Open mike 16/04/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 16th, 2012 - 64 comments
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64 comments on “Open mike 16/04/2012 ”

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  1. Jenny 1
    16 April 2012 at 7:16 am

    The second in the series of the The Green Party mining our future community tour hui is to be held tonight, 7pm, Monday, 16 April, 2012

    Green Party MPs Catherine Delahunty and Gareth Hughes invite you to discuss the Government’s broad “drill it, mine it” agenda for Aotearoa – what’s happening, what does it mean to our environment and communities and how do we stop it.

    Where – The Hamilton Trade Union Centre, 34 Harwood Street, Hamilton

    Hamilton and the Waikato Region was the Ground Zero for the anti-nuclear movement.

    No Nuclear Ship was ever going to visit Hamilton. Yet National MP for Hamilton West Mike Minogue and National MP for Raglan Marilyn Waring swayed by the power of the mass protest movement moved their votes to the opposition upsetting the government’s majority.

    Likewise the anti climate change struggle Hamilton and the Waikato Region could be again ground zero, being the North Island centre of both dairying and coal mining.

    With the Greens at record highs in the polls the subjects being discussed here may well end up in government policy. So make sure you have your say.

    • Morrissey 1.1
      16 April 2012 at 1:20 pm

      Mike Minogue and National MP for Raglan Marilyn Waring swayed by the power of the mass protest movement moved their votes to the opposition upsetting the government’s majority.

      It’s a depressing exercise to compare the calibre of National Party MPs in 1984 with this year’s crop.

      The National Party MPs are much more tightly controlled now, and I can’t see any National MP with the intellect or the integrity or the courage of Waring or Minogue—or Ian Shearer for that matter.

  3. vto 3
    16 April 2012 at 8:24 am

    Doug Graham was a disappointment on 60 Minutes last night. Failed to acknowledge that some crimes do not require criminal intent, such is their gravitas. Failed to accept rsponsibility for Lombard’s failure and instead blamed the GFC and property market collapse (he doesn’t seem to realise that not all financiers failed – only those with useless business models). Kept saying that he didn’t “steal” the money, despite theft not being the charge.

    As a former Minister of Justice he showed scant and shallow understanding of the justice system and its centuries of establishment. Which led me directly to a view that arises all too frequently – most all politicians, including Ministers, are bloody average people of average ability and should not be in the positions they are.

    Useless. Disappointing. What a victim.

    • just saying 3.1
      16 April 2012 at 8:56 am

      There’s nothing quite as pathetic as a “poor-me” from one of our ruling class caught-out but still dripping with privilege, and expecting much more sympathy, (and the best judicial redress money can buy) than the victims of his crimes misunderstanding.

      • just saying 3.1.1
        16 April 2012 at 9:00 am

        Scratch-out tags on the word “crimes” above didn’t come through.

        • Herodotus 3.1.1.1
          16 April 2012 at 9:30 am

          I did notice that he said that he was capable and would pay the $100k, but that would almost wipe him out financially. Made me laugh as I wonder how his trusts are coping and the pension and other benefits he has acquired over the many years as a politician, I bet they are also protected. Also that he had lost $2m re the shares, did he pay $2m or were they valued at $2m and under what ownership were they held in ?
          The interview came accross to further reinforce the disconnect that pollys have with the voter/worker.

  4. freedom 4
    16 April 2012 at 8:26 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10799189

    The poll on this rental discussion makes me personally ashamed to be a kiwi.
    At time of posting, it showed 59 % saying yes to rascism

    • Jilly Bee 4.1
      16 April 2012 at 9:18 am

      Ditto freedom – though several years ago I was renting out my late parents’ [modest] house in the Thames area as there had been a few burglaries in the area and we were only able to holiday there once a year due to work commitments. I left the property in the hands of a ‘property manager’ at a Real Estate firm. The non-pakeha family renting the property decided to completely trash the house when my family made the decision to sell up as we decided to retire in the Auckland area and they were given notice to quit. I still remember walking in to what was once a very livable home and simply broke down when I saw the damage. I also vented my spleen at the Property Manager at the time – I felt he was just so incompetent, though I realise they can’t be on hand all the time. The house eventually sold way below its value and some lucky person/s purchased a very cheap property – which has now been totally renovated and restored. I am very aware that a ‘white’ tenant could have inflicted the same damage, but I am still of the opinion that the present criteria for renting properties must remain in place.

