I put my submission to the Regulatory Standards Bill just in time yesterday.
What an effort!! 36 questions, many of which would have required technical knowledge of the status quo, more than ought to be required of ordinary citizens debating the higher level principles, imho.
Some of them even led you down the garden path, as in giving your preferences to options where the status quo wasn't one of them.
I filled in many of the boxes by simply saying I preferred the status quo than a wholesale rewrite of something that the world already looks to New Zealand as being one of the best at.
As I sat there, turning webpage after webpage, though, it made me pretty angry at the approach being taken – the technical nature of the questions, the timing of the submission period, and the likelihood that my voice won't be heard.
I too waded through all the pages to make a submission.
But remember, this is only on the 'proposed' bill. Once it has had its first reading in the House it will go to a select committee for public comment.
By then, hopefully, Labour, the Greens and TPM will have fully woken up to how destructive this legislation will be to the collective good of all of us.
I've saved some of my ammunition for a submission to the select committee.
Administrative public law – of which regulatory law is essentially a subset – is where some of the most dedicated legal minds are focused, and those people are like very small, very sharp moving parts that are completely necessary to the functioning of a very large and complex machine.
Regulatory law specialists who can deal with this kind of legislation mostly sit within the public service itself. It's not a popular sport in private practise and those that exist are usually within large public utility companies.
Even worse, the judges who have to apply this kind of law to cases are rarely public administrative law specialists, even if they have done a few specialist regulatory cases.
So don't be too frustrated if you found the submission process tough. It's not a law for the broad citizenry to understand well or to even emote coherently about like the Treaty Principles Bill. Very few can do this field well.
The lawyers and judges I know of are pretty aghast at the coarseness of the approach. It's this framework together with essentially chucking out the entire RMA that makes this government just look like a loose unit.
I would prefer that instead there were just two goes at regulatory impact statements before and after the Select Committee processes of new law and new regulations.
I flicked through that online form, and decided against using it. I'd already drafted my submission on a Word doc anyway, and submitted it via email. The email option was by far the better one.
Even though this Bill is highly technical and complex and quite possibly its implications can only be fully understood by specialists – much if not most of the substantive criticism I’ve seen came from emeritus professors and current academics – the onus is on lawmakers/political representatives to explain it to the people they represent and in such ways that are clear and understandable to a lay audience and with utmost integrity (unlike David Seymour and other more prominent defenders of the RSB).
Many but not all of us are faced with similarly complex major decisions such as buying a house, consenting to a major medical treatment, or, ironically, consenting to medically-assisted euthanasia, for example. One cannot make such big life-changing decisions without being fully informed and expert advice is highly recommended, necessary, or even mandated.
Unfortunately, many aspects of life are slipping away from our control and understanding and politics is no exception, which is one reason why it’s been ‘taken over’ by the so-called PMC – from time to time this is raised here and the lack of working-class representation among our politicians and in Parliament.
I leave you with this from today’s Newsroom Pro e-mail newsletter [so no link] by Sam Sachdeva:
Victoria University of Wellington senior law lecturer Dr Eddie Clark has noted that the bill would cut across existing mechanisms for overseeing the regulatory system, such as the Public Service Commission and the Ombudsman – which may be a feature rather than a bug.
“In short, it’s an attack on the functioning of the normal and previously non-partisan mode in which the public service operates,” Clark says.
A debate about regulatory stewardship seems unlikely to attract the same level of opprobrium as an effort to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. But unlike the Treaty Principles Bill, the National-Act coalition agreement compels the Government to pass the Regulatory Standards Bill into law, setting up a longer scrap between the coalition and its critics.
Waimea Water Limited (WWL) announced on Monday that the final cost of the controversial dam is $211 million, double the $104.5 million projected cost when the Tasman District Council voted to go ahead with the project in 2018, and nearly three times the $75.9 million price it consulted on in 2017
And a classic case of who wanted,and who actually ends up paying !
Ropere Consulting economist Peter Fraser.
Fraser said the dam was never going to be good value for money and said much of the costs would land on Richmond ratepayers – but had been a great deal for a small group of farmers.
"This is the biggest subsidy to a small group of farmers probably in New Zealand's history, because they have been completely insulated from all the price increases," he said.
"We have the classic situation where we privatise the profits and socialise the costs – and the way those costs have been socialised is on the ratepayers of Richmond."
And the NAct1 fasttrackers have resuscitated this dam idea again. I hope the local ratepayers are ready to protest ! Costs..can at least, double. Proven. And who pays…. .
Scrapped Hawke's Bay dam project may be revived under fast-track bill
Doesn't it also supply backup water for residential use?
In the current climate situation – of increasingly unpredictable droughts and heavy rainfall – surely a dam to smooth out the water supply is a sensible investment?
Doesn't it also supply backup water for residential use?
Does it? How? Link?
In the current climate situation ….
Which is, and has been exacerbated by the same type of people who needed..the dam. Including Intensive Dairy and other wasteful Irrigators.
And IMO its murky how much they influenced this ..dam.
Waimea Irrigators chair Murray King…..
The Waimea Plains, where King and Raine farm, stand to benefit from the water storage behind the Waimea community dam, in the Lee Valley through the Wairoa gorge behind Brightwater.
During drier months when the Lee and downstream Waimea and Wairoa systems are running below desired flow levels, the dam releases some of the stored water (slowly!) down the river, increasing their flows and naturally adding water to the aquifers.
Everyone living in Richmond, Brightwater, Mapua, and other urban areas along the Waimea Plains relies on these aquifers for their water supply, including for drinking. Where other dams function with lots of piping to extend the water supply to urban areas, we are using nature as the piping system. Topping up the river flows naturally refreshes and resupplies groundwater aquifer levels.
The Waimea Community Dam has been a quarter of a century in the making, but it is finally releasing water into the river to fill the aquifers and provide a reliable source of water for the next 100 years.
Secondly, it would not have solved the water security issue for the entire community into the future. Whereas the dam has already supported developments such as Richmond West which he says would not have been able to go ahead without a projected future water supply and provides water security for urban areas from Richmond to as far as Mapua. Just prior to the dam releasing water for the first time from the smaller of three permanent dispersing valves at the beginning of March, many of the urban communities including Richmond had reached Phase E water restrictions which meant households were not allowed to even water their vegetable garden from a hose. The council suggested they place a bucket in the shower to collect water.
