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Open mike 16/02/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 16th, 2013 - 65 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step right up to the mike…

65 comments on “Open mike 16/02/2013”

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    • The Al1en 1.1
      16 February 2013 at 8:34 am

      If Pat Gregory (failed candidate at the last election) stands in Hamilton West in 2014, so will I.
      Every public meeting, forum and photo op, I will be there to remind everyone she’s just a sad bigoted cunt and though as such she may earn our sympathy, not our votes.

      • muzza 1.1.1
        16 February 2013 at 10:19 am

        TA – This is the sort of attitute which needs to play out…Honest people standing in their local electorate, and communicating the failings, lies and BS etc which the local MP would no doubt have partaken in.

        Get stuck into it, imagine the fun to be had!

        PS – Colin Craig is not what he seems, when he talks about children, keep yours inside!

        • The Al1en 1.1.1.1
          16 February 2013 at 10:33 am

          The costs over getting the chance to slam into Macindope and idiots like Gregory and failed human – act’s Gary Mallett, are a small price to pay.
          What is it they say about cost benefit analysis? 😆

          At every meeting I’ll endorse my pick and then get back into the gutter so they don’t have to.
          I might even get on the tele wearing one of my al1en.org shirts.

        • Rogue Trooper 1.1.1.2
          16 February 2013 at 2:53 pm

          remember Graham Caphill?

    • Kevin Welsh 1.2
      16 February 2013 at 9:23 am

      My bullshit meter usually heads straight to level five whenever ‘conservative christians’ start taling about children. This prick Craig looks too fucking slick for my liking and I wouldn’t trust him to sit the right way on a lavatory.

    • RedBaronCV 1.3
      16 February 2013 at 10:40 am

      About what you’d expect from a party that has ” kiddie bashing” as it’s main platform plank.
      Oops it’s been sanitised as anti-smacking.

    • tc 1.4
      16 February 2013 at 11:32 am

      Let’s not forget his ‘personal pods’ concept to solve akl’s transport issues. Loony is as loony does.

      An upside is they’ll take votes from the NACT.

  3. Sanctuary 3
    16 February 2013 at 8:27 am

    IN RUSSIA

    SPACE EXPLOREï»ż YOU.

    • Colonial Viper 3.1
      16 February 2013 at 9:48 am

      lolololololol

      If it wasn’t true, that is. Seriously, I’m sure a few Ruskies soiled their underpants when they saw that smokestream incoming at 5km/s then suddenly flare their morning dawn into a brighter than daylight flash.

      • Lanthanide 3.1.1
        16 February 2013 at 11:58 am

        I reckon it’s probably the best meteor footage ever.

        • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.1
          16 February 2013 at 1:46 pm

          Yep it’s awesome. Real life imitates Hollywood.

        • alwyn 3.1.1.2
          16 February 2013 at 1:52 pm

          You have been conned I’m afraid.
          The leader of a Russian political party has identified what it really was.
          It wasn’t a meteorite at all but the US testing a weapon.
          http://en.apa.az/news_vladimir_zhirinovsky_denies_meteorite__c_187943.html
          He sounds a bit like Winston Peters with his conspiracy theories.

          • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.2.1
            16 February 2013 at 3:21 pm

            The world is full of conspiracies alwyn. I mean, every time 3 capitalists get together in a room…

            • alwyn 3.1.1.2.1.1
              16 February 2013 at 4:19 pm

              Surely you are not suggesting

              “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices”

              Actually I tend to think that quote describes any political parties caucus meetings.

              Originally I put in the comment with just the first three lines and the reference. Looking at it I then realised that someone would think I meant it seriously and abuse me so I added the last line to make it obvious I thought it was the guy was nuts.

  4. felixviper 4
    16 February 2013 at 9:23 am

    Citizen A with Keith Locke and Matthew Hooton.

    Hoots has a rock solid argument against paying a livable wage, which is essentially ‘What if $18.40 isn’t exactly the right number for everyone?’ Best just keep paying $13.50 then, just to be sure.

