Sorta kinda yes, sorta kinda not really. The rate banks pay on their profits is the company tax rate, so it's different to the rates paid by individual savers (which vary depending on the saver's total income).
Banks pay tax on their profits. Profit is income less costs. Since the interest from borrowers is income for the bank, some of it ends up as profit and gets taxed. Along with income from account fees, various other charges. Costs include salaries and wages, buildings and software and other stuff needed to run the bank, regulatory costs, interest on money the bank has to borrow, writing off bad loans, various schemes to shift profits to offshore owners such as licensing and branding and intellectual property fees, etc etc.
I am firmly of the belief that taxing interest payments directly is the proper response and would give govt a direct means of regulating lending. Do Not be misled, The root of the problem is usury !
People have patiently tried to explain it to me, totally legitimately, but I still can't figure out why we don't tax businesses on gross revenue just like we tax people PAYE.
To do that you would need to make the tax rate much lower, and even then it would likely sink many small to medium businesses.
In my field a good year sees the company make 5 percent net profit onces expenses wages etc are all paid.
Revenue is somewhere around 5 million so 250k profit is a good year and that 250k is what we pay company tax on.
In a bad year we might have revenue of 4million meaning a small loss or at best break even and no company tax paid. If the tax was purely on revenue the only option would be to start letting people go or sinking the company into debt.
But isn't the peril of debt/downsizing/savings/folding exactly the same as that faced by people every day? Lose your job or get your hours cut, we all have the same choice to make.
Yes it is the same peril, but it would effect everyone in the company and one bad year would sink it meaning 40 staff are out of work. In the current system profit is left in the company so it can absorb 2 or 3 bad years and retain all the staff.
Now im lucky I work for a company that puts its staff first, everyone kept their jobs over covid, we were paid 80 percent and now we are busy the company is making 'catch up' payments to bring that 80 percent up to 100.
Plenty of employers (looking at you warehouse group) are short sighted and dont realize the people are what makes the whole thing work. Mine realizes that by retaining staff you save tonnes of money in recruitment and as soon as the market improves you are well placed to take advantage.
Whether or not the profit is left in the company is up to the shareholders. It seems to me the difference is that when a company makes a loss, it gets a tax break. But the net profit has many loopholes, from CER to the old "BrandNamenz is a subsidiary of brandNameglobal that makes no profit because various fees to brandNameglobal happen to match what would otherwise be net profit".
There's no reason similar tax breaks can't be done, maybe even targeted atr NZ-owned businesses. GST already does the tax reimbursement. PAYE does rebates.
The logic of business taxation is that revenue is taxed but that expenses which contribute to that revenue may be deducted in calculating the business' tax liability. Interest however is something of an oddball cost inasmuch as it does not contribute to the earning of revenue. Businesses don't borrow – proprietors borrow and invest in their businesses, but such borrowing is a personal expense rather than a business expense. I think the Income Tax Act has it wrong and interest should not be deductible for tax purposes.
Aren't business liabilities debts? Vouchers and holiday pay and so on?
And why are people taxed on the expenses that contribute to their income? Food and lodging, for example? Can I deduct my clothing that I wear to work, as opposed to just schlepping around the house?
Businesses don't borrow – proprietors borrow and invest in their businesses, but such borrowing is a personal expense rather than a business expense.
Tell that to my bank, they may well be requiring me to offer security over my personal assets and income, but if the business didn't exist there would be no loan.
The question you need to ask is, what is the purpose of this borrowing expense?
In McF's example, food and lodging, is an expense that would be incurred regardless of whether the person paying it was in business or not. The essential and broader purpose being to stay alive rather than necessarily operate a business.
ok, so what about my work clothes. Not uniform or ppe, just clothes I wear to work? I know if I was a contractor I could mark e.g. uniforms as an expense, why can't I do that as an employee?
Again the question comes down to purpose; ordinary street clothes that could be worn anywhere don't count as deductables, but uniforms that only have a work purpose do. (Usually uniforms will be provided to employees, while contractors will purchase their own … hence that small distinction.)
Every tax administration has to draw a line somewhere on this, otherwise you'd finish up with every expense, everywhere, being deductable and no-one would have any taxable income at all. Fun far right fantasy, but not very practical.
Although more widely I do agree with you. Australia rather generously allows quite a range of work related expenses to be claimed, that NZ does not.
So every expense a business makes to merely exist is deductible (cleaners, xmas functions, rent for admin space, cars for managers who only work on one worksite), but expenses I have for merely existing aren't.
Flipping it around, if individuals only paid tax on their annual "profit" in the same way businesses do, you can bet the farm that the government would close "tax avoidance" (not "evasion") schemes like "IP fees to global parent corporation based in the Caribbean".
In fact in some ways that's the Mossack Fonseca thing that got closed at the NZ end when they beefed up identification rules.
Flipping it around, if individuals only paid tax on their annual "profit" in the same way businesses do,
By definition profit exists only in the context of a business, and most proprietors would consider it the primary purpose of owning and running a business. And that profit is ultimately distributed to it's owners as a taxable activity.
By contrast what is the purpose of your life? A person earns money in order to spend it, not to have it sit idle in a bank. The idea of profit as the primary purpose of our personal lives is a form of degeneracy.
Or as others have pointed out, taxing the gross income of all businesses would lead to huge distortions as margins across different business sectors vary enormously. Some sectors, like supermarkets would pay massive amounts of tax on their turnover, while others like professional services much lower amounts.
Consider the situation when as a software engineer I work as a contractor, not an employee. I'd have a little company that would have relatively low costs, laptops, travel, a few software licenses, while the huge majority of the revenue would be paid out to me as as drawings. If the company paid tax on it's gross revenue, it would be taxed once as company income, and then almost all of it again as personal income. Effectively double taxing me on the same income.
By contrast, if gross revenue was taxed on a business that bought and sold capital items, for example multi-million dollar industrial equipment, would see the govt would be taking a chunk of every business to business transaction, again leading to massive distortions. A typical manufacturer/wholesaler/retailer chain might see the same item taxed at least three times before it got to the end user.
The tax system we have may be arcane in parts, but it has evolved over many decades to serve us reasonably well. It could certainly stand for improvement, but first we need to understand the machine we propose tinkering with. In my experience through a long career in heavy industry, the first step to make something go better was very rarely to just take a sledge hammer to it.