    • Rosie 4.2
      16 April 2012 at 10:27 am

      Freedom, that is indeed a shameful poll. If you don’t want to feel further ashamed to be a kiwi, don’t read the comments posted on Stuff.co.nz articles – thats my advice! I’ve felt genuine disgust at some of the racist, sexist and generally retarded comments people have made there. I often feel we are going backwards down to the road towards tolerance understanding and compassion. It feels like our society is becoming more divided, elitist and impoverished. (well, we know we are more financially impoverished but I think we are increasingly becoming socially impoverished) Just my observations over the last few years.

      • Draco T Bastard 4.2.1
        16 April 2012 at 12:49 pm

        The inevitable result of neo-liberalism. When everyone competes with everyone else the result must be the break up of society.

      • Vicky32 4.2.2
        16 April 2012 at 5:26 pm

        Freedom, that is indeed a shameful poll.

        I voted, ‘No’ of course, then watched the results display, and was deeply depressed…
        When my son was 9, we were homeless for a while, and I was flat hunting. One couple turned me down repeatedly because I was a “South African” (I am not, but they’d decided my accent was south African, and I therefore was a liar.) When I saw the place, and compared what they wanted to charge for it with what it was, I decided not to make an issue of it anyway… 😀
        But the person who made me angry was the middle class ‘lady’ who refused to entertain my application because of my son. “Kids wreck places” she said. I pointed out that her ‘no kids’ deal was illegal, and she just sneered “So, sue me!” knowing that I couldn’t. 
         

    • Uturn 4.3
      16 April 2012 at 10:28 am

      Racism is wrong, it’s stupid, several levels of stupid, and if racism is now embraced as legitimate because profit would be easier if it was, then a whole new depth of moronic expression has been discovered. Once a person either gets over the ethical dilemma of being a landlord, though, or maybe just never realises it exists, I guess they’re pretty much ready to swallow anything.

      • aerobubble 4.3.1
        16 April 2012 at 12:06 pm

        Racism is wrong. As people like to feel different, so, when a group see many of their own falling behind they can easily be persuaded by themselves to believe racism is prevalent, targeting them. Often talking up traditions that maybe be antithetical to their own success. (i.e. religion is prevalent in poorer areas). Success often become second nature to liberal minded people, whereas conservatism is often swept away by changing times. Suburbs are designed to be anti-communal, and so naturally bring in widely different renters some of whom are already failures. So the dilemma is to screen out those who have impossible world views based around their own victim-hood. It means calling references, it means meeting your potential renters, in means having a mate who can find out if there are gang connected individuals connections. But on a society level it means targeting communities that have been left out by progress.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.4
      16 April 2012 at 1:10 pm

      You’ll find that the people saying yes to that are people who believe thoroughly in property rights. And they won’t believe that they’re being racist.

      • fender 4.4.1
        16 April 2012 at 2:58 pm

        But the very same people will cry racism when others object to productive farmland being sold to offshore interests.

  5. Campbell Larsen 5
    16 April 2012 at 8:52 am

    The Herald is at it again with cheerleader Audrey inserting a statement of personal opinion, unattributed in the middle of quotes from Blinglish.

    “We’re spending considerable money on it. But every time we make those decisions, we have to find the money somewhere else.”

    Labour wanted to spend the money but not take responsibility for where it came from.

    Asked if there would be room for a rethink, Mr English said: “If the economy picks up and we get back to surplus sooner, then of course there’s room for discussion about all those things that people want us to have more of – but fundamentally we need a growing economy with less debt.”

    This is not only poor journalism it is a blatant attempt to push the National party line. I didn’t see an ‘opinion’ disclaimer at the top of the article, yet it clearly belongs there – Perhaps everyone knows who Audrey is batting for anyway but that does not excuse the practice.