    He then goes on to say that pepper-potting state housing in wealthy areas “Creates a lot of social unfairness” because it’s unfair to the families that get a state house but don’t get to live in a nice street. Presumably confining all state house tenants to massive ghettos in the most deprived parts of town is “social fairness”.

    I guess the accident of birth that lands one child in a state house in Avondale and another in a Herne Bay villa is God’s will and indisputable.

    It’s like he’s not even trying.

    • mickysavage 4.1
      16 February 2013 at 9:36 am

      But he says things with such utter conviction that how could you even think that he was not completely right every time?

    • tc 4.2
      16 February 2013 at 11:34 am

      Seems clear to me Hoots will be a key player from the NACT in next years election via his spin and soapboxes on radio/print etc, why he’s already ‘helping’ the mallarfia.

  5. Penny Bright 5
    16 February 2013 at 10:13 am

    LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE KIWIBLOG / PETER DUNNE DEBATE!

    http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/02/a_lie.html/comment-page-1#comment-1097573

    ” UF did not specifically campaign for the ‘mixed ownership model for the electricity companies and Air New Zealand’ because it was not UF policy”

    [ Pete George (16,292) Says: February 15th, 2013 at 10:28 pm]

    Thank you Pete George, for confirming my point.

    In my considered opinion – the voting public of Ohariu were thus effectively misled by United Future and Peter Dunne on the issue of support for the ‘Mixed Ownership Model’ for State-Owned electricity assets and Air New Zealand.

    In my considered opinion, United Future and Peter Dunne SOLD OUT the voting public of Ohariu by voting in support of the Public Finance (Mixed Ownership) Amendment Act 2012.

    The final vote on the Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Act 2012, was 61 – 60

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/e/8/e/50HansD_20120626_00000012-State-Owned-Enterprises-Amendment-Bill-Public.htm

    A party vote was called for on the question, That the Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Bill be now read a third time.

    Ayes 61
    New Zealand National 59; ACT New Zealand 1; United Future 1.
    Noes 60
    New Zealand Labour 34; Green Party 14; New Zealand First 8; Māori Party 3; Mana 1.
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    I thus believe that I am absolutely correct in my statement that THERE IS NO MANDATE FOR ASSET SALES – given that this minority National Government (which DID campaign on asset sales) has only 59 out of 121 MPs.

    NO MAJORITY – NO MANDATE.

    In my considered opinion, Pete George, the one who is effectively LYING – is YOU.

    Even less impressed.

    When you’re in a hole, Pete George, turn off the keys to the ditchdigger?

    Penny Bright

    ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’

    Auckland Mayoral Candidate 2013

    http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com/

    • TheContrarian 5.1
      16 February 2013 at 10:19 am

      Penny, I don’t agree with assets sales. Not out of ideology but out of the fact I can’t see it working for our benefit. That said – as I have mentioned to you elsewhere – every government since 1996 has been a minority and National received, in 2011, a greater % of the vote than any party has since MMP was first foisted upon us.

      Stick to the issues, not this bullshit about ‘minority governments’. 9 years of labour was also minority.

      • felixviper 5.1.1
        16 February 2013 at 10:36 am

        “Not out of ideology but out of the fact I can’t see it working for our benefit. “

        That’s an interesting statement. Do you imagine that there are many people who are opposed to asset sales for any reason other than they don’t think it will work in our benefit?

        I’m trying to imagine someone who’s ideology informs them that these assets should be publicly owned, but who doesn’t think selling them would be less beneficial than keeping them.

        Or have I misunderstood you? Could you tell me a little more about this relationship between ideology and garden variety reckoning and how you see them relating to this particular issue?

        • TheContrarian 5.1.1.1
          16 February 2013 at 11:00 am

          The point I was trying to make wasn’t about asset sales as a policy. It was about Penny’s assertion that because National is a minority government they don’t have the clout to proceed with their goals.