And nothing above says that the lines are set in concrete. Different tax administrations interpret these matters quite differently. For example in the USA (as far as I'm aware) householders can claim mortgage interest on the family home as a deductable expense.
I quite like this idea, as it would tend to put homeowners and investors on a more even footing.
Tell that to my bank, they may well be requiring me to offer security over my personal assets and income, but if the business didn't exist there would be no loan.
If the business doesn't exist then the issue doesn't exist either. We are talking about a business that exists by dint of some investment, and suggesting that it makes no difference to that business whether the money so invested is borrowed, or whether it comes from the proprietor's own pocket.
The question you need to ask is, what is the purpose of this borrowing expense?
That is the question the Income Tax Act asks. I'm suggesting that this is the wrong question to ask. To me it seems senseless to suggest that the purpose of an expense is "the acquisition of taxable income" unless the expense contributes to that objective. Augmenting one's capital by borrowing puts one in the position of being able to invest – a personal benefit – but it is the investment itself that earns the taxable income.
The purpose of borrowing is the augmentation of capital.
All profits are taxable except on private homes owned for 5 yrs or more and Rentals of 10years ownership.The highly profitable big 4 Aussie banks pay no tax in NZ none ,under CER they can move profit to Australia which they do.So the Australian govt has been getting subsidized to the tune of $1.5 billion of tax on the $6 to$7billion profits the big 4 have been extracting out of NZ.
A reporter for the travel site, Gene Sloan, is aboard the SeaDream 1 and was meant to be documenting the new safety measures on the small vessel, which departed from Barbados on Saturday and is carrying 53 passengers and 66 crew.
The Herald specialises in reporting on the various outrages being perpetrated against the entitled Kens and Karens of our world, usually well groomed white middle class professional types with the ear of some reporter or another, who are shocked that they can't game the MIQ system or do as they please due the pandemic's suspension of the normal rules that advantage their wealth, class, privilege and connections.
That people who refuse to deal with the new reality would allow that denial to lead them to take a cruise is hardly surprising, but it is grimly funny.
Green Party co-leader James Shaw says the Government needs to use the levers it has to stop further over-heating in the housing market. He said these levers could be taxes on capital gains and wealth.
A subtle signal that he no longer believes in neoliberalism? Oft criticised here due to his corporate image, he has not advocated any economic ideology as far as I've seen.
Labour will no doubt respond with organised hand-wringing. The PM did declare herself unhappy with the market whoosh but carefully avoided any statement of intent to rectify the situation. Grant will be tempted to declare TINA as usual but then think that could be waving the red flag at the leftist bull so better to lay low say nuffin.
Shaw’s comments were very careful. They avoided direct criticism of what the Reserve Bank was doing, but said it was the Government’s job to rise to the occasion to mitigate the unwanted consequences of the central bank’s actions.
Govt actually do something? The notion is likely to ruffle complacent Labour feathers. Meanwhile the prospect of the Greens & Labour doing ritualised virtue-signalling at each other will have rightists salivating.
“We’ll be talking with Labour about what we can do to take the heat off the housing market, particularly now NZ First is not in the tent to slow or stop progressive policies that will improve the lives of New Zealanders,” he said.
Shaw’s comments join those from the National Party and ACT, which have gone further and criticised the Reserve Bank’s decisions and the rules that it uses to make them.
Puts the pressure on Labour to provide steerage to the economy, eh? To regulate or not to regulate. The threat: escalating media firestorm in direct proportion to emerging housing market stats increasing inequality.
I still believe all the focus on CGT is rather missing the mark however. Plenty of countries which have long standing CGT policies well before 2008 also had (or have) housing bubbles. A CGT policy does not therefore correct the price of housing. The LVR policy seemed to be doing something, however the recent data suggests that an increase in first home buyers was the biggest mover during the most recent period.
Overall I think that the problem is actually a low incomes issue. The policy preference of using monetary policy over fiscal policy has an effect of surpressing incomes and other goods price increases better than house price increases. What used to occur was that the house price increases vanished during 4-6% inflation years which were added to wages. These days that no longer occurs.
You're in good company with that focus on the question-mark over CGT efficacy. We need the govt to produce a well-designed solution. Sophisticated thinking, crowd-sourced, to give it a viable consensus base for leveraging. Experts who normally fly solo, get em flying in formation…
In the campaign the government did promise some measures to help people into homes: rent-to-own arrangements come to mind, as well as joint ownership arrangements, though I don't know the details of either.
These may help people into houses but won’t stop house prices rising.
Correct me if I am wrong but don’t we already have some form of Capital Gains tax? John key brought it in and labour extended it to five years.
mid so I wonder how much revenue it’s collected.
There's been one that long predated Key. For as long as I've had any interest in tax in NZ, any asset purchased with an intent to make a capital gain by selling it at some future date should be paying tax on the profit in that sale. Even if it wasn't the primary intent.
Of course, just about everybody that should have paid that tax easily evaded it by the simple expedient of saying the purchase intent was for the income stream and the thought of selling it for a gain in the future was never considered, honest. Even for negatively geared investments, which only make sense if you're expecting a huge capital gain.
Get the feeling the Greens have signed up to being part of a govt thats going to see inequality and poverty explode with no real power to do anything about it.
Urgent action is going to be needed to get a lid on house prices and leveraging and sadly I dont think Labour is interested in taking on that fight given the landord property owning class will fight tooth and nail.
Watch the waiting list for state housing continue to grow rapidly, rents to march upward leading to a big rise in accomodation suplements which in reality represent a massive wealth transfer to the landlord class from tax payers.
I guess though when you are a wealthy politician with a nice house or houses gaining in value far faster than the avg wage with no tax to pay is there really an incentive to make change….
Much easier to hand wring and say the right things…
God I can't stand the Greens sanctimony sometimes.
The Greens wouldn't shut the fuck up about taxes during the election campaign when National were strenuously trying to pin a tax scare moral panic on the government and their political idiocy on the matter of wealth/CGT taxes virtually forced Jacinda Ardern to stake her political reputation on NOT implementing any sort of tax.
Now the sanctimonious pricks are all "wah wah wah the government won't do anything about wealth taxes" – something they made impossible by shooting their mouths off about it before the election.
