Open mike 12/12/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 12th, 2015 - 64 comments
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64 comments on “Open mike 12/12/2015 ”

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  1. Chooky 1
    12 December 2015 at 9:33 am

    An Opinion Piece which could be turned into a Post. (This article caught my eye before I even realised that Chris Perley stands for the Green Party. He has a background in strategy, policy , research and operational management in provincial economies and land use. In my opinion, he would make a great Minister of Agriculture)

    To summarise, in ‘The NZ Farmers Weekly’ ‘Money root of industrial cruelty’ Perley argues:

    “Most family-run farms do not make a practice of cruelty and undignified death.( This is my experience also)

    But there are operations where such things happen. And the first question to ask is why, identify that deeper cause and deal with that.

    It is the changing values underpinning how we look at land, community, people, animals and land use that are the deeper roots to this debacle.

    And it is the systems that proclaim and reinforce the soulless and mechanical view: produce more , cheaper, never mind downstream, people are cogs, animals aren’t even that

    …Our target ought to be to remove the beast. And that monster is the pervasive industrial corporate thinking and its narrow and short-term money lens, which makes us leass , not more, wealthy in the long-term…

    New Zealand’s love affair with industrial commoditisation is a race to a Third World bottom, digging ever deeper…family farmers have to stand up against this rising tide of the commoditisation of life and land and to all the associated advocacy of genetically modified organisms, intensification, pollution and ever more commodities.

    There is another path: go value, not volume.”

    https://home.greens.org.nz/candidates/chris-perley

    (This article by Chris Perley is very relevant to what another commenter on the Standard and the Daily Blog posted recently on Farming and the TPP)

    SAVENZ says:
    DECEMBER 10, 2015 AT 11:42 AM

    “Very interesting video about how TTIP (and likewise TPP) can destroy small and medium farmers (i.e. like NZ farmers), introduce Genetically modified foods, introduce chlorinated meat washing techniques and USA agricultural intensive farming practises around the world with these ‘free trade’ agreements.

    It is not only NZ farms being bought up by agribusiness and foreign investors it is also happening in Europe. Soon as well as being tenants in our own country we will also be able to afford the ‘raw food’ materials of our country as they will be exported using mega supply chains to other countries to be processed.

    The video also has a lot of useful statistics like how 70% of the worlds fresh water is used in agribusiness and 52% of emissions are from agribusiness as to get that massive scale petrol is used to ship around the world.

    While we like to think NZ is an exporter so TPP will ‘help’ farmers it appears that most mega agribusiness like Montanso and investment companies buying up land for food are most likely to use NZ as a banana republic, and use their own migrant labour, offshore productions and supply chains to export the food cutting out the middle men (Kiwis) and using sophisticated tax laws to pay the minimum of taxes while getting the maximum of corporate welfare.

    It is already happening, TPP just means governments will not be able to stop it as they can be sued.

    http://amara.org/en/videos/RB5o7MJ0YZgr/info/ttip-the-countryside-gone-into-liquidation/

    We all know John Key is for the future re-colonisation of NZ but perhaps his biggest coup is getting the Maori party and Farmers to support him to sell off their land and NZ resources on mass!

    Hope everyone has deep pockets as under the ISDS they will need it!”

    – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/12/10/the-daily-blog-open-mic-thursday-10th-december-2015/#sthash.18Z5ZtXf.dpuf

    ( Where is the New Zealand Labour Party on the TPP and farming ?..Fence sitting as usual ?…Certainly has not joined the Greens and NZF in opposing the TPP !)

    • Tautuhi 1.1
      12 December 2015 at 11:21 am

      Very little critical analysis being done on MSM about the TPP, I guess the MSM journalists are not educated enough to understand the ramifications of this agreement or are to scared to write anything controversial for fear of losing their jobs.

      • Chooky 1.1.1
        12 December 2015 at 11:38 am

        +100 agreed….and here is another reason NOT to sign and to OPPOSE the TPP

        …another merger multinational corporation which New Zealand land and farmers and legislators will have no protection from( Labour Party where are you?)