    • Jim Nald 5.1
      16 April 2012 at 9:42 am

      This is not the first time from this journalist and others in that paper who have chronic pathological habits of blurring lines between reporting, providing opinion, and indulging in partisan politicking.

      I chose, sometime ago, to reallocate money away from buying that paper and instead to engage in more useful purchases like buying toilet paper.

  6. ianmac 6
    16 April 2012 at 10:15 am

    I wonder if the debate and publicity about the proposed legislation over the “Beast of Blenheim” is an unscrupulous action by the Government to fear and crime bubbling along in Public minds? The experts seem to be saying that the existing law covers such problem criminals.

    • Bored 6.1
      16 April 2012 at 11:56 am

      The cynic in me says the Nats thinking goes like this….
      1. Lets allow social conditions to get so bad that ordinary people will have to resort to crime…
      2. Lets then add to the crime reports with statements that create a sense of paranoia….
      3. Lets then be seen to tale a hard line (“lori’norda”) approach…
      4. Lets get the very same people affected by our social policies to vote for us to protect us from the crims…

  7. aerobubble 7
    16 April 2012 at 11:55 am

    National standards is anti-democratic, as kids learn quite naturally, and education will happen with or without teachers, with or without good teachers. Teachers cannot be held accountable for child outcomes, only an anti-democratic argument could justify such a absurdity. National seek on the one hand undermine mainstream teaching, and on the other hand pass over education to extreme teaching cults via charter schools. Its counter to democracy to have the mandated government despoil the mainstream majority educational system and hand over (often the children of the poor) to indoctrination in charter schools. The profit motive is not the only measure of success, in fact to argue that profits will be aided by forcing the majority of children to rote learning at the expense of free learning is preposterous.

  8. Johnm 8
    16 April 2012 at 11:59 am

    The British are regretting privatising so much of their economy because the People are paying for it:

    “Britain for sale: How long before a foreign power turns out Britain’s lights?”

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2130221/Britain-sale-How-long-foreign-power-turns-Britains-lights.html#ixzz1s9luqdcS

    “On Saturday in the Mail, our City Editor Alex Brummer revealed the price we’re all paying in higher bills for having sold off half our companies to foreign owners. Here, in the second extract from his devastating new book, he warns that with so much of our vital utility companies in foreign hands, we are now at the mercy of conglomerates that could bring Britain to a shuddering halt .

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2130221/Britain-sale-How-long-foreign-power-turns-Britains-lights.html#ixzz1s9mCpCjK

    Privatisation has without a doubt made the ordinary English person poorer. It will here as well.

    • Bored 8.1
      16 April 2012 at 12:38 pm

      After reading the Archdruid last week ( http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/ ) I have to laugh at the Brits…they handed over their empire and sovereignty to the US in 1940s as the price for winning the war. Now they as a US imperial vassal are becoming energy dependent on Russia with the associated economic implications.

      Its all the more amusing geo-politically when you consider that the neo lib drive to privatise was first driven hard by the US corporates to capture more profit from the US economic dependents. Now the “loser” of the Cold War has got Europe (and by association the USA) over the barrel. Is this a sure sign of the decline of the US Empire?

    • Johnm 8.2
      16 April 2012 at 12:40 pm

      Further details of the first part of the above article:

      “UK for sale: Uniquely in the world, Britain has sold more than half its companies to foreigners. And we are all paying the price”

      Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2129507/Britain-sale-Uniquely-world-Britain-sold-half-companies-foreigners-And-paying-price.html#ixzz1s9u8Q0YF

      “British icon? Most London buses are run by a Spanish company”

      “Sell off: Boots is owned by Italians, and headquartered in Switzerland”

      “Deregulation: Former Tory Chancellor Geoffrey Howe made it easier for foreigners to snap up British companies”

      “Stripped: The private equity firms who bought Debenhams left the chain a shadow of its former self”

      “Apathy: No-one seemed to notice – or care – when ICI was snapped up by the Dutch”
      “Paying the price: ICI’s subsequent breakup resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs”
      “‘Global economy’: David Cameron refuses to erect ‘trade barriers’

      “Red lines: Former French President Jacques Chirac stood up for ‘strategic’ companies”

      “Upper hand: Barclays CEO Bob Diamond has threatened to move the bank’s headquarters to New York”

      Extracted from Britain For Sale: British Companies In Foreign Hands by Alex Brummer, to be published by Random House Business Books on April 26, £12.99.© 2012 Alex Brummer. To order a copy for £10.99 (incl p&p) call 0843 382 0000.