And to the tune of $211,000,000 ! And for the main beneficiaries. Commercial Irrigators. Re the pre existing Aquifers..if the Intensive Irrigators, of whom Bruno from your second link is just one…( I have already linked to others)
Bruno wears a lot of hats for the dam; as a grower and irrigator he is a Waimea Irrigators’ representative, plus he is deputy chairman of Waimea Water which is the company formed to build and operate the dam. He is also a director of Century Water that purchased the additional shares to reach the funding target.
were not already pumping them dry…..a hugely expensive dam would not have been needed. IMO it was driven by them..not the community. Again a link from Expert Prof Mike Joy.
Be grateful it isn't like the overruns on cycleway follies in the Wellington region.
The 3 km cycleway between Petone and just south of Melling was approved in 2017 with a cost of $17 million. It was finally completed at a cost of $70 million.
[Since you have so much to say about this cycleway and the cost overrun, give a few reasons for the budget blowout and then argue what should be done about it now. In other words, make yourself useful and contribute something constructive for a change – Incognito]
I really don't plan to make a career of examining why so many projects, by both Governments and companies cost vastly more than the original estimates.
I suspect, for both central and local government, that one reason is that the projects are put forward by groups within the organisation who are strongly in favour of them. They can come up with a plan that sounds very cheap and is approved by the organisation's management, Councillors or Cabinet members, and so it gets started. They then start getting the more accurate estimates which slowly increase into a disaster. Nobody is willing to scrap it though as they will be the ones blamed. It won't be the ones who started it off who get to face the taxpayer.
Cycleways, dams, rail ferries are all examples.
The only way to discourage this is to hold the people who got it wrong in the first case accountable. It seldom happens of course but it could be introduced. At least there seems to be some attempt in the case of the rail ferries. It doesn't seem to have happened in the organisations responsible for the overruns on Wellington region cycleways of course.
You have been told repeatedly by myself and others here that these projects are largely about making the road and rail network more resilient to natural disasters and working on the decrepit water infrastructure. And then they put a cycleway on top as part of a total refresh because walkers and cyclists pay for infrastructure just like you do. Except they only get a pittance of the spending to support their choices, unlike the NZ martyrist…
You claim to be, what was it? An informed voice or some other nonsense? What sort of adult would see $70 million for a cycleway and think that is all just on a 4km cycleway? Mike Hosking? Simian Brow? There is literally a link to Greater Auckland n the sidebar where you could "inform yourself".
Do you know the evacuation plan for Wellington Central for when the big one hits? Everyone is supposed to walk to the Hutt Valley, not going to happen without this work matey potatey!.
And if you're looking for someone to blame or take accountability for the infrastructure costs, take a look in the mirror as you're part of the generation that didn't want to pay an appropriate level of rates to maintain and improve our infrastructure.
Fun fact – The dental treatment I received after being hit by a car 30 years ago is near end of life. Its still covered by ACC and the dentist thinks its probably $50,000-$60,000 worth of work, plus the days off work while I recover from a day long procedure.
There is now a separated cycleway where it took place.
It would appear that you don't live in the Wellington area.
The cycleway I was talking about runs from Petone to Melling. It runs through the city of Lower Hutt and both Petone and Melling are suburbs of Lower Hutt City. If you were trying to get from Wellington to the Hutt you certainly wouldn't be walking on this cycleway as you don't get to it, from Wellington City, until you have arrived in the Hutt.
I had to go out so I didn't have time to fully answer your comment.
You will note that my comment here was questioning why a project that was originally costed at $17 million should end up costing $70 million. You seem to think that the vast increase in the cost is due to the fact that it does much more than be a cycleway. However that is not an excuse. If they were doing their job properly then they would have allowed for all the work in the original estimate. If they didn't do that then they are just trying to sneak it through at a ridiculously low figure. If they did cost the original proposal properly they should have produced an estimate that was at least in the ballpark of the final cost.
The fact that they were doing other work as well as the cycleway may explain why it cost so much. It doesn't explain why it had so little in common with the real cost.
Still trying to change the topic and deflect I see. So – to the point at hand.
You said this:
"The 3 km cycleway between Petone and just south of Melling was approved in 2017 with a cost of $17 million. It was finally completed at a cost of $70 million."
YOU said cycleway, nothing else – stating that the cost is for the cycleway alone.
There is no wriggle room there. So stop trying to rewrite history
You have been told repeatedly about the scope of this project whenever you have said "blah blah cycleway".
As I said – what sort of "adult" would see "$70 million for a 4km cycleway" and take that at face value? And not have the interest or intellect to want to know more?
Therefore you are either:
A: A credulous moron, or
B: Suffering from memory loss, or
C: Just a standard breed ignoramus.
You wonder why it costs so much? I could tell you why, but you didn't listen to any of us the first, second or third time. In fact, you didn’t even reply at all.
Maybe exercise some of that personal responsibility there Chuckles and educate yourself – But I'm repeating myself again… to Mr Chuckles the wonder clown.
By the way – I'm glad you know which routes will be blocked by the "big one" and which areas will be flooded or suffer liquefaction . Amazing! And I said Hutt Valley you dissembling worm.
And if I’m not in Wellington you should be even more embarrassed as a non-resident knows a lot more about the city than you do. I’m starting to think you have a shame kink and come here to get your jollies.
Well that does seem rather a lot of abuse rather thn any reasoned sort of reply.
You still don't seem to understand that the cycleway being discussed here isn't the same one as the one from Ngauranga to Petone. You may use that one to get from the Wellington CDB to the Hutt Valley after an earthquake. You certainly won't need to have the Melling to Petone one in order to get to the Hutt Valley. You have to be there in the Hutt Valley already.
Try reading and understanding what I say instead of merely spouting a string of abuse.
I really don't plan to make a career of examining why so many projects, by both Governments and companies cost vastly more than the original estimates.