        ‘$130b mega-merger: Dow, Dupont to form world’s largest agrochemical entity’

        https://www.rt.com/usa/325668-dow-dupont-merger-chemical/

        ….”The Pesticide Action Network calls Dow, Dupont, BASF, Monsanto, Syngenta, and Bayer the ‘Big 6’ of the seed, pesticide, and biotechnology industries. The companies “have historically unprecedented power over world agriculture, enabling them to control the agricultural research agenda, heavily influence trade and agricultural agreements and subvert market competition,” the organization says…

        “Dow and Dupont have a combined annual revenue of around $83 billion, with operating profit of about $15 billion.

        Dupont and Dow Chemical have long been criticized for their track records regarding environmental stewardship. For decades, Dupont refused to take responsibility for toxic pollutants spilled into the Ohio River, it has been alleged in federal court. In October, a West Virginia woman was awarded $1.6 million after it was determined that Dupont chemicals contaminated water supply, contributing to her kidney cancer. The company has also received scrutiny of its release of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), used to make non-stick products like Teflon cookware. The American Cancer Society said the chemical causes higher risks of bladder and kidney cancers in those with workplace exposure to it.

        READ MORE: 25,000 killed, 500,000 poisoned: Bhopal demands justice 30 yrs after world’s worst chem disaster

        Dow was responsible for producing napalm, the chemical used by the US military to devastate populations in Vietnam. Its subsidiary, Union Carbide, was responsible for the deaths of thousands in Bhopal, India, in 1984 following a massive leak of a chemical used to make pesticide. Dow continues to refuse to clean the site or to fund medical initiatives to address the spill’s ongoing aftermath, the company’s critics say.”

    • RedBaronCV 1.2
      12 December 2015 at 12:02 pm

      I can see very good money in the production of organic and/or high quality food.
      The sort of production that used to be everyday farming. The sort of production that family farms do best and they are smart enough to know it and to realise it.

      The last thing we want is our food production compromised by multinational factory farming complete with GE etc. Remember the Hawkes Bay declared itself GE free with out too much farmer muttering. The Greens pick up surprising numbers of votes in the rural areas – and given the way Nact has sidelined farmers there may be an opportunity there.

    • Cowboy 1.3
      12 December 2015 at 9:26 pm

      One of the concerns I have is the gradual loss of the food production supply chain to foreign multinational ownership. The recent example of Silver Fern Farms losing control of their company to Shanghai Maling is a case in point. If we don’t own and control the supply chain and have a mechanism to bring value added premiums back to the family farmer then farmers get trapped as price takers at the end of the chain. This all leads to a production mind set akin to a mouse on a wheel. As a country we need to be much more strategic about how we leverage our opportunities or this trend will continue.

      • RedBaronCV 1.3.1
        12 December 2015 at 10:37 pm

        i agree we want to trap as much production in country as possible under local ownership and export the food as close to end product as possible. What fonterra where supposed to be doing but didn’t.

        • Chooky 1.3.1.1
          12 December 2015 at 11:14 pm

          +100… re What fonterra were supposed to be doing but didn’t.

          Apparently when Diane Foreman was approached by a Chinese businessman to sell her multi- million dollar international export business ‘New Zealand Natural’ ..(a New Zealand ice-cream brand business) she felt honour-bound to offer her brand/business first to Fonterra.

          Fonterra didn’t respond to her first approach.

          On her more formal approach by a professional advisor on her behalf ; “He was told Fonterra had ‘absolutely no interest in the brand’ “.

          Her comment: “Fonterra is often criticised for not having a single brand with international significance and recognition. Anchor? That’s not it. New Zealand Natural? My business was a bit of a minnow compared with Fonterra’s scale but surely there was a brand fit that could have been applied across a range of products.”

          ( p260 ‘In the Arena’…incidentally a damned good book for budding entrepreneurs …)

      • Chooky 1.3.2
        12 December 2015 at 10:39 pm

        +100…and Russia certainly sees the importance of this and the marketing advantage of organic foods

        ‘Putin wants Russia to become world’s organic food superpower but first hopes to clip Turkey’s wings’ by Bryan MacDonald

        “Vladimir Putin’s annual parliamentary address, roughly equivalent to America’s ‘State of the Union,’ was heavy on talk of fighting terror. However, his proposals for organic agriculture reform may prove a lasting legacy…

        An organic dawn
        As the Kremlin has rejected the idea of GMO food production, now a mainstay of American agriculture, Russia could become the world’s principal supplier of high-quality organic food. Meaning there is potential to dominate the “high-end” market in both the West and in other wealthy countries – like China and the Middle Eastern states.