      Sounds Familiar ? John Key and Cameron espouse the same ideology.

    • joe90 8.3
      16 April 2012 at 1:18 pm

      What is surprising is how many state assets the poms have flogged.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_privatizations#United_Kingdom

    • Draco T Bastard 8.4
      16 April 2012 at 1:21 pm

      Privatisation has without a doubt made the ordinary English person poorer. It has done so here.

      FIFY

      A good example of that is Telecom. Previously all the surplus that Telecom brought in, to the tune of hundred of millions of dollars per year, would have been re-invested in the network. Now, with privatisation, that surplus is now taken out and given to the owners as dividends and we’re having to cough up taxpayer money to upgrade the network. On top of that we’re also now having to pay for additional competing networks.

      All this extra expense has brought us no benefit whatsoever and that means that we’re poorer.

  9. Pascal's bookie 9
    16 April 2012 at 12:43 pm

    Has Collins got around to suing anyone yet?

    Last I heard was before Easter and she was going to do it “next week”, which would have been last week.

    • lprent 9.1
      16 April 2012 at 1:03 pm

      Not as far as I have heard…. 😈

      I guess we’re looking at another car crushing period where the munted posturing is meant to substitute for action.

      • Pascal's bookie 9.1.1
        16 April 2012 at 1:06 pm

        Right on cue. trev starts tweeting that he’s got a new letter:

        https://twitter.com/#!/TrevorMallard/status/191692180941848578

        • Te Reo Putake 9.1.1.1
          16 April 2012 at 1:24 pm

          And quite rightly points to the reply in Arkell v Pressdram as the appropriate response!
           
           
           

        • lprent 9.1.1.2
          16 April 2012 at 4:07 pm

          WTF. That is a classic delaying (but LOOK “I am doing something”) tactic. Why would anyone threatening a defamation suit because they are SURE of their ground want to first look at the oppositions evidence before putting it in front of the court? Ummm because they are unsure about their ground..

          For that matter, why would anyone threatened by such a suit give up their defence when it is quite clear that the other sides uncertainty is their best defence. Of course you give the Private Eye’s answer.

          I thought that Collins was meant to have been a lawyer?

          • Pascal's bookie 9.1.1.2.1
            16 April 2012 at 5:07 pm

            And there’s this:

            https://twitter.com/#!/TrevorMallard/status/191751751400034304

            “@REvansNZ: @TrevorMallard Do you know which firm/barrister is acting for her?” she said Julian Miles though the letter didn’t come from him

            • Jackal 9.1.1.2.1.1
              16 April 2012 at 6:59 pm

              Trevor has banned me from his twitter account (because he thought I gave Slater too much of a hard time), but as long as I’m signed out, I can still view his tweets 🙂

              Perhaps Judith Collins has had to look around for a lawyer that will represent her? Although a lawyer cannot decline to take a case because the merits of the matter are questionable, they can easily make another excuse like; “I don’t have the time”.

              It could even be that Collins made instructions that required the lawyer to breach a professional obligation in some way or indicated that she wasn’t willing to pay the lawyers fees.

              What I’m really going to enjoy though is Collins trying to argue that Little and Mallard have caused people to shun or avoid her. I especially look forward to her presenting evidence of their statements causing people to hate, ridicule or be contemptible. Come on people… let’s make sure she has heaps of evidence to present.

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 9.2
      16 April 2012 at 2:06 pm

      “I demand that you apologise or else I will demand that you apologise again! And then I will stamp my corrupt lying leaking little feet!”

      Is Collins some sort of closet masochist who craves ridicule and humiliation?