More straw men than in a hay bale. You were asked to say something useful and constructive about the cycleway that you know and love so intimately. No need to write your magnum opus about all the things that keep you awake at night.
I suspect […]
You can stop right there because it’s a rhetorical intro to weasel words and vacuous BS.
Cycleways, dams, rail ferries are all examples.
You forgot roads, gullies, and bridges (particularly in Northland).
The only way to discourage this is to hold the people who got it wrong in the first case accountable.
RW weasel words, as usual. If it’s an endemic and systemic problem then there’s something fundamentally wrong and that won’t be fixed with the usual RW BS ‘solutions’.
You don’t add anything useful here and deflect and evade when challenged, even in a Mod note. As you’re under moderation, if you don’t lift your game soon, I’ll lift you out of the TS commentariat – you’re making a career as troll.
If there are concerns about the Ruataniwha dam / Tukiyuki water storage scheme's "cost overrun", and whether it represents "value for money", then perhaps CoC finance minister Willis could advise on delivery of a “good, reliable Toyota Corolla” dam
Ah yea DMK…a “good, reliable Toyota Corolla” dam. : )
However, those proponents (lurking?) behind the Waimea dam were all very keen on the gold plated, profit making, benefits ..whilst socialising its costs on the hapless Ratepayer.
As its sadly a done deal…I hope the Ruataniwha one gets some action Pushback…
Thanks PsyclingLeft.Always – I got my dams a bit mixed up – Damn the Dam!
Project spokesperson Mike Petersen said the proposal is completely different in focus and intent from the original Ruataniwha project, despite sharing the original project’s site on the Makaroro river.
…
Petersen rejected claims made on Radio NZ by opponents of the project that the dam could cost $1 billion. He pointed to original dam proposals that were closer to $280 million, but said the group would be assessing full costs in the coming months.
He said the group had looked hard at lessons learnt from Marlborough’s Waimea dam project, where costs had ballooned out from an original $75 million price tag to over $200 million.
“No Ruataniwha 2.0“? Really? For a few dollars more
STEVE ABEL (Green) [17 Dec 2024]: "Coming to my area soon is a rushed and fast-tracked project"—without the licence, without the consent of the local people; in fact, explicitly overriding the will and the wishes of the local people. That's what this fast-track bill does.
From Trans-Tasman Resources in Taranaki, where the extraordinarily destructive seabed mining is scheduled to occur—the people have resisted for over a decade. The local community, the local iwi, and the fishing industry themselves have resisted, and non-Government organisations. It has been kicked back by the Supreme Court. It has been kicked back by every consideration body in the country. The Tukituki water project, the Ruataniwha Dam—back from the dead—the zombie project that the people of the Hawke's Bay stood up and resisted and opposed and that had no credibility; Bathurst coal extension on the West Coast of the South Island. The Waitaha hydro project, in the magnificent river of the West Coast of the South Island, was found to be so destructive and harmful for the environment that it was turned down and turned back. The significant impacts on the natural character of the area made it not worth it.
Ah thanks DMK, for that extra info/links. Yea I have much respect for Steve Abel…I sure would like to see more of him, also Lan Pham and other Enviro Greens this year : )
Thank you, Frank Macskasy, for a beautiful piece on the Regulatory Standards Bill.
It also binds future parliaments, irrespective of voter intentions, to a particular ideological direction. Part 1, Paragraph 5 of the Bill states clearly and simply:
This Act binds the Crown.
[…]
It is simply undemocratic to expect a government of the day to attempt to bind future parliaments with law limiting their powers.
It would be akin to a socialist government passing an Enabling Standards Bill mandating current and future parliaments to promote legislation that fit only with Marxist-Leninist doctrine. (Many might see no problem with this.)
That is the commonality in various legislation – Treaty Principles, RSB, then onto that of enabling a foreign investor to claim compensation from government from the consequences of its policies.
After the principle of the sovereignty of government has been broken – change to OIO rules to allow foreign investment in housing for rent, ownership of coastal land/river land/high country land (would they be able to seek compensation for any CGT, any stamp duty impacting on a sale …).
Yes, they’re changing the whole of the NZ legal framework, step by step, piece by piece. The RSB though is a big ‘hit’, the bomb that does most of the destructive work.
I'm trying – so far without success – to figure out how any Act of Parliament can "bind the Crown" in perpetuity. The Crown is sovereign, end of story. Short of actually abolishing it (which is undoubtedly the ultimate aim) I don't see how it would be unable act on the advice of a later set of ministers and undo whatever piece of legislation it chooses.
Individual members of the royal family are of course bound by the law (and have been convicted under it) but that's not the same thing. They still have the absolute power to make and unmake any laws with the consent of Parliament.
I think Frank's misunderstood what that phrase means. The Act will bind the Crown while it's in force, but any future government can just repeal or amend the Act if it doesn't want to be bound by it any more.
AFAICS, there is no way that any Act can operate in perpetuity. The best that can be achieved is entrenchment (requiring a super-majority of Parliament to overturn). And this requires an initial super-majority to be enacted.
So, there’s obviously a lot techo-legal stuff related to this.
Whether Frank knows about this and/or meant it, I don’t know. However, other expert commenters have mentioned this Bill to provide a ‘legal straightjacket’ or 'constitutional straitjacket’ or raised the prospect of ‘entrenchment’ outside of Parliament and even if/when the ACT is repealed by a next government (in 2026, 2029, or ??).
So, yes, this Bill is no ordinary Bill and Frank has a point even though his reasoning might be ‘flawed’.
I guess it's more obvious than I thought – first thing that came to mind when I read the accusations against Gaiman was his story about the writer who enslaves and rapes Calliope for inspiration. There's a line something like "The first thing he did when he got her home was rape her."
'[Spain's prime minister ] Sánchez sought to underline the global nature of the challenge, citing housing prices that had swelled 48% in the past decade across Europe, far outpacing household incomes.
“The west faces a decisive challenge: to not become a society divided into two classes, the rich landlords and poor tenants,” he told an economic forum in Madrid.'
Yup, he's called it. Neo-feudalism.
