Open mike 16/06/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 16th, 2023 - 59 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

59 comments on “Open mike 16/06/2023 ”

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  1. adam 1
    16 June 2023 at 7:50 am

    Good coverage at the daily blog on the whole RNZ story.

    Be nice if this country had some more journalists with courage. Instead too many have made a virtue of stenographers and gotcha hacks. This will happen when we suck on the propaganda bubble.

    • Sanctuary 1.1
      16 June 2023 at 8:11 am

      The Daily Blog weekly measurably descends further and further into a conspiracy theory laden cesspit of stupidity.

      It is difficult to over-emphasise how much the The Daily Blog has drifted to a far right conspiracy theory site these days. Bradbury makes claims about events conducted by "the woke" and "the professional middle class" that happen outside the realm of observation, that are often outlandish and far-fetched, and that are not even necessarily meant to be believed, but rather function as part of his on going smear campaigns against his vast array of enemies real and imagined.

      • SPC 1.1.1
        16 June 2023 at 8:47 am

        It's being part of being of the alt media, here man of the people/popular masses/working class against the establiishment.

        Being one of that group, while of the left, reminds one of the Strasser brothers, however Bomber is more the man vs woke liberal feminists than an ally of the race based social conservatives.

        • Tiger Mountain 1.1.1.1
          16 June 2023 at 1:24 pm

          You handle the Gonzo nature of TDB or not I guess. It started out with union sponsors and some pretty good writers, most of whom rarely contribute any more. Wayne Hope, Susan St. John, Dr David Robie and Mike Treen being exceptions albeit not regularly.

          It is a bit of a blocked S–bend the way a bunch of nutters have slipped their collar from various right wing blogs and been encouraged at TDB. The “woke” meme and late 90s look are indeed tiresome.

          And…The Standard…some great people here, and some unrepentant Rogernomes.

      • roy cartland 1.1.2
        16 June 2023 at 9:42 am

        I agree with Sanc re BB's writing style, it's combative, puerile and reads like an absolute dog. I wish he had someone to second and make his thoughts more readable, as there is a lot of good stuff that's he's trying to say amongst all that.

        I suggested he hire Toby Manhire to write on his behalf (instead of just railing about him), as that guy can seriously write, but the comment got blocked laugh.

      • adam 1.1.3
        16 June 2023 at 11:40 am

        Case of attack the messenger and not the message. Or in a political debate we'd call that a straw-man in search of missing the point.

        • weka 1.1.3.1
          16 June 2023 at 1:45 pm

          Indeed. The pieces you link to weren't written by Bomber.

          • weka 1.1.3.1.1
            16 June 2023 at 1:54 pm

            next time put the authors' names in your comment rather than say it's TDB, might get more engagement. Quotes always help too.

            When people hide the URL in an embedded link, people can't see what the post is about, and imo they're less likely to click through.

            • adam 1.1.3.1.1.1
              16 June 2023 at 6:12 pm

              Sorry weka but those types of ad hominem towards Martyn Bradbury are lazy and quite childish.

              If people want to write emotive knee jerk responses, I'm not responsible for their laziness.

      • Mike the Lefty 1.1.4
        16 June 2023 at 6:30 pm

        I was a regular contributor to TDB for a few years but eventually got sick and tired of Bradbury's woke rants, the trolls and nutters who just wanted to abuse people, not engage in any meaningful debate. So I came here instead, much better.

    • Incognito 1.2
      16 June 2023 at 8:49 am

      How would you feel if I altered your comments without telling you and without your permission so that they would convey quite a different message?

      • SPC 1.2.1
        16 June 2023 at 8:57 am

        Did he change anything written by RNZ or just foreign sourced reports?

        Reuters might have a complaint with RNZ though, about the impact on its reputation.

      • aj 1.2.2
        16 June 2023 at 9:01 am

        …How would you feel…

        Exactly. He could/should have asked to write his own rebuttal. Wouldn't have been permitted of course.

        Like Max Blumenthal has here.

        https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1669228835936632832.html

      • adam 1.2.3
        16 June 2023 at 12:00 pm

        False equivalence, it's not personal for starters. Secondly, journalism is not stenography.

        Reports off the wire get changed all the time, to full out the context and put it into the local context.

        This time someone stuck it to propaganda spewing from a source, and people are acting like the world collapsed.

        War makes liars of all sides. If you think one side is telling the truth all the time, I have these NFT's I'd like to sell you…

        • Dennis Frank 1.2.3.1
          16 June 2023 at 12:28 pm

          Reports off the wire get changed all the time, to full out the context and put it into the local context.

          Such is sensible journalism. I suspect what the controversy is about is misrepresentation though. Amending stuff from Reuters would only have an ethical basis if the editor declared that the story had been amended…

          • adam 1.2.3.1.1
            16 June 2023 at 12:54 pm

            I suspect what the controversy is about is misrepresentation though.

            Not for me it's propaganda pure and simple. One person got caught not reporting the official narrative, and its' a shit storm. Ugly times.

    • Bearded Git 1.3
      16 June 2023 at 9:22 am

      There is too much pro-Ukraine (almost propaganda) floating around in the MSM. It has been good to see a note of realism in the reporting of the recent Ukraine offensive operations.

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/14/ukraine-failed-assault-near-mala-tokmachka-raises-counteroffensive-challenges

      But I have difficulty with praise for The Daily Blog. Bomber's growing obsession with wokeness is frankly weird. And now he is criticising the Green's radical Wealth Tax saying:

      "but the reliance on a the wealth tax to do all the heavy lifting here is simply delusional."

      https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2023/06/16/why-green-party-wealth-tax-is-only-part-of-the-solution-and-cant-be-the-only-solution-and-why-ftt-and-land-tax-are/

      This is also weird-I thought Bomber was strongly in favour of a WT and to my knowledge the Greens have not ruled out other measures in addition to this. But he is right that a Land Tax is a good option.