        “We are not only able to feed ourselves taking into account our lands, water resources – Russia is able to become the largest world supplier of healthy, ecologically clean and high-quality food which the Western producers have long lost, especially given the fact that demand for such products in the world market is steadily growing,” said Putin….

  2. Manuka AOR 2
    12 December 2015 at 10:13 am

    “Turn the World Around”

    Ta’Kaiya Blaney is a 14-year-old activist, singer and actress from the Tla’amin First Nation, north of Vancouver, Canada. On Saturday, she sang her song “Turn the World Around” at the International Tribunal on the Rights of Nature in Paris, France. “I was told by a Haida elder that to turn the world around, you have to turn it upside down,” Blaney told Democracy Now! after her performance.
    http://publish.dvlabs.com/democracynow/360/wx2015-1210_TakayaBreak-360P.mp4

  3. Bearded Git 3
    12 December 2015 at 10:18 am

    2.4 million voted in the 2014 election. 1.5 million voted on the flag. My guess is that’s 0.9 million, for a start, voting to keep the current flag in the next vote.

  4. Manuka AOR 4
    12 December 2015 at 10:37 am

    Naomi Klein calls the Climate Deal “extraordinarily dangerous”. She notes that when we speak of climate change as being something far away (or, I guess, something sufficiently unimportant that the nz gov can appoint a minister with no particular knowledge of it, let alone qualifications in this area) – this is nothing less than “subliminal racism”.

    Her interview with Naomi Klein on Democracy Now!
    “We are already living the era of dangerous warming. It is already costing thousands of lives and livelihoods, from the Philippines to Bangladesh to Nigeria to New Orleans and the Marshall Islands—I could go on and on. But it’s important to understand that language matters and that when we speak about dangerous warming as something that is far off in the distance, it is nothing less than, as my friend Kumi Naidoo put it yesterday, “subliminal racism.” And that racism is getting less subliminal every day. We are discounting lives when we speak that way, and we have to stop doing it.” http://www.democracynow.org/2015/12/9/naomi_klein_decries_climate_deal_as

  5. weka 5
    12 December 2015 at 11:09 am

    anyone else getting very slow load times on ts this morning?

  6. Morrissey 6
    12 December 2015 at 11:24 am

    Why are extreme right wingers so reluctant to engage in debate?

    I’ve recently been banned from Cameron “Blubberguts” Slater’s hate blog for the third and undoubtedly last time.

    Click on the following link and you will see how Slater has systematically gone about removing every one of my posts from his foul joke of a site…..

    https://disqus.com/by/disqus_On9DYCpWl2/

    • Chooky 6.1
      12 December 2015 at 11:46 am

      lol…i dont go there…i might get contaminated…but I applaud you going there sword in hand and toxic protective gear on.

      • Morrissey 6.1.1
        12 December 2015 at 8:20 pm

        I won’t be going there any more, Chooky, as I’ve been banned—permanently this time, I’m sure. Not that I did anything wrong; I carefully avoided flippancy or any put-downs of my interlocutors.

        I note that he cut me off almost straight after I raised the embarrassing fact that the New Zealand government backed Pol Pot’s regime in 1979, obediently following the lead of the United States and Great Britain. To provide evidence of that, I had just cited the following article from the New Zealand Journal of History…..

        http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/docs/1999/NZJH_33_2_05.pdf

        I’d like to do a little more research on this, but I suspect Cameron Slater’s father, John Slater, was one of the “brains” behind the National Government’s decision to support the Khmer Rouge. By even mentioning that shameful episode, I may have provoked Cameron Slater into an apoplectic fit.

    • b waghorn 6.2
      12 December 2015 at 6:33 pm

      I would imagine that slater proves the saying “that you can’t argue with stupid”

      • Morrissey 6.2.1
        12 December 2015 at 8:06 pm

        Slater doesn’t engage in argument; clearly, he lacks the wherewithal to defend his own statements.

        It’s a pity, really, because in those threads in which I participated, a large number of people who argued with me—and they all argued with more coherence and intelligence than Slater—seemed genuinely eager to debate in good faith.

