focused on single very specific examples. After 2008 a lot of nations engaged is extensive QE policies without this resulting in massive extension in lending. You can also look back further at Japan since the 90s. Yes, there were some very foolish people who predicted an immediate large or hyper-inflation would be the result of those QE policies, just they were completely wrong. NZ just happened to implement its QE policy just prior to a significant inflation episode.
Its entirely implausible that government borrowing caused the inflation, how is that even supposed to work?
The occurrence of inflation requires a significant number of price setters to increase their prices, so the cause of inflation is a question of why did they do that at the time? We know the reasons including covid based supply bottlenecks, OPEC oil price hikes, impacts of the Ukraine war on food production and also covid based demand for home office supplies. We should also understand some price hikes were profiteering, rather than matching up with genuine supply cost increases.
None of these things are particularly related to either govt borrowing or spending or QE.
QE can cause a relative change between economies – thus an increase in cost to business importers (and thus local consumers), if there is more paid in local currency to foreign suppliers.
"New Zealand’s Housing Survey has been developed and tested throughout Aotearoa, for Aotearoa …building on the PhD of Director Dr Natalie Allen, as part of a private plan change in regional NZ, as part of a comprehensive housing needs assessment in Kāpiti Coast, and for two iwi and a hapū collective developing their housing strategies. It has also included a series of industry and academic reviews and three rounds of user testing to refine the question wording across cohorts. Back end analysis processes have also been supported by a Callaghan Innovation Student Experience Grant."
At present, following the complete failure of he waka eka noa, agriculture is scheduled to enter the ETS next year at the processor level, with 95% of emissions subsidised. National will reverse this, disband he waka eka noa, and ensure an effective hundred percent subsidy for our worst polluters forever.
Remember this when the rural ducks complain about how tough everything is. 95% ignore climate change? Okay okay 100% ignore contributing to the country dealing with minimisation and retreat. Not in a hypothetical sense at all. Your biggest asset in limbo for a year.
Reply to Michael Scott above. Unsure why it is detached.
It is easy to focus on the deficit statistics if that is all you want to. It is also quite racist to link some of that data directly to ethnicity when other factors are at play eg crime rates follow age – young people commit more crime. If you have a younger population then you will have more crime. Teenage pregnancy the same.
Putting that aside in any population only a small proportion are doing the offending in any community. Most are not. Trouble is most Europeans have little contact with Maori in those communities let alone with aspects of the culture that has concepts that are anathematic to capitalism.
Capitalism is about exploitation of resources and private ownership. Callaghan touches on this. rewatch his video. In the 1800's capitalists saw things like communal ownership of land as communism and were opposed to this (in the same way the commons was destroyed largely in Europe – think copyright laws for instance.
If you think there is nothing to learn then it isn't a voyage I should take you on – it is one you should go and explore your self.
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1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
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TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
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Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
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A huge gain in wealth, has not resulted in any increase in tax
The Taxpayers Union perspective
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2024/06/aotearoa-s-rich-list-shows-new-zealand-is-a-little-out-of-balance-e-t-union-organiser-and-ex-labour-mp-michael-wood.html
In this he is not siding with income tax payers, but those who would be subject to CGT or estate tax (24/36 in the OCCD have both) – making ours one of the the least progressive regimes in that group.
We have only a bright-line test lasting up to 2 years, no zero free threshold and our top rate of income tax is in the bottom third.
https://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLE_I7
The only mitigation to inequality is tax credits to support low income families.
UNREALISED GAINS AND TAX
Concern at the trend to borrow against unrealised CG and then pass on wealth to others in ways that result on tax, even where there is an estate tax.
https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2021/10/the-tax-on-unrealized-capital-gains.html
Options – 5% stamp duty on houses sold over $2M – as Oz does (up to $500M pa with 5000 sales).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132844161/50000-homes-open-for-purchase-by-foreign-home-buyers-under-nationals-plan
A 5% windfall tax on bank profits $6B – $300M pa. A 1% stamp duty on all houses with exemption for the owner occupier.
I recall a crikey piece where oz billionaires over the 3 covid years of 2020-2022 increased their wealth by an average of 66%.
A rigged game for capital, labour doesn't stand a chance.
OK so I'll try an alternative view.
The only companies we could successfully tax like this are the ones with assets that are fixed in New Zealand.
