Anyone notice how little energy we're getting out of the southern ocean in terms of weather front formation?
The 10 day forecast through to 23 June shows slow moving Tasman lows, which is great for moisture (finally!), but not the deep southern energy that will bring snow and hence snow packs.
Yes, I certainly do notice that. It's been the case for a while now; at least, it's been patently obvious to those of us living in the far south; at first we said, "sleeping dragon', knowing it was just building, ready to burst upon us the way at always has done, only it doesn't any more; our weather is tame compared to what it was. Both encouraging and concerning at the same time.
Yeah, strange days in Whakatipu. I'm looking out my window at a green, sort of growing lawn, this time of year it would normally be browned off by the frost. Go onto a north facing hill and there's quite a bit of growth, and grazed out paddocks are coming back green after a week or so.
The way the forecast models are looking there's not going to be any change from this pattern until maybe early July, maybe… So no natural snow for southern skifields, and temperatures too warm for any meaningful snowmaking until after the school holidays.
This could get rather interesting around the town.
Apparently there is a anomaly around the Antarctic, saw a technical explanation I didn’t understand and didn’t talk about nearby land masses. Will see if I can find the tweets.
Build to need i agree (though what constitutes need will cause debate e.g. cycle bridges)….build in the knowledge that everything built creates emissions and consumes limited resources in its construction and importantly in its maintenance.
edit
And also build to last for just 50 years rather than the 100 years someone mentioned previously. Everything changes rapidly so be prepared with Plan B if a weather event happens or with a sea bridge, a ship loses steering or something and wipes out essential parts.
Think Picton – Mikhail Lermontov, Italy – dozy navigation also there etc. And possibly government-sponsored terrorism, Rainbow Warrior v France, USA v Iran. We are not immune from that even if we are dancing away from Covid19.
I used to have thoughts like that whenever Rick Astley and anyone out of the Stock Aitken and Waterman school of mid 1980s music was pushed into my ears in a supermarket.
But helpfully I didn't run the country at the time.
In your case, mozzie, I think we'd be happy to find you somewhere you could learn to just post once, before progressing to something much much more difficult such as wit (relatively speaking).
"In New Zealand, about 50 percent of our overall homeless population are women, which is internationally quite rare…
Women had an average of 2.6 children, while men had an average of 1.6 children.. Four out of every five women were Māori while for men, two thirds were Māori
Dr Fraser said the statistics showed the welfare system was not working. "It really just shows our benefits aren't high enough. They need to be higher, they need to be easier to access.
"These are really vulnerable people and their children deserve the best possible start in life that they can, but they're clearly not getting that if their mums are so stressed out and needing that wrap-around housing support."
It offers rebates of up to $8,625 for a new electric car and up to $5750 for a plug-in hybrid car – but will not be given on cars that cost $80,000 or more. Cars had to have at least a three-star safety rating to be eligible.
Fees on higher emitting vehicles will start from January 1, 2022.
i guess they set 'affordable' until it hits 79.999.99 NZD……..oh boy.
Well i guess the new minimum wage will making the buying of such a car within a year totally affordable. Totally. Or else those making that amount should just cycle from South Auckland to their jobs. But then maybe when all those that can not afford to buy a new car between now and Jan 2022 are to be 'fined' out of car ownership, rather then 'incentivised in' via cheap to free and punctual, safe and regular public transport. Something we are still not able to provide pretty much anywhere in the country.
But i hope that the Middleclass in NZ that changes things is very happy and pleased and totally not ashamed of the fact that the lower class is financing their Middle Class status to great measure. Maybe Labour needs to rename itself the "Middle Class Party of Aotearo".
And last but least, read the article to the end, and realise that not word not one pixle was used on 'bicycles, or buses, or trams, or any other form of public transport'. It is not the 'tradies subsidizing teslas', it is the poor NZ who needs a car because they have no public infrastructure what so ever that is subsidizing the schmucks in Wellington, and the million dollar burbs in Auckland.
Or in words that some might understand better, The tax payer from South Auckland is financing a new car or several new family cars for the likes of Mike Hoskins and everyone in his ‘class’. The Upper Class. The Middle class gets a treat for buying the used cars of the likes of Mike Hoskins, and the proletariat is financing all of it.
Stats NZ (link to Excel sheet on this page) sez the median gross household income for Auckland year ended 30 June 2020 was $104,821 – and the mean gross household income was $128,138.
But yeah, plenty of opportunity there for $15,000 cars. Or even a $50,000 car every few years. It might just need a sacrifice of a few expensive holidays.
It might just need a sacrifice of a few expensive holidays.
There’s a lot of pent-up money because people had to cancel their overseas holidays in 2020 and also this year. So, let’s spend it on a Tesla or some other vital material wealth.
Gotta admit, every now and then I sneak a fantasy peek at Tesla's NZ inventory list. They seem to be shifting them a lot faster now than even just a few months back, let alone last year.
Sabine this was a Green Policy which was stymied by NZ First. It is designed to encourage the greater buying of electric and hybrid vehicles by those who can make the choice, as most of us have never purchased a new car and need more second hand choices.
In your usual fashion you poke the Government instead of looking at the intended outcomes James Shaw and Julie Anne Genter were aiming for. There is so much bile in your system it is clouding your judgement and causing many to be turned off posting, but then that is perhaps your goal? There is no suggested "Other" way.. just bile.
What got left out of Sabine's critique of the article might be important.
"and about $3,500 for used cars."
"Rebates of up to $3,450 will be given to those who buy used electric cars and $2,300 for plug-in hybrids. From January, smaller rebates will also be offered to buyers of other low emission cars."
"Wood said those fees would not apply to cars already in the country, which meant low-income families who relied on cheaper second-hand cars would not face the fee."
"Petrol cars with lower emissions – such as a Toyota Rav 4 or Suzuki Vitara – would not face fees."
It means that people that have the means get government tax rebates as per the cars the y buy.
As i said Incognito
The rich can get up to 8700 NZD per vehicle they purchase, the not so rich can get a few grand less, and the rest of the country that can't afford a used or a new electric or hybrid vehicle and is dependend on an old gasguzzler get to pay for the boondoogle.
And not a single word and pixle was extended to the announcment of the Government and dear Green Co leader Shaw to the tax rebates commuters that use public transport will get with the purchase of an annual bus ticket. – Got any comment to that?
And thus you discuss me and the details of the money, and rest assured Mike Hoskins and his wife and their children could easily buy a car for each of them, rake in the 8700 max per vehicle and thus get 5 for the price of 4 all courtesy of those that actually pay taxes in this country.
Good grief, this is the best national government we could get. Maybe that is why it is so appreciated by Middle Nuzilind.
No, this government should be looking at being fair.
So this particular announcement should have been coupled with an announcement for the many that use public transports. Tax rebates for both.
Is that really so hard to understand?
Disclaimer, i don't own a car, never did. I am a public transport user, a walker, a cycler, i ride share etc.
So in my opinion this announcement will do very little to encourage people that don't have the money to buy up and into a better car generation to use buses and trains instead. But i guess that was never the point. It is however nice to know that we are not so broke as a country to not give away a few tax incentives to people who already aren't known for paying much taxes.