  7. greywarshark 7
    12 December 2015 at 11:46 am

    On Kim Hill RADIONZ this morning so interesting.
    11:05 James Crow: vegan treats and the homeless
    Auckland mates James Crow and Tom Holden founded their company Tommy and James five years ago, to produce the dairy-free Nice Blocks range. Their Little Island Coconut Creamery now produces Little Island Nice Cream and Little Island Coconut Milk. James Crow is also the founder of Gimme Shelter, a think-tank project working on ideas to secure permanent housing for homeless in New Zealand.

    11:45 Kate’s Klassic: Essays by George Orwell
    Kate Camp has published five collections of poems, most recently Snow White’s Coffin (VUP). She will discuss Essays by George Orwell.

    • Chooky 7.2
      12 December 2015 at 4:37 pm

      +100 greywarshark …their Little Island coconut products are delicious!

      …and I bet Philip Ure eats them…now where is his VEGAN sausage?

      • greywarshark 7.2.1
        12 December 2015 at 8:05 pm

        Chooky
        The great? grate? P Ure. Still remembered – could TS swop (ban) 2 of our present RW rabble rousers for one P Ure just for a while say a month till he becomes too repetitive and contradictory. If we asked him about his vegan sausage he might come back.

        • Chooky 7.2.1.1
          12 December 2015 at 10:42 pm

          lol…you can find him over on the Daily Blog…and yes I miss him here…he was quite witty, very smart, and he did have interesting things to say

          ( I think his ban is long over…he is now in self-appointed exile)

          • greywarshark 7.2.1.1.1
            12 December 2015 at 11:08 pm

            I miss the one in Australia. He didn’t like being knuckled because of perceived bias against females. And was tossed out when he wrote on a feminist post. Silly bloke it is not a debatable subject, everyone knows that.

            But he was one that could produce pithy useful comments. Phillip U is long-winded but like a dog with a bone about his points, apart from that he came up with some good observations.

  8. maui 8
    12 December 2015 at 12:24 pm

    Outstanding commentary from Pala Molisa on capitalism and climate change, when will we start listening.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201781962/capitalism-accelerating-eco-collapse-says-pacific-academic

    • Manuka AOR 8.1
      12 December 2015 at 12:43 pm

      From that link: “once a community loses a sense of the sacred, one it commodifies everything so that nothing has an intrinsic value, it then opens up the ability to exploit everything, both human beings and the natural world, until it actually collapses. And that’s the situation we are in.”

      • Chooky 8.1.1
        12 December 2015 at 4:38 pm

        +100 maui and Manuka AOR

      • greywarshark 8.1.2
        12 December 2015 at 11:16 pm

        Manuka AOR
        Chris Trotter on Bowalley Road has written a recent post called Secret Agreement I think. He looks at the attitudes of politicians to the people and vice versa. And comes up with an interesting idea that we not only get the politicians we deserve but the politicians we expect. Few decent people who value their job and regard it in an ethical manner get into Parliament, and when they do stand up to make an ethical comment or express shock at wrongdoing they are not taken seriously, may be derided.

        The people expect to be exploited and so have dropped their standards, have become cynical bystanders at the rorts and antics of pollies. And so they diminish national standards, and don’t demand better so we all end up being complicit in what is in 2015, this shabby play or farce called democracy and elections.
        edited

        • Manuka AOR 8.1.2.1
          13 December 2015 at 5:52 am

          Thanks Grey – found it:
          “In practical terms, this means that it is the honest and principled politicians who attract the most scathing condemnation. Such people have clearly failed to understand their job description, which demands only a show of decency – and not even that if the politician’s indecent objectives can be achieved swiftly, decisively – and with ostentatious brutality.” http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/

  9. Manuka AOR 9
    12 December 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Republican candidate wants to nuke Syrian targets?:

    “As Republican presidential candidates lined up to one-up each other about how they would fight Islamic terrorism, many mainstream pundits questioned the hysteria and took particular aim at billionaire Donald Trump for seeking a moratorium on admitting Muslims to the United States, but Trump’s proposal was far from the most outrageous.