The rest would quickly offshore to avoid new taxes, because they are mobile.
Typical examples of likely capital mobility are Xero who listed in Australia, the Mowbrays who are entirely family-held, NZSuper because they are mostly international shares. Another would be ACC Fund, other than their local projects.
The large ones who would be taxed would be all the iwi entities, many of the energy entities, Fonterra and Tatua, all local government companies and Crown entities, all local housing entities and owners. Those taxes would be passed on to the local consumers: us.
The question I'd like to see from any party is: how do we generate more multimillionaires not fewer?
Great comment Ad. If the left really wanted to get rid of poverty we'd see policies designed to create as much wealth as possible for as many as possible.
Often it seems what they desire is as much power as possible for as few as possible.
how would that end poverty?
Weka that is a great question. I have been thinking about a response all afternoon. I don't want to give a trite answer so will respond tomorrow on OM.
That’s easily answered and done: subsidise Lotto.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/518980/lotto-seven-winners-to-split-whopping-50m-jackpot
Alternatively, give landlords a huge tax cut and transfer even more wealth to them.
Total nonsense. The only tax on companies mentioned was a windfall profits tax on Oz banks – who make some of the world best returns here – so would not leave.
Would you care to explain in what way a CGT, or estate tax or stamp duty impacts on any of the companies mentioned?
Little ol' NZ is apparently up there (#5 of 48 countries listed) when it comes to the percentage of Kiwis who are millionaires (~9.6%). Some might say that's not a bad platform for "more multimillionaires", and that we should be aiming to close the gap with Australia (#4; 11.2%).
Others might argue that somewhere in the 4.8% to 8.5% range (Ireland – UK – Norway – Belgium – Sweden – Canada – Denmark – Netherlands) is a more sustainable platform, and healthier in a socioeconomic sense.
Maybe it boils down to what one values. If Aotearoa NZ really needs moar multimillionaires, then a quick fix would be to direct market NZ citizenship to wealthy foreigners – just until we crack the problem of domestic generation, of course.
https://berl.co.nz/economic-insights/great-wealth-transfer-and-inequality
Fuck more multi millonaires, we don't need more people over consuming massively, and let's face it higher wages just get prayed upon by the vultures.
Link the bottom income to the top , no more than 3× should focus the bosses minds,
Good housing, top public education, health and transport, is what's needed,
As proffered some years back by – stop putting our effort into low waged, low productivity industries like tourism, apple production, bringing in foreign students…..
Oh and learn from Maori about making the country better for our mokopuna.
Your a dick Michael Scott with your "if the left" because you well know the right has no interest in doing anything about poverty and are the ones who clearly want power for powers sake. Bunch of fuckers pretending to care about anything other than themselves and their wealth. Labour anyway, if you are referring them as left are really national light.
His primary concern was our place in the world. He showed that New Zealanders work longer and harder than just about anybody, but earn less per hour than nearly all other countries we compare ourselves to. This was true then and it’s still true today.
A reminder of his presentation back in 2011.
https://rowansimpson.com/essays/callaghan/
What exactly is your problem with bringing in foreign students? Is it because they may provide cheap labour?
Are you suggesting students studying are high productivity employment as Callaghan talks about?
Why are you answering a straightforward question with another question?
Your link is to an essay about Callaghan, or rather his vision for NZ. It says nothing about international students, which appears to be your opinion. So, again, what do you mean and what is your problem with international students?
BTW, I don’t think Paul Callaghan did have a problem with bringing in international students into NZ to study here, or did he? His views and vision were not parochial in a narrow sense.
The point was that we built part of economy around bringing overseas students here which doesn't increase our productivity while they are studying.
(Now that doesn't mean I think we shouldn't bring students here – there are both negatives such as you have mentioned – used for low cost labour, pressure on housing markets, displacement of NZ students, scams that use study as a means of getting residency as well as positives such as increased diversity of thought, those students once qualified may go on to produce high productivity work, knowledge, inventiveness, etc.)
Your assumption that I had a problem was irrelevant to the issue of productivity.
If the issue is the productivity of the economy, it would not involve continuation of a focus on adding more people in it (migration of workers or students placing pressure on infrastructure) for growth, or focus on low profit sectors (I'd except the food/resource export sector from this – but expect and encourage investment in harvesting tech to reduce dependence on there being available seasonal labour).