Sabine asseverates, "the rest of the country that can't afford a used or a new electric or hybrid vehicle and is dependent on an old gasguzzler get to pay for the boondoogle."
The article Sabine quotes says "Petrol cars with lower emissions – such as a Toyota Rav 4 or Suzuki Vitara – would not face fees." They don't pay for the boondoogle. Nor do people who keep their cars, gas guzzlers or no.
The article also says that those who buy a car already in the country do not pay the fee- "low-income families who relied on cheaper second-hand cars would not face the fee."
Funny how people get things wrong. ACT's Seymour says that Tesla buyers will get all this money, but the announcement limits the EV/hybrid fees to cars below $80,000.
for what its worth, i must be too poor as i don't know many people who can afford that much for a car, but then i am proud proletariat and i know my place :).
What i am saying is that those that don't get tax rebates – are the ones that finance tax rebates generally the tax paying working public, many who are not in a financial position to take the government up on its offer. And in this announcement there is no mention of tax rebates for people that use public transport all year round, or those that have bought a decent bicycle to ride all year round. – Care to comment on that?
What it does is it affords a tax incentives to people that can buy an EV or lower emission vehicle in the time. Are you one of these people ? Because then you may are biased in your assumption.
Did you miss the bits where the funding for the rebates is going to come from fees loaded onto the highest emitting vehicles such as Ford Ranger Codpiece Editions? That the whole programme is set up to be zero cost to the government? That it only affects the cost to those buying freshly imported vehicles (new or used), that it will not have direct effects on the used vehicle market within NZ?
That is not at all what i missed. As i said, many that drive high emission vehicles are not forcibly in a postion to actually change their cars. For a starter. So yeah, again those that can't afford to buy a decent car get to subsidze those that don't need a hand out. Maybe they should have targeted the group that drives old and high emission vehicles with that incentives.
Did you miss where i advocate for tax rebates for people that commute? Have you got a comment to that? You know, incentives people out of gazz guzzlers or other cheap polluters by making public transport cheap?
Those not in a position to change their cars are completely unaffected by this emissions fee and rebate scheme. They can continue driving the cars they already have in exactly the same way they are doing now. Yes, you have completely missed that part of it.
Public transport users are already heavily subsidised, and very likely will continue to get ever more subsidies. Just by tweaking where NZTA spends money. Where does NZTA get its money? Almost entirely from road users. But that's a completely separate funding give and take from this emissions feebate scheme. And the way road users subsidise public transport users means there's already a pretty good argument the poor family from Otara that drives because public transport just can't work for their workplaces and schedules is already subsidising the hi-falutin mirror-glazed office denizens of central Auckland.
Where the money for public transport comes from
The NZ Transport Agency and public transport 2013The NZ Transport Agency’s investment in land transport comes mainly from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) – a three-year funding pool, currently at $9.3 billion. Other sources include local authorities, developers, landowners, and the Crown (government). These funding sources are combined and paid out on a three yearly basis through the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).Who contributes to the NlTF?Anyone who owns or runs a motor vehicle invests in land transport, and therefore in public transport. New Zealand’s road users contribute to the $9.3 billion NLTF through fuel excise duty (around 52%), road user charges (39%), and motor vehicle registrations (6%). The rest comes from people who lease or buy state highway property. By law, NLTF money has to be invested in land transport.
snip
How we invest through the NlTP
Investments of more than $1.7 billion will be paid out through the 2012-15 NLTP for public transport services, infrastructure and planning. This amount is over 15% of the total NLTP, and includes the money from our regional and territorial authority partners.
We pay out 50% of the subsidy for urban buses, and between 40% and 60% of the subsidy for the Total Mobility scheme (help for people with impairments who cannot use public transport).
About 80% of all Tesla sales are Model 3s. You can get a new one of these in New Zealand for just under $70,000.
64% of all the new battery electric cars sold in New Zealand in March 2021 were model 3 Tesla vehicles. So a lot of Tesla buyers will certainly be cashing in. They won't get "all" the money but I would like to see your evidence that Seymour really made that statement and used those words. How about a link for him saying that?
Context should give you that I was quoting from the article that I was quoting higher in the comment which linked to the comments I made to Sabine' article available in her original comment.
I was wrong is saying all Teslas were outside the $70 grand range. There is a cheaper model at $69 grand so Seymour is not wrong.
There was a hefty price drop on Tesla models announced 19//4/21, less than a month ago dropping the entry model to below $70 grand.
Thank you for replying. No I didn't get any hint from the context, but I now see where you were getting it from. Seymour was coming close to your interpretation but it isn't that much divorced from the reality of the 64% numbers implication.
Thanks, Alwyn. How many EV or hybrids, bought in NZ are second-hand as opposed to new Teslas? I'm asking whether new Teslas are a significant part of total EV sales.
I have a second hand Leaf. Three people I know have the same. I know of no Teslas. One mechanical buff I know- I saw his EV today….. a second hand EV ute that he converted to be an EV from a petrol ute using a Leaf battery and some sort of lower-powered electric motor.
I'm not at all sure whether I am reading this correctly but if I am there were 427 more new-import pure EVs at the end of March than February and 256 more used-import EVs for the same period. That would seem to make New Tesla vehicles about half of all the EVs registered in the month.
I'm not sure where to get the number of used Tesla cars though. Be very cautious with my calculation though. I'm not at all sure on whether I am reading these numbers correctly.
I have noticed a great increase in the number of Tesla cars in Wellington this year. That probably is only due to the fact that a Tesla is very distinctive and I tend to notice them. I don't think I would recognize a Leaf at a glance.
We have a hybrid Camry and an ICE Jazz. We use about 4.6 l/100 Km in the Camry and 5.7 l/100 Km in the Jazz. The Jazz is all around town usage in a hilly Wellington. Those aren't too bad for fuel consumption really.
And thus you discuss me and the details of the money, and rest assured Mike Hoskins and his wife and their children could easily buy a car for each of them, rake in the 8700 max per vehicle and thus get 5 for the price of 4 all courtesy of those that actually pay taxes in this country.
Happy to discuss. You have an issue with Mike Hosking, which is why you can’t stop ranting about him. In fact, my diagnosis is that you have Mike Hosking Syndrome. And please leave his children out of your tirades; what have they done to you to deserve your scorn? A very low blow by anyone’s standard.
You obviously didn’t read the press release from Government on this announcement. Doesn’t surprise me, because ignorance is bliss, isn’t it?
“We’ve already committed to policies that will make a difference, like the Clean Car Import Standard, decarbonising the public transport bus fleet and revitalising rail, but we have to do more.
Surprisingly, there was nothing in the announcement either about the movie on the Christchurch mosque shootings, but maybe that was just an oversight or a deliberate omission by “Government and dear Green Co leader Shaw”, if you’re inclined that way, as you clearly are.
But then again, this announcement was on “Clean car package to drive down emissions”. PT is already heavily subsidised and you obviously didn’t know this or deliberately left it out of your comments because it obviously doesn’t suit your narrative.
… it is the poor NZ who needs a car because they have no public infrastructure what so ever that is subsidizing the schmucks in Wellington, and the million dollar burbs in Auckland.
Coming from you, calling them “schmucks” is quite something. Of course, your comments are completely disconnected from reality and it just shows your blind envy and hatred for people whom you don’t even know.