All they had to do was to exercise some message discipline before the election and then brought it up after the election for discussion. The Greens continually portray themselves as political ingenues, unable to see past their own self-righteousness.
edit: also, the government could simply close some loopholes (some – i feel generous today so not all) and collect a bit of revenue that way. You know all the money that the rich pricks (inclusive the critters in parliament) avoid paying in taxes with the steady aid of government created loopholes and good accountants. I wonder when James Shaw will advocate for that?
A broad-based tax system should include taxes on personal and business income, consumption and expenditure, pollution, and environmental resource use.
People with the least ability to pay tax should pay the least as a proportion of their income, while those who can pay more should do so to contribute to the welfare of society.
Taxes should discourage speculative investment in non-productive assets. A capital gains tax should be applied to property investment, excluding family homes.
Ecological tax reform should shift taxes away from income and enterprise and towards resource use, waste, and pollution.
Internationally, Aotearoa New Zealand should actively work to develop a financial transactions tax.
Also if should, would could we all be speculating and gambling.
So when Shaw advocates for 'closing current existing loopholes' that are 'currently' used to avoid paying taxes (something that will raise its head in news papers every other year – and i have linked to these articles on more then one occasion ) so that people who don’t pay taxes thanks to all the loopholes such as Gareth Morgan – who btw is also quite vocal about the fact tha the and his son don't pay taxes you can link to that. But you don’t? And that is telling, cause Shaw is not doing such a thing.
But to post this truly useless feel good statement currently is just i don't know, boring? Useless? Meaningless? Feel good for the faithful members which i am not?
And agian,
Would, could, should never paid taxes, Workers however who have their wages “docked or garnished” by the IRD DO pay taxes because its done before they ever lay hand on their money.
It was green party policy for the election…I seem to remember it was the media that focussed on that…sensing some conflict…but the greens forced ardern to do her (shooting her own foot) over-my-dead-body call..eh..?…heh..!…that's a bit of a stretch tiger…blaming the greens for arderns' totally unnecessary wrong-call…and of course a capital gains/wealth tax goes against the neoliberal polices ardern/robertson so cling to ..so tiger…what should be done..?..just more neoliberal incrementalism..?
What should be done? enforce that the current taxes that are levied are actually collected rather tehn written of thanks to generous loop holes provided by government.
How about that? or would that not sexy enough, not progressive enough, not grandstanding enough, and above all do-able. We don't need new taxes, we need the ones that we have collected from those that traditionally pay expensive accountants a huge amount to avoid paying any taxes over 70.000$ NZD per year. And that is costing us and has done so for years now.
All they had to do was to exercise some message discipline before the election and then brought it up after the election for discussion.
That's exactly what I – and many others – were thinking pre-election.
I voted for them too because they have a valuable contribution to make, but there are times when I wish they would exercise a little more political nous.
Read the quote I included! "Discussions" happen all the time among allied political parties… thrash it out behind closed doors and hopefully come to an agreed solution. And read what Sanctuary said @ 5.
Frightening the horses just before an election is downright stupid.
James Shaw is right. But you have to wait for the ignorant and gullible (half the voters at any one time) to catch up before you can progress a policy like CGT.
I would prefer an openess about policies….so does the nz electorate..you could argue the presentation/explanation should be clear as possible..so voters are not driven by uninformed ignorance..but blaming the greens for the timidity of our incrementalist-in-chief is a tad rich..
Look back three weeks and I bet no one can now remember a single policy this election was fought over (which should give us some pause for the substance of the entire process).
Even Ardern recognised that their manifesto cupboard was bare.
that is true that nothing much was fought over, considering that every one was afraid of the women and that party that would not even be elected dog catcher. Thus the Labour Party got no scrutiny from anyone, and anyone daring to against the grain was hounded of the page in one way or another.
Ardern and her crew will deliver nothing more then what they must. They did that the first round and they will do exactly the same on the second round. Willingly lame duck if you like. Kinder, gentler and lame as.
Just bring stamp duty back that Key removed. Simple to work out, collected at sale, not complicated at all. Make it 5% at least and if you really want to slow things down 10% or higher.
Maybe the Greens actually want to do something about poverty by reversing the massive redistribution of asset wealth to the top 5% that has taken place in the last 40 years.
One of the major (justified) complaints against the greens over the years has been their timidity…their trying to be all things to all people…and trying not to offend anyone…… Your claim they have a policy of polarisation is laugh-out-loud factually incorrect…
As just one example..they have policies of financial support for farmers to transition from the environment-visigoths that so many of them are ..how is that polarising..?….care to share a couple of examples of what you clearly see as polarising policies..?
Isn't there a law against with-holding mail from rightful recipients.
Kylie Atwood: New: A stack of messages from foreign leaders to President-elect Joe Biden are sitting at the State Department but the Trump admin is preventing him from accessing them, sources say. Traditionally State supports all communications for the President-elect.
I think the Greens will be taking the opportunity to show their supporters that they are not silenced by their agreement with Labour by shouting about CGT would do much at this stage.
This surely must be a bubble.
I wondered if another substantial rent freeze could help, banning ghost houses, banning investors from the market.????
Rent Freeze and a tax on any secondary house that is rentable and not rented. Yes. That would be a good start. But above all a Rent Freeze. People on no income, one income or the drags of benefits can not keep up, and feel good phrases with no support pay no bills.
I think the government need to make sure that there will be enough ministers around over the holidays and top health staff to manage whatever Covid will present. I cannot see a duty minister being adequate.
Should we have all Ministers sitting in Wellington 'just in case'?
I think Treetop’s comment was quite clear, read it again.
Since we’re still in the middle of a pandemic crisis I think that Ministers and Ministries’ top officials/managers who are involved in it need to be on deck most of the time. Leadership and crisis management cannot be done by Zoom and e-mail only, IMHO.
The Royal Family stayed on in England while the country was being bombed in WW2, actually at Buckingham Palace. In our trying times we expect the government to show an adequate interest in the country and a team should be on the job in Wellington.
The King [George VI) and Queen stayed at Buckingham Palace during World War Two, leaving the Palace during the evenings to spend them with their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, who had been moved to Windsor Castle for safety.
As the majority of bombing raids weren't carried out in daylight, especially after October 1940 when air superiority had been won by the RAF, spending nights in the country 'visiting the kids' isn't as laudable as you might think it was.