          All NZ governments since ’96 have been minority governments.

          • felixviper 5.1.1.1.1
            16 February 2013 at 11:15 am

            Oh I realise that. It would be bullshit to claim any of them had a clear electoral mandate to do anything simply because they were capable of forming a govt.

            But I’m more interested in this idea that there are people who oppose asset sales because of ideology rather than because they think it’s a dumb idea.

            • TheContrarian 5.1.1.1.1.1
              16 February 2013 at 11:26 am

              Do you not agree there are people out there that think National = bad no matter what is proposed?

              Sure as shit there are those on the right that automatically oppose anything the left might introduce without consideration because left = commienazirepression.

              Just as easily as some on the left equate right = fascisthitler!

              • felixviper …
                16 February 2013 at 11:47 am

                I don’t think there can be that many. I certainly haven’t met anyone that fits that description.

                I’ve heard plenty of people say things like “bloody national govt, selling our assets” but I’ve never heard it the other way around.

                Never heard anyone say they don’t like asset sales because it’s a National govt doing it.

                Have you?

                • Colonial Viper …
                  16 February 2013 at 11:50 am

                  I’ve heard plenty of people say things like “bloody national govt, selling our assets” but I’ve never heard it the other way around.

                  Oh, I don’t know, “bloody Labour govt, selling our assets” seems to ring a bell too.

                  • felixviper …
                    16 February 2013 at 11:53 am

                    Yeah, but Contrarian seems to be putting that sentiment down to some sort of loyalty to an ideology rather than just not wanting our bloody stuff flogged off.

                    • McFlock …
                      16 February 2013 at 8:57 pm

                      I’d completely agree with cont if anyone here typed:

                      “fucking nats – created a surplus, cut inequality, increased benefits, introduced compulsory union membership, created a livable minimum wage for all, and on top of THAT the fuckwits have cut unemployment to less than 3%!!!!”

                • TheContrarian …
                  16 February 2013 at 11:53 am

                  Ideology runs both ways, my friend.

                  • felixviper …
                    16 February 2013 at 11:56 am

                    But I still don’t know what you mean by “ideology”. Your first comment implied that people are opposed to assets sales because of “ideology”.

                    Is “I don’t think these strategic assets should be sold” an ideology?

                    I actually want to know what you’re getting at. How do you know you’re not “ideologically” opposed to these asset sales?

                    What would it look like if you were, and how would it differ from how your views on the matter are presented now (‘these sales are not beneficial’)?

                    • Lanthanide …
                      16 February 2013 at 12:03 pm

                      I don’t understand why saying some argument is based on ideology is like some sort of get out of jail free card for why you don’t have to engage with their argument.

                      “Oh, they’re just being ideological, so I don’t have to try and rebutt what they’re saying”. Of course then lots of things start being ‘ideological’ and therefore unworthy of debate…

                    • Pascal's bookie …
                      16 February 2013 at 8:10 pm

                      Lanth, you’re dead right there. It is a cop out.

                      And Contro seems to be, I could be wrong but he hasn’t explained hisself, confusing ideology with party partisanship.

                      ‘I don’t like it because National is doing it’, isn’t an ideological statement in the least.

                      In fact, I’d go so far as to say, (just you watch me),that the statement is the opposite of ideological.

                      It’s not the sort of thing an ideologist would say at all. Someone who is a devout party partisan (vote for a green syphilitic cat if it had a blue rosette) is by definition not voting based on ideology.

      • blue leopard 5.1.2
        16 February 2013 at 10:43 am

        The issue that Penny appears to be explaining and why it seems like bullshit, The Contrarian, is because it is answering to the bullshit assertion that this Government makes about having a mandate on the matter. They do not.

        Democracy, last time I checked, is about representing the peoples wishes. National chose to manipulate their popularity in order to get a very unpopular approach pushed through. Having done this, they are now in a position to do this very unpopular approach, to our detriment. People were stupid to vote for them believing that they were “fair and reasonable” enough to listen to the opinion of their voters. The least that this government can do is stop spinning the factually incorrect misinformation that they have a mandate.