Or in words that some might understand better, The tax payer from South Auckland is financing a new car or several new family cars for the likes of Mike Hoskins and everyone in his ‘class’.
Oh, that’s right, only the poor pay taxes and the rich evade and avoid their dues. FYI, Mike Hosking has no class.
“Importantly the policy only applies to new and used cars arriving in New Zealand, so the existing second hand market of cars that lower income families tend to purchase from will not be affected.
Do you want NZ to become “a dumping ground for millions of "dirty second-hands"”.
Oh, that’s right, only the poor pay taxes and the rich evade and avoid their dues. FYI, Mike Hosking has no class.
“Importantly the policy only applies to new and used cars arriving in New Zealand, so the existing second hand market of cars that lower income families tend to purchase from will not be affected.
Do you want NZ to become “a dumping ground for millions of "dirty second-hands"”.
No Mike Hoskins is part of the 'Upper Class'. You or anyone else liking him or not has got nothing to do with that, that status is based on income and he has that income. Secondly, he and his wife are be financially flush enough to take the government up on this offer to buy a brandnew vehicle for each and everyone of their whanau and this will then be a nice discount if you can get it. – Or do you dispute that reality?
Next, NZ is already a dumping ground for millions of dirty second hands, as most Kiwis can't afford anything better, and this country does not builds its own vehicles. So by essence every vehicle is imported and NZ will thus become its burial ground. – Or do you dispute that reality?
As for who pays taxes in this country, are you now saying that the rich do pay their full share of taxes and thus we don't need to tax the rich? Because it is not the poor that depend on puplic transport that are being offered tax incentives to get out of their unwarrnated, unlisenced, dangerous cars that they drive because that is all they can afford, and that is the only transport they have due to systematically underfunding of the public transport. – Or do you dispute that reality?
I do hope that you are able to at least think a bit further then "labour good' everyone else who don't agree is bad. It makes you look deeply lazy and conformist.
The best way to get the roads free of cars for cyclists is to get people into public transport. And a really good way of doing that is to make it cheap, safe, fast, reliable and often. And by paying the people that drive the buses, and such a decent wage. Unless of course we are too broke for that.
Looking at the list of comments on the right hand side I realise that your icon is a nice colour Sabine, and you have so many there will soon be enough to wallpaper a small room.
I do hope that you are able to at least think a bit further then "labour good' everyone else who don't agree is bad. It makes you look deeply lazy and conformist.
You can read my mind like an open book, but you’re too illiterate to understand the words.
The best way to get the roads free of cars for cyclists is to get people into public transport. And a really good way of doing that is to make it cheap, safe, fast, reliable and often. And by paying the people that drive the buses, and such a decent wage. Unless of course we are too broke for that.
Do you know what zero cost to the Government means?
Do you know what “Clean car package to drive down emissions” means?
Do you think it has anything to do with saving the lives of penguins?
I don’t, which is why I stay on topic and you’re all over the place with your comments. It is not that people disagree with your opinions, it is that they have pointed out what you have missed and what you got wrong. Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of it and sadly, you simply ignore it, as usual. You call yourself “proud proletariat” but your comments are not helping anybody.
I cannot dispute your ‘reality’ because it is all true, in your head.
I fear this is a policy being rapidly over run by events. Much cheaper electrics and hybrids are coming onto the market fast.
The whole of life cost of running electric and hybrid vehicles compares very very well with running an equivalent ICE vehicle. So much so that if you have the money (and a bit of solar on the roof makes it even better) frankly you are nuts to not buy electric unless there are range issues where a hybrid is the best answer. I simply would not have subsidised the high price vehicles – maybe a cap at around $32k if you have to do this at all. It would have been far better to do a smaller ongoing subsidy to lower the buy price for the cheap vehicle market with maybe some limited repayment through slightly higher rego. fees. You want the people who spend $5k to $15k on vehicles being able to get the lower running costs of small electrics not continuing to use ICE vehicles And with no run out market the new market for ICE cars is likely to collapse quite quickly.
This looks like a trickle down vehicle market where the wealthier get the subsidy and the poorer wait for the left overs.
As to fleet vehicles – given the economics I'd give about an 18mth grace period then wack them with the tax system if they haven't changed over from ICE.
I see that it only applies to plug in hybrids according to the news story
If a country with one of the highest vaccination rates on the planet is struggling with the Delta variant, imagine countries with low vaccine coverage.
It's just more evidence to get your jabs when they are offered to you.
With two doses of a coronavirus vaccine showing good protection against infection from the Delta variant, the government is seeking to get more jabs into arms. Currently, 55.4 per cent of the adult population has had two doses. (from the ft link in the tweet joe90 linked)
Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the large share of those waiting for approval came as a surprise.
[…]
"Yes, it's kind of a formal stamp of approval, but I don't think it really provides much more than what we already know," he said. "We have more data on vaccine safety than with any other vaccine, even before the review of the full approval."
Here in the Waikato there is virtually no information being given out by the DHB for those of us in Group 3 except to say they will contact us. Been waiting since early May – not a dicky bird.
"Currently, 55.4 per cent of the adult population has had two doses".
Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could say the same about New Zealand? We are at about one tenth of that figure aren't we?
And wouldn't it be wonderful if we were actually being offered the jabs instead of being told, basically, Shut up and wait. Don't call us. We'll call you at some future time. Maybe.
Fuck me you're a clueless selfish whining twat, alwyn. Clue for the clueless: it’s not all about you.
You are not at risk of getting covid at the moment, unlike those in the UK or just about anywhere else.
Getting our population vaccinated will be a good thing economically for those reliant of foreign warm bodies arriving here, but really for just about everyone else here, economically it's ticking along similarly to how it would be without covid. A little bit of patience is in order.
"You are not at risk of getting covid at the moment".
Really? When we have thousands of people who have been in Melbourne and who are allowed back without any isolation at all I am entitled to be worried.
After all, Melbourne was meant to be safe too, wasn't it? Look how that has turned out? I am of an age, and with a suitably compromised state of health to be concerned. But you say that I'm not at risk and you know, or at least claim to know all about such things.
I can assure you that there is no way that I plan to take up your offer to "fuck you" as you so delicately put it. On the other hand I don't mind suggesting that you get fucked.
Their struggle could well become our struggle. The longer the virus runs rampant in unvaccinated people and populations with low vaccination rates, the higher the chances of new variants evolving that might be resistant to existing vaccines. Looker after Number One only is the most shortsighted thing to do, as it generally is anyway.
Making good progress in my burg. 0800 booking secures group 3's and over 50 Māori an appointment within a week and supply dependent after 4pm walk-ups, afaik all over 16's, are available.
Beggars belief that these top flight world leaders, including the queen, would be allowed to gather and hob- nob unfettered in this stinking plague pit.
Originally the delay between doses was three weeks IIRC. As was used for the phase 3 trials.
When the UK started running short with the AZ, they decided to delay the second dose to 12 weeks to free up those doses for other people to get their first dose. Since then, it seems they've decided the longer delay actually gives a better immune response. But now they're closing the gap between doses to try to get more people double-dosed as quickly as possible because of the new variants.
The Herne Bay set will be pleased with the government. Last week they got the billion dollar bike bridge to bayswater, this week they got a subsidised Tesla.