    • Ed 1.4
      16 June 2023 at 10:05 am

      Totally agree Adam.

      I would suggest that some of the Standard's commentators fall into the same category for criticism as RNZ, hence the vitriolic attacks on the Daily Blog above.

      The words of Chris Trotter

      The people’s broadcaster became both the purveyor and defender of neoliberal and social-liberal orthodoxy – as swift to denounce Posie Parker as Vladimir Putin. Contracting-out economic commentary to the Aussie banks’ in-house economists, and political commentary to PR firms. It’s journalists appeared to be more comfortable attacking Hate Speech than defending Free Speech.

      Orthodoxy and Dissidence at the Standard – that would make a good post.

      • Sanctuary 1.4.1
        16 June 2023 at 11:31 am

        The main reasons the Daily Blog is criticised is 1) it's owner appears to be a deeply unpleasant bully and 2) the site is riddled with conspiracy thinking and alt-right memes. You only have to read the comments section to see the place attracts lunatics and losers by the bucketload.

        Bradbury's predilection for objectifying his enemies as collectively part of some sort of organised conspiracy is disturbing, and he seldom offers much by way of constructive solutions to anything. His posts generally consist of the same cut-and-pasted talking points endlessly and bombastically re-cycled. I mean, the guy believes in flying saucers FFS.

        I think a key difference between many of the contributors on this site and TDB is the Standard contains many people who have had successful careers working with or as part of institutions, and they bring with that actual life experience and insight into the difficulties of generating change in an environment that is ambiently hostile to even moderately left wing agendas. The TBD consists largely of serial complainers and professional fringe merchants who long ago fell victim to the romance of dissidence and whilst they are veterans of protest, they offer little by way of practical insight on how to get change over the line.

        Bradbury is an egotistical blowhard and a serial chancer whose failed attempts of being a disrupter to the hated establishment included buddying up to Kim Dotcom, because – surprise, surprise – he thought the Internet party would be the "king makers" who'd shake thing up. Nowadays he shills TOP and Maori party as the latest batters up in his quest to get payback on the establishment.

        He attracts some interesting commentators who should know better to his podcast I believe but the site itself is just a shithole.

        • Phillip ure 1.4.1.1
          16 June 2023 at 12:10 pm

          Um..!..top have some good policies..

          It is their using their votes to prop up a right-wing govt..that is their danger for any left-leaning voter seduced by those policies..

          ..and unsure of for why your apparent disdain for the maori party..?

          I see them..along with the greens..as being the spine labour is so lacking..

          That spinal deficit has been heavily underlined by their recent stint of total power..

          And what they didn't do with it…

          • Sanctuary 1.4.1.1.1
            16 June 2023 at 12:37 pm

            TPM seem to me to be largely interested in playing performative games as they really don't want to recognise the legitimacy of parliamentary government in NZ. Insofar as they don't believe in our current democratic arrangements or the legitimacy of the "settler state" they have no business with accepting a seat and salary within it's institutions.

            TOP are a contradiction in terms, a centrist anti-establishment party. In reality it is just another attempt at the suppression of politics with "applied common sense".

            • Phillip ure 1.4.1.1.1.1
              16 June 2023 at 3:16 pm

              I think the key word in your assessment of tpm is 'performative'..

              But dig down and their social policies are old school labour/dismantling of the neoliberal policies adhered to by labour post ' '84.

              And they are a tidy fit with the social policies of the greens..(hence my spine metaphor..)

              But looking past the 'performative'..much of tpm is whathat labour used to be all about..

              Another interesting aspect of this is I heard on mainstream media..that is that there has been a noticable increase on those on the maori roll..having moved from the general roll..

              And as far as that is concerned..I can only see tpm benefitting from that shift..

              And to my mind this will be a very good/coalition spine-building thing…

        • adam 1.4.1.2
          16 June 2023 at 12:20 pm

          Luckily the standard is not just a reflection of it commentators, otherwise it might be misread as a elitist, smug collection of know it all's who think their farts don't smell.

          • Sanctuary 1.4.1.2.1
            16 June 2023 at 12:23 pm

            I knew I recognised your nose pressed up against the window of the elitist annual dinner.

            We dined on foie gras, endangered creatures and seasoned it all with Martyn Bradbury’s salty tears. And oh! How we laughed.

          • Phillip ure 1.4.1.2.2
            16 June 2023 at 3:27 pm

            Of course as a vegan…(no rotting meat in there)…my farts don't smell..

            And if they did they would have a je ne sais quoi quality..

            And I do think I know some shit about some stuff…

            (Maybe that makes me ' smug'..?..and as a believer in education.. maybe also 'elitist'..?

            Guilty as charged…?

      • tWiggle 1.4.3
        16 June 2023 at 11:54 am

        a critique of Trotter's position on free speech from a reddit discussion 10 months ago that sums up him up nicely.

        ' ….Because the narrative that [Trotter] is constructing is one that the left wing, not the right, is actively dismantling and destroying the system of rights and privileges that we as a democracy have..

        …It's dangerous because what it does is shift the narrative from the clear and present danger being presented by the far right to our democracy and social cohesion to one being presented by the left; spearheaded by a Labour government with all infinite power to change our lives via a majority in Parliament and further supported by the Greens and their "extremist" views.