If I said I swam in the same pool as a great white shark, but it turns out only when the elasmobranch predator wasn't in it, it doesn't really carry nearly as much weight as a statement of courage.
One of the conditions it needed to fulfil before it was allowed to take on foreign crews, was advertising the positions here and showing that no New Zealanders were available to do these jobs.
An ad in October told prospective employees on the two Russian trawlers, they would be doing "the same repetitive task" the "entire time" they were out at sea.
They would need to be able to cope with the "continuous workload" that happened from the minute they left port to when they returned, and repeated the fact they would be at sea for six months, with no mention of any time off.
That reminds me of the sudden interest that the USA I think, took in the health and strength of its young male population when they called men up to go to war. So many were unfit, to go and fight (for freedom, and capitalism!).
If our government had any brains it would advertise for young men who would join a group which might be called Backbone of New Zealand or some other meaningful and rousing title; does BONZ mean anything rude in current slang? They would be in a state of readiness for a job, would be paid well and expected to go to gym regularly, take polytech courses in down time, and generally be ready for what came up. They wouldn't be on the streets getting into trouble otherwise they would be bounced off the BONZ team. It wouldn't be something that a determined bloke or blokess would do. They would be ensured of a good wage, free transport, etc. and have an advocate looking after them making sure that they weren't being fleeced, and also the reverse. They would form teams of choice who got on well and were on a league-table as to their reliability, standards etc. Some of the teams might be hapu based. So all the cuzzies could work together and keep an eye on each other so as to not go down in their ratings. Less fodder for the gangs and more proud young men aware of their own value and setting standards for themselves – less domestic violence.
Then Sealord or other wants good workers, the answer would be we have a team ready to go.
Why not? Has anyone up there got the gumption to set this up? Someone with some pull and vision and practicality. It could even be run by a clued-up tribe like Ngai Tahu appears to be. And it would be multi-racial, with any jibes beyond some normal jostling being firmly dealt with, probably with out. And no possibility of someone getting paid millions for voicing their own prejudices – no folly like that!
Oh what a great thing it could be. I wish. A combination of social investment from the government in paying the guys and girls when not working without the creepiness so often seen of stand-downs, claw-backs, and managed as a robust nation-wide body of skilled, intelligent, onto-it people with tech ability but specialising in the hands-on jobs that we humans need to do to keep our society going. Not giving it up to them, the tech wizards who get fat bums from sitting, or who stand up and work because their thoughts of their own health and safety rules their lives.
More physical work may save our society. Less energy poured into mountain biking and other land ruining activities, or running marathons. Why? Go and have working holidays helping in poor countries where activity has a point of real value. Or help clean up after the latest weather emergency in NZ and see goodwill and trees blossom from your effort!
Your solution, and many others, could have worked, but for two things.
The fishing companies don't want it to work.
And the government is too lazy and too spineless to require them to obey the law.
They are totally onboard with foreign slave crews and every other scam to screw NZ workers. Complain and they will turn around and cry racism. That trick has stopped working for them however, so they're back to pretending it isn't happening.
No emperor's clothes. They can't still rely on that legerdemain, now are they really that shameless? It must be time at last for honesty – to quote the bible verity –
1 Corinthians 13:12 King James Version
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly;
but then face to face:
now I know in part;
but then shall I know even as also I am known.
The study's authors, Jorgen Randers and Ulrich Goluke of the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, used a reduced complexity earth system model (ESCIMO) to study the effect of different greenhouse gas emission reductions on changes in the global climate from 1850 to 2500 and created projections of global temperature and sea level rises. "The purpose of this article is to report that we have identified a point-of-no-return in our climate model ESCIMO – and that it is already behind us," the authors said…
But prominent scientists from around the world, including Victoria University of Wellington's head of school of geography, environment and earth sciences, professor James Renwick, have already challenged the report's conclusions… Renwick said the results presented in the paper were interesting but at odds with the science community's understanding of how the climate was changing.
"The latest round of climate model simulations, run in support of the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, show that if greenhouse gas emissions were to stop immediately, there is likely to be very little further increase in temperatures and no sign of warming resuming in future," [Professor James] Renwick – who was a lead author for the IPCC 6th Assessment Report – said…
"If greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in line with the Paris Agreement, the climate would stabilise over the coming century. Some things, notably sea level rise and ice melt, would continue for longer, but at a reducing rate."
Although the title of the paper implied a full "earth system model" was used, the paper was actually based on a "low complexity model" that captured only the broadest features of the climate system, Renwick said.
This kind of bad science really annoys me and does a lot of harm. The fact it came from a business school should raise alarm bells anyway. This is the main takeaway from James Renwick. "In short, the results presented in this paper are very implausible and should not be seen as cause for alarm."
Yes confusing and not everyone would think about the likely mixed motives of a business school. Which in a matter as vital to us as this, shows a non existent set of values, or a keen desire to win brownie points that has cut across discretion and probity.
'A four-year-long investigation into "extremely serious" actions by Australian troops in Afghanistan is reported to recommend prosecutions or sanctions against more than 15 people.'
I'm looking forward to the Auckland Council meeting in which they discuss why their debt has been placed waaay over the current rate, sucking an estimated $1.4b of expenditure out of Council.
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Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
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 ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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Dumb question of the day.
Do banks pay tax on the interest they earn from borrowers. And is it the same rate savers pay . ?
Sorta kinda yes, sorta kinda not really. The rate banks pay on their profits is the company tax rate, so it's different to the rates paid by individual savers (which vary depending on the saver's total income).
Banks pay tax on their profits. Profit is income less costs. Since the interest from borrowers is income for the bank, some of it ends up as profit and gets taxed. Along with income from account fees, various other charges. Costs include salaries and wages, buildings and software and other stuff needed to run the bank, regulatory costs, interest on money the bank has to borrow, writing off bad loans, various schemes to shift profits to offshore owners such as licensing and branding and intellectual property fees, etc etc.
Thats a no i think Andre
I am firmly of the belief that taxing interest payments directly is the proper response and would give govt a direct means of regulating lending. Do Not be misled, The root of the problem is usury !
People have patiently tried to explain it to me, totally legitimately, but I still can't figure out why we don't tax businesses on gross revenue just like we tax people PAYE.
To do that you would need to make the tax rate much lower, and even then it would likely sink many small to medium businesses.