    “Getting much less attention was a statement by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who is considered by many a more likely GOP nominee than Trump. Cruz suggested that the United States should nuke the territory in Iraq and Syria controlled by Islamic State militants.” ~ Robert Parry. http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/33999-ted-cruz-threatens-to-nuke-isis-targets

  10. Pascals bookie 10
    12 December 2015 at 1:14 pm

    The sourcing on this piece about ISIS funding could be better, but it’s interesting none the less (and it’s better sourced, or at least no worse, than the zerohedge type stuff)

    http://talisman-gate.com/2015/12/11/the-islamic-states-sovereign-wealth-fund/?platform=hootsuite

  11. joe90 11
    12 December 2015 at 4:04 pm

    Slavoj Žižek:

    We need to talk about Turkey

    The so-called “war on terror” has become a clash within each civilisation, in which every side pretends to fight Isis in order to hit its true enemy.

    http://www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2015/12/slavoj-zizek-why-we-need-talk-about-turkey

  12. Robert Atack 12
    12 December 2015 at 4:17 pm

    Could you ever see FJK giving a speech like this ?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6uYxborC9c
    Putin attends RT10 anniversary evening: Full speech with English translation

  13. The Chairman 13
    12 December 2015 at 4:49 pm

    “It only needs two or three dozen [Auckland buyers] to influence the market here”

    Wellington property sector heating up.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/residential-property/74949866/home-buyers-hell-emerging-in-wellington-with-hot-competition-for-fewer-houses

  14. The Chairman 14
    12 December 2015 at 5:10 pm

    Duncan Garner:

    Her reinstatement is not about redemption, it’s about shutting her up because she was starting to cause trouble and gain headlines from the backbench, a senior MP told me this week. 

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/74975343/duncan-garner-forget-crusher-paula-bennett-is-nationals-next-leader

    • sabine 14.1
      12 December 2015 at 6:45 pm

      I can see a lot of things happen, but her? i can’t see happening. She is such an unpleasant person generally speaking, devoid of any charm, any curiosity, any humor and seems lacking in humanity. I have also yet to meet a person who actually ‘likes’ her. And most people I interact with on a daily basis are not on the benefit , so i don’t see her tenure at MSD as a factor. It’s just that she is mean. Simply put if the new thing in NZ is now ‘mean’ than we are truly fucked as a Nation. Cause that chick is mean and angry.

      • The Chairman 14.1.1
        12 December 2015 at 7:46 pm

        It’s been touted before.

        It would be interesting to see how she would fare in the polls as preferred leader.

        What some perceive as mean others consider a firm hand.

        • b waghorn 14.1.1.1
          12 December 2015 at 8:21 pm

          One would wonder why Ardern is getting a mention in the polls yet bennetts not shown up, is she not even in peoples minds or is more proof of the right stirring shit by pushing the Ardern factor.

          • The Chairman 14.1.1.1.1
            12 December 2015 at 9:50 pm

            You could be on to something. But I’d say it’s more a matter of circumstance.

            For example, whether or not Ardern would replace King coupled with her high popularity and Labour and Little requiring to boost theirs. Opposed to National and Key sitting comfortable in the polls, largely ceasing speculation of the party requiring leadership change.

          • Sabine 14.1.1.1.2
            13 December 2015 at 3:14 pm

            cause no one likes her other then the business men that gave her good ratings for reducing/removing benefits and introducing a slave labour system called ‘job seekers benefit’ for unemployed, 60+ year old widows, and cancer and other disease stricken people. .

            Have a game, go ask people willy nilly what they thing of that chick as PM. Don’t ask for Party affiliation, just ask would you vote for her as PM.

      • Anne 14.1.2
        12 December 2015 at 10:02 pm

        And Bennett certainly doesn’t have the intellectual grunt. In fact she is an appallingly ignorant person but well versed in animal cunning.

        • The Chairman 14.1.2.1
          13 December 2015 at 8:42 am

          Bennett was nominated and accepted an Eisenhower Fellowship for the Women’s Leadership Programme 2010.

          The prestigious Fellowship was awarded to only 20 women around the world, identified as outstanding leaders.

          • Anne 14.1.2.1.1
            13 December 2015 at 11:04 am

            I remember that. Who nominated her? From memory her government – and JK in particular – engineered it. What a travesty she was chosen instead of one of the many outstanding young(ish) women this country has produced. It was a political nomination and nothing less! It degraded the prestige of the Fellowship.

            Did you listen to her response to her new role as CC minister the other night on TV? That was a far better indication of her lack of suitability to any leadership role in government.

            • The Chairman 14.1.2.1.1.1
              13 December 2015 at 11:26 am

              The NZ nominating committee. Eisenhower Fellowships has nominating committees in 48 countries.