    • (A different) Nick K 9.3
      16 April 2012 at 2:48 pm

      So pleased to see that Collins hasn’t quietly let this go. The more fuss she makes the stupider she’s going to look.

    • David H 9.4
      16 April 2012 at 8:14 pm

      But she did send out more (are you going to apologise or not) letters to RNZ MALLARD and LITTLE. Nice to see they treated these missives with the same disdain as the originals were.

  10. Morrissey 10
    16 April 2012 at 2:12 pm

    Monday 16 April 2012
    On the continuing decline of The Panel
    Today Jim Mora’s guests on The Panel are Nevil Gibson (a right wing journalist) and Elly Jones (a right wing journalist).

    So we can expect to hear nothing particularly interesting, yet again.

    These are the guests that have appeared on The Panel over the last two weeks:

    Monday April 2: Gary McCormick, Josie Pagani
    Tuesday April 3: Karl DuFresne, Stephen Franks
    Wednesday April 4: Simon Pound, Chris Trotter
    Thursday April 5: Peter Elliott, Finlay McDonald
    Tuesday April 10: Tony Doe, Gordon McLauchlan
    Wednesday April 11: Jane Clifton, Julia Hartley Moore
    Thursday April 12: Michele Boag, Brian Edwards
    Friday April 13: David Farrar, Neil Miller

    What was that about a “liberal” slant on National Radio?

    • Colonial Viper 10.1
      16 April 2012 at 3:08 pm

      Boag, Farrar, and Clifton are as even handed as the day is long. No problem there. And where was that other denizen of neutrality, Hooten? He is the only other one who deserves more air time, much more air time.

  11. Southern Limits 11
    16 April 2012 at 2:58 pm

    Phil Heatley has already made up his mind on fracking. On Q&A to day he said he had ‘no concerns.’

    http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/transcript-panel-response-phil-heatley-interview-4833724

  13. fender 13
    16 April 2012 at 3:22 pm

    Duncan Garner will be sad that some other poor fellow married Paula Bennett on Saturday.

  15. Vicky32 15
    16 April 2012 at 4:22 pm

    This sounds very familiar!
    http://truth-out.org/news/item/8536-romney-poor-mothers-should-be-required-to-work-outside-the-home-or-lose-welfare
    In fact, that’s where we get it from, hey? I especially like this line: “but I want the individuals to have the dignity of work.” – the point being that it’s all very well, but meaningless if the work doesn’t exist!

    • Te Reo Putake 15.1
      16 April 2012 at 4:36 pm

      The dignity of work, but not the dignity of a pay cheque! Good job he’s going to get caned by Obama in the election, eh. The shame of it is that Romney represents the liberal face of the Republican Party and has been derided by the right as being too soft. Funny old world.

      • Vicky32 15.1.1
        16 April 2012 at 4:39 pm

        The shame of it is that Romney represents the liberal face of the Republican Party and has been derided by the right as being too soft. Funny old world.

        They’re all barking, however. I am always happy that I am not an American, but for the past wee while, their forthcoming elections have been the main reason. Who could I vote for? No one. Obama has failed to stop Bush’s wars, in fact he hasn’t even tried, and all the Republicans are bat-shit crazy…

        • Te Reo Putake 15.1.1.1
          16 April 2012 at 4:50 pm

          Yep! An old commo mate of mine used to refer to the Democrats and Republicans as the ‘evil of two lessors’.

  16. toad 16
    16 April 2012 at 6:23 pm

    Louise Upston this afternoon asks her Nat colleague Sam Lotu-Iinga on Twitter when submissions close on welfare Bill. http://wp.me/phxnb-1et

    They already have – after only 11 working days

    Could only happen in the National Party

  17. Jackal 17
    16 April 2012 at 6:25 pm

    Racist New Zealand

    Programs like Renters promote discrimination by focusing on ethnic minorities; they also disproportionately put the blame on tenants, when there are many terrible landlords in New Zealand who never get named and shamed…

  18. David 18
    16 April 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Just been alerted to the brilliant commentary of FAMILIES COMMISSIONER CARL DAVIDSON on the PAID PARENTAL LEAVE debate in the Herald this morning. Astonishing the insight and dodgy logics this Paula Bennett appointed stooge is capable of!