In my field a good year sees the company make 5 percent net profit onces expenses wages etc are all paid.
Revenue is somewhere around 5 million so 250k profit is a good year and that 250k is what we pay company tax on.
In a bad year we might have revenue of 4million meaning a small loss or at best break even and no company tax paid. If the tax was purely on revenue the only option would be to start letting people go or sinking the company into debt.
Yeah, the rate could well be much lower.
But isn't the peril of debt/downsizing/savings/folding exactly the same as that faced by people every day? Lose your job or get your hours cut, we all have the same choice to make.
Yes it is the same peril, but it would effect everyone in the company and one bad year would sink it meaning 40 staff are out of work. In the current system profit is left in the company so it can absorb 2 or 3 bad years and retain all the staff.
Now im lucky I work for a company that puts its staff first, everyone kept their jobs over covid, we were paid 80 percent and now we are busy the company is making 'catch up' payments to bring that 80 percent up to 100.
Plenty of employers (looking at you warehouse group) are short sighted and dont realize the people are what makes the whole thing work. Mine realizes that by retaining staff you save tonnes of money in recruitment and as soon as the market improves you are well placed to take advantage.
Whether or not the profit is left in the company is up to the shareholders. It seems to me the difference is that when a company makes a loss, it gets a tax break. But the net profit has many loopholes, from CER to the old "BrandNamenz is a subsidiary of brandNameglobal that makes no profit because various fees to brandNameglobal happen to match what would otherwise be net profit".
There's no reason similar tax breaks can't be done, maybe even targeted atr NZ-owned businesses. GST already does the tax reimbursement. PAYE does rebates.
The logic of business taxation is that revenue is taxed but that expenses which contribute to that revenue may be deducted in calculating the business' tax liability. Interest however is something of an oddball cost inasmuch as it does not contribute to the earning of revenue. Businesses don't borrow – proprietors borrow and invest in their businesses, but such borrowing is a personal expense rather than a business expense. I think the Income Tax Act has it wrong and interest should not be deductible for tax purposes.
Aren't business liabilities debts? Vouchers and holiday pay and so on?
And why are people taxed on the expenses that contribute to their income? Food and lodging, for example? Can I deduct my clothing that I wear to work, as opposed to just schlepping around the house?
Businesses don't borrow – proprietors borrow and invest in their businesses, but such borrowing is a personal expense rather than a business expense.
Tell that to my bank, they may well be requiring me to offer security over my personal assets and income, but if the business didn't exist there would be no loan.
The question you need to ask is, what is the purpose of this borrowing expense?
In McF's example, food and lodging, is an expense that would be incurred regardless of whether the person paying it was in business or not. The essential and broader purpose being to stay alive rather than necessarily operate a business.
ok, so what about my work clothes. Not uniform or ppe, just clothes I wear to work? I know if I was a contractor I could mark e.g. uniforms as an expense, why can't I do that as an employee?
Again the question comes down to purpose; ordinary street clothes that could be worn anywhere don't count as deductables, but uniforms that only have a work purpose do. (Usually uniforms will be provided to employees, while contractors will purchase their own … hence that small distinction.)
Every tax administration has to draw a line somewhere on this, otherwise you'd finish up with every expense, everywhere, being deductable and no-one would have any taxable income at all. Fun far right fantasy, but not very practical.
Although more widely I do agree with you. Australia rather generously allows quite a range of work related expenses to be claimed, that NZ does not.
So every expense a business makes to merely exist is deductible (cleaners, xmas functions, rent for admin space, cars for managers who only work on one worksite), but expenses I have for merely existing aren't.
Flipping it around, if individuals only paid tax on their annual "profit" in the same way businesses do, you can bet the farm that the government would close "tax avoidance" (not "evasion") schemes like "IP fees to global parent corporation based in the Caribbean".
In fact in some ways that's the Mossack Fonseca thing that got closed at the NZ end when they beefed up identification rules.
Flipping it around, if individuals only paid tax on their annual "profit" in the same way businesses do,
By definition profit exists only in the context of a business, and most proprietors would consider it the primary purpose of owning and running a business. And that profit is ultimately distributed to it's owners as a taxable activity.
By contrast what is the purpose of your life? A person earns money in order to spend it, not to have it sit idle in a bank. The idea of profit as the primary purpose of our personal lives is a form of degeneracy.
Or as others have pointed out, taxing the gross income of all businesses would lead to huge distortions as margins across different business sectors vary enormously. Some sectors, like supermarkets would pay massive amounts of tax on their turnover, while others like professional services much lower amounts.
Consider the situation when as a software engineer I work as a contractor, not an employee. I'd have a little company that would have relatively low costs, laptops, travel, a few software licenses, while the huge majority of the revenue would be paid out to me as as drawings. If the company paid tax on it's gross revenue, it would be taxed once as company income, and then almost all of it again as personal income. Effectively double taxing me on the same income.
By contrast, if gross revenue was taxed on a business that bought and sold capital items, for example multi-million dollar industrial equipment, would see the govt would be taking a chunk of every business to business transaction, again leading to massive distortions. A typical manufacturer/wholesaler/retailer chain might see the same item taxed at least three times before it got to the end user.
The tax system we have may be arcane in parts, but it has evolved over many decades to serve us reasonably well. It could certainly stand for improvement, but first we need to understand the machine we propose tinkering with. In my experience through a long career in heavy industry, the first step to make something go better was very rarely to just take a sledge hammer to it.
And nothing above says that the lines are set in concrete. Different tax administrations interpret these matters quite differently. For example in the USA (as far as I'm aware) householders can claim mortgage interest on the family home as a deductable expense.
I quite like this idea, as it would tend to put homeowners and investors on a more even footing.
Tell that to my bank, they may well be requiring me to offer security over my personal assets and income, but if the business didn't exist there would be no loan.
If the business doesn't exist then the issue doesn't exist either. We are talking about a business that exists by dint of some investment, and suggesting that it makes no difference to that business whether the money so invested is borrowed, or whether it comes from the proprietor's own pocket.
The question you need to ask is, what is the purpose of this borrowing expense?
That is the question the Income Tax Act asks. I'm suggesting that this is the wrong question to ask. To me it seems senseless to suggest that the purpose of an expense is "the acquisition of taxable income" unless the expense contributes to that objective. Augmenting one's capital by borrowing puts one in the position of being able to invest – a personal benefit – but it is the investment itself that earns the taxable income.