Also: ‘[Other] proposed measures include expanding the supply of social housing, offering incentives to those who renovate and rent out empty properties at affordable prices and cracking down on seasonal rentals. ‘
Sanchez has set the tone, now we need all LW parties to do the same, picking up housing rights as the centre-piece of their electoral strategies, educating the public well before elections on the real issue.
Newt Gingrich, the former US House speaker and presidential hopeful, said a section of his own Republican party was “rabid” over immigration and predicted Donald Trump’s suggestion that he could deport documented people as well as millions of undocumented people will not come to pass.
Critics are putting President-elect Donald Trump on blast after a key adviser appeared to back away from a major campaign promise.
Trump has repeatedly claimed he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office or even sooner.
But retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who Trump tapped to serve as special envoy to the two nations, told Fox News last week it would take longer ― echoing comments made earlier by Trump himself.
Emz and Magenta in Big Hairy News (from 48 min) discuss One news coverage on the Regulatory Bill. The last line in the news story says that National will support the Bill.
This means that a pressure campaign targetting MPs is the next appropriate step in this process. If there is enough kick-back in electorates, then that may be enough to sway the Nat caucus. It means the national discussion around this is not finished, by a long way.
Also good to find out that it was at least discussed by some on TikTok.
The two BHN presenters didn’t know about National supporting the RSB. However, it’s in the Coalition Agreement of National with ACT:
Legislate to improve the quality of regulation, ensuring that regulatory decisions are based on principles of good law-making and economic efficiency, by passing the Regulatory Standards Act as soon as practicable.
There’s less clarity in the Agreement between National and NZFirst but that document also refers to removing regulations (“Cut red tape”) and overall sounds like it would support this Bill to become Act ASAP.
So, when you claimed 4 days ago that your mission here is “to bring some enlightenment to the ignorant” this was a euphemism for trolling masquerading as ‘humour’.
I feel an urge to inflict TS-Mod humour onto you, but I don’t think you will find it funny though.
Those oligarchs that did not get in Putin's way remained wealthy, others went to prison.
Now they are a veritable boyar's brigade, nothing like the political brigades the communists supported in Spain.
Note how quickly Meta and Amazon adapted to the new universal order, they gave up greenwash so easily, it would appear they were just neo-liberals the whole time. Thus as was said, it would be easier for a camel to fly over Cleopatra's needle than to convince the rich not to seek a cloud to sit on (place of privilege) to lord it over those down below.
The Cleopatra's Needle Camel Fly-over, reminds me of people that object to their situation only in that they would prefer someone else to be in it. Those people are seldom rich, though. The Rich simply have means and opportunity.
The solution that I've been thinking about is pretty simple, to some degree we've gone down that path as a country a little, a while back, but as with all simple solutions to people problems it relies on control of matters not usually under direct control. Enter what I call, "Constructive Politics". I can't lay it all out here because of length and etiquette, and to lay it all out in public would be strategic suicide anyway.
Some things that might point in the general direction:
What are the Camel Riders flying away from?
What is the Left, regardless of Era, or our recent expression of it, in ten words or less?
What's the point of a government moving Left?
What does the Right use as motivation for change and compliance?
When these questions are answered,
Who will follow, because it's a no-lose situation at worst, and a big win for them at best, and who cannot occupy that ground?
There is one really big challenge though, but it comes a while later, decades maybe. By then you will not have to worry about RSB*. But hey, don't we all want a career with challenges, and the horizon for social development to be pushed way out?
*RSB is really badly written. Have any lawyers been involved yet? Anyone who speaks English? Just goes to show how myopic politics has become. While I support the efforts of those making submissions, the wording of the RSB is as self-defeating as Sir Palmer's recent ideas. With the RSB in force, a Left moving government can accelerate away to their heart's content!
(Just to be clear – I do not suggest anyone support the RSB!)
“I have certainly seen an uptick in anti-science disinformation in recent months and I attribute that to Elon Musk and his close relationship with Russia and Saudi Arabia, who helped finance his purchase of Twitter precisely so they can neuter it as a medium for proactive communication action on climate,” he said.
The scale of the information wars engulfing the United States is beyond anything seen in Australia, but experts say it could also happen here, particularly after Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook and Instagram’s fact-checking service would be dumped.
“This has had a tremendously pernicious impact on our public discourse, since social media is being used to promote disinformation rather than fact and science-based discussion.”
Earlier this year, academics from the Australian National University proved that repeated exposure to climate scepticism and denial increased the perceived truth of those claims.
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
Hundreds of engineers are losing their jobs and leaving our shores due to infrastructure project delays, creating "significant" risk to our nation's development, says the head of New Zealand's engineering body. ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says the deal with China “complements, not replaces” the relationship with New Zealand after signing it yesterday. Brown said “The Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 2025-2030” provides a structured framework for engagement between the Cook Islands ...
The government should not set military style academies into youth justice law, the children's commissioner says, despite its first bootcamp getting a glowing report. ...
The infamous over-the-suit T-shirt worn by the PM at a Parliament barbecue has gone on sale to raise funds for children living in poverty, in a TradeMe auction. ...
MONDAYSheriff Seymour rode slowly down the main street of Dodge on his faithful white horse Atlas Network.He liked what he saw.Children were being fed free lunches prepared by kind people who collected the scraps from an offal rendering plant.“Very strongly flavoured liver, such as ox liver, can be soaked overnight ...
Once upon a time it was all about being an astronaut, a firefighter or doctor; but these days kids have their sights set on becoming vloggers or YouTubers.That’s according to a 2019 study by Lego that surveyed 3000 children between the ages of eight to 12 from the US, the ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. From the moment I started high school and realised almost every other girl in my year was at least partially interested in what the boys were up to, I realised that I would be single for life. The feeling wasn’t one of ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Selina Alesana Alefosio.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.On a bright Sunday morning from her grandparent’s home in Pito-one, I spoke with ...
The White Lotus star reflects on her life in TV, including the local ad reference that doesn’t work in Australia, and her bananas co-star on Neighbours.Morgana O’Reilly was scrolling her phone next to her sleeping son on an idle Saturday morning when she got the call confirming that she ...
Claire Mabey explores the pros and cons of puff quotes on book covers.In January, Publishers Weekly put out an article by Sean Manning – publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship US imprint – in which he said he’d “no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books”.The ...