As per foreign students, the focus should be on graduate students (research) in areas important to our economy and locale. Otherwise study in areas where we and the world have skilled labour shortages (such as health care/some areas of teaching – maths/science .. specialist IT/AI, etc).
DOS I think that the left and the right care about ending poverty but they have different solutions to get there.
What do you mean when you say that we could "Learn from Maori about making the country better for mokopuna"
It doesn't make any sense. What could we learn?
Maori top all the negative social indicators for familial dysfunction.
Violence, crime, substance abuse, incarceration.and educational failure.
if you see Māori negative stats as a reflection of Māori rather than the system we live in, then there are a whole range of solutions that will be invisible to you.
Do you really not understand theories of colonisation and systems of oppression? Or is it that you understand them but don't think they are real? Or is it that you understand them but are ideologically opposed to the solutions that arise out of those theories?
This subject is fraught but my question was about what we could learn from Maori about raising children.
I'm not sure that I fully understand theories of colonisation but I do know that we have all been colonised at some point.
I don't believe that Maori disproportionally kill their children because they were colonised as there is a lot of evidence that Maori practiced infanticide before they were colonised.
The primary cause of child murders is the decision of a person to harm the child
are you saying that Māori in 2024 are culturally predisposed to killing their children?
Can you please provide the reference for Māori and infanticide so we know what are you meaning?
I'm not saying that Maori are predisposed to killing their children.
Simply that you can't blame the the effects of colonisation on infanticide committed by Maori today as it was happening before Maori were colonised.
Maori pre colonisation lived a class based existence where chiefs ruled . Ordinary Maori had some rights and slaves had no rights at all by historical account.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/273782/#:~:text=PIP%3A%20There%20is%20much%20evidence,more%20often%20social%20than%20medical
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350101339_'The_Natives_Freely_Spoke_of_the_Custom'_Sex-Selective_Infanticide_and_Maori_Depopulation_1815-58
https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bes02Maor-t1-body-d1.html
P26
.
Why not? Europeans don't have the same child practices from hundreds of years ago, why would Māori?
Your sources are google light. Elsdon Best was a British man who didn't get Māori culture, hence phrases like "the quaint customs of the barbaric Maori". He makes a single sentence reference to infanticide. My understanding is that infanticide was part of many cultures where food was scarce and was the killing of newborn babies. That's the same as the kind of lashing out violence we see now, where there is no intention to end a baby's life in order that older children don't starve.
Weka Maori changed their infanticide practices because the missionaries showed them a better way. They abandoned slavery and cannibalism for the same reason.
Not because they signed a treaty but because they became convinced that forgiveness was better than utu.
The inter tribal wars that had killed a third of the Maori race from 1800 to 1830 virtually ceased and Maori began to walk a better moral path.
yes there were things Māori valued from the missionaries, for sure. But also, declining population and more secure food sources, infanticide was not needed. Do you understand the pressure of having to kill a new born because there isn’t enough to feed it? All cultures have been there.
I just don’t see the connection between that and the violence against children that happens now. We know from European accounts that when they arrived there was very little child abuse among Māori. It was so unusual to the Europeans, that they commented on it.
I didn’t say anything about the Treaty, not sure why you bought that up.
And btw, utu means reciprocity. It’s not inherently negative in the way you seem to be implying. And at that time, Europeans were shipping people across the globe to a penal colony for stealing loaves of bread. So let’s not forget how other peoples were brutal too.
Now do the Wars of Religion, the warm up for Europe's mechanised warfare of the 19/20thC, that ravaged Europe for > three hundred years.
Just one war, The thirty Years War, claimed the lives of around a third of Germans, and in the territory of Brandenburg close to half the population, and in some areas populations declined by an estimated two thirds.
But savages, eh…
/
my people in Scotland were apparently running round killing all the men in a rival clan village apart from young kids and oldies. We all have brutal histories.
I was thinking about the European wars recently, they’re mindboggling in terms of the politics and scale and how long they did that shit for.
Some time ago I listened to Kim Hill's interview with author Louise Noble…hoo boy…
However, consuming human remains fit with the leading medical theories of the day. “It emerged from homeopathic ideas,” says Noble. “It’s 'like cures like.' So you eat ground-up skull for pains in the head.” Or drink blood for diseases of the blood.