The purpose of borrowing is the augmentation of capital.
Ta kinda obvious now I see it explained
All profits are taxable except on private homes owned for 5 yrs or more and Rentals of 10years ownership.The highly profitable big 4 Aussie banks pay no tax in NZ none ,under CER they can move profit to Australia which they do.So the Australian govt has been getting subsidized to the tune of $1.5 billion of tax on the $6 to$7billion profits the big 4 have been extracting out of NZ.
That's quite depressing,
Not so fast sunshine…….
https://nzbanks.com/tax-paid
All profits are taxable except on private homes owned for 5 yrs or more and Rentals of 10years ownership.
errm … either that's not quite right or I need a chat with my ex-IRD accountant.
undiluted idiocy
https://twitter.com/markhumphries/status/1325916262673731584
..couldn’t see that coming..
A reporter for the travel site, Gene Sloan, is aboard the SeaDream 1 and was meant to be documenting the new safety measures on the small vessel, which departed from Barbados on Saturday and is carrying 53 passengers and 66 crew.
https://people.com/travel/passenger-aboard-first-cruise-ship-to-return-to-sailing-in-caribbean-tests-positive-for-covid-19/
The Herald specialises in reporting on the various outrages being perpetrated against the entitled Kens and Karens of our world, usually well groomed white middle class professional types with the ear of some reporter or another, who are shocked that they can't game the MIQ system or do as they please due the pandemic's suspension of the normal rules that advantage their wealth, class, privilege and connections.
That people who refuse to deal with the new reality would allow that denial to lead them to take a cruise is hardly surprising, but it is grimly funny.
Lotsa grimly funny going on.
https://twitter.com/TinaSfon/status/1326886611364306945
A subtle signal that he no longer believes in neoliberalism? Oft criticised here due to his corporate image, he has not advocated any economic ideology as far as I've seen.
Labour will no doubt respond with organised hand-wringing. The PM did declare herself unhappy with the market whoosh but carefully avoided any statement of intent to rectify the situation. Grant will be tempted to declare TINA as usual but then think that could be waving the red flag at the leftist bull so better to lay low say nuffin.
Govt actually do something? The notion is likely to ruffle complacent Labour feathers. Meanwhile the prospect of the Greens & Labour doing ritualised virtue-signalling at each other will have rightists salivating.
Puts the pressure on Labour to provide steerage to the economy, eh? To regulate or not to regulate. The threat: escalating media firestorm in direct proportion to emerging housing market stats increasing inequality.
I still believe all the focus on CGT is rather missing the mark however. Plenty of countries which have long standing CGT policies well before 2008 also had (or have) housing bubbles. A CGT policy does not therefore correct the price of housing. The LVR policy seemed to be doing something, however the recent data suggests that an increase in first home buyers was the biggest mover during the most recent period.
Overall I think that the problem is actually a low incomes issue. The policy preference of using monetary policy over fiscal policy has an effect of surpressing incomes and other goods price increases better than house price increases. What used to occur was that the house price increases vanished during 4-6% inflation years which were added to wages. These days that no longer occurs.
agree sanctuary. Sick of 99% of these complaints. The Karen’s and Kens expecting bau.
and blah blah there was a fire alarm and people were mixing with people from managed isolation……
move yourself out of the way then.
[Fixed error in e-mail address]
Sorry mod.
You're in good company with that focus on the question-mark over CGT efficacy. We need the govt to produce a well-designed solution. Sophisticated thinking, crowd-sourced, to give it a viable consensus base for leveraging. Experts who normally fly solo, get em flying in formation…
In the campaign the government did promise some measures to help people into homes: rent-to-own arrangements come to mind, as well as joint ownership arrangements, though I don't know the details of either.
These may help people into houses but won’t stop house prices rising.
Correct me if I am wrong but don’t we already have some form of Capital Gains tax? John key brought it in and labour extended it to five years.
mid so I wonder how much revenue it’s collected.
We do, yes, and it was around before John Key. The problem is that it is, and always has been, nearly impossible to enforce.
There's been one that long predated Key. For as long as I've had any interest in tax in NZ, any asset purchased with an intent to make a capital gain by selling it at some future date should be paying tax on the profit in that sale. Even if it wasn't the primary intent.
Of course, just about everybody that should have paid that tax easily evaded it by the simple expedient of saying the purchase intent was for the income stream and the thought of selling it for a gain in the future was never considered, honest. Even for negatively geared investments, which only make sense if you're expecting a huge capital gain.
FWIW the ASB has slapped a 30% LVR on investment borrowers while the RB drags its feet.
Get the feeling the Greens have signed up to being part of a govt thats going to see inequality and poverty explode with no real power to do anything about it.
Urgent action is going to be needed to get a lid on house prices and leveraging and sadly I dont think Labour is interested in taking on that fight given the landord property owning class will fight tooth and nail.
Watch the waiting list for state housing continue to grow rapidly, rents to march upward leading to a big rise in accomodation suplements which in reality represent a massive wealth transfer to the landlord class from tax payers.
I guess though when you are a wealthy politician with a nice house or houses gaining in value far faster than the avg wage with no tax to pay is there really an incentive to make change….
Much easier to hand wring and say the right things…
God I can't stand the Greens sanctimony sometimes.
The Greens wouldn't shut the fuck up about taxes during the election campaign when National were strenuously trying to pin a tax scare moral panic on the government and their political idiocy on the matter of wealth/CGT taxes virtually forced Jacinda Ardern to stake her political reputation on NOT implementing any sort of tax.
Now the sanctimonious pricks are all "wah wah wah the government won't do anything about wealth taxes" – something they made impossible by shooting their mouths off about it before the election.
All they had to do was to exercise some message discipline before the election and then brought it up after the election for discussion. The Greens continually portray themselves as political ingenues, unable to see past their own self-righteousness.
+1
edit: also, the government could simply close some loopholes (some – i feel generous today so not all) and collect a bit of revenue that way. You know all the money that the rich pricks (inclusive the critters in parliament) avoid paying in taxes with the steady aid of government created loopholes and good accountants. I wonder when James Shaw will advocate for that?
https://www.greens.org.nz/economic_policy
i asked about 'closing loopholres'.
Not a statement on taxes.