New Zealand’s Entomological Society is hosting its annual bug of the year contest. Here are some of the insects in the running. For some reason – perhaps humans’ inherent competitiveness, the idealisation of democracy, the need to demarcate winners and losers – one of the best ways to get people ...
A journey along the border, with words and illustrations by Bob Kerr.The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members.The Sunset Limited leaves Union Station New Orleans on time at nine in the morning. We ...
Neville Peat is the 2024 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in nonfiction. He’s written 56 books, mostly on natural history; this excerpt is from The Falcon and the Lark: A New Zealand High Country Journal, first published in 1992. The falcon wintering on the Rock and ...
It was a light-hearted gesture Greta Pilkington will be forever grateful for – thanks to an Aussie rival who jumped in when the Olympic sailor couldn’t be at her own graduation.Pilkington, then 20, had been leading a double life – while qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the ILCA ...
I was born in the back of my grandfather’s ute, by an overgrown windbreak in a remote place called Wahi-Rakauyou can’t find on a map. I was born a girl but given the man’s name Harvey, as my dad always wanted a violent-minded boy to one day help him ...
“We’re not here to interfere in people’s property rights,” Ngāi Tahu’s Te Maire Tau has told the High Court.Tau, a historian, Upoko (traditional leader) of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and a university professor of history, is the lead witness in a case designed to force the Crown to recognise the tribe’s rangatiratanga ...
Pacific Media Watch Trump administration officials barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from covering White House events this week because the US-based independent news agency did not change its style guide to align with the president’s political agenda. The AP is being punished for using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin editor France’s top diplomat in the Pacific region says talks around the “unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s highly controversial electoral roll are back on the table. The French government intended to make a constitutional amendment that would lift restrictions prescribed under the Nouméa Accord, which ...
By bringing these global voices to the fight for free expression in New Zealand, we’ll continue to protect and expand our culture of free speech, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech Union's Events Manager. ...
The issue is no longer a hypothetical one. US President Donald Trump will not explicitly suggest death camps, but he has already consented to Israel’s continuing a war that is not a war but rather a barbaric assault on a desolate stretch of land. From there, the road to annihilation is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on the northwest coast of Australia and is likely to make landfall early Friday evening. It’s a monster storm of great concern to Western Australia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Ireland-Piper, Associate Professor, ANU National Security College, Australian National University A Victorian government decision to allow dingo culling in the state’s east until 2028 has reignited debate over what has been dubbed Australia’s most controversial animal. Animals Australia, an animal welfare ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University Overnight, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the secretary of the US Health and Human Services Department. Put simply, this makes him the most influential figure in overseeing the health and wellbeing of more ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard eight hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.It was another work from home day for the Justice Committee, the only people in Room 3 being security guards, committee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Juris Teivans/Shutterstock In Australia, fatal road crashes are climbing again, especially since the pandemic, and despite years of attempts to reduce road trauma, the numbers ...
In its eagerness to appease supporters of Israel, the media is happy to ride roughshod over due process and basic rights. It’s damaging Australia’s (and New Zealand’s?) democracy.COMMENTARY:By Bernard Keane Two moments stand out so far from the Federal Court hearings relating to Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking by the ...
I put my submission to the Regulatory Standards Bill just in time yesterday.
What an effort!! 36 questions, many of which would have required technical knowledge of the status quo, more than ought to be required of ordinary citizens debating the higher level principles, imho.
Some of them even led you down the garden path, as in giving your preferences to options where the status quo wasn't one of them.
I filled in many of the boxes by simply saying I preferred the status quo than a wholesale rewrite of something that the world already looks to New Zealand as being one of the best at.
As I sat there, turning webpage after webpage, though, it made me pretty angry at the approach being taken – the technical nature of the questions, the timing of the submission period, and the likelihood that my voice won't be heard.
I too waded through all the pages to make a submission.
But remember, this is only on the 'proposed' bill. Once it has had its first reading in the House it will go to a select committee for public comment.
By then, hopefully, Labour, the Greens and TPM will have fully woken up to how destructive this legislation will be to the collective good of all of us.
I've saved some of my ammunition for a submission to the select committee.
Administrative public law – of which regulatory law is essentially a subset – is where some of the most dedicated legal minds are focused, and those people are like very small, very sharp moving parts that are completely necessary to the functioning of a very large and complex machine.
Regulatory law specialists who can deal with this kind of legislation mostly sit within the public service itself. It's not a popular sport in private practise and those that exist are usually within large public utility companies.
Even worse, the judges who have to apply this kind of law to cases are rarely public administrative law specialists, even if they have done a few specialist regulatory cases.
So don't be too frustrated if you found the submission process tough. It's not a law for the broad citizenry to understand well or to even emote coherently about like the Treaty Principles Bill. Very few can do this field well.
The lawyers and judges I know of are pretty aghast at the coarseness of the approach. It's this framework together with essentially chucking out the entire RMA that makes this government just look like a loose unit.
I would prefer that instead there were just two goes at regulatory impact statements before and after the Select Committee processes of new law and new regulations.
I flicked through that online form, and decided against using it. I'd already drafted my submission on a Word doc anyway, and submitted it via email. The email option was by far the better one.
Congratulations on your effort.
Even though this Bill is highly technical and complex and quite possibly its implications can only be fully understood by specialists – much if not most of the substantive criticism I’ve seen came from emeritus professors and current academics – the onus is on lawmakers/political representatives to explain it to the people they represent and in such ways that are clear and understandable to a lay audience and with utmost integrity (unlike David Seymour and other more prominent defenders of the RSB).
Many but not all of us are faced with similarly complex major decisions such as buying a house, consenting to a major medical treatment, or, ironically, consenting to medically-assisted euthanasia, for example. One cannot make such big life-changing decisions without being fully informed and expert advice is highly recommended, necessary, or even mandated.
Unfortunately, many aspects of life are slipping away from our control and understanding and politics is no exception, which is one reason why it’s been ‘taken over’ by the so-called PMC – from time to time this is raised here and the lack of working-class representation among our politicians and in Parliament.
