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Open Mike 14/05/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 14th, 2018 - 79 comments
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

79 comments on “Open Mike 14/05/2018 ”

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  1. Ed 1
    14 May 2018 at 6:49 am

    Shock horror.
    A union leader on RNZ this morning.
    But fear not faithful neoliberalism, he was there to face an inquisition to explain why the union is going on strike.
    At 6.45 we can look forward to the banks and business getting at 15 minutes advertorial courtesy of Giles Beckworth.
    The mainstream media is biased.

  2. adam 2
    14 May 2018 at 7:22 am

    It would appear that the far right groups are back in Syria, with the help of Turkey. Gotta love how the only group promoting democracy are going to get it in the neck.

    https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/12269/turkey-syria-afrin-sharia

  3. Ed 3
    14 May 2018 at 7:32 am

    Rod Duke.

    Enough money to have a helipad in Herne Bay so he can play golf at exclusive golf clubs with his mates.
    Not enough money, it would appear, to pay for staff to attend meetings at Briscoe and Rebel Sport.

    As Draco says, we can’t afford the rich.

    • James 3.1
      14 May 2018 at 8:20 am

      Despite him saying it doesn’t happen and checking with his regional managers who confirmed – ed still prefers to take the word of a single anonymous person with no evidence offered.

    • patricia bremner 3.2
      14 May 2018 at 11:01 am

      Ed, you haven’t got that right. My son worked for Briscoes for 7 years, said Rod was a great person, who held his managers to high standards of staff relations, and personally helped staff in sticky situations. ie, my son’s dealings with IRD after making an error with his tax while working in Real Estate. At that time people were driven to suicide by IRD, Rod arranged a repayment schedule. He visits branches often, hence the helicopter.

      • savenz 3.2.1
        14 May 2018 at 12:29 pm

        @ Patricia That is good to know. I think part of NZ issues on employment is that there is too much cheerleading to extract every last dollar from the quickest easiest ways (aka staff wages and higher prices of goods and services often with ‘confusalating’ pricing or promotion so people can’t tell), but not every manager or owner wants to do it. NZ employers have become a race to the bottom to compete with the worst of the worst practices from local and overseas companies operating here.

        Time to u turn and actually unite employers and workers which is probably going back to employment practises before neoliberalism… currently productivity is static and increasingly inequality is showing what NZ government is doing now is not making NZ a better place for people to live in.

        I personally don’t think a capital gains tax or a rise in income taxes will solve anything because countries that have both taxes have the same problems as NZ and actually more such as UK and USA. They are now showing all the division that that creates.

        What is needed is a totally new way to think about employment and income and residency and non residency and paying for public services, than what has been thought of before. Globalism has radically changed all the equations on how to collect tax and who gets welfare and how to get welfare without paying tax. UBI, Tobin tax or what have you should be looked at as a way to make tax fairer and make people who use NZ for business pay what they should and not actually be legally allowed to drain NZ resources while putting more strain on public services.

      • james 3.2.2
        14 May 2018 at 1:02 pm

        Thats really nice to hear.

        of course some will continue to hate him because he has money.

        Envy is a horrible.

  4. Sanctuary 4
    14 May 2018 at 7:55 am

    Has anyone in NZ ever done any research on the number of truly double-generation long-term unemployed? And how many of them are third-generation?

  5. Kat 5
    14 May 2018 at 8:27 am

    On Q&A Richard “Mad Dog” Prebble reckoned since he rode a tram up Dominion Rd when he was a boy trams/trains are not the answer for Auckland transport. Sue Bradford couldn’t help a chuckle.

    • Anne 5.1
      14 May 2018 at 11:48 am

      Of course he forgot to mention they ran along the middle of the road… were rundown claptraps… the poles continuously came off the overhead rails… and every time they stopped to let people on and off the traffic had to stop too. We kids loved them because it was bit like going on a rough joy-ride but they were slow and cumbersome.

      In contrast the “light rail’ transport service (not trams) will be fast and run alongside the roads (not in the middle) and will not seriously impede traffic or pedestrian flows. Calling them trams is a deliberate attempt to create a negative image with an archaic system that existed many decades ago.

    • tracey 5.2
      14 May 2018 at 11:57 am

      A man who rip, shit and bust through our banking, infrastructure and essential services is still being asked his opinion on what is best for NZ? Good God (to quote Israel Falou)

      • Kat 5.2.1
        14 May 2018 at 5:16 pm

        Yes its not just a case of scrapping the bottom of the barrel either, more that opinions are being sought from the wrong barrel…..mostly.