Sorry folks in the rest of Auckland where your roads have been cancelled and now your subsidising someone else’s Tesla.
Similar point made in an excellent Listener article this week, when they compared the 'bike bridge' to the private 'green school' funding. “The Greens cannot credibly claim to be the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised when they’re seduced into showboating projects such as this.”
“The Greens cannot credibly claim to be the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised when they’re seduced into showboating projects such as this.”
Intriguing quote Gypsy. I cancelled my Listener subscription earlier this year, so perhaps you could check for me – did the author(s) of that "excellent Listener article" happen to indicate which political party, if not the Greens, they think is "most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised"? Perhaps the Māori party?
They didn't pass that judgement, I'm afraid. I believe their point was to highlight the hypocrisy of paying for education and cycling for the wealthy while championing the cause of the downtrodden. You know, the old 'actions speak louder than words' thing?
So then it's possible that the Greens are (still) "the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised"? Disappointing that the author(s) didn't clarify what they believed in their otherwise "excellent article" – how difficult could it be?
The author(s) are right, of course: hypocrisy – there’s a lot of it about.
It's possible they still are. The authors point is that they may no longer be able to credibly claim to be. But to be fair you haven't read the article.
To be fair I made that clear, and the quote you provided is confirmation that the decision to cancel my Listener sub was a good one, so thanks for that.
"It's possible they still are." "…they may no longer be able…"
Still relatively good then – they’ve got my party vote until it’s shown that the Greens are no longer “the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised” – could be a looooong wait.
James Shaw accepted that, while there were green positives in relation to the green school, the funding model supported was a mistake.
Maybe we need more honest parties like the Greens in parliament.
Meanwhile gypsy you ignore all of the positive work being done by the Greens on climate change and poverty. Take s look at their proposal for a wealth tax for instance…. something Jacinda and Robertson are far to neo-liberal to contemplate.
Proposals are not 'positive work being done'. The funding of a school for the wealthy was an actual policy put into action and supported by the Green party.
No, Drowsy – just a light-weight, cheap shot at the Greens with no serious analysis of any party's social policy.
When Pamela Stirling became Editor of the Listener, Chris Trotter related in a recent post that she said that the Listener would cease being the mouthpiece of the Alliance Party. Chris then said she had since pretty well transformed it into a mouthpiece for the National Party.
I saw this editorial as confirming what Chris wrote.
You are misinformed or do have a selective memory.
“Just to be clear, never, ever was this a 100 per cent grant – not at all,” Chris Edwards, Green School New Zealand chief executive, said on Wednesday. “The application was for a 25 per cent grant – the rest was a series of loans.”
I didn't claim the school received a 100% grant. I described the money as 'funding'. James Shaw himself described the decision as an error of judgement, and went on to say this:
"So again I apologise. I apologise to parents, to teachers, to unions. I apologise to Green Party members who have been working tirelessly in their communities to make sure that the Green’s are a party the next Government and have felt demoralised by this decision. I apologise to the schools in Taranaki who quire rightfully want the best for their children. And I want you to know, all of you, that I have listened to your concerns."
Gypsy – you knew all that which you have just quoted, and that James Shaw had clearly stated that it was an error of judgement… Yet you sneakily used it to back up the Listener Editorial which I have described as a cheap shot, but which you described as 'excellent'.
I think we can all see where you are coming from, Gypsy.
… paying for education and cycling for the wealthy … [my italics]
Make of that what you will, but to me you were lying by omission to tell the full story, which would make you a hypocritical troll, in my book. This seems to a hallmark of commenters who have an engrained anti-Green Party bias. Quoting from a propaganda magazine that is not accessible to others here is very poor form but goes with the trolling, I guess.
The fee only occurs if you buy in a vehicle from overseas- cars already in NZ don't pay a fee. The fee occurs if you choose to buy a petrol /diesel car with more than low emissions.
You get a fee paid to you if you choose to buy a car that is new or second hand and it's an EV or a hybrid and costs less than $80,000.
You avoid paying a fee if you choose to buy a car with low emissions.
You neither pay or receive a fee if you choose an EV of hybrid costing over $80,000 or if you choose a low emissions vehicle.
There are choices. You can choose to subsidise, or not.
The bit about changes "that improved how investigations were managed" – were they part of the results from the suggested programme, or did the project take so long to get off the ground that other managers implemented a workaround that turned out to be better than the proposed project?
Or maybe it just took so long to get going that it became obsolete before it started lol.
I was unclear what all these groups needed to "investigate" or was it a dodge to cover up prying into the personal affairs of their fellow citizens without checks nd balances.
The 2 year delay at the start probably sunk it – they attempted to tender in 2016 and then the only company which met the requirements went into liquidation.
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Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University This week American rapper Macklemore released a new track, Hind’s Hall, which has gained a lot of attention because of its explicitly political nature. The track is unapologetically pro-Palestine. It declares the artist’s ...
Explainer - The government from 2025 is mandating how state schools teach children to read. But what is structured literacy and how does it compare to other teaching methods? ...
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http://metvuw.com/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain®ion=swp&noofdays=10
Anyone notice how little energy we're getting out of the southern ocean in terms of weather front formation?
The 10 day forecast through to 23 June shows slow moving Tasman lows, which is great for moisture (finally!), but not the deep southern energy that will bring snow and hence snow packs.
Yes, I certainly do notice that. It's been the case for a while now; at least, it's been patently obvious to those of us living in the far south; at first we said, "sleeping dragon', knowing it was just building, ready to burst upon us the way at always has done, only it doesn't any more; our weather is tame compared to what it was. Both encouraging and concerning at the same time.
Yeah, strange days in Whakatipu. I'm looking out my window at a green, sort of growing lawn, this time of year it would normally be browned off by the frost. Go onto a north facing hill and there's quite a bit of growth, and grazed out paddocks are coming back green after a week or so.
The way the forecast models are looking there's not going to be any change from this pattern until maybe early July, maybe… So no natural snow for southern skifields, and temperatures too warm for any meaningful snowmaking until after the school holidays.
This could get rather interesting around the town.
Same up here at ruapehu, freaky june weather, not complaining to much was good for shearing last week .
Usually the rock n roll weather starts after the shortest day ,but we haven't even had a taste of winter yet.
Apparently there is a anomaly around the Antarctic, saw a technical explanation I didn’t understand and didn’t talk about nearby land masses. Will see if I can find the tweets.
https://twitter.com/scottduncanwx/status/1403370165195128833?s=21
I hope that simply means our big cold hit is in August ie later, harder, and shorter.
Getting in training for the Hump Ridge for later.
There is an explanation by Ben Noll .
1 There is a strong polar vortex (pv)operating.
2 The pv is found when the southern oscillation is positive.
3 The exceptional cold anomaly in the Antarctic (-6.9c) moves all indicators the SH is around -0.6 and the global anomaly is 0.
https://twitter.com/BenNollWeather/status/1403719990394556422
yeah, its muggy alright, but sadly no drops are falling.
Build less, not more.
Yes.
With some exceptions to that rule. Projects pandering to my personal interests and hobbies is a good place to start
[typo fixed in e-mail address]
Build better, and build to need rather then status.
