Open mike 17/03/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 17th, 2022 - 64 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step up to the mike …

64 comments on “Open mike 17/03/2022 ”

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  1. pat 1
    17 March 2022 at 7:23 am

    “The upshot of all of this is we are seeing a highly inflationary negative supply shock, not a very deflationary negative net demand shock. Oops, because the central banks responded as if it was the latter,” Zollner​ said.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/128077662/partys-over-says-anz-chief-economist-sharon-zollner

    Self criticism?

  2. Pingao 2
    17 March 2022 at 8:05 am

    With the Safe Areas bill passing its 3rd reading, how do i find out who are the 12 MPs who voted against the bill are? Luxon has previously voted against it according to a newshub article from 12 March 2021. I will try to post the link. “How MPs voted on law change that would all safe zone around abortion clinics”.

    Apologies if someone has already commented on this subject.

  3. Peter 3
    17 March 2022 at 8:15 am

    On Radio NZ this morning Gerry Brownlee wondered why we continue diplomatic relations with a country, Russia, which acts so aggressively attacking another country.

    They meanwhile keep putting out propoganda justifying their actions.

    Countries, people, believe propoganda or go along with narratives painted by it for their own reasons.

    Like NZ went along with the 'weapons of mass destruction' thing and the US attacking another country. I wonder back then if there were calls to cut off diplomatic relations with the USA.

    • Dennis Frank 3.1
      17 March 2022 at 8:32 am

      I heard him & he did make sense for a change – but he didn't address the function of diplomacy at all. He didn't even point out that Labour aren't using it!

      Mahuta ought to call the Russian ambassador in for a meeting, tell him that offensive propaganda doesn't work, and suggest a focus on resolving the discord that produced the war in the first place. If we engage with Russia constructively & signal a future in which peaceful coexistence prevails, we have potential to co-create a pathway to that future. Let's do this.

      • Peter 3.1.1
        17 March 2022 at 9:13 am

        "Tell him that offensive propaganda doesn't work?"

        It doesn't? How do you know?

        • Dennis Frank 3.1.1.1
          17 March 2022 at 9:22 am

          Offending people alienates them. Collaboration develops upon the opposite basis. Likewise the economy develops on a mutual-benefit basis. Focus on common ground (actual or potential) has to be the attitude one takes into diplomacy, if one wants to generate agreements via negotiation.

          • Peter 3.1.1.1.1
            17 March 2022 at 10:42 am

            You see offending people to alienate them as a useful manipulation strategy?

            • Dennis Frank 3.1.1.1.1.1
              17 March 2022 at 11:02 am

              There's a bunch of regular contributors to this site that appear to believe it is. I'm not necessarily one of them. However it is true that offending people to alienate them has been part of the traditional way of politics throughout history – probably because the users find it a useful technique.

              As a manipulation strategy it depends on the motives of the user, right? So there's an ethical dimension to the context. When I use the technique it's for the enhancement of the common good. The target, irritated, becomes more likely to engage the issue on a deeper mental level. Ponder, reflect, and one often finds perception changing downstream in consequence…

              • Incognito …
                17 March 2022 at 11:19 am

                Provocation can be useful tool, but it is extremely difficult to wield it and get the desired/optimal result and it easily backfires. It takes loads of practice and experience and you have to know with whom you’re dealing. I use it, but only in specific circumstances with very clear purpose in mind. Another risk is that one gets a reputation as provocateur, manipulator, stirrer, or something similar and labelled & treated as such by default – it’s almost impossible to correct/shake such perception once it has hardened in the minds of others.

                • Dennis Frank …
                  17 March 2022 at 11:25 am

                  Indeed. frown Some folks seem to have an innate difficulty with reframing on others. The fact that emotional intelligence is more inherently missing online (due to biological basis in facial expressions & body language) is relevant to this difficulty too. I agree re usage with carefully managed parameters being an essential skill. You get boundary issues…

                  • Incognito …
                    17 March 2022 at 11:47 am

                    Yup, maybe I should do a Post one day on the inherent limitations of written debate and conversation. Plenty has been written about language perceptions of e-mail messages and how to improve effective communication from a mostly professional perspective (e.g. less is more). Then again, the written form has many unique advantages too.