        It portrays those on the far right, and on the right in general, as very much victims of a wider plot by the left to shut them out of democracy and violating their freedom of expression. It's an attempt to gaslight the public into believing that they are the "true victims" of perceived state repression and paint them in a more positive light by dressing their cause up as a resistance to overbearing government mandates and regulations, the dark veil of "censorship" via "cancel culture", and the many other talking points of the culture war the right has wholesale adopted from elsewhere.'

        • adam 1.4.3.1
          16 June 2023 at 12:10 pm

          Censorship is a slippery sloop and far to many on the left and the right have embraced it as normal.

          But to call someone far right for opposing the curtailing of free speech, or anti-democratic is really clutching at straws.

          • tWiggle 1.4.3.1.1
            16 June 2023 at 12:43 pm

            It's censorship if facts are suppressed, but it's not facts that are the weapons of choice, but disinformation, feelings, nebulous rumours, fostering political tribalism, and hate-filled othering of minorities.

            Listen to the RNZ interview: ethical journalists and truthful(ish) governments are caught in a stick: reportage to debunk becomes amplification of the lies.

            • adam 1.4.3.1.1.1
              16 June 2023 at 1:09 pm

              Did you miss the opening remarks, they have convicted the reporter and effectively calling him a Putin puppet. Then moan how could this happen to RNZ.

              You undercut you own argument by that piece of reporting being emotive, fostering political tribalism, and disinformation. Their feeling have been hurt and the digital reporter is to blame.

              It felt like a skit from not the nine o'clock news. This is why I hardly listen to RNZ after it got gutted by Key and co. 9 till noon is just truly awful, the stasi would be proud.

              • Dennis Frank …
                16 June 2023 at 1:27 pm

                Yeah, that default to a mainstreamer view eternally propounded by state media has always irritated me too. You can see why online culture has proliferated alt views. Trouble is, too many are delusional.

                It's the antique conundrum: caught between the devil & the deep blue sea. The devil works within the control system to direct state media toward controller-approved narratives while competing storytellers have another toke & hallucinate. However the good news is that we can escape that binary via a third alternative: relativise all views.

                The 21st century alt-media ocean is treacherous. We'd like somewhere to stand on common ground, but it's all awash out there…

                • tWiggle …
                  16 June 2023 at 3:29 pm

                  It's delusional to think we live in societies without bias. It's that Chomsky thing, where to function together, we have to agree on a few basic stories about ourselves. Of course governments shape that narrative.

                  I became aware of 'party lines' at the age of 10 or so. The Catholic magazine, Zelandia I think it was, had a different version of events in the 'Irish Troubles' from the BBC-derived story on tv news here. And, of course, there was the gap between scurrilous, but true, Wellington gossip Muldoon and what appeared in national media. Oh, and working out that Readers Digest toilet reading spun emotive yarns.

                  That why we have brains, to learn how detect bullshit when it's being flogged to us.Unfortunately, Trump began an avalanche of ‘alternative facts’ in political discourse. Chaff strewing wasa Nazi propaganda tactic – put so much in the water that facts and logical discourse become obscured by outrage of the day.

              • Phillip ure …
                16 June 2023 at 3:30 pm

                So…who do you 'listen to' adam..?

                Hosking perchance..?

                • adam …
                  16 June 2023 at 5:35 pm

                  No, The ABC in Australia mainly their Phil

                  • Phillip ure …
                    16 June 2023 at 10:28 pm

                    Abc is solid enough…

                    • adam …
                      17 June 2023 at 1:17 am

                      It has it own set of problems. But on the whole I find it better than most here. Also broader in the people and opinions it expresses. Bigger population helps.

                      During the submissions on RNZ and TVNZ I put forward the idea, That the ABC take over operations of our public media, and tax the banks to pay for it – as they are Australian anyway.

              • tWiggle …
                16 June 2023 at 4:51 pm

                Reuters produces general news content, and does not allow change of their content of without permission, which is what the RNZ editor did. This broke both the editor's responsibility as an employee, and RNZ's terms and conditions with Reuters.

                Here's Reuters rating for factual reliability. 'Reuters achieved the fifth-highest score for any site that we analyzed. This suggests that articles from Reuters are highly neutral in their reporting, strictly conveying information in an objective and unbiased way.'

                And here is RTs rating. 'RT scored an average Factual Grade of 41.8%, placing it in the 1st percentile of our dataset. This is the third-lowest score for any site that we analyzed.'

                • adam …
                  16 June 2023 at 6:02 pm

                  Really, quoting the corporate web site factual who is owned by yahoo – who in turn are owned by Apollo Asset Management a company who ranks rather low on most trust meters, and quite high on the corporate spin meters is rather funny. Irony is such a harsh task master.

                  What the does the straw man RT have to do with anything?

                  In wars people lie. Short and simple. Don't think for one minute Reuters are above it, they have been caught lying before and lying by omission is still a lie.

                  This is old, but it might help

                  https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2022/0304/They-seem-so-like-us-How-bias-creeps-into-war-reporting

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  16 June 2023 at 7:28 pm

                  What a great site – new to me – thanks.

                  https://www.thefactual.com/blog/biased-factual-reliable-new-sources/

                  'The Factual' analyses (among many things) articles written by media organisations/news sources to obtain a "Factual Grade", and a "Writing Tone" metric (how neutral/opinionated articles are) for each source.

                  Here's Reuters rating for factual reliability. 'Reuters achieved the fifth-highest score for any site that we analyzed. This suggests that articles from Reuters are highly neutral in their reporting, strictly conveying information in an objective and unbiased way.'