Also if should, would could we all be speculating and gambling.
So when Shaw advocates for 'closing current existing loopholes' that are 'currently' used to avoid paying taxes (something that will raise its head in news papers every other year – and i have linked to these articles on more then one occasion ) so that people who don’t pay taxes thanks to all the loopholes such as Gareth Morgan – who btw is also quite vocal about the fact tha the and his son don't pay taxes you can link to that. But you don’t? And that is telling, cause Shaw is not doing such a thing.
But to post this truly useless feel good statement currently is just i don't know, boring? Useless? Meaningless? Feel good for the faithful members which i am not?
And agian,
Would, could, should never paid taxes, Workers however who have their wages “docked or garnished” by the IRD DO pay taxes because its done before they ever lay hand on their money.
It was green party policy for the election…I seem to remember it was the media that focussed on that…sensing some conflict…but the greens forced ardern to do her (shooting her own foot) over-my-dead-body call..eh..?…heh..!…that's a bit of a stretch tiger…blaming the greens for arderns' totally unnecessary wrong-call…and of course a capital gains/wealth tax goes against the neoliberal polices ardern/robertson so cling to ..so tiger…what should be done..?..just more neoliberal incrementalism..?
What should be done? enforce that the current taxes that are levied are actually collected rather tehn written of thanks to generous loop holes provided by government.
How about that? or would that not sexy enough, not progressive enough, not grandstanding enough, and above all do-able. We don't need new taxes, we need the ones that we have collected from those that traditionally pay expensive accountants a huge amount to avoid paying any taxes over 70.000$ NZD per year. And that is costing us and has done so for years now.
So yeah, what ever.
Don’t let facts get in the way of you scapegoating the Greens for Labour’s actions.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112099876/live-capital-gains-tax-ruled-out-by-government-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-tax-working-group
That's exactly what I – and many others – were thinking pre-election.
I voted for them too because they have a valuable contribution to make, but there are times when I wish they would exercise a little more political nous.
So they should have kept the policy secret…and then sprung it after the election..?..yeah..that would have gone down well..eh..?
Read the quote I included! "Discussions" happen all the time among allied political parties… thrash it out behind closed doors and hopefully come to an agreed solution. And read what Sanctuary said @ 5.
Frightening the horses just before an election is downright stupid.
James Shaw is right. But you have to wait for the ignorant and gullible (half the voters at any one time) to catch up before you can progress a policy like CGT.
I would prefer an openess about policies….so does the nz electorate..you could argue the presentation/explanation should be clear as possible..so voters are not driven by uninformed ignorance..but blaming the greens for the timidity of our incrementalist-in-chief is a tad rich..
Look back three weeks and I bet no one can now remember a single policy this election was fought over (which should give us some pause for the substance of the entire process).
Even Ardern recognised that their manifesto cupboard was bare.
So that's what they're delivering.
that is true that nothing much was fought over, considering that every one was afraid of the women and that party that would not even be elected dog catcher. Thus the Labour Party got no scrutiny from anyone, and anyone daring to against the grain was hounded of the page in one way or another.
Ardern and her crew will deliver nothing more then what they must. They did that the first round and they will do exactly the same on the second round. Willingly lame duck if you like. Kinder, gentler and lame as.
Just bring stamp duty back that Key removed. Simple to work out, collected at sale, not complicated at all. Make it 5% at least and if you really want to slow things down 10% or higher.
Its called polarisation , its how the greens campaign, its destructive, sad, and stops good stuff from happening.
Edit… response to #5 this tablet wont “reply” for some reason
Polarisation or principles xanthe?
Maybe the Greens actually want to do something about poverty by reversing the massive redistribution of asset wealth to the top 5% that has taken place in the last 40 years.
polarization! Its a campaign strategy, nothing to do with principles.
It is also unethical and destructive.
One of the major (justified) complaints against the greens over the years has been their timidity…their trying to be all things to all people…and trying not to offend anyone…… Your claim they have a policy of polarisation is laugh-out-loud factually incorrect…
LOL
As just one example..they have policies of financial support for farmers to transition from the environment-visigoths that so many of them are ..how is that polarising..?….care to share a couple of examples of what you clearly see as polarising policies..?
Ahh the old switcheroo tactic. I believe I was discussing the manner of the Greens campaigning
Examples..?
Orchardists/Vineyards still dont get it…(well, its in their DNA, so never)
'Mr Tibble said the industry was the primary leader in finding workers and developing a future sustainable workforce'
https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/horticulture/ministry-responds-labour-shortages
$3.8 Billion Exports…and $18.90 pay offered
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kiwi-fruit-pickers-have-simple-message-growers-cry-labour-pay-us-more
Isn't there a law against with-holding mail from rightful recipients.
Would it help the housing market if a person could only borrow again once the loan for a home had been paid in full?
I think the Greens will be taking the opportunity to show their supporters that they are not silenced by their agreement with Labour by shouting about CGT would do much at this stage.
This surely must be a bubble.
I wondered if another substantial rent freeze could help, banning ghost houses, banning investors from the market.????
I am no expert, but surely more can be done?
Rent Freeze and a tax on any secondary house that is rentable and not rented. Yes. That would be a good start. But above all a Rent Freeze. People on no income, one income or the drags of benefits can not keep up, and feel good phrases with no support pay no bills.
I think the government need to make sure that there will be enough ministers around over the holidays and top health staff to manage whatever Covid will present. I cannot see a duty minister being adequate.
2pm on TV 1 today the latest on Covid.
There are things called video conferences and phones and all sorts. Should we have all Ministers sitting in Wellington 'just in case'?
I think Treetop’s comment was quite clear, read it again.
Since we’re still in the middle of a pandemic crisis I think that Ministers and Ministries’ top officials/managers who are involved in it need to be on deck most of the time. Leadership and crisis management cannot be done by Zoom and e-mail only, IMHO.
They got a mandate to lead.
The Royal Family stayed on in England while the country was being bombed in WW2, actually at Buckingham Palace. In our trying times we expect the government to show an adequate interest in the country and a team should be on the job in Wellington.
As the majority of bombing raids weren't carried out in daylight, especially after October 1940 when air superiority had been won by the RAF, spending nights in the country 'visiting the kids' isn't as laudable as you might think it was.