        • Colonial Viper 5.1.2.1
          16 February 2013 at 10:55 am

          People were stupid to vote for them believing that they were “fair and reasonable” enough to listen to the opinion of their voters.

          This applies to a fair number of National voters. However, a good number of their voters did so because they saw no strong alternative government-in-waiting led by Labour.

          • blue leopard 5.1.2.1.1
            16 February 2013 at 11:08 am

            …yes, one would hope that opposition parties might learn from last election results.

            Until research is conducted as to why so many people stayed at home, when serious issues affecting this country such as the GFC were occurring might indicate it was important to have a more responsible government, we will all not know the real reason for Nact slipping across the “win” line into Government again. And actually it was very close. I suspect that “no real alternative” is as good a suspicion as any.

            Another might be people are proudly non-political here, along with seriously uninformed….well the two go together really don’t they…

      • Te Reo Putake 5.1.3
        16 February 2013 at 11:06 am

        Picked up another twenty signatures yesterday, TC. The asset sales are not wanted by the majority of kiwis. The point, as CV notes, is that National do not have a mandate for the sales. They fell short of reaching a majority by themselves, including their Epsom sock puppet and their support parties are either opposed to the sales or, in the case of United Future, deliberately ambiguous on the matter during the election campaign.

        Even if the Nats got that majority, they couldn’t claim a mandate because opposition to the sales comes from their voters as well. It wasn’t the defining issue of the campaign by any means and clearly some people voted National despite the asset sales program. The way to get a mandate is to put it to a vote.

        • tc 5.1.3.1
          16 February 2013 at 11:47 am

          +1, like they’ll ever do that.

          The power generators have already been carved up behind closed door and lollies dished out, like the 500k to Heffernden for doing nothing. Shippers on genesis board, fees to mates for ‘advice’ etc etc.

          Radical but a gutsy opposition party should propose to re-nationalise the power industry, it’s a dogs breakfast of profit taking and ticket clipping, in a country of less than 4 mill with so much hyrdo etc what we pay per kWh is a white collar crime for an essential utility.

          That includes booting Origin out of contact btw…..we aint moving forward by not owning our essential infrastructure and you could fix a price/kWh with the electorate and keep it by removing the leeches.

        • marty mars 5.1.3.2
          16 February 2013 at 3:23 pm

          + 1 on ya. I find it hard to see how we will stop them but we must keep trying – thank you TRP for your work in convincing people and getting signatures.

  7. NoseViper (The Nose knows) 7
    16 February 2013 at 2:02 pm

    It would be good if leaders took note of inequality. I am joining up dots in the horsemeat in burgers scandal in Europe.
    Heard – Roumania banned horse and carts. Result an excess of horses in the market for living ones so presumably they were sold for their meat. Bad political thought by people who don’t live at horse and cart level.
    Heard – The meat gets shot around like balls in a pinball machine. Lots of distance, and lots of going for the cheapest, bu..er the quality and integrity. (One small supermarket is grinning has direct traceabilty, farmer, transport to works, transport to shop .)
    Memory – One of the features of beef disease outbreak in Britain with its resulting dreadful carnage of all animals even some rare, heritage breeds, was the distance that animals were transported so it seems that the government has not tried to limit this lackadaisical treatment of vulnerable animals and precious food.

    And here is a chance to push our barrow that their meat over there has hidden miles and hidden dangers so let’s stop this potting us for our food miles which are transparent.

    Here’s something on Mad Cow disease – we need to keep being aware of this, as its always likely when you get big profit-first, cost-containing companies. Which we are getting in NZ and they could ruin our hard-won quality image.