                  According to the info in that link, "Reuters scored an average Factual Grade of 69.8%", which places it in 42nd place (of 239 sources analysed.) Reuters' average 'Writing Tone' score was 0.80, which has the much higher ranking of 5th place.

                  So, Reuters is pretty good overall, and better for 'Tone' than 'Factual'.

                  Interestingly (unsurprisingly?), five of the top ten 'Factual' sources have strong STEM themes:

                  Smithsonian Magazine…85.9%
                  Science Alert………………..80.9%
                  Space.com……………………80.5%
                  MIT Technology Review 75.9%
                  New Scientist……………….75.4%

                  "Publisher Bias" is "Center" for all five of these sources.

            • The Chairman 1.4.3.1.1.2
              16 June 2023 at 6:50 pm

              It's not facts that are the weapons of choice, but disinformation…

              But what happens when so-called disinformation turns out to be true? If we quickly censor it (the truth) as disinformation, it would never come out.

              For example, Nicky Hager vs the NZ Defence Force.

              What they had claimed was a key flaw in the allegations in the 2017 book was, in fact, correct.

              https://www.nbr.co.nz/defence-cover-up-starts-to-unravel/

              That’s merely one reason why what you are pushing/supporting needs to be stopped.

    • Nic the NZer 1.5
      16 June 2023 at 4:01 pm

      Something very odd at the end of the article discussing the Australian diplomat. Apparently Luke Harding wants to highlight the diplomats involvement in the now discredited Trump Russia investigation. That looks rather odd coming from the author of the book 'Collusion', promoting the whole conspiracy.

  2. Dennis Frank 2
    16 June 2023 at 9:16 am

    Neoliberals do gradualism routinely. The idea is that Adam's Smith's invisible hand takes a while to get moving – but boy, it sure is inertial once it gets moving.

    the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton who commissioned a report to look at the country’s electricity generation options as it decarbonises. The findings will also make National’s energy policy look ridiculous, given that it has pledged to immediately scrap all work on Onslow if it forms the next government. What will leave even more egg on National’s face is that it has generally taken notice of what Upton has had to say on issues like the Natural and Built Environments Bill and climate change. And, after all, he is a former National Minister and a pretty significant one at that.

    Upton’s report finds that the annual emissions savings from Onslow (including from the construction of Onslow) would be equivalent to around 0.06% of New Zealand’s total emissions.

    https://www.politik.co.nz/report-offers-suprising-conclusion/ | Politik

    Accuse me of heresy if you like, but a big spend-up to eliminate .06% of a problem ain't no master-stroke. However, David Parker sometimes gets it right – best to wait & see.

    So the difference between National & Labour re climate change is the difference between do nothing and do something infinitesimally small. Simon Upton does us all a favour by high-lighting this dramatic difference between the right & the left.

    • Bearded Git 2.1
      16 June 2023 at 9:41 am

      Reading that:

      1. Hydrogen makes no sense at all.
      2. Onslow only saves 0.06% of NZ's emissions so is also a non-starter.
      3. Closing Tiwai would buy NZ a lot of time. During this time rapidly evolving battery technology may well advance to a point that battery-storage as opposed to Onslow-storage would be cheaper and more efficient. At the same time other power saving technologies would also be developed such as smart meters for homes.

      So close down Tiwai.

  3. tWiggle 3
    16 June 2023 at 10:22 am

    Paul the Other One discusses the safety meaures recommended for election candidates this year.

    The CT crowd engendered from Covid measures has mutated into a general anti-democracy movement.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 3.1
      16 June 2023 at 2:08 pm

      How to talk to someone about conspiracy theories in five simple steps
      [21 January 2023]

      Conspiracy Theories Can Be Undermined with These Strategies, New Analysis Shows [5 April 2023]

      Thanks tWiggle – I do hope that the 'make NZ ungovernable' anti-democracy movement doesn't grow, but multiple global challenges are fuelling conspiracy theories/theorists.

      Would value- (save lives), evidence-based responses to pandemic threats have caused a smaller ripple of disaffection 40 years ago? Possibly less 'entitled exceptionalism', no online social media amplifying fringe theories, and less backlash against 'team of 3 million'-type memes? It may be self deception, but I'd like to think so.

      The Weaponization of Conspiracy Theories: A Growing National Security Threat [11 May 2022; PDF]
      Humans do not cognitively manage uncertainty well. We regularly look for quick, simplified answers to assuage the discomfort that comes with attempting to discern meaning in the ambiguity and nuance of significant events, such as 9/11 or the coronavirus pandemic. Conspiracy theories provide one such pathway to resolving uncertainty in the face of reality’s complexity and they often present new communities for disaffected individuals. In this new in-group, individuals find fellow travelers of like mind, and most importantly, there is a diminished chance that one’s niche, outlandish thoughts will be derided by their peers. Conspiracy theories often present individuals a means to express agency and conduct a personal or collective search for truth — a process of discovery that can reduce uncertainty and provide a sense of purpose. However, conspiracy theories rarely exist in isolation and often overlap heavily with other conspiracy theories, creating suites of similarly oriented outlooks that can be rotated at will by adherents. Thus, the process of discovery can become an all-consuming facet of one’s life that perpetually moves the goal posts on identifying “truth.”

      Choose your reality: Trust wanes, conspiracy theories rise [10 July 2022]
      Rejecting what they hear from scientists, journalists or public officials, these people instead embrace tales of dark plots and secret explanations. And their beliefs, say experts who study misinformation and extremism, reflect a widespread loss of faith in institutions like government and media.