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    17 March 2022 at 8:26 am

    Kiwi spud invalidated as world record:

    An official weigh-in at a local farming store put Dug at 7.8 kilograms (17 pounds), equal to a couple of sacks of regular potatoes, or one small dog. The existing Guinness record will stand, a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed in at just under 5 kg.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/16/giant-new-zealand-potato-is-not-in-fact-a-potato-guinness-world-records-rules

  5. Molly 5
    17 March 2022 at 9:31 am

    A whole city explains on behalf of the UK's largest transgender parents advocacy and support organisation – and I still don't understand,

    (Or am laughing my head off, while simultaneously despairing. Take your pick.)

    https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/tag/neopronouns/

    Other kinds of pronouns

    Nounself pronouns are a type of pronoun featuring a noun which one relates to. For example, I use bee pronouns, which can be used in this way: “This is bee’s coat”.

    Emojiself pronouns are pronouns stemmed from an emoji, for example: “This is 🐝’s coat”.

    Some people use no pronouns, instead using a person’s name where a pronoun would be: “This is Tom’s coat”.

    It is also important to note that if a person uses multiple pronouns that they expect these pronouns to be alternated in sentences. For example, I myself go by bee/it/they pronouns so when referring to me, one might say: “This is Rome, bee thinks it could have left its coat in the house so they are just going to go look for it, we should join bee.”

    So what have we learnt? That any person can use any pronouns, that neopronouns are valid and an established part of the English language, and that language itself is evolving all the time.

    What have I learnt? A sense of humour is vital when confronted by the ridiculous, And Rome is the gift that keeps on giving, when linking to their{?) definition of 🐝 (?) gender – Maverique:

    https://lgbtqia.fandom.com/wiki/Maverique

    Maverique is an emerging term.

    Maverique is a term that has recently emerged. Although the term may be growing in usage, and is significant and well-sourced enough to warrant inclusion on this wiki, it may still be relatively unknown outside of the platform or community where it originated. The exact definition and name may not have stabilized, and may change significantly as more people identify with it.

    Maverique is a non-binary gender identity, that is defined by autonomy and conviction about one's inner sense of self. It is not related to or derived from manhood or womanhood, but also is not neutrois or agender.

    Flag

    The maverique flag was designed by Vesper H. on June 16, 2014. The color meanings are as follows:

    • Yellow: Independent from other genders. Yellow was chosen because it is a primary color, which means that it cannot be obtained from combining other colors, similar to how maverique is not derivative of other genders.
    • White: Autonomy and independence, especially from the gender binary
    • Orange: Inner conviction in regard to one's gender
    • Dennis Frank 5.1
      17 March 2022 at 9:39 am

      Cool, an impressive selection of neothoughts! surprise yes angel

      • Molly 5.1.1
        17 March 2022 at 12:07 pm

        First song that came on in the car seems appropriate. (Apparently the most hated Clash song. I like it, laugh}

        I'm all lost in the supermarket
        I can no longer shop happily
        I came in here for that special offer
        A guaranteed personality

        I wasn't born so much as I fell out
        Nobody seemed to notice me

        https://youtu.be/hZw23sWlyG0

    • Francesca 5.2
      17 March 2022 at 10:05 am

      Do they have non binary wards in hospitals now?

      I mean how do you decide where to put patients?
      Will we have bee wards?
      Maybe the Beehive was future proofing.Too daft for words

      • Sabine 5.2.1
        17 March 2022 at 10:27 am

        You might want to read this,

        and yes, its the daily fail, but fwiw, they actually write about this and they also don't put it behind a paywall.