    Previously, the Families Commission had supported PPL extension…

    “But Mr Davidson, appointed that year by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett, told the Weekend Herald that the commission’s 2007 proposal should now be seen as “the gold standard”, which had to change because of the worldwide economic recession.

    He said paid parental leave encouraged people to start families, which was socially and economically desirable but had certain limits.

    “We don’t want to get too carried away of course because that argument could be extended to infinity.

    “I mean, wouldn’t it be great if none of us had to go to work and we could just stay at home and raise our kids and get paid for it?

    “That’s not realistic and there’s a whole lot of people in work who have to juggle the demands of work and the demands of parenting.”

    Mr Davidson also questioned the argument, previously made by his own organisation, that New Zealand’s 14 weeks of paid leave, capped at $458.82 a week before tax, is one of the least generous systems in the developed world.

    “When you compare them to other countries, for instance the United States, actually our state-supplied parental leave system is a very generous one.

    “And I’m not seeing lots of Americans flocking here to take advantage of our paid parental leave.”

    where to start? Carl starts with the pro-family revelation that starting families is socially and economically beneficial, but suggests that even the virtues of family had certain limits: “but we dont want to get carried away because that argument could be extended to infinity”. So Carl could any argument (though arguing for infinite family size is perhaps NOT one you could really extend in that way), but only by people who are ridiculous, or who are in fact prepared to extend arguments to infinity, as Carl himself does in the very next line: “”I mean, wouldn’t it be great if none of us had to go to work and we could just stay at home and raise our kids and get paid for it?”

    Having made an absurd argument, he then demolishes it, but in doing so stumbles across the very reason for PPL in the first place….

    “That’s not realistic and there’s a whole lot of people in work who have to juggle the demands of work and the demands of parenting.” Yes Carl: that’s the people you have PPL for!!

    Having demolished the PPL argument by his brilliant ad absurdism which equates PPL with infinite indolence, breeding and benefit dependence, he proceeds to make the argument stronger with a ridiculous comparison between NZ and US PPL rates.

    Now, America is pretty much the only country in the OECD not to have Paid parental leave, so yes, by comparison, what we have does look good. The fact that we are near the bottom of OECD rankings ourselves is not so great: perhaps this is why we dont have flocks of American mothers coming here to raise their infant children. Or, Carl, there might be other reasons, such as you dont get PPL unless you are a permanent resident, etc etc etc… Cant wait for more from this man!!

    • Colonial Viper 18.1
      16 April 2012 at 7:20 pm

      Yeah this is what the Right Wing have done in the US. Populated institutions with names such as “Centre for Global Warming Policy” full of people who are nothing but idealogical haters, wreckers and apologists for the wealthy elite.

    • ianmac 18.2
      16 April 2012 at 10:00 pm

      Yes I read that this morning. Presumably Davidson is the only person in the Families Commission so like Peter Dunne in a caucus of one, he can say whatever he likes or in this case whatever Paula Bennett wants him to say. Is Davidson the only member of FC?

  19. Pascal's bookie 19
    16 April 2012 at 8:19 pm

    For those with access, and are interested, the Anders Breivik trial is on BBCNews right now. Reading out the list of victims.

  20. Jackal 20
    16 April 2012 at 11:11 pm

    In defence of Jafas

    My self flagellation for today was in reading a rather large post (1040 words) by deluded rightwing stalwart Karl du Fresne, who waffled on with some of the worst parochial rubbish I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading…

  21. Dave Kennedy 21
    17 April 2012 at 12:08 am

    If National truly supported a quality public education system they wouldn’t treat what we have with such disdain! http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/proof-that-national-despises-our-public.html

  22. Red Rosa 22
    17 April 2012 at 8:27 pm

    Meanwhile, back in the UK…

    http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/03/30/born-again-george-galloway-stuns-labor-shakes-up-britain/

    Angry, maybe..but thought provoking all the same.

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    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

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