Another reason human remains were considered potent was because they were thought to contain the spirit of the body from which they were taken. “Spirit” was considered a very real part of physiology, linking the body and the soul. In this context, blood was especially powerful. “They thought the blood carried the soul, and did so in the form of vaporous spirits,” says Sugg. The freshest blood was considered the most robust. Sometimes the blood of young men was preferred, sometimes, that of virginal young women. By ingesting corpse materials, one gains the strength of the person consumed. Noble quotes Leonardo da Vinci on the matter: “We preserve our life with the death of others. In a dead thing insensate life remains which, when it is reunited with the stomachs of the living, regains sensitive and intellectual life.”
The idea also wasn’t new to the Renaissance, just newly popular. Romans drank the blood of slain gladiators to absorb the vitality of strong young men. Fifteenth-century philosopher Marsilio Ficino suggested drinking blood from the arm of a young person for similar reasons. Many healers in other cultures, including in ancient Mesopotamia and India, believed in the usefulness of human body parts, Noble writes.
[…]
As science strode forward, however, cannibal remedies died out. The practice dwindled in the 18th century, around the time Europeans began regularly using forks for eating and soap for bathing. But Sugg found some late examples of corpse medicine: In 1847, an Englishman was advised to mix the skull of a young woman with treacle (molasses) and feed it to his daughter to cure her epilepsy. (He obtained the compound and administered it, as Sugg writes, but “allegedly without effect.”) A belief that a magical candle made from human fat, called a “thieves candle,” could stupefy and paralyze a person lasted into the 1880s. Mummy was sold as medicine in a German medical catalog at the beginning of the 20th century. And in 1908, a last known attempt was made in Germany to swallow blood at the scaffold.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-gruesome-history-of-eating-corpses-as-medicine-82360284/
There's not too much that's alternative about that view. 'Capital flight' is just another catch cry for the defenders of the hegemony of neo liberalism.
There is plenty enough wealth in this country, the issue is distribution.
National act on behalf of their affluent donors and Labour, under Ardern and Hipkins, are too gutless to do redistribute it
Gsays there is a strange logic that says the profit I make after paying all due taxes from my own hard work is unjust. But living off the work of others is fine.
Yr getting close to the idea with "due taxes''.
It's not for no reason the same ole trope is squealed every election "No new taxes" as if that would be a bad thing.
Are you saying I should pay more taxes than required ?
Atlas on high, how dirty money rises up and then trickles down to control the narrative on earth.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/519196/money-talks-how-the-mega-rich-can-control-the-narrative-writer-says
Yes that Atlas network thing..has developed some major tentacles. And just some of the Notable members..Cato, Heartland, et al; major Climate Change deniers and funders of same.
And from the arses mouth himself…
And of course ..the tobacco link….
Big Hairy news discuss the Israeli hostage rescue raid (from 49 min 60 min). More than 200 people, half children were killed, in a commando raid launched from an aid truck coming off the US aid jetty.
Sort of explains the US sponsorship of the latest resolution in the UNSC then.
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-06-09/ty-article/.premium/u-s-provided-intelligence-to-israel-for-hostage-rescue-but-involvement-is-unclear/0000018f-f943-de5e-a5ef-fdc7ef1b0000
From the home of fascism….
the Brothers of Italy…led by a Woman….and some of their guests
Fortunately, not a fascist.
It is like a reprise of the founding myth of Rome itself, the lupa – night worker (maybe a solo mother of her own child) – who provided a home for a pregnant woman carrying twins.
Italy has issues being in a Euro zone unable to devalue and having high debt costs – and being expected to carry a heavier burden with refugees/migrants (worse since the chaos in Libya and Syria).
Questions that Corin didn't ask Luxon on RNZ this morning when discussing accusations that TPM misused census data:
Oh well. Corin's not alone. Even the guys on BHN last night didn't seem to realise that Luxon's enquiry is into government data security, not the truth or otherwise of the allegations against TPM. The latter is down to the Police obviously.
Apart from data security and or privacy issue, there seems to be a questioning of any association of TPM associated personnel to a government funded delivery role (as per public service neutrality).
Which appears to be part of CoC policy to diminish a politicised or nationalist Maori population – one New Zealand before any Treaty and or indigenous consideration (to dismiss minority “co-governance”). The natural outcome of which would be the end of Maori seats and ban any political party based on Maori/ethnic/race identity.