    What is Mad Cow Disease (from About.com – Education: Chemistry)
    Mad Cow Disease (MCD) is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), except that Mad Cow Disease is much easier to pronounce!
    The disease is caused by prions.
    Prions can cross between species (although not all species get diseases from them). Cattle get the disease from eating infected food, such as feed that contains rendered parts of infected sheep. Yes, cattle are grazing creatures, but their diets may be supplemented with protein from another animal source.
    Cattle don’t immediately get sick from eating the prions. It can take months or years for Mad Cow Disease to develop.

  8. PJ 8
    16 February 2013 at 3:39 pm

    “Elastomer Products managing director Tom Thomson drops a foot of fibre optic cable on the table.

    The Christchurch plastics manufacturer points to the plastic casing covering the ultrafast broadband cables that Government and industry are rolling out across the country in a $3.5b infrastructure project.

    “I would have been into that like a pig into strawberries,” he fumes.

    He had been through all the tender documents and found no mention of the product that will encase about 23,000 kilometres of UFB cable. It would have been millions of dollars of work, he says…

    …”The problem here is that China has a 50-year plan, we have a three-year electoral cycle and a feeling that supporting your manufacturing base is somehow cheating.” ”

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/rebuilding-christchurch/8312083/Manufacturers-tell-of-doing-hard-yards

    • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 8.1
      16 February 2013 at 9:25 pm

      PJ
      Very revealing of NZ political and business rorts.

    • xtasy 8.2
      17 February 2013 at 12:58 am

      NZ politicians, sadly also many NZ business people, and NZ consumers have mostly a one day at a time plan. NZ is a country of division and short sightedness.

      Trying so desperately to convince people that planning, smart thinking and including various parties to agendas, that has been a nightmarish and futile effort I have been engaged in for years.

      It is so bloody sad, to see a country with the resources, and possibilities, sell itself out, undersell itself and ruin the future of the young that are born here and grow up here.

      I am NOT a nationalist, I just try to bring a common sense thinking into this.

      • Colonial Viper 8.2.1
        17 February 2013 at 1:05 am

        Well, I’m a nationalist (and a democratic socialist), and I agree with every point that you made.

  9. Tim 9
    16 February 2013 at 4:02 pm

    STUFF … (the impartial bastions of the 4th Estate), reports:
    Government Rejects – etc ( I can’t even be bothered with the rest of the headline)
    Just as they do with anything to do with crime or Polis.

    There’s some mininalistic training regime that goes on slightly East of Porirua – where ONCE in the dim distant past (passed), certain things whereby a Police Force in an environment where people were treated as citizenz – were taught.

    I’ve a marriage and an ex-wife to prove how much better the outcomes of those days were.

    Now we have a ‘fORCE’ of waist-belt-ridden pepper-spray ridden; taser-holding; etc., etc., etc. sutch that they waddle like fucking ducks. UGLY UGLY UGLY

    You visit Police Nat HQ, for example, and the woosiness, the ideologically driven imperative just exudes from every lift shaft.

    It’s all really rather pathetic.

    • Tim 10.1
      16 February 2013 at 4:30 pm

      They do, because they can.
      I’m always amazed at the likes of Greg O_C advocating for the more – always forgetting what the fuck they used-to-do.
      The more he advocates, the woosier his disciples – i.e. – supposedly the rank and file. I accept the guy was never exactly the hero he would like to have people think he is, but its really rather dishonest to portray himself as having his disciples’ best interests at heart.

      There goes a force of a majority of basically committed and good folks, held to ransom and protected by a minority of complete neanderthals all headed by – well – you guessed it

    • muzza 10.2
      16 February 2013 at 6:57 pm

      It’s also an offence to discharge a firearm with intention to alarm, or to do so unintentionally through negligence,” Crawford said.

      This is about the beating down, using any show of force required to repress, show who is boss, show that you are nothing!

      Negligence – A word used by a cop, what a joke, they are the most bent gang in this country!

  11. xtasy 11
    16 February 2013 at 10:54 pm

    HOUSING, particularly state housing is neglected something disgustingly by the present NatACT government.