I leave you with this from today’s Newsroom Pro e-mail newsletter [so no link] by Sam Sachdeva:
Richard Murphy gives the lie to that tired old neoliberal mantra of 'trickle down.'
Simply put, 'we' (society as a collective) cannot afford immoderately wealthy people!
6 minutes long.
Waimea dam. Cost overrun..more than doubles.
And a classic case of who wanted,and who actually ends up paying !
And of course that other Farmer required dam…….
And the NAct1 fasttrackers have resuscitated this dam idea again. I hope the local ratepayers are ready to protest ! Costs..can at least, double. Proven. And who pays…. .
More..Dairy farms?!
Doesn't it also supply backup water for residential use?
In the current climate situation – of increasingly unpredictable droughts and heavy rainfall – surely a dam to smooth out the water supply is a sensible investment?
Does it? How? Link?
Which is, and has been exacerbated by the same type of people who needed..the dam. Including Intensive Dairy and other wasteful Irrigators.
And IMO its murky how much they influenced this ..dam.
Waimea Irrigators chair Murray King…..
An Expert, Prof Mike Joy, gave his opinion on the ..dam. Along with many others incl Peter Fraser, Economist.
There was a petition which also outlined some of the…cons. You maybe arent interested in those..but for those who do care…
Link
https://waimeawater.nz/the-dam/the-waimea-community-dam/
https://www.hortnz.co.nz/news-events-and-media/media-releases/drought-relief-as-waimea-dam-releases-water/
And to the tune of $211,000,000 ! And for the main beneficiaries. Commercial Irrigators. Re the pre existing Aquifers..if the Intensive Irrigators, of whom Bruno from your second link is just one…( I have already linked to others)
were not already pumping them dry…..a hugely expensive dam would not have been needed. IMO it was driven by them..not the community. Again a link from Expert Prof Mike Joy.
Only double?
Be grateful it isn't like the overruns on cycleway follies in the Wellington region.
The 3 km cycleway between Petone and just south of Melling was approved in 2017 with a cost of $17 million. It was finally completed at a cost of $70 million.
https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=155198#:~:text=Its%20original%20budget%20was%20%2417,an%20agency%20email%20to%20RNZ.
[Since you have so much to say about this cycleway and the cost overrun, give a few reasons for the budget blowout and then argue what should be done about it now. In other words, make yourself useful and contribute something constructive for a change – Incognito]
Still fixated on Cycleways ? What triggers you? My user name? Seems a tad troll like….As I posted about Dams…..
Mod note
I really don't plan to make a career of examining why so many projects, by both Governments and companies cost vastly more than the original estimates.
I suspect, for both central and local government, that one reason is that the projects are put forward by groups within the organisation who are strongly in favour of them. They can come up with a plan that sounds very cheap and is approved by the organisation's management, Councillors or Cabinet members, and so it gets started. They then start getting the more accurate estimates which slowly increase into a disaster. Nobody is willing to scrap it though as they will be the ones blamed. It won't be the ones who started it off who get to face the taxpayer.
Cycleways, dams, rail ferries are all examples.
The only way to discourage this is to hold the people who got it wrong in the first case accountable. It seldom happens of course but it could be introduced. At least there seems to be some attempt in the case of the rail ferries. It doesn't seem to have happened in the organisations responsible for the overruns on Wellington region cycleways of course.
More deflection from Alwyn.
You have been told repeatedly by myself and others here that these projects are largely about making the road and rail network more resilient to natural disasters and working on the decrepit water infrastructure. And then they put a cycleway on top as part of a total refresh because walkers and cyclists pay for infrastructure just like you do. Except they only get a pittance of the spending to support their choices, unlike the NZ martyrist…
You claim to be, what was it? An informed voice or some other nonsense? What sort of adult would see $70 million for a cycleway and think that is all just on a 4km cycleway? Mike Hosking? Simian Brow? There is literally a link to Greater Auckland n the sidebar where you could "inform yourself".
Do you know the evacuation plan for Wellington Central for when the big one hits? Everyone is supposed to walk to the Hutt Valley, not going to happen without this work matey potatey!.
And if you're looking for someone to blame or take accountability for the infrastructure costs, take a look in the mirror as you're part of the generation that didn't want to pay an appropriate level of rates to maintain and improve our infrastructure.
Fun fact – The dental treatment I received after being hit by a car 30 years ago is near end of life. Its still covered by ACC and the dentist thinks its probably $50,000-$60,000 worth of work, plus the days off work while I recover from a day long procedure.
There is now a separated cycleway where it took place.
It would appear that you don't live in the Wellington area.
The cycleway I was talking about runs from Petone to Melling. It runs through the city of Lower Hutt and both Petone and Melling are suburbs of Lower Hutt City. If you were trying to get from Wellington to the Hutt you certainly wouldn't be walking on this cycleway as you don't get to it, from Wellington City, until you have arrived in the Hutt.
I had to go out so I didn't have time to fully answer your comment.
You will note that my comment here was questioning why a project that was originally costed at $17 million should end up costing $70 million. You seem to think that the vast increase in the cost is due to the fact that it does much more than be a cycleway. However that is not an excuse. If they were doing their job properly then they would have allowed for all the work in the original estimate. If they didn't do that then they are just trying to sneak it through at a ridiculously low figure. If they did cost the original proposal properly they should have produced an estimate that was at least in the ballpark of the final cost.
The fact that they were doing other work as well as the cycleway may explain why it cost so much. It doesn't explain why it had so little in common with the real cost.
Hi Alwyn.
Still trying to change the topic and deflect I see. So – to the point at hand.
You said this:
"The 3 km cycleway between Petone and just south of Melling was approved in 2017 with a cost of $17 million. It was finally completed at a cost of $70 million."
YOU said cycleway, nothing else – stating that the cost is for the cycleway alone.
There is no wriggle room there. So stop trying to rewrite history
You have been told repeatedly about the scope of this project whenever you have said "blah blah cycleway".
As I said – what sort of "adult" would see "$70 million for a 4km cycleway" and take that at face value? And not have the interest or intellect to want to know more?
Therefore you are either:
A: A credulous moron, or
B: Suffering from memory loss, or
C: Just a standard breed ignoramus.