This is our part in the post Weimar Republic reprise on the right.
In Europe and in USA this is about immigration, via relating this to crime or to a foreign race and or cultural presence. This partners a rise in nationalist identity, economic protectionism and a return to social conservative values.
The driver is "insecurity about change" and orchestration of a retreat into a group nationalism laager mentality.
Who laid the original complaint?
Are you playing games?
You already provided an answer yourself here a few days ago: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-07-06-2024/#comment-2001927
Yes, it seems AB missed that, which is why I raised it again.
This can't credibly be framed as some kind of coalition witch hunt or beat up. Six separate government agencies are investigating this. Its a serious matter that needs answers. Why anyone would be opposed to an independent enquiry is beyond me.
As the good Chris said:
”And so I think if there was any improper behaviour and improper conduct, then it is important that we find out what happened there.”
RNZ reminder that Michelle Boag leaked covid personal data to a Nat candidate in 2020. Obviously OK strategy for senior Nats, if they can get away with it.
Riddet gossip suggests that the complainants are Destiny Church members who were at Manurewa marae at election time (unsubstantiated, of course, but an interesting twist if true).
Meanwhile…
/
@indubioproreto
The nordic countries with a completely different result than Germany and France: Spectacular electoral gains for green and radical-left parties (MP overtakes SD in Sweden; F strongest party in Denmark, VAS number 2 in Finland), really weak results for the far-right.
@indubioproreto
https://x.com/indubioproreto/status/1800053488535114116
360 majority
Ms von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party emerged as the biggest grouping in the next European Parliament – 177 to 186 seats.
And it can govern much as it did in the past European Parliament.
With the centrist Renew (79) it can still build a majority with either Socialists and Democrats or with Conservatives and Reformists (73)** and Independents (c25^ of 45).
186 + 79 + 135
186 + 79 + 73** + 25^
The Italian PM** is in a good position to extract better polices as per support for nations at the immigration front-line and with debt cost – here on side with Spain. Her support for common cause on Ukraine is her opportunity.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/4ab5/live/dd48b1d0-273a-11ef-baa7-25d483663b8e.png.webp
The Identity and Democracy group did not increase their total because Le Pen threw AFD out of the group for being too right wing.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c511dpvr8nlo
A suggestion that National played politics with cancer drugs (as they have done with funding for hip and knee operation funding – older voters), without being on top of the detail or having a methodology to implement action.
Sorting out "funding" being an excuse to think again about how to do it.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/519235/government-ignored-funding-process-with-cancer-drug-promise-former-pharmac-chair
National will pull out all dirty tricks to divert attention away from its own shambolic breaking of election promises; they’re in deep shit.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/519235/government-ignored-funding-process-with-cancer-drug-promise-former-pharmac-chair
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/519202/cancer-drugs-funding-actively-being-worked-on-nicola-willis
This is incorrect.
https://hcmsitesstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cca/assets/T_Ao_TK_Cancer_medicines_availability_analysis_FINAL_2782afa08a.pdf
It appears twice on National’s list of 13 promised cancer treatments. However, funding one option would make the other one redundant.
It appears that opioids more dangerous than fentanyl are being added to MDMA and meth.
Another reason for testing of drugs (as per needles exchange etc) to enable safe supply is there.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-zealand-not-immune-to-new-fentanyl-sweeping-europe-the-front-page/M6C6EY5L3VCKNLKTQE4AQ7G6PY/
NZ drug foundation link below. They will post you test strips for free (including free postage).
https://resources.drugfoundation.org.nz/products/nitazene-test-strips-pack-of-5
There is also the testing available at some events/music festivals – elsewhere the risk is consuming supply obtained on the night out where suppliers did not test.
We (if not New Zealand until 2026), on the political left are seeing some hope.
Labour-Green + TPM support is at 46.1, with NACT at 45.1.
NZF has never had more than one term in a coalition government. Not surviving the 1996-1999 term. And leaving parliament after 2005-2008 and 2017-2020.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350304545/nz-politics-live-national-and-labour-both-down-latest-political-poll
Can you imagine the Labour Party campaigning on a line that said that they would go into a coalition with the Maori Party, and include them in the Government?
I find it hard to believe that the average Labour voter would go along with them on that proposition.
Well you know the National Party lines.*
It used to be fear of a Labour-Green coalition government.