    Today I read this:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10865733

    So stuff all building of state houses has been done under National, and it proves Heatley, who lost his job, as a total liar! He went on about all these great homes that were supposedly being built under his watch.

    What Housing NZ are doing now is this:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/8273723/Community-housing-plan

    It was in the Auckland Central Leader last week also, and this week an article in the same local paper already reports about protests of local residents about HNZ building a 3-level chicken cage style ghetto there in Onehunga, Auckland.

    Yes, that is what the hell is going on. Housing NZ tenants are driven out of their existing homes, level ground homes get bulldozed, and part of the land (in some cases also property) is sold to private “developers”, who make a nice profit out of building part crap for HNZ tenants, a few larger homes (on tiny grounds) for the odd larger family, and some supposedly cheaper private homes for private market home buyers.

    Already in the past most HNZ homes were rather smallish, but in future, you will be put into a kind of tiny pigeon hole, if you are lucky to even get a state home!

    That has become of “state housing” now, and to make it all worse, I hear NADA from Labour’s housing spokeswoman, Annette King!

    As I suspect, and it is the same with other policies, Labour are dreaming of the same agenda as National, but they only want to make it a little more “palatable” to the affected and wider public, by not being “too harsh”.

    Thank you for that, and I am still waiting for many other overdue answers from Labour spokespersons, MPs and whatever, last not least the “majestic leader” DS.

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    Nurses now look set to get more protection from violence at work, under a proposed new law. This after NZ First MP Darroch Ball's "Protection for First Responders Bill", which introduces a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders, will now also cover emergency department healthcare workers. The ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Nurses to get more protection, added to ‘First Responders’ legislation
    Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Law and Order Spokesperson An amendment to the ‘Protection of First Responders Bill’ is being tabled which will see emergency department healthcare workers included in the legislation. “During this COVID-19 crisis we have seen reports of violence and specifically increased incidents of spitting towards ...
    NZ First Press Release
    2 weeks ago

  • Shane Jones: Northland port could be economic haven
    Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is breathing new life into the proposal to move Auckland's port to Whangārei to help in the economic recovery post Covid-19 pandemic. If New Zealand First was returned in the September general election, Minister Jones said a priority would be development of an "economic haven" at Northport, ...
    NZ First News
    2 weeks ago

  • PGF grant for Ventnor memorial
    The plan to build a memorial to the SS Ventnor, and those who were lost when it sank off the Hokianga coast in 1902, has been granted $100,000 from the Provincial Growth Fund. Originally planned for a site near Rāwene cemetery, the memorial will now be built at the new Manea ...
    NZ First News
    3 weeks ago

  • 75th anniversary of V.E Day
    Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters said: “Today is the 75th anniversary of VE Day – marking the end of World War II in Europe." Millions died in the six years of war, and families were torn apart. 75 years ...
    NZ First Press Release
    3 weeks ago

  • Week That Was: Getting the job done
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    Labour Blog
    3 weeks ago

  • Winston Peters responds to Simon Bridges’ ‘my sweetheart’ comment
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    NZ First News
    3 weeks ago

  • Milestone in cash flow support to SMEs
    Almost $1 billion in interest-free loans for small businesses More than 55,000 businesses have applied; 95% approved Average loan approx. $17,300 90% of applications from firms with ten or fewer staff A wide cross-section of businesses have applied, the most common are the construction industry, accommodation providers, professional firms, and ...
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    2 hours ago

  • Government protects kids as smoking in cars ban becomes law
    Thousands of children will have healthier lungs after the Government’s ban on smoking in cars with kids becomes law, says Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa. This comes after the third reading of Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill earlier today. “This law makes it ...
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    11 hours ago

  • Parliament returns to a safe normal
    The special Epidemic Response Committee (ERC) has successfully concluded its role, Leader of the House Chris Hipkins said today. The committee was set up on 25 March by the agreement of Parliament to scrutinise the Government and its actions while keeping people safe during levels 4 and 3 of lockdown. ...
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    12 hours ago