Build to need i agree (though what constitutes need will cause debate e.g. cycle bridges)….build in the knowledge that everything built creates emissions and consumes limited resources in its construction and importantly in its maintenance.
edit
And also build to last for just 50 years rather than the 100 years someone mentioned previously. Everything changes rapidly so be prepared with Plan B if a weather event happens or with a sea bridge, a ship loses steering or something and wipes out essential parts.
Think Picton – Mikhail Lermontov, Italy – dozy navigation also there etc. And possibly government-sponsored terrorism, Rainbow Warrior v France, USA v Iran. We are not immune from that even if we are dancing away from Covid19.
"And also build to last for just 50 years rather than the 100 years"
Are you sure you have that the way round you intended?
That upcoming Hollywood treatment of the Christchurch massacre
I wonder if they'll show the dramatic sequel involving Chelsea Clinton at the vigil in New York….
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-17/hillary-clintons-daughter-accused-of-stoking-islamophobia/10909366
Kim Jon Un wants to crack down hard on anyone listening to K-Pop with hard labour and work camps.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300331611/kim-jong-un-calls-kpop-a-vicious-cancer-that-merits-work-camp-execution
I used to have thoughts like that whenever Rick Astley and anyone out of the Stock Aitken and Waterman school of mid 1980s music was pushed into my ears in a supermarket.
But helpfully I didn't run the country at the time.
Could Kim Jong Un send Chance the Rapper to a labour camp? He might learn to write something witty and clever there?
Could Kim Jong Un send Chance the Rapper to a labour camp? He might learn to write something witty there.
In your case, mozzie, I think we'd be happy to find you somewhere you could learn to just post once, before progressing to something much much more difficult such as wit (relatively speaking).
Baby steps.
Ah yes.
You can be sure to be well informed by reading the entertainment sector of any publication. That's for sure.
These are the women that women and concerned men should be advocating for:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/444596/homeless-women-more-likely-than-men-to-be-younger-maori-and-sole-parents-study
The Otago University research analysed data of nearly 400 men and women who were homeless before being re-housed by Housing First services…
"To address the issue to the best of our ability, we need to know more about the different experiences of different groups, and that includes women.
"In New Zealand, about 50 percent of our overall homeless population are women, which is internationally quite rare…
Women had an average of 2.6 children, while men had an average of 1.6 children..
Four out of every five women were Māori while for men, two thirds were Māori
Dr Fraser said the statistics showed the welfare system was not working.
"It really just shows our benefits aren't high enough. They need to be higher, they need to be easier to access.
"These are really vulnerable people and their children deserve the best possible start in life that they can, but they're clearly not getting that if their mums are so stressed out and needing that wrap-around housing support."
Such a kind and gentle government.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-feebate-govt-confirms-rebates-for-buyers-of-electric-cars-but-petrol-car-buyers-will-cop-it/TEJ3V5CF72YFTT5NPQTOWJ3AAE/
i guess they set 'affordable' until it hits 79.999.99 NZD……..oh boy.
Well i guess the new minimum wage will making the buying of such a car within a year totally affordable. Totally. Or else those making that amount should just cycle from South Auckland to their jobs. But then maybe when all those that can not afford to buy a new car between now and Jan 2022 are to be 'fined' out of car ownership, rather then 'incentivised in' via cheap to free and punctual, safe and regular public transport. Something we are still not able to provide pretty much anywhere in the country.
But i hope that the Middleclass in NZ that changes things is very happy and pleased and totally not ashamed of the fact that the lower class is financing their Middle Class status to great measure. Maybe Labour needs to rename itself the "Middle Class Party of Aotearo".
And last but least, read the article to the end, and realise that not word not one pixle was used on 'bicycles, or buses, or trams, or any other form of public transport'. It is not the 'tradies subsidizing teslas', it is the poor NZ who needs a car because they have no public infrastructure what so ever that is subsidizing the schmucks in Wellington, and the million dollar burbs in Auckland.
Or in words that some might understand better, The tax payer from South Auckland is financing a new car or several new family cars for the likes of Mike Hoskins and everyone in his ‘class’. The Upper Class. The Middle class gets a treat for buying the used cars of the likes of Mike Hoskins, and the proletariat is financing all of it.
Did you know the median household income p.a.in Auckland in 2020 is $140,000, for rest of NZ its $114,000
yes no one can afford at $15,000 car at all
No I don't know that.
Stats NZ (link to Excel sheet on this page) sez the median gross household income for Auckland year ended 30 June 2020 was $104,821 – and the mean gross household income was $128,138.
But yeah, plenty of opportunity there for $15,000 cars. Or even a $50,000 car every few years. It might just need a sacrifice of a few expensive holidays.
There’s a lot of pent-up money because people had to cancel their overseas holidays in 2020 and also this year. So, let’s spend it on a Tesla or some other vital material wealth.
Gotta admit, every now and then I sneak a fantasy peek at Tesla's NZ inventory list. They seem to be shifting them a lot faster now than even just a few months back, let alone last year.
We all have our weaknesses but mine is not Teslas, I have to confess.
https://ecoprofile.infometrics.co.nz/auckland/StandardOfLiving/Household_Income
Infometrics would use official information – the link is a time series table and easier to read without Excel
Your infometrics link says mean household income, not median.
It doesn't say where it gets its information from – I wouldn't assume anything about where it comes from.
Sabine this was a Green Policy which was stymied by NZ First. It is designed to encourage the greater buying of electric and hybrid vehicles by those who can make the choice, as most of us have never purchased a new car and need more second hand choices.
In your usual fashion you poke the Government instead of looking at the intended outcomes James Shaw and Julie Anne Genter were aiming for. There is so much bile in your system it is clouding your judgement and causing many to be turned off posting, but then that is perhaps your goal? There is no suggested "Other" way.. just bile.
What got left out of Sabine's critique of the article might be important.
"and about $3,500 for used cars."
"Rebates of up to $3,450 will be given to those who buy used electric cars and $2,300 for plug-in hybrids. From January, smaller rebates will also be offered to buyers of other low emission cars."
"Wood said those fees would not apply to cars already in the country, which meant low-income families who relied on cheaper second-hand cars would not face the fee."
"Petrol cars with lower emissions – such as a Toyota Rav 4 or Suzuki Vitara – would not face fees."
Thank you for adding that; it obviously didn’t fit her usual vitriolic
rantnarrative.yes, it does.
It means that people that have the means get government tax rebates as per the cars the y buy.
As i said Incognito
The rich can get up to 8700 NZD per vehicle they purchase, the not so rich can get a few grand less, and the rest of the country that can't afford a used or a new electric or hybrid vehicle and is dependend on an old gasguzzler get to pay for the boondoogle.
And not a single word and pixle was extended to the announcment of the Government and dear Green Co leader Shaw to the tax rebates commuters that use public transport will get with the purchase of an annual bus ticket. – Got any comment to that?
And thus you discuss me and the details of the money, and rest assured Mike Hoskins and his wife and their children could easily buy a car for each of them, rake in the 8700 max per vehicle and thus get 5 for the price of 4 all courtesy of those that actually pay taxes in this country.
Good grief, this is the best national government we could get. Maybe that is why it is so appreciated by Middle Nuzilind.