If it is now fear of a coalition, involving TPM, cool.*
Then that is the beginning of acceptance of a Labour-Green coalition backed by a TPM support partner (Green Party in this role in 2017-2020).
*Posing the issue as one of Labour Party voters not wanting TPM in a coalition is interesting.
How many National Party voters are happy with the ACT and NZF CofC arrangement?
"*Posing the issue as one of …."
Well, I assure you that I am not currently a Labour voter and am unlikely to change at the next election. That said I can't answer the question. Neither can I comment on what National voters might think. I doubt if they are unhappy with ACT as that was very well signaled before the election although what they think about Winston I wouldn't even try and guess.
One question that can be answered is that Act are toxic…..full stop.
TPM are a direct pushback to that toxicity.
Well, I'm sure that the opinion on the right is that TPM are toxic…. full stop.
https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/parliaments-increasingly-toxic-ethnic
Polarization doesn't really help debate.
Alwyn-Labour will not say they would go into a coalition with TPM.
They will say a coalition with the Greens (who continue to poll strongly) is likely, and will not rule out forming a government with the support of TPM. This is how MMP works.
The biggest story from that poll is the one that has never changed, and probably never will until Luxon is dumped by National.
His personal favourability rating has dropped again, in negative territory. Reminder: it took Ardern 5 years to go "negative" in the same Curia poll. Key took even longer (using other comparable polls).
Luxon is a total outlier, uniquely unpopular among winning PMs in the MMP era, and even well before that. There was no honeymoon, no budget boost, nothing.
He appears to have zero self-awareness, so he won't change. His caucus will have to do the change for him. Not this year, but before the election. MPs don't vote to give up power.
I can see them replacing Luxon with Bishop, who seems at ease supporting all of COC’s terrible policies, but is more eloquent and personable than Luxon and has a better political pedigree.
From an email sent by an Aussie relative:
Have you guys been affected much by the cost of living in NZ? It’s getting a bit horrific over here, especially in Vic where we were locked down for 2 years. Guess you can’t print money non stop and expect that inflation won’t go through the roof!
That last sentence suggests to me that particular RW talking point is certainly doing the rounds, and if you say something often enough, then, not only will you end up believing it yourself, you can bring a lot of the population along with you. (Said relative sadly ended up right down the FB rabbit hole during the pandemic, to the anti-vax extreme, so I don't bother engaging with him on any of this).
It did get me interested in the current VIC leadership, and policies. It's an interesting budget over seen by Jacinta Allen. A lot of it seems very familiar to our last Labour budget- a wasted opportunity. It will be interesting to see if by their next election in 2026, they too will punish-voted out. They also have a lot of people still stewing about the lockdowns.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/07/victoria-state-budget-analysis-premier-jacinta-allan-cost-of-living-childcare-student-payments
So you think the huge inflation spikes in all of the western economies in 2021/2022 were caused by something other than vast amounts of government borrowing? (I think the figure in NZ was around $70 billion?)
What do you think was the cause?
Note I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the pandemic response, or lockdowns or vaccines or anything else including the money printing (borrowing).
Just stating that it obviously caused the jump in inflation and I'd love to hear what the poster can dream up as to what they think caused it…
QE certainly had an impact on house price inflation – all that money available to banks for on-lending in the housing market and all at low cost.
But where the money was to compensate for loss of economic activity (lockdowns), not so much.
There were other causes at the global level.
The international logistics system was disrupted – shortages.
Loss of production because of worker shortages.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 had an impact.
Here we had some of our own – lack of gib board, loss of migrant worker inflow, the flood events (limited supply of food). The rising cost of eggs.
"QE certainly had an impact on house price inflation – all that money available to banks for on-lending in the housing market and all at low cost."
Also untrue, bank lending is not constrained on settlement balances (what your calling money available). The OCR system is setup to ensure there can not be a shortfall of settlement balances regardless of how much lending banks have done. And the OCR was at close to zero before QE anyway, it had been for a long period.
The spike in house prices was because the housing market was shut down for a few months and all the transactions got compressed together when it re-opened so there was very hot competition on price for a short time.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300223358/reserve-bank-repeatedly-warned-government-money-printing-would-lead-to-house-price-inflation
Feel free to engage
Unfortunately the mainstream economics framework for discussing this is fiction. This has been very widely researched by scores of economists, though primarily (not all) outside the mainstream. In fact banking was better understood by Keynes, Keldor, Robinson and formed the basis of their critique of Monetarism. The mainstream today tends instead to go with the monetarist view that there is a stable money multiplier which relatively expands the broad money supply when some notion of the monetary base expands relative to that stable multiplier. This is total fiction.