  • Foreign Minister makes four diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced four diplomatic appointments: New Zealand’s Ambassador to Belgium, High Commissioners to Nauru and Niue, and Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism. “As the world seeks to manage and then recover from COVID-19, our diplomatic and trade networks are more important than ever,” Mr Peters said. “The ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Mycoplasma bovis eradication reaches two year milestone in good shape
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    22 hours ago

  • New payment to support Kiwis through COVID
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    2 days ago

  • PGF reset helps regional economies
    The Provincial Growth Fund will play a vital role in New Zealand’s post-COVID-19 recovery by creating jobs in shorter timeframes through at least $600 million being refocused on projects with more immediate economic benefits, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The funding is comprised of repurposed Provincial Growth ...
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    3 days ago

  • Government exempts some home improvements from costly consents
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    3 days ago

  • Concern at introduction of national security legislation for Hong Kong
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    4 days ago

  • Samoa Language Week theme is perfect for the post-COVID-19 journey
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    4 days ago

  • Adult kakÄ«/black stilt numbers soar
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    4 days ago

  • Waikato-Tainui settlement story launched on 25th anniversary of Treaty signing
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Taita College to benefit from $32 million school redevelopment
    Taita College in the Hutt Valley will be redeveloped to upgrade its ageing classrooms and leaky roofs, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “The work is long overdue and will make a lasting difference to the school for generations to come,” Chris Hipkins said. “Too many of our schools are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Redeployment for workers in hard-hit regions
    The Government is allocating $36.72 million to projects in regions hard hit economically by COVID-19 to keep people working, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Projects in Hawke’s Bay, Northland, Rotorua and Queenstown will be funded from the Government’s $100 million worker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • $35m to build financial resilience for New Zealanders
    A $35m boost to financial capability service providers funded by MSD will help New Zealanders manage their money better both day to day and through periods of financial difficulty, announced Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “It’s always been our position to increase support to key groups experiencing or at risk ...
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    6 days ago

  • New District Court Judge appointed
    Dunedin barrister Melinda Broek has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Rotorua, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Broek has iwi affiliations to Ngai Tai. She commenced her employment in 1996 with Scholefield Cockroft Lloyd in Invercargill specialising in family and ...
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    6 days ago

  • $206 million investment in upgrades at Ohakea Air Force Base
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    6 days ago

  • Review of CAA organisational culture released
    Transport Minister Phil Twyford today released the Ministry of Transport’s review of the organisational culture at the Civil Aviation Authority. Phil Twyford says all employees are entitled to a safe work environment. “I commissioned this independent review due to the concerns I had about the culture within the CAA, and ...
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    6 days ago

  • New Board appointed at Stats NZ
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • New Principal Environment Judge
    Environment Judge David Kirkpatrick of Auckland has been appointed as the Principal Environment Judge, Attorney-General David Parker announced today.  Judge Kirkpatrick was appointed an Environment Judge in February 2014. From December 2013 to July 2016 he was Chair of the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel. Prior to appointment he ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Digital connectivity boost for urban marae
    A programme to connect marae around the country to the internet has received $1.4 million to expand to include urban marae in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Kris Faafoi and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The funding for the Marae Connectivity Programme ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Govt increases assistance to drought-stricken Hawke’s Bay farmers
    The Government will provide $500,000 to the Hawke’s Bay Mayoral Drought Relief Fund to help farmers facing one of the worst droughts in living memory, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Yesterday afternoon I received a letter from Hawke's Bay's five local Government leaders asking me to contribute to the Fund. ...
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    1 week ago