        But women, transwomen, non binary people are chucked together in 'mixed' wards now cause 'single sex' wards would be not inclusive to men. Never mind the women and girls that get assaulted.

        https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10064607/NHS-policy-documents-compare-patients-want-stay-single-sex-wards-racists-says-nurse.html

        the guardian

        https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/30/mixed-sexed-wards-endanger-and-humiliate-women

        again the daily fail

        https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9854261/Convicts-born-male-identify-female-placed-women-wards.html

        etc etc etc etc etc etc

        • Molly 5.2.1.1
          17 March 2022 at 10:39 am

          Yes. Papers and news media I would previously not read are often the only ones reporting.

          Free press, and free speech? Hah!

        • Shanreagh 5.2.1.2
          17 March 2022 at 11:51 am

          …….and it wouldn't be complete without a yuk anecdote.

          Was very ill after bowel blockage/perforation and was first in room next to nurses, then in room of four……3 women and one elderly man. Man always informed us that he was going to the loo for a piXX or shXT. Generally walked round with everything askew. Asked to have my curtains drawn around me as last thing I wanted when hooked up and in pain was hearing and seeing a person like that.

          Other nurses were always flinging the curtains back. One night at 11.30pm I texted my sister in Southland who rang security at the hospital here in Wellington who evicted all the man's visitors. After a couple of days of this and lack of sleep through his uncouth and long stay visitors I got to need a single room again.

          I am not sure why they cannot have a room with females in it and one with males in it……or why they had a room with 3 women captive in their beds needing help to mobilise to get to the loo or were still at the stage where we were hooked up, and one mobilising uncouth male. Why not four people in same boat male or female? Seemed to have taken no care and anything goes.

          • Molly 5.2.1.2.1
            17 March 2022 at 12:26 pm

            Spent the night in Middlemore's Children's Hospital with my young (10) son, who was booked in for an early morning orthopaedic surgery. Was in a ward with a lovely young man, who was being visited by extended family, who we spoke to in the early afternoon.'

            The visitors kept coming and increased, and while trying to settle my son down, became louder and louder. After a while, visitors left and new ones arrived. After 9pm I spoke to the family, the grandfather of the boy next to us, had also been at Middlemore and had passed away. We were seeing the traipse of visitors moving between the two patients. Having some sympathy for the family, I just returned to trying to read/bore my son to sleep. But the (loud) conversations continued until 11.00pm, primarily talking about death and body preparations. At which time, I spoke to the ward staff, who suggested I have empathy for the family. I said, I do, but could they not relocate the boy into one of the empty four rooms I could see on the ward? They said No. I then suggested they go and clear out the room so my son could get to sleep, because I didn't think that it was my place to do so, and I might unwittingly cause offense.

            About 11.30pm they reluctantly did so. Allowing four adults to stay in the room overnight.

            The only reason I can see for not providing this family with a separate room was sheer laziness. The constant visitors etc. continued for the next two days, and after waiting several hours after the surgeon's approval to go home, we gave up, and I checked my son out at 3.30pm so he could catch up on sleep and start recovery.

            Mixing sexes in this already sub-standard service, is asking for trouble.

            • Shanreagh 5.2.1.2.1.1
              17 March 2022 at 4:44 pm

              I agree. The service I had first and then when I slightly relapsed and had to have a single room again was exemplary. It was just the few days after I was moved from the initial surgery room and then being in this horrible shared room that was so ghastly.

              When I was up and walking like crazy to get my strength back one of the initial nurses followed me down to a big lounge and said she agreed with me, that getting security to evict the visitors was a good thing (they were helpless to do it), he was a difficult patient/person but he needed help as his uncared for diabetes & lung condition had meant he was in danger of losing his leg. Sad but you do get to choose whether you are crude and rude to those around you and he chose to be crude and rude. She said 'some of us try to keep him away from rooms with woman patients but his condition sometimes means that he needs to be close to the nurses station' & mentioned the hospital policy of male/female wards…….say no more. .