      Conspiracy theories are dangerous even if very few people believe them [20 September 2022]

      Shining a spotlight on the dangerous consequences of conspiracy theories [October 2022]
      The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated how conspiracy beliefs–that explain important events as the secret actions of the powerful–can severely impact health choices (such as reduced infection-prevention behaviours). However, the consequences of conspiracy beliefs span far beyond the topic of COVID-19. This review shines a spotlight on how conspiracy beliefs could impact public and personal health (e.g., vaccine uptake), democratic citizenship (e.g., political engagement), intergroup relations (e.g., prejudice and discrimination), and may inspire violence and extremism. We argue that conspiracy beliefs are likely to have the power to mobilise citizens in ways detrimental to a smooth-running society.

      Contemporary trends in psychological research on conspiracy beliefs. A systematic review [8 February 2023]
      The research presents evidence on the links between conspiracy beliefs and a range of attitudes and behaviors considered unfavorable from the point of view of individuals and of the society at large. It turned out that different constructs of conspiracy thinking interact with each other.

      • adam 3.1.1
        16 June 2023 at 6:45 pm

        To boil down your posts, and what a slog, they are all about anti-radicalization in any form.

        Which in the face of economic beating most people are taking is well, I'll let you decide.

        Plus the climate crisis, this pressure on people and their lives is just getting worse.

        Come on, be honest with people. About the economic situation they are in and why its that way – and most of this crap about conspiracy theories will fall by the way side.

        To pretend that this system is fine, and people are not suffering from this hellish economic b.s. – makes you just as bad, if not worse, than those pushing conspiracy theories.

        And because we all need a laugh

        http://www.itanimulli.com/

  4. tWiggle 4
    16 June 2023 at 4:17 pm

    Thanks DM Kram for listing those refs.

  5. Jilly Bee 5
    16 June 2023 at 5:07 pm

    I was delighted to see that despite what Michael Wood has gone through (OK, he should have got rid of those damn shares much earlier), he still has managed a quick reposte to Erica Stanford's witterings on the AM show this morning. Being retired, I don't do mornings, let alone what passes for morning TV shows, though I was up bright and bushy tailed today to do battle at our local CAB. I came across this snippet on STUFF and had a wee chortle. I also took note of Erica Stanford on '7 Days' last evening in the 'Yes Minister' segment. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the format, a parliamentarian, Minister, Back Bencher, Govt or Opposition MP cames in to answer questions which are pretty loaded and they are not to answer YES or NO. Our Erica was in jovial spirits and answering correctly until she didn't and said the Y word, so that was that. She looked as black as her outfit when told to vacate the stage – the old saying came to me 'if looks could kill'. I don't think she was a happy chappy.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300907038/weve-never-gone-quite-that-far–tv-gaffe-leaves-mps-in-awkward-laughter

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    1/ Jobseeker numbers are going the opposite way of Luxon’s KPIs. Against a target of minus 50,000 by 2030, the new forecast shows the Government is looking at an increase of 24,000 jobseekers in its first term.In Thomas Coughlin’s report, Upton responds by blaming Labour: “We inherited an economy in ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 day ago
  • Kaka project: What could a revamped Entrust do with/for/to Vector?

    Long story short, I interviewed transport and energy activist Patrick Reynolds this week about the bid to run Entrust by a new campaign group he’s part of called More for you; better for Auckland. There’s a lot more detail in this GreaterAuckland post and on ‘Better’s’ website.They’re campaigning to win ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Missing the Feckin’ Targets

    And although my eyes were openThey might just as well have been closedAnd so it was laterWhen the miller told this taleHe said that her face at first just ghostlyAnd then turned a whiter shade of paleSongwriters: Keith Reid / Gary BrookerI want to talk about two things today, subjects ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Deadly floods and streams of non-solutions

    Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:Central Europe is reeling from the devastating effects of Storm Boris, which has so far caused 21 deaths and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 20-September-2024

    Welcome to the end of the week, as we head towards the spring equinox. Let us brighten your week with links to stories about how to make our city a little greater. This roundup is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew. If you’d like to support our work ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • Three years of recession deeper than GFC

    Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September 20:New Zealand’s total GDP contracted less than expected in the June quarter, but per-capita GDP extended its three-year-long slump at a rate that is faster than ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • That’s Gangsta!

    The gang patch legislation finally passed in the House after a long period of fanfare from National. Gangs won’t be allowed to publicly display gang insignia on the body or in vehicles, and if they’re very naughty i.e. caught thrice, police will be able to enter private homes to search.How ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 20

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-host talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including media coverage of extreme events and how big tech is gobbling up so much renewable power growth; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • A very healthy distrust of how this Government is handling health across the board is needed…

    And alongside that, is the ultimate question for the public, and indeed Opposition Parties trying to appeal for enough of the public to support a change from this heinous direction of travel being imposed on us: how much of the damage here can even be stopped in time? Let us ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    2 days ago
  • Hang up on him David, just stop

    There is a story I want to tell, but I'm not going to begin with it because it would be too abrupt. I'll start by telling you that I'm a big fan of the way Nicola Toki conveys her message. And Nicola Toki is a big fan of the way Jane ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Tax the rich!