  6. Herodotus 6
    14 May 2018 at 9:04 am

    Nice to see no one is concerned that a pre election promise can now be altered/broken…
    Construction firms will be exempt from applying the existing labour market test to bring in up to 1,500 foreign tradespeople at any one time if employers promise to take on a local apprentice for every migrant under a new ‘KiwiBuild Visa’ proposed by Labour.
    To now “we expect, hopefully”
    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/04/construction-minister-jenny-salesa-confident-kiwibuild-targets-will-be-met.html
    Just as well not many follow politics in NZ and this program is not heavily watched. Crap like this goes unnoticed. Or for some they are the 3 monkeys hear, see, speak no evil.

    • The Chairman 6.1
      14 May 2018 at 10:07 am

      It seems the pressure to deliver is becoming too much it’s compelling the Government to mislead.

      “Most of them are available now but we’re going to continue through the winter to meet that target of 1500,” said Mr Twyford.

      But figures released by Mr Twyford’s office show just 36 percent of the 1500 places are available now.

      http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/05/a-third-of-new-social-housing-ready-despite-govt-claims-most-were-available.html

      • Barfly 6.1.1
        14 May 2018 at 10:31 am

        Still seems a lot better than “there is no housing crisis” – last National Governments bullshit.

        • The Chairman 6.1.1.1
          14 May 2018 at 10:50 am

          It seems National have lowered the bar so low that instead of demanding more, some are appeased by a better level of bullshit.

          • Barfly 6.1.1.1.1
            14 May 2018 at 11:33 am

            The new government has committed to and is delivering more social housing unlike the previous who tried to sell off social housing – are you “concern trolling” TC?

            • tracey 6.1.1.1.1.1
              14 May 2018 at 12:01 pm

              Have they are and are they on track to deliver more homes than nats promised or had in train?

            • The Chairman 6.1.1.1.1.2
              14 May 2018 at 12:34 pm

              @Barfly

              No. Not trolling. The insufficient offerings of this Government (and Labour in particularly) has always been a genuine concern for me. But obviously I hold them to a higher expectation than those willing to accept better bullshit.

              • Barfly …
                14 May 2018 at 1:28 pm

                What I accept is progress to reverse 9 years of bullshit – the winter fuel allowance is already going to do more to benefit me than 9 long years of Nationals “beneficiary hunting season”.

                You state I am willing to accept better bullshit – I disagree with your argument – Do you feel a need to insult me because of that?

                • The Chairman …
                  14 May 2018 at 2:01 pm

                  The Government made a big fanfare over a housing announcement, I highlighted it was largely bullshit.

                  Then you came along and instead of condemning their bullshit, you praised it for being better than the National’s bullshit.

                  Showing you are one of those who accept (without complaint) better bullshit.

                  Now you are trying to ride your high horse and accuse me of insulting you for highlighting this. Get real.

                  The winter fuel allowance is another insufficient offering. For some, it won’t even cover one power bill.

                  • Barfly …
                    14 May 2018 at 6:07 pm

                    What you call bullshit I call progress.

                    “The winter fuel allowance is another insufficient offering. For some, it won’t even cover one power bill.”

                    It’s more benefit to me than anything National did in 9 years.

                    You say get real I say get over yourself precious.

                    • alwyn …
                      14 May 2018 at 6:45 pm

                      You will also have noted that it is less than the amount pensioners would have received if National had been re-elected. Even then the much reduced amount this year will not be paid until after the worst of the winter is over.
                      But hey, they are your lot so everything is just peachy.

                    • The Chairman …
                      14 May 2018 at 6:52 pm

                      If the measure of what you call progress is merely if this Government is offering more than the last in regard to housing and the winter energy payment, then yes, this Government is.

                      However, as National have lowered the bar so low, better outcomes in comparison is an easy achievement. Thus, you’re setting the bar far too low. Giving this Government an easy pass.

                      The reality is, we have so many major problems in this country, the downward spiral is compounding daily. Thus, the insufficient offerings of this Government isn’t enough to counter that. As I highlighted to ankerawshark re Kiwibuild and social housing.

                      It’s akin to trying to put out a bush fire with a garden hose.

                      Therefore, instead of progress, you can expect things to become worse.

          • tracey 6.1.1.1.2
            14 May 2018 at 12:00 pm

            +1

          • ankerawshark 6.1.1.1.3
            14 May 2018 at 1:37 pm

            Not a better level of bullshit, The Chairman” better outcomes……………..I await to see how Kiwibuild, social housing and homeless is going in two and a half years.