          • Sabine 5.2.1.2.2
            17 March 2022 at 2:18 pm

            Because according to some that man is a woman and not only that, but he is the only woman with rights to dignity and safety in that room.

        • Molly 5.2.1.3
          17 March 2022 at 1:09 pm

          Archived link to Telegraph article, published 15 March 2022, following the review of the mixed sex wards policy:

          "Fears over ‘flawed’ NHS single-sex wards review carried out by ‘trans advocate"

          https://archive.ph/hAzF4

          The NHS review into single-sex wards is being carried out by a "trans advocate" who has said that rules that allow patients to self-identify their gender will not be changed, The Telegraph can reveal.

          Dr Michael Brady, the national adviser for LGBT health at NHS England, has written to campaign groups telling them that there is “no plan to reduce existing rights of trans people”. Controversial charities Stonewall and Mermaids had contributed “very helpfully” to the process, Dr Brady told the Trans NHS Staff Network in emails seen by The Telegraph.

          The review was ordered by Sajid Javid after a Telegraph investigation revealed that some policies issued by NHS trusts said that male sex offenders who self-identify as women could be placed on female-only wards.

          It has been warned that trusts are following NHS England guidance on eliminating mixed-sex wards which states that patients should be accommodated according to their presentation and “the way they dress, and the name and pronouns they currently use”.

          Despite the review of this guidance being ordered amid concern for the impact on women, Dr Brady said in emails that the “commitment from the team leading on the review is supporting the maintenance/strengthening of trans rights in the update”.

          No impact, they said.

    • Sabine 5.3
      17 March 2022 at 10:08 am

      i am trying to post an image, but i can't size it correctly. It was a bit of a laugh.

      you can find all the genders here…pick multiples if multiples apply First item on this post linked below.

      https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/glinners-twitter-9e9?s=r

      As is this one here with Ireland, can't decide on a gender, tick men women other what ever and we randomly assign something to you…..never mind the 'requirement to truthfully fill out this census' lol

      https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/ireland-careens-into-the-unknown?s=r

      At the launch of Census 2022 The Taoiseach said “it will be fascinating to see what Census 2022 tells us about our country

      all of us will be fascinated…..all of us

      and this is just such a good read on the Maya Forstater Case again currently being held, this time its her past employer being taken to task. No need for Twitter, this app here is even better as they are just the full thread.

      https://threadreaderapp.com/user/tribunaltweets

      • Molly 5.3.1
        17 March 2022 at 10:35 am

        My daughter and I had a quiet laugh over that list when having our morning coffee.

        It's still concerning how close the reality is to satire.

        Ireland has lost the plot.

        The tribunal tweets spell out plainly both the silencing and the fallacy.

      • Puckish Rogue 5.3.2
        17 March 2022 at 2:32 pm

        He created some of the greatest comedy ever seen on TV, probably wouldn't be allowed now

        • Molly 5.3.2.1
          17 March 2022 at 2:55 pm

          He has been de-platformed, and is currently fighting to stay involved in a Father Ted musical production.

          In short, you're right, he's not.

    • Belladonna 5.4
      17 March 2022 at 1:38 pm

      Particularly amusing as virtually all bees are female (only the drones are male).

  6. Anker 6
    17 March 2022 at 10:07 am
    • I don’t believe I have a gender, but if I had to tick one, it would definitely be ffs, especially when reading Mollys update on pronouns etc.

    And people thought the stuff the protesters at parliament were shouting was batshit crazy……

  7. Anne 7
    17 March 2022 at 10:48 am

    I saw this headline this morning and it stuck in my craw:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300542780/covid19-less-than-half-of-pregnant-people-in-auckland-dhb-are-boosted

    No, it wasn't the fact that so many pregnant women have not had a booster despite them having an unborn babe to protect as well as themselves. Although that is bad enough.