What actually happens when commercial banks agree to extend a loan is they grow their own balance sheet with their own bank deposit liabilities (paid into a sellers account) in return for the agreement to repay the loan (the deposits in a commercial bank account are money and are recorded as such in statistics). If a loan agreement happens within the same bank then no interbank settlement payment happens so clearance balances are irrelevant. The OCR system however means if any bank is short of settlement balances then they can always borrow them to clear payments. The upshot of this is the availability of settlement balances doesn't have any implications for commercial banks ability to extend loans.
Here is a source for the same description,
https://larspsyll.wordpress.com/2024/06/07/mmt-the-key-insights-3/
The main driver of lending is the credit worthiness of potential borrowers and regulations which might inhibit certain loans being made.
That this must be accurate should actually be very easy to see when your not focused on single very specific examples. After 2008 a lot of nations engaged is extensive QE policies without this resulting in massive extension in lending. You can also look back further at Japan since the 90s. Yes, there were some very foolish people who predicted an immediate large or hyper-inflation would be the result of those QE policies, just they were completely wrong. NZ just happened to implement its QE policy just prior to a significant inflation episode.
Its entirely implausible that government borrowing caused the inflation, how is that even supposed to work?
The occurrence of inflation requires a significant number of price setters to increase their prices, so the cause of inflation is a question of why did they do that at the time? We know the reasons including covid based supply bottlenecks, OPEC oil price hikes, impacts of the Ukraine war on food production and also covid based demand for home office supplies. We should also understand some price hikes were profiteering, rather than matching up with genuine supply cost increases.
None of these things are particularly related to either govt borrowing or spending or QE.
I should have mentioned this rider
QE can cause a relative change between economies – thus an increase in cost to business importers (and thus local consumers), if there is more paid in local currency to foreign suppliers.
Carried over from The Standard's feed, a post by Meredith Dale, senior urban designer, together with a survey you can finish.
"New Zealand’s Housing Survey has been developed and tested throughout Aotearoa, for Aotearoa …building on the PhD of Director Dr Natalie Allen, as part of a private plan change in regional NZ, as part of a comprehensive housing needs assessment in Kāpiti Coast, and for two iwi and a hapū collective developing their housing strategies. It has also included a series of industry and academic reviews and three rounds of user testing to refine the question wording across cohorts. Back end analysis processes have also been supported by a Callaghan Innovation Student Experience Grant."
Things that go together, but not in societies:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/507477/auckland-anniversary-floods-a-year-on-outstanding-insurance-claims-properties-yet-to-be-categorised
Auckland Council said 1570 properties were yet to be categorised, which it hoped would be done in a few months.
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2024/06/climate-change-farmers-get-what-they.html
At present, following the complete failure of he waka eka noa, agriculture is scheduled to enter the ETS next year at the processor level, with 95% of emissions subsidised. National will reverse this, disband he waka eka noa, and ensure an effective hundred percent subsidy for our worst polluters forever.
Remember this when the rural ducks complain about how tough everything is. 95% ignore climate change? Okay okay 100% ignore contributing to the country dealing with minimisation and retreat. Not in a hypothetical sense at all. Your biggest asset in limbo for a year.
Reply to Michael Scott above. Unsure why it is detached.
It is easy to focus on the deficit statistics if that is all you want to. It is also quite racist to link some of that data directly to ethnicity when other factors are at play eg crime rates follow age – young people commit more crime. If you have a younger population then you will have more crime. Teenage pregnancy the same.
Putting that aside in any population only a small proportion are doing the offending in any community. Most are not. Trouble is most Europeans have little contact with Maori in those communities let alone with aspects of the culture that has concepts that are anathematic to capitalism.
Capitalism is about exploitation of resources and private ownership. Callaghan touches on this. rewatch his video. In the 1800's capitalists saw things like communal ownership of land as communism and were opposed to this (in the same way the commons was destroyed largely in Europe – think copyright laws for instance.
If you think there is nothing to learn then it isn't a voyage I should take you on – it is one you should go and explore your self.