            Anyone who has ever undertaken a building project knows that there are delays, cost adjustments, altering plans etc. That is normal………….and on a large scale it is going to be even more the case. I am looking for outcomes and I wouldn’t expect to see them in the first 6 -8 mths. There is good evidence they are getting off their arses though.

            • The Chairman 6.1.1.1.3.1
              14 May 2018 at 2:42 pm

              Sounds like you are living in a dream.

              Here’s a taste of reality for you to ponder.

              As National have lowered the bar so low, better outcomes in comparison is an easy achievement. Unfortunately, the nation needs far better than that.

              Kiwibuild is insufficient. Evident by the fact buyers will be required to enter into a ballot to purchases one. Therefore, coupled with growing demand, one can’t expect that to help free up rental capacity when it can’t even cater to current or future housing demand.

              The waiting list for social housing is quickly approaching 10,000 and the Government is struggling to commit to building more than 2000 annually. Thus, also vastly insufficient.

              Things are going to get worse, not better with this insufficient approach this Government is taking.

              • ankerawshark …
                14 May 2018 at 3:36 pm

                I may not be fully informed on this, if thats what you mean by living in a dream. However there is conflicting information about the figures.

                I want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people……………….I doubt anyone, living in a dream or not, would say this is an easy problem to fix………………….I believe the Coalition is working on it and I think action and results will speak louder than words……………..

                BTW “living in a dream” could be seen as a little bit of a put down, but I am choosing not to take it that way.

                • The Chairman …
                  14 May 2018 at 7:08 pm

                  “I want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people……………….I doubt anyone, living in a dream or not, would say this is an easy problem to fix………………….I believe the Coalition is working on it and I think action and results will speak louder than words……………..”

                  I also want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people.

                  It is a big task and the Government has a plan of action. However, as I highlighted to you above (re Kiwibuild and social housing) the Government’s plan of action is insufficient to secure that aim (a significant improvement in housing).

                  One would be dreaming to think otherwise. Hence, my initial opening line in my last post to you. Hope that wasn’t too brash.

                  • Ankerrawshark …
                    14 May 2018 at 9:43 pm

                    The chairman..no all good. I tend to be idealistic and hope for the best. I read the standard to become better informed. I did think their kiwi build aspirations were very ambitious.

                    I really hope and expect them to improve housing in NZ. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t achieve a “cure”………

        • tracey 6.1.1.2
          14 May 2018 at 11:59 am

          I agree with The Chairman

          It is clear that Labour has embellished some of its promises to get the votes. Something Ad, from memory, used to advocate as you have to do what you have to do to get power, then make some changes.

          IF this were John Key or Judith Collins saying this stuff, how would we react? Isn’t that the true measure?

          • The Chairman 6.1.1.2.1
            14 May 2018 at 12:43 pm

            “IF this were John Key or Judith Collins saying this stuff, how would we react? Isn’t that the true measure?”

            Indeed, Tracey.

            Some are happy to give this Government an easy pass, which doesn’t encourage them to up their game, leaving us shortchanged.

            If we want more out of this Government, we are going to have to hold their feet to the fire.

          • McFlock 6.1.1.2.2
            14 May 2018 at 1:20 pm

            Fair point about the true measure. Twyford’s numbers seem to disagree with his claim. But we’ve yet to establish a pattern of complete inability and unwillingness to address problems, as we had with the nats.

            It’s funny that the link reporting Twyford’s apparent gaff repeats a gaff of the same flavour:

            But figures released by Mr Twyford’s office show just 36 percent of the 1500 places are available now, and most of those are in transitional housing.

            Only 306 of the 1071 new state housing places are ready, and 236 of the 416 transitional housing places.

            236 transitional housing places is less than 306 state housing places, so not “most” either. 43% not 36% of the 542 available places though, lol

    • cleangreen 6.2
      14 May 2018 at 10:48 am

      Yes Herodotus,

      Well the media is absent over many issues that don’t fit their ideology.

      So here they are happy with more and more imported workers over looking after Kiwis.

    • patricia bremner 6.3
      14 May 2018 at 11:18 am

      It is a target, and may take a year or two to achieve, where is the lie exactly?
      Impatience and dissing current efforts don’t help.

      • greywarshark 6.3.1
        14 May 2018 at 11:43 am

        patricia b
        +1

      • tracey 6.3.2
        14 May 2018 at 12:02 pm

        If it may take a year or two to achieve, was labour, NZF Greens clear about that when they campaigned? Did they give us timelines and what if they dont deliver in a year or two?