    Its because they have been referred to as "people". They are women. WOMEN! So effing well say so. This pc garbage where difference, whatever it may be, must be hidden behind some heavy beige curtain has gone too far.

    Who are these beige people who are responsible for this nonsensical crap?

  8. Anker 8
    17 March 2022 at 10:52 am
    • Yes it’s always important when reading this stuff to consider whether or not it could be satire…..and it’s good to laugh at it.

    But given the clout the gender activists have it is scary.

  9. Sanctuary 9
    17 March 2022 at 1:03 pm

    Another Russian general killed (and Maj Gen Oleg Mityaev has a particularly unsavory reputation from Syria so let's no cry for him). Scores of other senior officers (colonels and majors) are also confirmed dead. If Ukrainian claims are correct (and they've got form for bumping off senior Russian officers – see Nikolai Vatutin) then fully 20% of all Russian general officers present in the Ukraine have been killed in 20 days.

    There is only two reasons officers this senior get killed in large numbers. Either they are making a last stand or, as I suspect in this case, they are at the front trying to exhort and motivate their army by sheer force of will and are getting picked off by the defenders because their army is hopeless and they are get quickly identified and targeted in insecure locations.

    I have a growing suspicion the Russians are are in trouble and if the Ukrainians can counter-attack they might find themselves with a lot of willing prisoners.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60767664

    • Barfly 9.1
      17 March 2022 at 1:55 pm

      Insecure communications by Russia and every western spying asset providing information to the Ukraine may also be factors.

      • Sanctuary 9.1.1
        17 March 2022 at 2:45 pm

        These freaking things are potentially going to change everything, potentially the biggest revolution in warfare in 100 years.

        • Ad 9.1.1.1
          17 March 2022 at 3:42 pm

          What are "loitering munitions"?

          • Dennis Frank 9.1.1.1.1
            17 March 2022 at 3:51 pm

            A loitering munition (also known as a suicide drone or kamikaze drone is a weapon system category in which the munition loiters (waits passively) around the target area for some time and attacks only once a target is located.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loitering_munition

          • Sanctuary 9.1.1.1.2
            17 March 2022 at 3:52 pm

            They can hang about, potentially for hours, waiting for a target.

            Imagine a completely AI, pre-programmed 2kg flying fragmentation grenade that cost less than $200 smashing on to you after waiting for an hour for you (or someone else with a human shape and heat signature or simply moves) to step outside of your dugout and you’ve got the future. Oh and if you jump into your tank to hide the big brother one will swoop down and blow the whole vehicle to smithereens as well.

        • Dennis Frank 9.1.1.2
          17 March 2022 at 3:56 pm

          The wee one is just like a grenade. The big one does tank take-outs:

          The larger Switchblade 600 loitering munition weighs 50 lb (23 kg) but is man-portable and can be set up in 10 minutes. It is designed to fly out to 40 km (25 mi) in 20 minutes, then loiter for another 20 minutes (giving it an 80 km (50 mi) total range) and attack at a 115 mph (185 km/h) dash speed, carrying an anti-armor warhead designed to neutralize armored vehicles.

          A touchscreen tablet-based fire control system can manually or autonomously control the munition, and it is secured through onboard encrypted data links and Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module GPS with a patented wave-off capability.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroVironment_Switchblade

        • Blade 9.1.1.3
          17 March 2022 at 9:39 pm

          God bless American hardware. But why not go the whole hog and release Area 51 tech on the Ruskies?

  10. Puckish Rogue 10
    17 March 2022 at 1:40 pm

    The UN has ended the war in Ukraine!

  11. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 11
    17 March 2022 at 2:11 pm

    Just watching QT in parliament – Thursday always a quiet day.

    But why . . . why does Nicola Willis remind me of Ruth Richardson?

    • Puckish Rogue 11.1
      17 March 2022 at 2:34 pm

      Because you have unrealised sexual feelings towards Richardson and now you're transposing them on Willis?