    We already know that the rich people aren't paying their fair share. But it turns out its worse than that: we're a tax-haven! Our rich people pay lower taxes here than in any comparable country: Well-off New Zealanders are paying less tax than their peers in nine similar OECD ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Worse and worse

    Cancer Minister Casey Costello is in trouble again over her secret, magically appearing tobacco policy document. The Ombudsman has already found that she acted contrary to law in refusing requests for it; now she has been referred to the Chief Archivist over a possible breach of the Public Records Act ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • NZ’s lack of a capital gains tax means the richest here pay vastly less than elsewhere

    The lack of a capital gains tax means the richest Kiwis are sitting pretty compared to taxpayers overseas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 19:New Zealand’s richest ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Verrall to Levy: “Health NZ NDAs are North Korean – Get rid of it.”

    Open article. Note the video of the Health Select Committee excerpts starts at 1:22 In watching the Health Select Committee yesterday, it became clear to me why Margie Apa remains Health NZ CEO.During Levy’s testimony, Apa sat like a rock next to her boss. She nodded supportively, scribbled notes to ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • The Show Must Go On

    Empty spaces, what are we living for?Abandoned places, I guess we know the score, on and onDoes anybody know what we are looking for?Another hero, another mindless crimeBehind the curtain, in the pantomimeHold the lineDoes anybody want to take it anymore?The show must go onSongwriters: Brian May / Freddie Mercury ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Managing on-street parking for local benefit

    This guest post by Malcolm McCracken originally appeared on his blog Better Things Are Possible, and is republished here by kind permission. The case for Parking Benefit Districts: managing on-street parking for local benefit Parking is often the centre of debate in our cities; particularly on-street car parks, who gets ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Doubling down?

    This is a re-post from And Then There's Physics I wrote a post a little while ago commenting on a Sabine Hossenfelder video suggesting that she was now worried about climate change because the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS) could be much higher than most estimates have suggested. I wasn’t too taken with Sabine’s arguments, and there were others ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Too much haste & waste in Simeon Brown’s need for speed

    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong story short, the Government’s myopia of only choosing transport policies that reduce travel times means we’re missing out on the health benefits of more cycling and walking, along with the health cost savings from fewer accidents, less pollution and mentally healthier ways of getting ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • What seemed so simple is now so complex

    The Health NZ rescue that seemed so simple back in July was presented to a Select Committee yesterday as a complex challenge that could take some years to sort out. In July, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Health NZ was on track to record a deficit of $1.4 billion for ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • The utterances of Shane Jones

    Let us consider the utterances of Shane Jones.Let us consider the derogatory terms of abuseNow is not the time for Green Wombles, it's black and white decision making.We will stand with the energy industry and ensure they are not monstered by Green Termites nibbling away at our economic capital.The Green ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ukrainian militia receives defective shipment of pagers that just send and receive messages

    There’s been a major setback for one Ukrainian-backed militia on the Russian border, after the group ordered a large shipment of pagers to use as improvised explosive devices. The plan was to litter the pagers throughout abandoned homes and buildings in hopes of wounding Russian soldiers. But upon arrival of ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    3 days ago
  • A constitutional shitshow

    Last month, we learned that the government was half-arsing its anti-gang legislation, adding a significant, pre-planned, BORA-abusing amendment at the committee stage, avoiding all the usual scrutiny processes. But it gets worse. Because having done it once, they're now planning to recall the bill in order to add another such ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Political Round Up

    Note: An earlier version of this article noted Levy was a “party time Health NZ commissioner” - this has been updated - forgive my Freudian slip.Dr Lester Levy is charging $320,000 a year to be a part time Health NZ commissioner. Rachel Thomas reports that Levy is still teaching 2 ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Postcard from Sydney: Southwest and City Metro extension

    This is a guest post from Sydney reader Nik Clement After 2 years in Auckland I moved back to Sydney just over a year ago. While in Auckland, I went to the opening of Puhinui station and used it a fair bit, living in Manukau Central and being able ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Tolling revolt brewing in National heartland

    Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 18:Locals gathered in Woodville last night to protest at the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s decision to toll the new road linking the Manawatu and Hawkes Bay, saying ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • The doom spiral

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In his last post, Zeke discussed incredible warmth of 2023 and 2024 and its implications for future warming. A few readers looked at it and freaked out: This is terrifying and This update really put me in a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Government directs Te Puni Kōkiri to conduct Māori Language Week in English

    The coalition government has issued a directive to Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, instructing them that – in the interests of clear communication – they are to conduct this year’s Māori Language Week primarily or exclusively in English. The directive is in line with the Government’s policy ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    4 days ago
  • Government celebrates fact that New Zealand’s healthcare is so good people are queuing up for it a...

    At yesterday’s post-cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, flanked by his Health Minister Shane Reti and someone we can’t independently verify was a real sign language interpreter, announced that he had some positive news for the country. “Alright team, I’m just going to hand over to uh, Dr. Shane, ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    4 days ago
  • Heartwarming: Thoughtful driver uses indicator to tell you what they’ve just done

    It’s 4:10pm in the morning, and you’re in the middle lane heading north on the great southern motorway of our nation’s capital, Auckland. There are no cars directly in front of you, but quite a few in the lane to your left. Suddenly, without warning, a black ute enters your ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    4 days ago
  • NPC teams will now be allowed to actually use the Ranfurly Shield in play

    Following decades of controversy, the governing body of New Zealand rugby, New Zealand Rugby, has ruled that the team currently holding the Ranfurly Shield may once again use it in play during the National Provincial Championship (NPC). The ruling restores the utility of a prize that for many years was ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    4 days ago
  • Climbing out of the hamster wheel

    I arrived home with a head full of fresh ideas about mindfulness and curbing impulsive aspects in my character.On the second night home I grabbed a piece of ginger and began swiftly slicing it on our industrial strength mandolin, the one I have learned through painful experience to treat with ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • More Notes From Stinky Town

    Good morning, folks. Another wee note from a chilly Rotorua morning that looks much clearer than yesterday. As I write, the pink glow in the east is slowly growing, and soon, the palest of blue skies should become a bit more royal.A couple of people mentioned yesterday that I should ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Make it make sense: why axe valuable local projects?