        Already we have heard excuses, blaming last govt, which we railed against Nats for doing…

        For my money there is a pattern. There was the first 100 days and then… lag

        • Draco T Bastard 6.3.2.1
          14 May 2018 at 1:08 pm

          If it may take a year or two to achieve, was labour, NZF Greens clear about that when they campaigned?

          Yes they were.

          And only idiots would expect any government to be able to go straight to their projected top build rate without some sort of capacity build up first.

          • Herodotus 6.3.2.1.1
            14 May 2018 at 1:17 pm

            And an idiot would make this comment “The stand-alone KiwiBuild homes in Auckland will be priced at $500,000-$600,000 with apartments and terraced houses under $500,000. ”
            See now how the price ranges have moved UP !!!… and that the references to appartments and terraced houses has been removed. Now we have 1 bedroom being $500k
            http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/govt-hikes-cost-of-one-bedroom-kiwibuild-homes.html
            “One bedroom will go for $500,000, two bedrooms $600,000 and three bedrooms $650,000 – that’s $50,000 more than Labour promised in the election.”
            So what Labour campaigned on was NOT clear, or was it and they were less than truthful ??

            • tracey 6.3.2.1.1.1
              14 May 2018 at 1:33 pm

              Yup

              20% deposit = $100,000
              If you are a low earner you qualify for kiwistart or whatever it is called but the lower your income the lower your deposit. A low earner’s kiwisaver is not large.

            • savenz 6.3.2.1.1.2
              14 May 2018 at 4:31 pm

              They are going in the wrong direction. They should be looking at what they have now like the state houses and seeing what they can do there to get people into them. Apparently some are empty, need Reno, decontamination or what have you. Fix the fuckers up for the first thing! Then look at adding tiny housing or what have you on the site or making them into bigger flats.

              After that they should be looking at using non profit corporations and employ people themselves to create the housing using firms like Habitat for Humanity. These firms build with unskilled labour and do it cheaply. It is complete lies that normal people can’t build housing, most of them will do a better job under registered supervision that the what’s going on at building sites at present with massive profiteering and waste.

              State houses were not built by builders but often by returned service men. Programs like ‘The block’ show how ordinary aspiring home owners with help can very quickly create quality housing.

              The reason we are all hearing we need all these ‘skilled’ workers which apparently we don’t have in NZ (apart from seemed to work cheaply and quickly in the previous examples) is to do immigration routs and force housing prices upwards which helps construction and finance firms make more profits.

          • tracey 6.3.2.1.2
            14 May 2018 at 1:31 pm

            “Yes they were”

            I only had a quick read of your link but no it is not clear what the timelines for measuring progress are. A 10 year goal to achieve the whole thing but no breakdown of the measures along the way. I don’t expect them to have built them all by now. I do expect a timeline showing the stages of reaching that target. Robertson’s slavish devotion to a Cullenesque budget don’t fill me with confidence about many things either.

            We saw what happened in late 2008/2009 when the “oh no it was worse than we thought” mantra came out. Labour has already backed down, with their biggest back down being tying their own hand son tax pre election day.

            Idiots are everywhere Draco.

      • Herodotus 6.3.3
        14 May 2018 at 12:21 pm

        Part of my comment was regarding what building coys will have to do to enable overseas workers to obtain a working visa. That they will have “…if employers promise to take on a local apprentice for every migrant under a new” Now it has become “we expect, hopefully” Minister Salesa totally contradicted what was given pre election.
        Is that a moving target now, that builders and developers will NOT have to take on apprentices and still be able to access labour offshore ?

        • tracey 6.3.3.1
          14 May 2018 at 1:34 pm

          I thought it was a good idea to start our companies understanding they have an obligation to train workers too, not just taxpayers subsidising them by paying for it all at polytechs etc.

          Too many bosses are looking to University and Polytech to produce perfectly fitting/working cogs for their machines. instead of taking on some burden of training.

        • savenz 6.3.3.2
          14 May 2018 at 4:36 pm

          Plenty of examples where you use unskilled labour of which we have plenty sitting idle in NZ and what is actually going on in the building sites.

          Fletcher’s losing so much money is typical of construction nowadays which is completely out of control. it’s subcontractor after subcontractor all taking a cut and as much profit as possible at the top, which often means using not only unskilled labour, but also labour that is exploited or illegal.

          The recent Malaysian stoppers had been working happily illegally for years and at better rates than most tax paying sub constructer tradies!

          Who are cheerleading the most for these ‘skilled’ people, immigration lawyers and businesses that want keep wages down and constructions costs booming.

    • tracey 6.4
      14 May 2018 at 11:58 am

      Hmm Labour misspoke? Surely you jest?