              Sorry, didn’t see the interview.

            • greywarshark 14.1.2.1.1.2
              13 December 2015 at 3:35 pm

              It is a bit of a junket with its main point on acquiring personal skills to get on and looking out for other similar potential high-flyers and more EF (Eisenhower Fellowship) candidates. A big girls get-together for those in the upper strata – for ‘true leaders in all professions and geographies’ – and for those not in professions, but at the menial level of working at the grassroots where the most amount of entrepreneurship and development work is needed and being piloted, it’s all pie in the sky.

              2015 Women’s Leadership Program – Eisenhower Fellows
              https://efworld.org/our-programs/2015-women-leadership-program
              GOAL: The Women’s Leadership Program (WLP) will promote women in leadership … EF hosted the first WLP in 2010. … Fellows will be selected based on their leadership achievements, potential for future impact and plans for tangible outcomes.

              See Paula looking integrated and engaging in groupthink hi-jinks?
              https://efworld.org/news/women-bringing-new-energy-to-london#.VmzWs44ShMg
              …two and a half days in May when 60 Eisenhower Fellows from government, private sector, and non-profit arenas around the globe will address leadership challenges for women.

              Women in the EF network are a force and they make an impact on their communities (true of Paula B) – they are members of Parliament, cabinet ministers, CEOs and true leaders in all professions and geographies. This event will ignite conversations around ways women can be further recognized and engaged in professional growth and global leadership experiences.

              Attendees will come away from the event having strengthened their global & regional ties among female Eisenhower Fellows & become equipped with the tools from the EF network to support women in their professional activities, careers & personal development.
              edited

  15. Anne 15
    13 December 2015 at 12:23 pm

    The NZ nominating committee.

    And who directed the nomination committee perhaps by way of submitting a falsely grandiose CV? Paula Bennett is as cunning as a rat but she has no guiding principles and is intellectually barren. Them’s the facts, and no amount of fellowship granting based on questionable evidence can change it.

    Bear in mind, women have an instinctive understanding of other women and if they are being honest – not all of them are of course – they will know it’s true.

  16. te reo putake 16
    13 December 2015 at 4:05 pm

    Sunday arvo quiz:

    Hawaii, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming.

    What do they have in common?

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    Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 day ago

  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Road photos
    Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago

  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
    Holding On To The Present: The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
    Stuck In The Middle With You: As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • A clear warning
    The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
    Buzz  from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example.  This shows National down ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Listening To The Traffic.
    It Takes A Train To Cry: Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 day ago

  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
    Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Ending The Quest.
    Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
    Bowalley Road
    2 days ago

  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:30am on Tuesday, May 30:Scoop: NZ 'close to the tipping point' of measles epidemic, health experts warn NZ Herald Benjamin PlummerHealth: 'Absurd and totally unacceptable': Man has to wait a year for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • “Feel good” school is out
    Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
    Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy. Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago

  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
    Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
    Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
    April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    3 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
    Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
    The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • 25
    She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8.  The universe was ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago

  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
    Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
    Peter Dunne writes –  The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • More tax for less
    Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Real News vs Fake News.
    We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Another way to roll
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Cutting the Public Service
    It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    5 days ago

  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
    Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:  we live in a troubled ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • This is how I roll over
    1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
    …it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition   NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes –  The High Court ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
    TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • What did Melissa Lee do?
    It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • “Comity” versus the rule of law
    In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Aotearoa: a live lab for failed Right-wing socio-economic zombie experiments once more…
    Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder. In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Water is at the heart of farmers’ struggle to survive in Benin
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére Sosou Market gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • At a time of media turmoil, Melissa had nothing to proclaim as Minister – and now she has been dem...
    Buzz from the Beehive   Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into force
    Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Mining resurgence a welcome sign
    There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first reading
    The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government to boost public EV charging network
    Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure.  The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Residential Property Managers Bill to not progress
    The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Independent review into disability support services
    The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister updates UN on law & order plan
    Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ending emergency housing motels in Rotorua
    The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Trade Minister travels to Riyadh, OECD, and Dubai
    Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Education priorities focused on lifting achievement
    Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • NZTA App first step towards digital driver licence
    The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say.  “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Supporting whānau out of emergency housing
    Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Tribute to Dave O'Sullivan
    Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech – Eid al-Fitr
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