    Last week, Matt looked at how the government wants to pour a huge chunk of civic infrastructure funding for a generation  into one mega-road up North, at huge cost and huge opportunity cost. A smaller but no less important feature of the National Land Transport Plan devised by Minister of Transport ...
    Greater AucklandBy Jolisa
    4 days ago
  • Driving blind at higher speeds

    An open letter by experts about plans to raise speed limits warns the “tragic consequence will be more New Zealanders losing their lives or suffering severe injury, along with a substantial burden on the nation's healthcare and rehabilitation services”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • 2024’s unusually persistent warmth

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink My inaugural post on The Climate Brink 18 months ago looked at the year 2024, and found that it was likely to be the warmest year on record on the back of a (than forecast) El Nino event. I suggested “there is a real chance ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • National plan for 2000 more Kiwis a year in prison

    Open for allYesterday, Luxon congratulated his government on a job well done with emergency housing numbers, but advocates have been saying it‘s likely many are on the streets and sleeping in cars.Q&A featured some of the folks this weekend - homeless and in cars. Yes.The government’s also confirmed they stopped ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • I Found a Note in a Tree

    Hi,On most days I try to go on a walk through nature to clear my head from the horrors of life. Because as much as I like people, I also think it’s incredibly important to get very far away from them. To be reminded that there are also birds, lizards, ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Politicians need to lift their game

    Declining trust in New Zealand politicians should be a warning to them to lift their game. Results from the New Zealand Election Study for the 2023 election show that the level of trust in politicians has once again declined. Perhaps it is not surprising that the results, shared as part ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Police say they won’t respond to bomb threats anymore as ‘it’s never anything’

    Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says that New Zealand’s police force will no longer respond to bomb threats, in an attempt to cut costs and redirect police resources to less boring activities. Coster said that threat response and bomb disposal was a “fairly obvious” area for downsizing, as bomb threats are ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    5 days ago
  • A dysfunctional watchdog

    The reality of any right depends on how well it is enforced. But as The Post points out this morning, our right to official information isn't being enforced very well at all: More than a quarter of complaints about access to official information languish for more than a year, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change: The threat of a good example

    Since taking office, the climate-denier National government has gutted agricultural emissions pricing, ended the clean car discount, repealed water quality standards which would have reduced agricultural emissions, gutted the clean car standard, killed the GIDI scheme, and reversed efforts to reduce pollution subsidies in the ETS - basically every significant ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vegas Baby

    Good morning, lovely people. Don’t worry. This isn’t really a newsletter, just a quick note. I’m sitting in our lounge, looking out over a gloomy sky. Although being Rotorua, the view is periodically interrupted by steam bursting from pipes and dispersing—like an Eastern European industrial hellscape during the Cold War.Drinking ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Why Entrust Needs New Leadership

    I am part of a new team running in the Entrust election in October. Entrust is a community electricity trust representing a significant part of Auckland, set up to serve the community. It is governed by five trustees are elected every three years in an election the trust itself oversees. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • London Bridge is falling down

    In the UK, London is the latest of council groups to signal potential bankruptcy.That’s after Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, went bankrupt in June, resulting in reduced sanitation services, libraries cut, and dimmed streetlights.Some in the city described things as “Dickens” like.Please, Sir, Can I have some more?For families with ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Govt may kick elderly out of hospitals

    The Government is considering how to shunt elderly people out of hospitals, and also how to cut their access to other support. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Getting the nephs off the couch

    The so-called “Prince of the Provinces”, Shane Jones, went home last Friday. Perhaps not quite literally home, more like 20 kilometres down the road from his house on the outskirts of Kerikeri. With its airport, its rapidly growing (mostly retired) population, and a commercial centre with all the big retail ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • De moralibus orcorum: Sargon of Akkad, Rings of Power, Evil, and George R.R. Martin

    I have noted before that The Rings of Power has attracted its unfortunate share of culture war obsessives. Essentially, for a certain type of individual, railing on about the Wokery of Modern Media is a means of making themselves a online livelihood. Clicks and views and advertising revenue, and all ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37

    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 8, 2024 thru Sat, September 14, 2024. Story of the week From time to time we like to make our Story of the Week all about us— and ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • Salvation For Us All

    Yesterday, I ruminated about the effects of being a political follower.And, within politics, David Seymour was smart enough on Friday to divert attention from “race blind” policies [what about gender blind I thought - thinking of maternity wards] and cutting school lunches by throwing meat to the media. Teachers were ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A warm embrace

    Far, far away from here lives our King. Some of his subjects can be quite the forelock tuggers, but plenty of us are not like that, and why don't I wheel out my favourite old story once more about Kiwi soldiers in the North African desert?Field Marshal Montgomery takes offence ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Literal clowns are running the place, we must put a timeout on this stupidity… right Aotearoa?

    These people are inept on every level. They’re inept to the detriment of our internal politics, cohesion and increasingly our international reputation. And they are reveling in the fact they are getting away with it. We cannot even have “respectful debate” with a government that clearly rejects the very ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    7 days ago
  • Fact brief – Does manmade CO2 have any detectable fingerprint?

    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 John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Does manmade CO2 have any ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago
  • Judge Not.

    Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:1-2FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY men and women professing the Christian faith would appear to have imperilled their immortal souls. ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago
  • Managed Democracy: Letting The People Decide, But Only When They Can Be Relied Upon To Give the Righ...