You wonder why it costs so much? I could tell you why, but you didn't listen to any of us the first, second or third time. In fact, you didn’t even reply at all.
Maybe exercise some of that personal responsibility there Chuckles and educate yourself – But I'm repeating myself again… to Mr Chuckles the wonder clown.
By the way – I'm glad you know which routes will be blocked by the "big one" and which areas will be flooded or suffer liquefaction . Amazing! And I said Hutt Valley you dissembling worm.
And if I’m not in Wellington you should be even more embarrassed as a non-resident knows a lot more about the city than you do. I’m starting to think you have a shame kink and come here to get your jollies.
Now Chuckles – on your bike you lying wanker!
Well that does seem rather a lot of abuse rather thn any reasoned sort of reply.
You still don't seem to understand that the cycleway being discussed here isn't the same one as the one from Ngauranga to Petone. You may use that one to get from the Wellington CDB to the Hutt Valley after an earthquake. You certainly won't need to have the Melling to Petone one in order to get to the Hutt Valley. You have to be there in the Hutt Valley already.
Try reading and understanding what I say instead of merely spouting a string of abuse.
More straw men than in a hay bale. You were asked to say something useful and constructive about the cycleway that you know and love so intimately. No need to write your magnum opus about all the things that keep you awake at night.
You can stop right there because it’s a rhetorical intro to weasel words and vacuous BS.
You forgot roads, gullies, and bridges (particularly in Northland).
RW weasel words, as usual. If it’s an endemic and systemic problem then there’s something fundamentally wrong and that won’t be fixed with the usual RW BS ‘solutions’.
You don’t add anything useful here and deflect and evade when challenged, even in a Mod note. As you’re under moderation, if you don’t lift your game soon, I’ll lift you out of the TS commentariat – you’re making a career as troll.
If there are concerns about the Ruataniwha dam / Tukiyuki water storage scheme's "cost overrun", and whether it represents "value for money", then perhaps CoC finance minister Willis could advise on delivery of a “good, reliable Toyota Corolla” dam
Ah yea DMK…a “good, reliable Toyota Corolla” dam. : )
However, those proponents (lurking?) behind the Waimea dam were all very keen on the gold plated, profit making, benefits ..whilst socialising its costs on the hapless Ratepayer.
As its sadly a done deal…I hope the Ruataniwha one gets some action Pushback…
Thanks PsyclingLeft.Always – I got my dams a bit mixed up – Damn the Dam!
“No Ruataniwha 2.0“? Really? For a few dollars more
Ah thanks DMK, for that extra info/links. Yea I have much respect for Steve Abel…I sure would like to see more of him, also Lan Pham and other Enviro Greens this year : )
https://www.greens.org.nz/lan_pham
Happened upon this old video [1988] by chance:
https://www.bbc.com/videos/cd184xejm20o
An interview with Dame Edna Everage and Donald Trump. Quite insightful…. extols the virtues of one, Mohamed Al – Fayed of Harrods fame.
Thank you, Frank Macskasy, for a beautiful piece on the Regulatory Standards Bill.
https://frankmacskasy.substack.com/p/submission-on-regulatory-standards [from Feeds section on RH side]
That is the commonality in various legislation – Treaty Principles, RSB, then onto that of enabling a foreign investor to claim compensation from government from the consequences of its policies.
After the principle of the sovereignty of government has been broken – change to OIO rules to allow foreign investment in housing for rent, ownership of coastal land/river land/high country land (would they be able to seek compensation for any CGT, any stamp duty impacting on a sale …).
Yes, they’re changing the whole of the NZ legal framework, step by step, piece by piece. The RSB though is a big ‘hit’, the bomb that does most of the destructive work.
I'm trying – so far without success – to figure out how any Act of Parliament can "bind the Crown" in perpetuity. The Crown is sovereign, end of story. Short of actually abolishing it (which is undoubtedly the ultimate aim) I don't see how it would be unable act on the advice of a later set of ministers and undo whatever piece of legislation it chooses.
Individual members of the royal family are of course bound by the law (and have been convicted under it) but that's not the same thing. They still have the absolute power to make and unmake any laws with the consent of Parliament.
It is the neo-liberal right bringing NZF to its order of rule, via its accomplice Shane Jones.
But it demonstrates what National gave ACT in the coalition agreement.
All legislation of this sort would be removed by the next (Labour led) government.
I think Frank's misunderstood what that phrase means. The Act will bind the Crown while it's in force, but any future government can just repeal or amend the Act if it doesn't want to be bound by it any more.
AFAICS, there is no way that any Act can operate in perpetuity. The best that can be achieved is entrenchment (requiring a super-majority of Parliament to overturn). And this requires an initial super-majority to be enacted.
Even that's questionable – nobody has tested whether a simple majority is required to just repeal legislation (rather than amend it).
Good point.
I’m no legal expert at all but found this:
https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-02-4-acts-binding-crown-procedures-cabinet-decision
So, there’s obviously a lot techo-legal stuff related to this.
Whether Frank knows about this and/or meant it, I don’t know. However, other expert commenters have mentioned this Bill to provide a ‘legal straightjacket’ or 'constitutional straitjacket’ or raised the prospect of ‘entrenchment’ outside of Parliament and even if/when the ACT is repealed by a next government (in 2026, 2029, or ??).
So, yes, this Bill is no ordinary Bill and Frank has a point even though his reasoning might be ‘flawed’.
I'm wondering that too.
Could some kind of "enabling" bill do it?
That kind of tactics is entirely possible with ACT in control.
National and NZ First characteristically respond with a bored yawn.
Incognito you should ask Frank if you can cut it and post it here? Or Frank if you looking 🙂
Bit late now.
NAh we need to give the Tory collation shit about this bill.
In that I’ll do some reddit and facebook posting as well.
lol…couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.
https://bsky.app/profile/antlervel.vet/post/3lflh72ihjs2z
So Neil Gaiman is a POS.
https://www.vulture.com/article/neil-gaiman-allegations-controversy-amanda-palmer-sandman-madoc.html
https://archive.li/uSP1q
I guess it's more obvious than I thought – first thing that came to mind when I read the accusations against Gaiman was his story about the writer who enslaves and rapes Calliope for inspiration. There's a line something like "The first thing he did when he got her home was rape her."