    • Sacha 6.5
      14 May 2018 at 12:16 pm

      Didn’t Labour say all along that they would be treating the construction sector differently to help deliver more homes like they’ve promised? No surprise here, surely.

      • tracey 6.5.1
        14 May 2018 at 1:35 pm

        A bit disingenuous then because that is the sector where there has been a lot of immigration.

        Where will the 1500 workers live, for example? In the houses being built?

        • savenz 6.5.1.1
          14 May 2018 at 4:39 pm

          Apparently the workers are ghost workers who don’t actually take up housing in the crisis… they don’t take up transport or even ever need medical support in our hospitals. They don’t start having families while they are here…

  7. John G 7
    14 May 2018 at 1:03 pm

    This story about workers not getting paid for meetings etc is going to get huge. My daughter worked for a hairdresser for 4 years. They insisted they started work an hour earlier to setup the day (unpaid of course) It will also be interesting how this affects unpaid internships, which I have always felt was another way of getting workers without paying for them.

    • james 7.1
      14 May 2018 at 1:06 pm

      “This story about workers not getting paid for meetings etc is going to get huge”

      As it should – if they are there working – they should be paid.

    • Draco T Bastard 7.2
      14 May 2018 at 1:19 pm

      Unpaid work should be illegal no matter what. Calling it an ‘internship’ shouldn’t change that.

      • ianmac 7.2.1
        14 May 2018 at 3:00 pm

        Mind you those on a salary tend to work odd hours. A teacher for instance might have a 9 hour day or more if you add in weekends and marking etc.
        But if paid by the hour workers should get paid for the time worked or get overtime or time and a half for the extra times.

        • DB Brown 7.2.1.1
          14 May 2018 at 5:20 pm

          I was TA at Uni and we had staff meetings I’d always billed for. I was asked to TA a different class the next year and I billed the staff meetings as usual. Then it was brought up in a meeting that there were ‘inconsistencies’ in the billing, namely, nobody else was being paid for the meetings in that department. There were ladies there who’d taught those labs for many years and my not folding made them very uncomfortable they were a bit scared to say boo on the matter. These meetings were not on the same days as the labs either. They were a separate thing so they had to travel both ways and attend on their own dime. I insisted we all got paid.

          I didn’t get asked back the next year, though I’m sure the other TA’s appreciated my visit.

          I’d rather fight for my right to party.

  8. Morrissey 8
    14 May 2018 at 3:23 pm

    Gaza Body Count-Journalists

    Journalists killed and wounded by IDF during the Great Return March, as of May 13, 2018…

    http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/05/13/gaza-body-count-journalists/

  9. Mike Steinberg 9
    14 May 2018 at 4:32 pm

    Iain Lees-Galloway,

    With housing and rental prices increasingly unaffordable for many, has the Government looked at adjusting the number of work visas issued each year? I’m sure Jacinda Ardern mentioned this in the Election Debates. Bill English childishly responded that there then wouldn’t be enough builders.

    In the early 1990’s around 20,000 new non-citizens a year was seen as quite high. Now the target is about 45,000 per year.

    Michael Reddell has noted that this is a major driver of housing demand. Would reducing the number to, say 20,000-30,000 per year be something the Government will consider?

    “From 1991 to 2013, non-New Zealand citizen immigration accounted for around 71 per cent of the change in the number of households (or dwellings required). For the last two intercensal periods the contributions of non-New Zealand citizen net immigration were as follows:

    •2001 to 2006 70 per cent
    •2006 to 2013 106 per cent”

    Trying to build more houses to meet this ever growing demand doesn’t appear to be working.

    • savenz 9.1
      14 May 2018 at 4:50 pm

      How about only allow in highly paid workers over $100k+… we might actually get some homes built that don’t leak or rail tracks that don’t shear off and derail trains or some houses that aren’t condemned before people move in… No more free family residency or all the other ways that people are coming to NZ taking up housing/super and health care in particular and putting a huge burden on the increasingly fewer NZ workers many of whom have student loans as well and don’t qualify for some sort of government top up.

      And why they are about it, do what OZ used to do and make any business have to show $50k+ profit every year for 5 years AND employ 2 OZ citizens at decent wages to even be considered.

      Weirdly in NZ you seem to be able to be terrible at business and make pitiful profits or even losses, bring more migrant workers in on low wages, and you are welcomed with open arms.