This government should do nothing because someone will miss out according to sabine
No, this government should be looking at being fair.
So this particular announcement should have been coupled with an announcement for the many that use public transports. Tax rebates for both.
Is that really so hard to understand?
Disclaimer, i don't own a car, never did. I am a public transport user, a walker, a cycler, i ride share etc.
So in my opinion this announcement will do very little to encourage people that don't have the money to buy up and into a better car generation to use buses and trains instead. But i guess that was never the point. It is however nice to know that we are not so broke as a country to not give away a few tax incentives to people who already aren't known for paying much taxes.
You forgot about 'the nurses'…. early starts late finishes and all that
Sabine asseverates, "the rest of the country that can't afford a used or a new electric or hybrid vehicle and is dependent on an old gasguzzler get to pay for the boondoogle."
The article Sabine quotes says "Petrol cars with lower emissions – such as a Toyota Rav 4 or Suzuki Vitara – would not face fees." They don't pay for the boondoogle. Nor do people who keep their cars, gas guzzlers or no.
The article also says that those who buy a car already in the country do not pay the fee- "low-income families who relied on cheaper second-hand cars would not face the fee."
Funny how people get things wrong. ACT's Seymour says that Tesla buyers will get all this money, but the announcement limits the EV/hybrid fees to cars below $80,000.
and you will have seen that i mentioned the price ticket. You can get some nice cars for 79.999
according to this the cheapest comes in at 49.900
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/evs/124395353/lowest-to-highest-every-new-electric-car-you-can-buy-in-nz-in-2021
for what its worth, i must be too poor as i don't know many people who can afford that much for a car, but then i am proud proletariat and i know my place :).
What i am saying is that those that don't get tax rebates – are the ones that finance tax rebates generally the tax paying working public, many who are not in a financial position to take the government up on its offer. And in this announcement there is no mention of tax rebates for people that use public transport all year round, or those that have bought a decent bicycle to ride all year round. – Care to comment on that?
What it does is it affords a tax incentives to people that can buy an EV or lower emission vehicle in the time. Are you one of these people ? Because then you may are biased in your assumption.
Did you miss the bits where the funding for the rebates is going to come from fees loaded onto the highest emitting vehicles such as Ford Ranger Codpiece Editions? That the whole programme is set up to be zero cost to the government? That it only affects the cost to those buying freshly imported vehicles (new or used), that it will not have direct effects on the used vehicle market within NZ?
That is not at all what i missed. As i said, many that drive high emission vehicles are not forcibly in a postion to actually change their cars. For a starter. So yeah, again those that can't afford to buy a decent car get to subsidze those that don't need a hand out. Maybe they should have targeted the group that drives old and high emission vehicles with that incentives.
Did you miss where i advocate for tax rebates for people that commute? Have you got a comment to that? You know, incentives people out of gazz guzzlers or other cheap polluters by making public transport cheap?
Those not in a position to change their cars are completely unaffected by this emissions fee and rebate scheme. They can continue driving the cars they already have in exactly the same way they are doing now. Yes, you have completely missed that part of it.
Public transport users are already heavily subsidised, and very likely will continue to get ever more subsidies. Just by tweaking where NZTA spends money. Where does NZTA get its money? Almost entirely from road users. But that's a completely separate funding give and take from this emissions feebate scheme. And the way road users subsidise public transport users means there's already a pretty good argument the poor family from Otara that drives because public transport just can't work for their workplaces and schedules is already subsidising the hi-falutin mirror-glazed office denizens of central Auckland.
Most public transport is heavily subsidized
Oppd I see Andre beat me to it with a far better effort
Thanks mac1; as good as Readers Digest's "How to increase your word power."
About 80% of all Tesla sales are Model 3s. You can get a new one of these in New Zealand for just under $70,000.
64% of all the new battery electric cars sold in New Zealand in March 2021 were model 3 Tesla vehicles. So a lot of Tesla buyers will certainly be cashing in. They won't get "all" the money but I would like to see your evidence that Seymour really made that statement and used those words. How about a link for him saying that?
My links are
https://yourcar.co.nz/new-car-quotes/tesla-model-3-342/spec
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/evs/124764306/these-are-the-most-popular-electric-and-electrified-vehicles-in-nz
Context should give you that I was quoting from the article that I was quoting higher in the comment which linked to the comments I made to Sabine' article available in her original comment.
I was wrong is saying all Teslas were outside the $70 grand range. There is a cheaper model at $69 grand so Seymour is not wrong.
There was a hefty price drop on Tesla models announced 19//4/21, less than a month ago dropping the entry model to below $70 grand.
Thank you for replying. No I didn't get any hint from the context, but I now see where you were getting it from. Seymour was coming close to your interpretation but it isn't that much divorced from the reality of the 64% numbers implication.
Thanks, Alwyn. How many EV or hybrids, bought in NZ are second-hand as opposed to new Teslas? I'm asking whether new Teslas are a significant part of total EV sales.
I have a second hand Leaf. Three people I know have the same. I know of no Teslas. One mechanical buff I know- I saw his EV today….. a second hand EV ute that he converted to be an EV from a petrol ute using a Leaf battery and some sort of lower-powered electric motor.
I'm not at all sure whether I am reading this correctly but if I am there were 427 more new-import pure EVs at the end of March than February and 256 more used-import EVs for the same period. That would seem to make New Tesla vehicles about half of all the EVs registered in the month.
I'm not sure where to get the number of used Tesla cars though. Be very cautious with my calculation though. I'm not at all sure on whether I am reading these numbers correctly.
https://www.transport.govt.nz/statistics-and-insights/fleet-statistics/sheet/monthly-ev-statistics
I have noticed a great increase in the number of Tesla cars in Wellington this year. That probably is only due to the fact that a Tesla is very distinctive and I tend to notice them. I don't think I would recognize a Leaf at a glance.
We have a hybrid Camry and an ICE Jazz. We use about 4.6 l/100 Km in the Camry and 5.7 l/100 Km in the Jazz. The Jazz is all around town usage in a hilly Wellington. Those aren't too bad for fuel consumption really.
Happy to discuss. You have an issue with Mike Hosking, which is why you can’t stop ranting about him. In fact, my diagnosis is that you have Mike Hosking Syndrome. And please leave his children out of your tirades; what have they done to you to deserve your scorn? A very low blow by anyone’s standard.
You obviously didn’t read the press release from Government on this announcement. Doesn’t surprise me, because ignorance is bliss, isn’t it?
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/clean-car-package-drive-down-emissions
Surprisingly, there was nothing in the announcement either about the movie on the Christchurch mosque shootings, but maybe that was just an oversight or a deliberate omission by “Government and dear Green Co leader Shaw”, if you’re inclined that way, as you clearly are.
But then again, this announcement was on “Clean car package to drive down emissions”. PT is already heavily subsidised and you obviously didn’t know this or deliberately left it out of your comments because it obviously doesn’t suit your narrative.
Coming from you, calling them “schmucks” is quite something. Of course, your comments are completely disconnected from reality and it just shows your blind envy and hatred for people whom you don’t even know.
Oh, that’s right, only the poor pay taxes and the rich evade and avoid their dues. FYI, Mike Hosking has no class.