    Uh-uh! Not So Fast, Citizens! The power to initiate systemic change remains where it has always been in New Zealand’s representative democracy – in Parliament. To order a binding referendum, the House of Representatives must first to be persuaded that, on the question proposed, sharing its decision-making power with the people ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago
  • Looking For Labour’s Vital Signs.

    Flatlining: With no evidence of a genuine policy disruptor at work in Labour’s ranks, New Zealand’s wealthiest citizens can sleep easy.PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN has walked a picket-line. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has threatened “price-gauging” grocery retailers with price control. The Democratic Party’s 2024 platform situates it well to the left of Sir ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago
  • Forty Years Of Remembering To Forget.

    The Beginning of the End: Rogernomics became the short-hand descriptor for all the radical changes that swept away New Zealand’s social-democratic economy and society between 1984 and 1990. In the bitterest of ironies, those changes were introduced by the very same party which had entrenched New Zealand social-democracy 50 years earlier. ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago
  • Kōrero Mai – Speak to Me.

    Good morning all you lovely people. 🙂I woke up this morning, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. You might recall from earlier in the week that I’m heading home to Rotorua to see an old friend who doesn’t have much time. A sad journey, but ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Winning ways

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Street architecture adjustment, KolkataShare Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • 48 seconds on a plan that would reverberate for a million years

    Despite fears that Trump presidency would be disastrous for progress on climate change, the topic barely rated a mention in the Presidential debate. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Using blunt instruments and magical thinking to ignore evidence of harm

    The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Is This A Dagger Which I See Before Me: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power Episode 5 (Seaso...

    Another week of The Rings of Power, season two, and another confirmation that things are definitely coming together for the show. The fifth Episode of season one represented the nadir of the series. Now? Amid the firmer footing of 2024, Episode Five represents further a further step towards excellent Tolkien ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • In Open Seas; A Book

    The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 13

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Do or do not. There is no try

    1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Dangerous ground

    The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: National wants to cheat on Paris

    In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’

    Treasury’s advice to Cabinet was that the new Government could actually prudently carry net core Crown debt of up to 50% of GDP. But Luxon and Willis instead chose to portray the Government’s finances as in such a mess they had no choice but to carve 6.5% to 7.5% off ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Tourism on the table for Pacific Ministers’ meet-up

    Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey will meet with Trade and Tourism Minister of Australia Don Farrell and Fiji Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica in Rotorua this weekend for a trilateral tourism discussion. “Like in New Zealand, tourism plays a significant role in Australia and Fiji’s economy, contributing massively to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Young people report on family and sexual violence

    The Te Puna Aonui Expert Advisory Group for Children and Young People has presented its report today on improving family and sexual violence outcomes for young people, to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour.  The presentation at the Auckland event was an opportunity for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • $18 million being invested in the victims of crime

    The Government is putting more than $18 million towards improving the experience of the criminal justice system for victims, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Minister for Children Karen Chhour say. “No one should experience crime, but for those who through no fault of their own become victims, they need to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Landmark phonics check in te reo Māori

    For the first time, schools can use a purpose-built tool to check how a child is progressing in reading through te reo Māori. “Around 45 schools are trialling a New Zealand first te reo Māori phonics check, known as Hihira Weteoro. It will help kaiako (teachers) focus on what ākonga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • New sea walls safeguard Ōpōtiki’s transformation

    Two new breakwater walls at Pākihikura (Ōpōtiki) Harbour will provide boats with safe harbour access to support the continued growth of aquaculture in Bay of Plenty, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. The Ministers and leaders from Tē Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea and other ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kitmap to improve access to science infrastructure

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced an online platform to optimise the use of New Zealand’s science and technology research infrastructure and to link the public and private sector. “This country is home to world-class science, technology, and engineering expertise. Kitmap is set to empower Kiwi innovators, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Driving the uptake of low emission heavy vehicles

    The Government has launched the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (LEHVF) to promote innovation and offset the cost of hundreds of heavy vehicles powered by clean technologies, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts say. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech on replacing the Resource Management Act

    Replacing the RMA Hon Chris Bishop: Good morning, it is great to be with you. Can I first acknowledge the Resource Management Law Association for hosting us here today. Can I also acknowledge my Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Simon Court, who is on stage with me. He has assisted me in establishing the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Replacement for the Resource Management Act takes shape

    Two new laws will be developed to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA), with the enjoyment of property rights as their guiding principle, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say. “The RMA was passed with good intentions in 1991 but has proved a failure in practice. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tough laws pass to make gang life uncomfortable

    Legislation passed through Parliament today will provide police and the courts with additional tools to crack down on gangs that peddle misery and intimidation throughout New Zealand, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “From November 21, gang insignia will be banned in all public places, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New levy rates set to ensure continued funding of FENZ

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the rates for the redesigned levy that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) from July 2026.  “Earlier this year FENZ consulted publicly on a 5.2 percent increase to the levy. I was not convinced that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Police allocate Officers to Beat and Gang Units

    The Coalition Government welcomes Police’s announcement today to deploy more police on the beat and staff to Gang Disruption Units.  An additional 70 officers will be allocated to Community Beat Teams across towns and regional centres.  This builds on the deployment of beat officers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch CBDs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Consultation begins on significant updates to the biosecurity system

    Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility around importing requirements, and fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses have been released today for public consultation. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says “The future is about resilience and the 30-year-old ...
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  • Thanking social workers on their national day

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  • Endeavour Fund projects for economic growth

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