      We need to seriously raise the bar! Make it 10 years for the profits and a maximum time they have to spend in NZ to continue to achieve permanent residency. Citizenship should only be granted to people born here. At present people can spend as little as 11 days and be a NZ citizen or get residency after 5 years and then never work another day in NZ or pay any taxes but still get super and free health and education for themselves and their future kids.

  10. savenz 10
    14 May 2018 at 5:15 pm

    All the government has to do is plug the hole for immigration and lots of positive things will start of happen for Kiwi’s who are being discriminated against for jobs…

    Two Wellington hotels seeking autistic staff
    http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=109394

  11. savenz 11
    14 May 2018 at 5:21 pm

    Sometimes you just don’t want to read the news and find out what the dinosaurs farting fossil fuels have decided…

    KiwiRail’s ‘kiss of death” for electrification of main trunk line

    http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=109378

  12. Philg 12
    14 May 2018 at 8:34 pm

    The NZ government doesn’t do practical long term planning any more. They can’t. They are irrelevant. The country is largely ‘governed’ by big business interests and this is why the government doesn’t ( cannot) make plans for the public good, rather for NZ Inc. The coalition government is stuck, wading through the same corporate quagmire.

  13. Sumsuch 13
    14 May 2018 at 10:48 pm

    Well, I must return this library book and I can’t find another theatre, realise it will die like lead dropped in the sea.

    Adam Hochschild ‘s book, ‘The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin’, published in 1994, from a trip in 1991. It was easy to escape from Stalin’s purges:move, the KGB didn’t do detective. ‘However people rarely tried; despite the mass arrests, almost everybody believed, ‘ it won’t happen to me”. People deny bad news because it implies worse news: If I’m about to be arrested, that would mean the whole system has gone mad.’

    We can talk freely about our challenges ‘hence we do not feel the intense fear produced by the NKVD’s knock on the door. That very lack of urgency is our form of denial, as foolhardy as the denials of fellow travelers. For the knock , from these things, will come.’

    Talk is taken to be solution near but no, the reverse. It can’t be more than 15 years before the gurgling sound from the bath-water of super-humanity emptying will fill our ears. It is too late bar the long odds gamble of H.s.s’s consciousness.

  14. Sumsuch 14
    14 May 2018 at 10:52 pm

    komfort.

  15. eco maori 15
    15 May 2018 at 6:16 pm

    Good evening Newshub every thing the previous Government was wrong here a link
    https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/103928695/former-earthquake-recovery-minister-incensed-by-reserve-bank-governors-rebuild-comments brownlee is just a – – – – – Ka kite ano PS my work schedule is all over the place at the minute look at this link
    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/stuff-circuit/103932438/hopeful-christian-dies-what-now-for-gloriavale

    • eco maori 15.1
      15 May 2018 at 7:09 pm

      This is the type of behavior that’s not on in the human rights commission. No wonder ECO MAORI can not get any action on my complaint the whole state sector under the last government has a culture of cover there M8s Asses – – – – – – –
      Ka kite ano

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  • Funding for projects to reduce waste from construction and demolition
    The Government has announced funding for projects in Auckland and the lower North Island to help reduce construction and demolition waste. “Construction is the main source of waste sent to landfill, and much of this could be reduced, reused and recovered,” Environment Minister David Parker said. “The Government is funding ...
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  • Plan to eliminate hepatitis C as a major health threat by 2030
    A plan to eliminate hepatitis C in New Zealand, reducing liver cancer and the need for liver transplants, has been released today by Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall. “Around 45,000 New Zealanders have hepatitis C, but only around half know they have it,” said Ayesha Verrall. “Symptoms often ...
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  • School upgrades and new classrooms for West Coast, Tasman and Canterbury
    A funding injection from Budget 2021 to complete four shovel ready projects and new classrooms at six schools and kura will provide a real boost to local communities, Minister Dr Megan Woods announced today. “This Government has committed to providing quality fit for purpose learning environments and 100,000 new student ...
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    4 hours ago