Nitpicky comment the alien
If I said I swam in the same pool as a great white shark, but it turns out only when the elasmobranch predator wasn't in it, it doesn't really carry nearly as much weight as a statement of courage.
Nothing nitpicky about debunking alleged bravery.
Heh..!..debunking vintage monarchist-spin..(it's a thing..)
Britches up, dude, your little revenge bitterness is showing 😆
I emphasize the word enough as there is usually only a duty minister.
And
When a minister is on leave and they are required can they decline a video conference or a phone call?
I doubt that ministers will be holidaying overseas, however they may be required if Covid gets out of control.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/430515/sealord-faces-criticism-over-hiring-process-for-staff-on-trawlers
One of the conditions it needed to fulfil before it was allowed to take on foreign crews, was advertising the positions here and showing that no New Zealanders were available to do these jobs.
An ad in October told prospective employees on the two Russian trawlers, they would be doing "the same repetitive task" the "entire time" they were out at sea.
They would need to be able to cope with the "continuous workload" that happened from the minute they left port to when they returned, and repeated the fact they would be at sea for six months, with no mention of any time off.
That reminds me of the sudden interest that the USA I think, took in the health and strength of its young male population when they called men up to go to war. So many were unfit, to go and fight (for freedom, and capitalism!).
If our government had any brains it would advertise for young men who would join a group which might be called Backbone of New Zealand or some other meaningful and rousing title; does BONZ mean anything rude in current slang? They would be in a state of readiness for a job, would be paid well and expected to go to gym regularly, take polytech courses in down time, and generally be ready for what came up. They wouldn't be on the streets getting into trouble otherwise they would be bounced off the BONZ team. It wouldn't be something that a determined bloke or blokess would do. They would be ensured of a good wage, free transport, etc. and have an advocate looking after them making sure that they weren't being fleeced, and also the reverse. They would form teams of choice who got on well and were on a league-table as to their reliability, standards etc. Some of the teams might be hapu based. So all the cuzzies could work together and keep an eye on each other so as to not go down in their ratings. Less fodder for the gangs and more proud young men aware of their own value and setting standards for themselves – less domestic violence.
Then Sealord or other wants good workers, the answer would be we have a team ready to go.
Why not? Has anyone up there got the gumption to set this up? Someone with some pull and vision and practicality. It could even be run by a clued-up tribe like Ngai Tahu appears to be. And it would be multi-racial, with any jibes beyond some normal jostling being firmly dealt with, probably with out. And no possibility of someone getting paid millions for voicing their own prejudices – no folly like that!
Oh what a great thing it could be. I wish. A combination of social investment from the government in paying the guys and girls when not working without the creepiness so often seen of stand-downs, claw-backs, and managed as a robust nation-wide body of skilled, intelligent, onto-it people with tech ability but specialising in the hands-on jobs that we humans need to do to keep our society going. Not giving it up to them, the tech wizards who get fat bums from sitting, or who stand up and work because their thoughts of their own health and safety rules their lives.
More physical work may save our society. Less energy poured into mountain biking and other land ruining activities, or running marathons. Why? Go and have working holidays helping in poor countries where activity has a point of real value. Or help clean up after the latest weather emergency in NZ and see goodwill and trees blossom from your effort!
Your solution, and many others, could have worked, but for two things.
The fishing companies don't want it to work.
And the government is too lazy and too spineless to require them to obey the law.
They are totally onboard with foreign slave crews and every other scam to screw NZ workers. Complain and they will turn around and cry racism. That trick has stopped working for them however, so they're back to pretending it isn't happening.
No emperor's clothes. They can't still rely on that legerdemain, now are they really that shameless? It must be time at last for honesty – to quote the bible verity –
What a great 'development' for Fiji.
A proposed development project featuring what could be the country's first casino, has been launched in Fiji.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/430527/multi-million-dollar-development-including-casino-set-for-fiji
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/430499/new-climate-report-with-concerning-findings-already-being-challenged-by-scientists
The study's authors, Jorgen Randers and Ulrich Goluke of the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, used a reduced complexity earth system model (ESCIMO) to study the effect of different greenhouse gas emission reductions on changes in the global climate from 1850 to 2500 and created projections of global temperature and sea level rises.
"The purpose of this article is to report that we have identified a point-of-no-return in our climate model ESCIMO – and that it is already behind us," the authors said…
But prominent scientists from around the world, including Victoria University of Wellington's head of school of geography, environment and earth sciences, professor James Renwick, have already challenged the report's conclusions…
Renwick said the results presented in the paper were interesting but at odds with the science community's understanding of how the climate was changing.
"The latest round of climate model simulations, run in support of the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, show that if greenhouse gas emissions were to stop immediately, there is likely to be very little further increase in temperatures and no sign of warming resuming in future," [Professor James] Renwick – who was a lead author for the IPCC 6th Assessment Report – said…
"If greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in line with the Paris Agreement, the climate would stabilise over the coming century. Some things, notably sea level rise and ice melt, would continue for longer, but at a reducing rate."
Although the title of the paper implied a full "earth system model" was used, the paper was actually based on a "low complexity model" that captured only the broadest features of the climate system, Renwick said.
This kind of bad science really annoys me and does a lot of harm. The fact it came from a business school should raise alarm bells anyway. This is the main takeaway from James Renwick. "In short, the results presented in this paper are very implausible and should not be seen as cause for alarm."
Yes confusing and not everyone would think about the likely mixed motives of a business school. Which in a matter as vital to us as this, shows a non existent set of values, or a keen desire to win brownie points that has cut across discretion and probity.
Australian SaS….atrocities in Afghanistan.
'A four-year-long investigation into "extremely serious" actions by Australian troops in Afghanistan is reported to recommend prosecutions or sanctions against more than 15 people.'
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/430073/deeply-troubling-afghanistan-war-crimes-report-given-to-australia-s-defence-chief
Wonder if it was some of the fuckers here?. Flyin' the swastika
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-14/photo-shows-nazi-flag-flown-over-australian-army-vehicle/9859618
Shits……….
I'm looking forward to the Auckland Council meeting in which they discuss why their debt has been placed waaay over the current rate, sucking an estimated $1.4b of expenditure out of Council.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/auckland-council-loses-14-billion-in-interest-rate-bet/EJ4XGSXMJDVUYLGMRPIYBTINKE/
I suspect the government is simply going to have to bail them out.