      • Tony Veitch (not etc.) 11.1.1
        17 March 2022 at 3:06 pm

        God forbid I have 'unrealised sexual feelings' towards anyone (with the possible exception of Audrey Hepburn!)

        But perhaps its the steely-eyed stare and the finger-nails-on-blackboard voice which seems so similar?

    • AB 11.2
      17 March 2022 at 2:59 pm

      Perhaps because of the way Willis implied that managing the economy of a sovereign nation with its own currency was like a managing a household budget? She said that women commonly do the latter – and it was therefore good to have a female finance spokesperson.

      As false equivalences go, it's a very serviceable one. It makes a good dose of austerity aimed at the lower orders seem like unavoidable common sense that can be delivered with implacable certainty. When that certainty becomes transcendent and quasi-religious, we are definitely in Ruth Richardson territory.

  12. Puckish Rogue 12
    17 March 2022 at 2:17 pm

    Ok so I don't normally do posts like this but here goes.

    I prefer movies and pop culture to anything else (yes that includes Jude and cricket) so I'm posting a link to anyone that wants to help fund awesome content.

    https://80sscifidoc.com/?omnisendContactID=611cc6d61971973e6d1dab1c&utm_campaign=campaign%3A+ISOT+Digital+URL+Campaign+March+2022+-+FINAL+10%2F03+-+10343+%286229bd45c28857001eefa6d6%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=omnisend

    I watched In Search Of Darkness (about 80s horror) and it was good, really good. You can tell its a labour of love for these guys and that they're really into it and this (80s sci-fi) is looking even better

    If you like that kind of thing

    • Molly 12.1
      17 March 2022 at 2:51 pm

      Will pass on link to young man who is currently living in our granny flat. As he is immunocompromised and ill, he is really isolated from his age group,. I'm thepoor substitute- we talk and trade links.

      One of them was Flight of the Navigatot Special FX

      https://youtu.be/tyixMpuGEL8

      It was good. I'm sure he'll be interested.

  13. aj 13
    17 March 2022 at 3:44 pm

    Yesterday was the 55th anniversary of the My Lai massacre in the Vietnam War, an event that has been acknowledged was only the tip of an iceberg of war crimes.

    https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/vietnam/vietnam_mylai.cfm

    The one shining light was the humanity and bravery of Hugh Thompson and his helicopter crew, a man who was shunned in the aftermath but deserved the highest praise for his stance. If we think of Chelsea Manning, Assange, and Snowden, Thompson stands in their company.

    Some people publicly stated that they felt Thompson was the only soldier at My Lai who should be punished (for turning his weapons on fellow American troops) and wanted to see him court-martialed for his actions at My Lai.

    https://special-ops.org/hugh-thompson-the-forgotten-hero-of-my-lai/

    You won't read of this anniversary in the media anywhere. This was a turning point in my belief in the myth of the USA. Carpet bombing, chemical warfare, and a pointless cause.

    Dylan nailed it in Blind Willie McTell. Six words in this verse define so much of American history, and nothing's changed.

    Well, God is in heaven

    And we all want what's his

    But power and greed and corruptible seed

    Seem to be all that there is



  15. McFlock 15
    17 March 2022 at 4:41 pm

    I recall observing under George W with his nuclear penetrator, and today with some comments about "small" nukes, that there is a recurring tendency to regard nukes as just really big bombs, maybe with some lingering cancer effects over future decades if the bomb is "dirty".

    It's possibly pertinent to point out that they're not just a big bomb. Most people suffering traumatic injuries from a bomb tend to die relatively quickly, or survive.

    Sure, nukes kill lots of people quickly. But they also kill lots of people really slowly and inexorably over weeks or months. Lingering, painful deaths, by the thousand.

    • Barfly 15.1
      17 March 2022 at 5:23 pm

      Yeah – you want to be in the immediate BOOM kill zone not in the BBQ and die much later zone

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  • Trust In Me

    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

  • 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
    23 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
    1 day 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

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

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