  • Warmer Kiwi Homes smashes annual target
    The Government's highly successful insulation and heating programme, Warmer Kiwi Homes, is celebrating a key milestone with the completion of more than 38,000 insulation and efficient heater installs in the year to the end of June, smashing its target of 25,000 installs for the year. “The Warmer Kiwi Homes scheme ...
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  • Exemption granted for Wallabies to enter NZ
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  • Minister of Foreign Affairs makes three diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced three New Zealand Head of Mission appointments. They are: Mike Walsh as Ambassador to Iran Michael Upton as Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union Kevin Burnett as Ambassador to Indonesia Iran “Aotearoa New Zealand has a long-standing and constructive relationship with Iran, despite a ...
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  • Enhanced Task Force Green Approved for West Coast and Marlborough
    The Government has activated Enhanced Task Force Green (ETFG) in response to the West Coast and Marlborough floods, Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “To assist with the clean-up, up to $500,000 will be made available to support the recovery in Buller and Marlborough which has experienced ...
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  • Govt support for upgrade of Eden Park players facilities
    Minister for Sport and Recreation Hon Grant Robertson has announced funding to upgrade the players facilities at Eden Park ahead of upcoming Women’s World Cup events. Eden Park is a confirmed venue for the Rugby World Cup 2021, the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, and a proposed venue for matches of ...
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  • More jobs and quicker public transport motoring towards West Auckland
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  • Government backs critical health research
    Research into some of New Zealanders’ biggest health concerns including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease is getting crucial support in the latest round of health research funding, Health Minister Andrew Little announced today. The funding, awarded through the Health Research Council of New Zealand, covers 31 General Project grants ($36.64 ...
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  • New Bay of Islands hospital facilities to bring services closer to home
    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Andrew Little have joined a ceremony to bless the site and workers for Phase Two of the redevelopment of the Bay of Islands Hospital in Kawakawa today. The new building will house outpatients and primary care facilities, as well as expanded renal care ...
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  • Cabinet accepts Turkish authorities’ request for the managed return of three NZ citizens
    Cabinet has agreed to the managed return of a New Zealand citizen and her two young children from Turkey, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. The three have been in immigration detention in Turkey since crossing the border from Syria earlier this year. Turkey has requested that New Zealand repatriate ...
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  • Govt delivers more classrooms so children can focus on learning
    Extra Government investment in classrooms and school building projects will enable students and teachers to focus on education rather than overcrowding as school rolls grow across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis say. The pair visited Ruakākā School in Whangārei today to announce $100 ...
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  • New station a platform for AirportLink to take off
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  • 10 days sick leave for employees delivered
    Legislation doubling employees’ minimum sick leave entitlement to 10 days comes into effect today, bringing benefits to both businesses and employees, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Our Government is delivering on a key manifesto commitment to help Kiwis and workplaces stay healthy,” Michael Wood said. “COVID-19 ...
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    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister congratulates Fiame Naomi Mata’afa on Election Win
    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tonight congratulated Prime Minister-elect Fiame Naomi Mata’afa on her victory in the Samoa’s general election. “New Zealand has a special relationship with Samoa, anchored in the Treaty of Friendship. We look forward to working with Samoa’s new government in the spirit of partnership that characterises this ...
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  • Quarantine Free Travel with Australia suspended
    Quarantine Free Travel from all Australian states and territories to New Zealand is being suspended as the Covid situation there worsens, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. From 11.59pm today Australians will no longer be able to enter New Zealand quarantine-free. This will be ...
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    5 days ago

  • Growing conservation efforts in Gisborne
    A big injection of Jobs for Nature funding will create much-needed jobs and financial security for families in TeTairāwhiti, and has exciting prospects for conservation in the region, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “The projects target local communities most affected by the economic consequences of COVID 19 and are designed ...
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    5 days ago

  • Flood recovery given further assistance
    The Government is contributing a further $1 million to help the flood battered Buller community, Acting Emergency Management Minister Kris Faafoi announced today. “Buller is a small community which has found itself suddenly facing significant and ongoing welfare costs. While many emergency welfare costs are reimbursed by Government, this money ...
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    6 days ago

  • Funding for five projects to reduce food waste
    The Government is funding five projects to help address the growing problem of food waste, Environment Minister David Parker announced today. “New Zealand households throw away nearly 300,000 tonnes of food every year, half of which could still be eaten. By supporting these initiatives, we’re taking steps to reduce this ...
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    6 days ago

  • Temporary Accommodation Service activated for West Coast flooding event
    The Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated today - meaning residents on the West Coast of the South Island and in the Marlborough region hit by flooding over the weekend can now access help finding temporary accommodation, announced Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Poto Williams in Westport today. ...
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    1 week ago

  • Pause to Quarantine Free Travel from South Australia to New Zealand
    Quarantine Free Travel from South Australia to New Zealand will be paused from 11.59am (NZT) tonight, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. However, people currently in the state who ordinarily live in New Zealand will be able to return on “managed return” flights starting with the next available flight, ...
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    1 week ago

  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity by Chinese state-sponsored actors
    New Zealand has established links between Chinese state-sponsored actors known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT40) and malicious cyber activity in New Zealand. “The GCSB has worked through a robust technical attribution process in relation to this activity. New Zealand is today joining other countries in strongly condemning this malicious ...
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    1 week ago