  • Investment in New Zealand’s history
    Budget 2020 provides a major investment in New Zealand’s documentary heritage sector, with a commitment to leasing a new Archives Wellington facility and an increase in funding for Archives and National Library work. “Last year I released plans for a new Archives Wellington building – a purpose-built facility physically connected ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Driving prompt payments to small businesses
    Government Ministers are asking significant private enterprises to adopt prompt payment practices in line with the state sector, as a way to improve cashflow for small businesses. The Ministers of Finance, Small Business, Commerce and Consumer Affairs have written to more than 40 significant enterprises and banking industry representatives to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Rotorua tourist icon to be safeguarded
    Maori Arts and Crafts will continue to underpin the heart of the tourism sector says Minister for Maori Development Nanaia Mahuta.  “That’s why we are making a core investment of $7.6 million to Te Puia New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, over two years, as part of the Government’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • $14.7m for jobs training and education
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Is it time to further recognise those who serve in our military?
     Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced the launch of a national conversation that aims to find out whether New Zealanders think there should be a formal agreement between service people, the Government, and the people of New Zealand. “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Paving the way for a fully qualified early learning workforce
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    1 week ago

  • Sport Recovery Package announced
    The Sport and Recreation sector will receive a multi-million dollar boost as part of the COVID-19 response funded at Budget 2020.  Grant Robertson says the Sport and Recreation Sector contributes about $5 billion a year to New Zealand’s GDP and employs more than 53,000 people. “Sport plays a significant role ...
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    1 week ago

  • Major boost in support for caregivers and children
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Great Walks recovery on track for summer
    Vital conservation and visitor infrastructure destroyed by a severe flood event in Fiordland earlier this year is being rebuilt through a $13.7 million Budget 2020 investment, announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.   “This investment will mean iconic Great Walks such as the Routeburn track and the full length of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Māori – Government partnership gives whānau a new housing deal
    The Government is investing  $40 million in a partnership with Māori to get more whānau into warm, dry and secure accommodation, Associate Minister for Housing (Māori Housing) Hon Nanaia Mahuta says.. “We are partnering with Māori and iwi to respond to the growing housing crisis in the wake of COVID-19. ...
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    2 weeks ago

  • Keeping New Zealanders Safe In The Water
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Legal framework for COVID-19 Alert Level referred to select committee
    The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, which set a sound legal framework ahead of the move to Alert level 2, has been referred to a parliamentary select committee for review.  Attorney-General David Parker said the review of the operation of the COVID-19 specific law would be reported back to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • New Zealand condemns shocking attacks on hospital and funeral in Afghanistan
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand condemns the targeting of civilians in two terrorist attacks in Afghanistan earlier this week. “The terrorist attacks on a hospital in Kabul and a funeral in Nangarhar province are deeply shocking. The attacks were deliberate and heinous acts of extreme violence targeting ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Government to close tobacco tax loophole
    The Government will close a loophole that allowed some people to import cigarettes and loose leaf tobacco for manufacturing cigarettes and ‘roll your owns’ for sale on the black market without excise tax being paid, says Minister of Customs Jenny Salesa. The legislation, which doesn’t affect duty free allowances for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • $62 million package to support families through the Family Court
    The Coalition Government has made a significant $62 million investment from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to start the reform of the Family Court and enable it to respond effectively to the increased backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Today Justice Minister Andrew Little introduced the Family Court (Supporting ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Tailored help supports new type of job seeker – report
    The Government’s expanded services to support people into jobs will help an emerging cohort of New Zealanders impacted by COVID-19. The impacted group are relatively younger, have a proportionately low benefit history and have comparatively higher incomes than most who seek support, as captured in a report published today from ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • A modern approach to night classes
    New funding to boost Government-funded Adult and Community Education (ACE) will give more than 11,000 New Zealanders more opportunities to learn, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “This includes a modern approach to rebuilding night classes, which were slashed in the middle of our last economic crisis in 2010,” Chris Hipkins ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Christchurch Call makes significant progress
    Significant progress has been delivered in the year since the Christchurch Call to Action brought governments and tech companies together in Paris with a single goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardent says. On its first anniversary, Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron as ...
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    2 weeks ago

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