Lends weight to the observation 'A bully is the first victim'
In the Guardian: Spain proposes 100% tax on houses bought by non-EU citizens.
'[Spain's prime minister ] Sánchez sought to underline the global nature of the challenge, citing housing prices that had swelled 48% in the past decade across Europe, far outpacing household incomes.
“The west faces a decisive challenge: to not become a society divided into two classes, the rich landlords and poor tenants,” he told an economic forum in Madrid.'
Yup, he's called it. Neo-feudalism.
Also: ‘[Other] proposed measures include expanding the supply of social housing, offering incentives to those who renovate and rent out empty properties at affordable prices and cracking down on seasonal rentals. ‘
Sanchez has set the tone, now we need all LW parties to do the same, picking up housing rights as the centre-piece of their electoral strategies, educating the public well before elections on the real issue.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/538931/the-regulatory-standards-bill-what-you-need-to-know
Glad I got mine early.
I worry now that – putting in that act are the new Marxist-Leninists in the realm of ideological purity – may get it removed from the committees eyes.
The back-pedaling begins.
Newt Gingrich, the former US House speaker and presidential hopeful, said a section of his own Republican party was “rabid” over immigration and predicted Donald Trump’s suggestion that he could deport documented people as well as millions of undocumented people will not come to pass.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-deportation-vows-only-rabid-120003312.html
Critics are putting President-elect Donald Trump on blast after a key adviser appeared to back away from a major campaign promise.
Trump has repeatedly claimed he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office or even sooner.
But retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who Trump tapped to serve as special envoy to the two nations, told Fox News last week it would take longer ― echoing comments made earlier by Trump himself.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/massive-reversal-trump-ripped-already-071918215.html
Emz and Magenta in Big Hairy News (from 48 min) discuss One news coverage on the Regulatory Bill. The last line in the news story says that National will support the Bill.
This means that a pressure campaign targetting MPs is the next appropriate step in this process. If there is enough kick-back in electorates, then that may be enough to sway the Nat caucus. It means the national discussion around this is not finished, by a long way.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Also good to find out that it was at least discussed by some on TikTok.
The two BHN presenters didn’t know about National supporting the RSB. However, it’s in the Coalition Agreement of National with ACT:
There’s less clarity in the Agreement between National and NZFirst but that document also refers to removing regulations (“Cut red tape”) and overall sounds like it would support this Bill to become Act ASAP.
RNZ ahead of most media on this.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/538931/the-regulatory-standards-bill-what-you-need-to-know
For those in Wellington.
An easterly disposition bringing up the southerly.
Is it summertime somewhere else, is this where the people go?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360547190/wellington-endures-worst-start-summer-decade
I suppose we can just blame it on Tory Whanau?
The Crown government is ultimately accountable.
While Nicola Willis can't control the weather, she is responsible for the economic devastation in Wellington.
So, when you claimed 4 days ago that your mission here is “to bring some enlightenment to the ignorant” this was a euphemism for trolling masquerading as ‘humour’.
I feel an urge to inflict TS-Mod humour onto you, but I don’t think you will find it funny though.
Tory cops the blame form Wellingtonians for almost everything that goes wrong.
Many of them are things that she isn't responsible for, but such is life for a politician.
Yeah, we know – you’re on record here as one of her staunchest defenders \sarc
X, with the ambition to be like we chat (payment system), takes over USA Tik Tok and incorporates DJT ….
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360547994/tiktok-calls-report-potential-sale-elon-musk-pure-fiction
Those oligarchs that did not get in Putin's way remained wealthy, others went to prison.
Now they are a veritable boyar's brigade, nothing like the political brigades the communists supported in Spain.
Note how quickly Meta and Amazon adapted to the new universal order, they gave up greenwash so easily, it would appear they were just neo-liberals the whole time. Thus as was said, it would be easier for a camel to fly over Cleopatra's needle than to convince the rich not to seek a cloud to sit on (place of privilege) to lord it over those down below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra%27s_Needles
The Cleopatra's Needle Camel Fly-over, reminds me of people that object to their situation only in that they would prefer someone else to be in it. Those people are seldom rich, though. The Rich simply have means and opportunity.
The solution that I've been thinking about is pretty simple, to some degree we've gone down that path as a country a little, a while back, but as with all simple solutions to people problems it relies on control of matters not usually under direct control. Enter what I call, "Constructive Politics". I can't lay it all out here because of length and etiquette, and to lay it all out in public would be strategic suicide anyway.
Some things that might point in the general direction:
What are the Camel Riders flying away from?
What is the Left, regardless of Era, or our recent expression of it, in ten words or less?
What's the point of a government moving Left?
What does the Right use as motivation for change and compliance?
When these questions are answered,
Who will follow, because it's a no-lose situation at worst, and a big win for them at best, and who cannot occupy that ground?
There is one really big challenge though, but it comes a while later, decades maybe. By then you will not have to worry about RSB*. But hey, don't we all want a career with challenges, and the horizon for social development to be pushed way out?
*RSB is really badly written. Have any lawyers been involved yet? Anyone who speaks English? Just goes to show how myopic politics has become. While I support the efforts of those making submissions, the wording of the RSB is as self-defeating as Sir Palmer's recent ideas. With the RSB in force, a Left moving government can accelerate away to their heart's content!
(Just to be clear – I do not suggest anyone support the RSB!)
Alex Jones back on X to lie again, does so and again the response from Musk is “true”. Does this make Musk liar in chief on social media?
https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/disinformation-reigns-as-bushfires-devastate-california-20250113-p5l3se.html
Jon Stewart eats Chicago pizza and goes to work.
Any one else been hearing people say we need a luigi for the carbon burning industrial complex?
From the SMH link.
Here opposition to carbon offsetting.
https://www.somo.nl/the-carbon-offset-industry-needs-to-be-abolished/
2018 Homelessness video – gets point across
Is Christopher Bishop as minister of housing, making the other Tory reprobates who have held the post look decent?
More on the streets of late up north, being moved on when we have a
terroristtourist wave.