  • Remarks to Diplomatic Corps
    It is a pleasure to be with you all this evening. Some of you may have been surprised when you received an invitation from the Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control, and I would forgive you if you were. New Zealand is unique in having established a Ministerial portfolio ...
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    1 week ago

  • Early Pfizer shipment boosts vaccine schedule
    The largest shipment of the Pfizer vaccine to date has arrived into New Zealand two days ahead of schedule, and doses are already being delivered to vaccination centres around the country, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. “The shipment of more than 370,000 doses reached New Zealand yesterday, following a ...
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    1 week ago

  • Backing for Bay of Islands predator free effort
    The Government is throwing its support behind an ambitious project to restore native biodiversity and build long-term conservation careers, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. Predator Free Bay of Islands aims to eradicate predators from the three main peninsulas in the region, and significantly reduce their impact throughout the wider 80,000-plus ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government commits $600,000 to flood recovery
    The Government is contributing $600,000 to help residents affected by the weekend’s violent weather with recovery efforts. Acting Minister for Emergency Management Kris Faafoi and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor have been in the Buller district this afternoon to assess flood damage and support the local response effort. They have announced ...
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    1 week ago

  • Government assisting local responses to heavy rainfall and high wind
    Acting Minister of Emergency Management Kris Faafoi says Central Government is monitoring the severe weather across the country, and is ready to provide further support to those affected if necessary. “My thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this latest event, particularly communities on the West Coast and ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • PM Ardern chairs APEC Leaders’ meeting on COVID-19
    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has chaired a meeting of Leaders representing the 21 APEC economies overnight. “For the first time in APEC’s history Leaders have come together for an extraordinary meeting focused exclusively on COVID-19, and how our region can navigate out of the worst health and economic ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Health Minister welcomes progress on nurses’ pay
    The New Zealand Nurses Organisation’s decision to take the Government’s improved pay offer to members and to lift strike notices is a positive move towards settling district health board nurses’ pay claims, Health Minister Andrew Little said. “It’s encouraging that the discussions between NZNO and DHBs over the nurses’ employment ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Boost for Pacific regional business
    Pacific businesses will get a much-needed financial boost as they recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the new Pacific Aotearoa Regional Enterprise Fund, said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.  The new $2 million fund will co-invest in Pacific business projects and initiatives to create ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • PM Ardern call with President Biden
    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke with US President Biden this morning, ahead of the APEC Informal Leaders’ Retreat on COVID-19. “President Biden and I discussed the forthcoming APEC leaders meeting and the critical importance of working together as a region to navigate out of the COVID-19 pandemic”, Jacinda Ardern said. ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Renewed partnership creates jobs for New Zealand youth
    The Government has signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, strengthening the partnership to get more young people into work.  The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) is a nationwide network of all Mayors in New Zealand, who are committed to making sure all young ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • South Island areas prioritised in tourism fund
    Five South Island areas are prioritised in the latest round of decisions from a tourism fund that is supporting infrastructure projects from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island and the Chathams. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has announced details of 57 nationwide projects to receive support from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF). ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • New code sets clear expectations for learner safety and wellbeing in tertiary education
    A new code of practice for the pastoral care of domestic tertiary and international students will be in place from January next year, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today The code, which makes clear that creating an environment that supports learning and wellbeing is a shared responsibility between tertiary providers, ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • First TAB New Zealand Board appointments announced
    The members of the first TAB NZ Board come with experience in racing and sport administration, business and governance, the betting industry, broadcasting and gambling harm minimisation. “This Board will progress from the excellent work done by the interim board, put in place in August 2020,” Grant Robertson said. “The ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Northland Maori Pathways initiative introduced
    The Government has today launched Māori Pathways at Northland Region Corrections Facility, a ground-breaking series of initiatives designed in partnership with Māori to reduce re-offending and improve outcomes for whānau. A key part of the Hōkai Rangi strategy, Māori Pathways looks to achieve long-term change and involves a number of ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Extended Essential Skills visas being rolled out
    Two year Essential Skills visa to provide certainty to at least 18,000 visa holders Streamlined application process to benefit at least 57,000 visa holders The Government is increasing the duration of some Essential Skills visas and streamlining the application process to provide more certainty to employers and visa holders while ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Pause to Quarantine Free Travel from Victoria to New Zealand
    Quarantine Free Travel from Victoria to New Zealand will be paused from 1.59am (NZT) Friday, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. The decision follows updated public health advice from New Zealand officials and a growing number of cases and locations of interest. The pause will run for at least ...
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