Do you want NZ to become “a dumping ground for millions of "dirty second-hands"”.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/06/nz-risks-becoming-dumping-ground-for-dirty-petrol-cars-if-ban-comes-too-late-climate-change-minister-james-shaw.html
I’d rather listen to dear Mr Shaw than the reckons of an ignorant simpleton. Any time.
Bye bye for now, I’ve got work to do.
No Mike Hoskins is part of the 'Upper Class'. You or anyone else liking him or not has got nothing to do with that, that status is based on income and he has that income. Secondly, he and his wife are be financially flush enough to take the government up on this offer to buy a brandnew vehicle for each and everyone of their whanau and this will then be a nice discount if you can get it. – Or do you dispute that reality?
Next, NZ is already a dumping ground for millions of dirty second hands, as most Kiwis can't afford anything better, and this country does not builds its own vehicles. So by essence every vehicle is imported and NZ will thus become its burial ground. – Or do you dispute that reality?
As for who pays taxes in this country, are you now saying that the rich do pay their full share of taxes and thus we don't need to tax the rich? Because it is not the poor that depend on puplic transport that are being offered tax incentives to get out of their unwarrnated, unlisenced, dangerous cars that they drive because that is all they can afford, and that is the only transport they have due to systematically underfunding of the public transport. – Or do you dispute that reality?
I do hope that you are able to at least think a bit further then "labour good' everyone else who don't agree is bad. It makes you look deeply lazy and conformist.
The best way to get the roads free of cars for cyclists is to get people into public transport. And a really good way of doing that is to make it cheap, safe, fast, reliable and often. And by paying the people that drive the buses, and such a decent wage. Unless of course we are too broke for that.
Looking at the list of comments on the right hand side I realise that your icon is a nice colour Sabine, and you have so many there will soon be enough to wallpaper a small room.
You can read my mind like an open book, but you’re too illiterate to understand the words.
Do you know what zero cost to the Government means?
Do you know what “Clean car package to drive down emissions” means?
Do you think it has anything to do with saving the lives of penguins?
I don’t, which is why I stay on topic and you’re all over the place with your comments. It is not that people disagree with your opinions, it is that they have pointed out what you have missed and what you got wrong. Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of it and sadly, you simply ignore it, as usual. You call yourself “proud proletariat” but your comments are not helping anybody.
I cannot dispute your ‘reality’ because it is all true, in your head.
I fear this is a policy being rapidly over run by events. Much cheaper electrics and hybrids are coming onto the market fast.
The whole of life cost of running electric and hybrid vehicles compares very very well with running an equivalent ICE vehicle. So much so that if you have the money (and a bit of solar on the roof makes it even better) frankly you are nuts to not buy electric unless there are range issues where a hybrid is the best answer. I simply would not have subsidised the high price vehicles – maybe a cap at around $32k if you have to do this at all. It would have been far better to do a smaller ongoing subsidy to lower the buy price for the cheap vehicle market with maybe some limited repayment through slightly higher rego. fees. You want the people who spend $5k to $15k on vehicles being able to get the lower running costs of small electrics not continuing to use ICE vehicles And with no run out market the new market for ICE cars is likely to collapse quite quickly.
This looks like a trickle down vehicle market where the wealthier get the subsidy and the poorer wait for the left overs.
As to fleet vehicles – given the economics I'd give about an 18mth grace period then wack them with the tax system if they haven't changed over from ICE.
I see that it only applies to plug in hybrids according to the news story
If a country with one of the highest vaccination rates on the planet is struggling with the Delta variant, imagine countries with low vaccine coverage.
https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1403423583641210880
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1403423583641210880.html
Yes, I saw that speculated yesterday. 90% of the new infections are all Delta Variant. The fucking virus is not finished yet with us humans.
It's just more evidence to get your jabs when they are offered to you.
And there goes the but more data…
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's latest vaccine monitor report, nearly a third — 32% — of unvaccinated adults are waiting for full FDA approval of a vaccine before getting it.
Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the large share of those waiting for approval came as a surprise.
[…]
"Yes, it's kind of a formal stamp of approval, but I don't think it really provides much more than what we already know," he said. "We have more data on vaccine safety than with any other vaccine, even before the review of the full approval."
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/full-fda-approval-drive-covid-19-vaccinations-experts/story?id=78048166
Trying hard to organise my vaccination but best case scenario is currently second week of August.
This is Auckland Central.
Meanwhile…
Here in the Waikato there is virtually no information being given out by the DHB for those of us in Group 3 except to say they will contact us. Been waiting since early May – not a dicky bird.
When …….
right. 🙂
"Currently, 55.4 per cent of the adult population has had two doses".
Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could say the same about New Zealand? We are at about one tenth of that figure aren't we?
And wouldn't it be wonderful if we were actually being offered the jabs instead of being told, basically, Shut up and wait. Don't call us. We'll call you at some future time. Maybe.
Fuck me you're a clueless selfish whining twat, alwyn. Clue for the clueless: it’s not all about you.
You are not at risk of getting covid at the moment, unlike those in the UK or just about anywhere else.
Getting our population vaccinated will be a good thing economically for those reliant of foreign warm bodies arriving here, but really for just about everyone else here, economically it's ticking along similarly to how it would be without covid. A little bit of patience is in order.
"You are not at risk of getting covid at the moment".
Really? When we have thousands of people who have been in Melbourne and who are allowed back without any isolation at all I am entitled to be worried.
After all, Melbourne was meant to be safe too, wasn't it? Look how that has turned out? I am of an age, and with a suitably compromised state of health to be concerned. But you say that I'm not at risk and you know, or at least claim to know all about such things.
I can assure you that there is no way that I plan to take up your offer to "fuck you" as you so delicately put it. On the other hand I don't mind suggesting that you get fucked.
Alwyn, you sound almost sick with worry – I for one hope you pull through.
Andre
Their struggle could well become our struggle. The longer the virus runs rampant in unvaccinated people and populations with low vaccination rates, the higher the chances of new variants evolving that might be resistant to existing vaccines. Looker after Number One only is the most shortsighted thing to do, as it generally is anyway.
Making good progress in my burg. 0800 booking secures group 3's and over 50 Māori an appointment within a week and supply dependent after 4pm walk-ups, afaik all over 16's, are available.
Where do you live? Nobody in Wellington seems to have the faintest idea when over 75's are going to get the option?
Perhaps I can move into your neighborhood.
Whanganui.
UK….is struggling with the Delta variant … but in Cornwall,
luckily, G7 attendees appear immune.
Beggars belief that these top flight world leaders, including the queen, would be allowed to gather and hob- nob unfettered in this stinking plague pit.
Have they not heard of Zoom?
Bets on how many of them aren't fully jabbed?
Bojo might be one, having had it, but I'm betting the others were near the top of the queue.
"others were near the top of the queue."
You mean like all the many and varied Health Ministers, and Covid 19 Minister we seem to have who were getting done back in March.
Yes.
I do mean like that.
BloJo got his first late March. It's AZ, so he's probably close to getting his second.
Merkel mid-March with AZ, dunno about second dose
Biden second dose of Pfizer in January.
Trudeau first dose AZ late April
Macron says he's been vaccinated but haven't found further details
Suga fully vaccinated with Pfizer early April
Draghi got first AZ jab end of March.
So mostly not fully vaccinated.
how long before the second dose with AZ? Didn't think it was all that long, but haven't been looking too closely.
Originally the delay between doses was three weeks IIRC. As was used for the phase 3 trials.
When the UK started running short with the AZ, they decided to delay the second dose to 12 weeks to free up those doses for other people to get their first dose. Since then, it seems they've decided the longer delay actually gives a better immune response. But now they're closing the gap between doses to try to get more people double-dosed as quickly as possible because of the new variants.
Dunno what other countries are doing.
interesting.
Zoom's for ordinary people. And red-shirts.
https://twitter.com/kevinguilfoile/status/1403376339319668736
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/covid-19-outbreakcloses-hotel-hosting-g7-summit-delegation-2021-06-10/
Children's learning game – Which one is not like the others? Interesting about red shirts joe90 – hadn't known that and funny (not) in this context.
They do look as if they've just been beamed down. Using Tesla Star Transport I presume.
The Herne Bay set will be pleased with the government. Last week they got the billion dollar bike bridge to bayswater, this week they got a subsidised Tesla.
Sorry folks in the rest of Auckland where your roads have been cancelled and now your subsidising someone else’s Tesla.
Herne Bay has resisted the shared path for over a decade.
Herne Bay people don't stoop to a car worth only $80k.
Try a different suburb for imagined grievance.
Similar point made in an excellent Listener article this week, when they compared the 'bike bridge' to the private 'green school' funding. “The Greens cannot credibly claim to be the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised when they’re seduced into showboating projects such as this.”
Intriguing quote Gypsy. I cancelled my Listener subscription earlier this year, so perhaps you could check for me – did the author(s) of that "excellent Listener article" happen to indicate which political party, if not the Greens, they think is "most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised"? Perhaps the Māori party?
They didn't pass that judgement, I'm afraid. I believe their point was to highlight the hypocrisy of paying for education and cycling for the wealthy while championing the cause of the downtrodden. You know, the old 'actions speak louder than words' thing?
So then it's possible that the Greens are (still) "the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised"? Disappointing that the author(s) didn't clarify what they believed in their otherwise "excellent article" – how difficult could it be?
The author(s) are right, of course: hypocrisy – there’s a lot of it about.
It's possible they still are. The authors point is that they may no longer be able to credibly claim to be. But to be fair you haven't read the article.
To be fair I made that clear, and the quote you provided is confirmation that the decision to cancel my Listener sub was a good one, so thanks for that.
Still relatively good then – they’ve got my party vote until it’s shown that the Greens are no longer “the party most dedicated to the vulnerable and marginalised” – could be a looooong wait.
Fair enough. At the moment mine will cancel yours out, but heh, you never know.
James Shaw accepted that, while there were green positives in relation to the green school, the funding model supported was a mistake.
Maybe we need more honest parties like the Greens in parliament.
Meanwhile gypsy you ignore all of the positive work being done by the Greens on climate change and poverty. Take s look at their proposal for a wealth tax for instance…. something Jacinda and Robertson are far to neo-liberal to contemplate.
I don’t want to derail this thread, but I’m curious how you found the new Cromwell-Clyde ride.
If you do reply, feel free to make it a standalone comment 😉
It was excellent.
You need an ebike or you have to be super fit. We rode the whole way from old Cromwell which is 43k and took 4 hours with stops.
You can start a few km closer to Cromwell amongst the vineyards at Bannockburn.
We had a car at each end. Friends have swapped keys at the half-way point.
Olivers is excellent for a beer/fud at the end.
The only downside is the noise of the traffic on the road across the lake.
Ta
Proposals are not 'positive work being done'. The funding of a school for the wealthy was an actual policy put into action and supported by the Green party.
No, Drowsy – just a light-weight, cheap shot at the Greens with no serious analysis of any party's social policy.
When Pamela Stirling became Editor of the Listener, Chris Trotter related in a recent post that she said that the Listener would cease being the mouthpiece of the Alliance Party. Chris then said she had since pretty well transformed it into a mouthpiece for the National Party.
I saw this editorial as confirming what Chris wrote.
You are misinformed or do have a selective memory.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/122640790/green-schools-117m-from-govt-never-ever-been-a-100-per-cent-grant-ce-says
I didn't claim the school received a 100% grant. I described the money as 'funding'. James Shaw himself described the decision as an error of judgement, and went on to say this:
"So again I apologise. I apologise to parents, to teachers, to unions. I apologise to Green Party members who have been working tirelessly in their communities to make sure that the Green’s are a party the next Government and have felt demoralised by this decision. I apologise to the schools in Taranaki who quire rightfully want the best for their children. And I want you to know, all of you, that I have listened to your concerns."
Gypsy – you knew all that which you have just quoted, and that James Shaw had clearly stated that it was an error of judgement… Yet you sneakily used it to back up the Listener Editorial which I have described as a cheap shot, but which you described as 'excellent'.
I think we can all see where you are coming from, Gypsy.
You said this:
Make of that what you will, but to me you were lying by omission to tell the full story, which would make you a hypocritical troll, in my book. This seems to a hallmark of commenters who have an engrained anti-Green Party bias. Quoting from a propaganda magazine that is not accessible to others here is very poor form but goes with the trolling, I guess.
The fee only occurs if you buy in a vehicle from overseas- cars already in NZ don't pay a fee. The fee occurs if you choose to buy a petrol /diesel car with more than low emissions.
You get a fee paid to you if you choose to buy a car that is new or second hand and it's an EV or a hybrid and costs less than $80,000.
You avoid paying a fee if you choose to buy a car with low emissions.
You neither pay or receive a fee if you choose an EV of hybrid costing over $80,000 or if you choose a low emissions vehicle.
There are choices. You can choose to subsidise, or not.
Some people don’t like others having choices because it is only fair if all people have the same choices. They’re living in Fantasy Land.
This sounds interesting though i haven't as yet read it.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/444634/internal-affairs-intelligence-and-investigation-system-panned
It set out in 2013 to set up a system that let investigators in five different units share intelligence.
"The ultimate outcome… will be to enable efficient single and multi-unit investigations," it said.
Instead, after a series of hurdles, eight years on it has spent about $2 million on the intelligence side of things.
Obvious why it didn't work – they hadn't spent enough millions on it! Everyone else just pours the $ on, with a cherry on top. /sarc
Heh, interesting.
The bit about changes "that improved how investigations were managed" – were they part of the results from the suggested programme, or did the project take so long to get off the ground that other managers implemented a workaround that turned out to be better than the proposed project?
Or maybe it just took so long to get going that it became obsolete before it started lol.
I was unclear what all these groups needed to "investigate" or was it a dodge to cover up prying into the personal affairs of their fellow citizens without checks nd balances.
Any ideas anyone?
Depends on the units involved. They mentioned passports, so there's one aspect. There's also financial stuff, like gambling, lotteries, and some international financing/laundering regulations.
The 2 year delay at the start probably sunk it – they attempted to tender in 2016 and then the only company which met the requirements went into liquidation.
To Ben Purua and all others who have and will turn their lives around: RESPECT!
Kia kaha
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/125383822/ben-purua-went-to-prison-for-manslaughter-at-16–farming-has-changed-his-life