Open mike 17/05/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 17th, 2022 - 55 comments
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55 comments on “Open mike 17/05/2022 ”

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  1. Jimmy 1
    17 May 2022 at 8:19 am

    Were there no ram raids last night?

  2. Joe90 2
    17 May 2022 at 10:30 am

    It's almost like the invasion of Ukraine had SFA to do with NATO expansion.

    /

    https://twitter.com/DAlperovitch/status/1526175012096548864

    • weston 2.1
      17 May 2022 at 11:30 am

      Apart from the general barbarity of killing and maiming your own civilians from a distance ie by shelling the ukrainians seem to have a penchant for getting up nice an close as in this torture and detention facility recently discovered called Poloviken .

      Wonder how many of those there are in the Donbass ? could that be another motivation for Putin ?



      • joe90 2.1.1
        17 May 2022 at 12:21 pm

        shelling the ukrainians seem to have a penchant for

        /

        • weston 2.1.1.1
          17 May 2022 at 1:20 pm

          Hard to say much about this level of destruction although a brief description of where and when would be useful lest we think its berlin in 45 .

          • joe90 2.1.1.1.1
            17 May 2022 at 2:00 pm

            Groznyy. Flattened over a couple of months in 1995 by Russian artillery, killing something like 30K civilians in the process. Nobody really knows.

            The Damascus suburb of Ghouta, Aleppo, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Kyiv…the list goes on and again, dog only knows how many civilians killed.

            • weston 2.1.1.1.1.1
              17 May 2022 at 6:23 pm

              So leaving out the foreign wars sticking to ukraine only post the russian invasion to the twelve of this month about three an a half thousand civilians have died according to statista .com .Seems there are no accurate figures for how many soldiers on either side .

              • Populuxe1 …
                17 May 2022 at 6:58 pm

                What's with the compulsion to defend a klepto-oligarch like Putin? Daddy issues?

              • Jenny how to get there …
                17 May 2022 at 8:32 pm

                weston

                17 May 2022 at 6:23 pm

                So leaving out the foreign wars….

                I get it, we are only allowed to mention the foreign wars of Western imperialism as evidence of their evil.

                However Russia's foreign wars can't be ignored because they are inextricably linked to the current conflict in Ukraine.

                The same tactics the same level of atrocity, even the same hired killers.

                Russia Is Recruiting Mercenaries and Syrians to Ukraine …

                6/04/2022 — Russia's problems finding additional troops are in large measure why it has invited Syrian fighters, Chechens and Russian mercenaries to serve ..

                https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/us/politics/russia-military-ukraine-war.html

                I am pretty sure that the mukhabarat officer, responsible for the Tadamon massacre, Amjad Youssuf, would be keen, especially if as well as his pay, Amjad was offered a chance for a new identity in Russia's witness genocide protection program.

                “I’m proud of what I did”

                ….as war rages in Ukraine, a playbook of state terror on civilian populations rehearsed in Syria is being redeployed by Russian forces, as Vladimir Putin’s so-called special military operation turns into a brutal occupation of parts of the east of the country. Military intelligence units there have been at the forefront of savagery, instilling fear into communities through mass detentions and killings of the type that characterised Assad’s brutal attempts to claw back power….

                https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/27/massacre-in-tadamon-how-two-academics-hunted-down-a-syrian-war-criminal

                • weston …
                  17 May 2022 at 11:07 pm

                  Think i'll let you an joe do the globe trotting jen im just a simple chap an find one subject at a time enough to cope with

                  • Jenny how to get there …
                    18 May 2022 at 9:22 am

                    ‘
                    Two legs bad, four legs good.

                    Western imperialism bad, Russian imperialism good.

                    "im just a simple chap an find one subject at a time enough to cope with" weston

                    And that's where you go wrong.

                    In the book Snowball who coined the above phrase, tries to do good by exposing the cruelty of humans to animals,

                    Snowball is a bit like Abby Martin who hosted the show "Empire Files" and "Breaking the Set" on RT, which exposed the crimes of Western (particularly US), imperialism.

                    But unlike the ill fated Snowball, Martin knew when to jump ship. When she was called on to defend the Russian invasion of the Donbass in 2014, Martin quit RT rather than be a propaganda tool of the Russian Federation.

                    https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rosiegray/rt-host-who-criticized-russias-ukraine-invasion-is-leaving-t

  3. Molly 3
    17 May 2022 at 10:49 am

    Women who have had issues with breastfeeding or have restricted their diet or medication while breastfeeding, will understand my disdain – not so much for the male who appears to have a fetish – but for the supposed lactation consultant who worked with him.

    How is this discharge – full of medications – a healthy intake for a newborn?

    Systematic safeguarding failures are happening.

    https://twitter.com/miss_teabaggins/status/1526296409447743489

    • Sabine 3.1
      17 May 2022 at 11:00 am

      the future is female they say 🙂

    • Anker 3.2
      17 May 2022 at 11:37 am

      Once again Molly thanks for posting.

      Child abuse

    • The Fairy Godmother 3.3
      17 May 2022 at 1:25 pm

      as a mother who fully breastfed my three infants using absolutely no formula I know breastfeeding is a huge committment it is about sustaining the baby and giving her what she needs to grow. It is about love and bonding. It is a partnership between the mother and baby. It is about the mother giving to the baby. It is about natural hormones which help the mother to relax and have the rest she needs while milk which is designed perfectly to meet the baby's needs is produced. For instance if the baby has a gastro bug and needs to feed more often the milk will be more watery. It will also have anti bodies from the mother which will help the baby to stay healthy. It is wonderful. This is just disgusting and an adult filling adult needs. Beyond belief.

    • Molly 3.4
      17 May 2022 at 3:51 pm

      Follow up link regarding Australian lactation consultant who said she was fired for not assisting men in their efforts to breastfeed

      https://www.womensforumaustralia.org/has_gender_ideology_captured_the_australian_breastfeeding_association

    • The Fairy Godmother 3.5
      17 May 2022 at 4:47 pm

      And I wonder why these men never seem to be pictured doing the things any parent can do such as feeding solid foods, changing nappies, bringing up wind, playing peek a boo, or dressing or bathing baby.

  4. Poission 4
    17 May 2022 at 11:12 am

    Sri Lanka crisis deepens.Runs out of fuel,and limited reserves for medicines.

    https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/status/1526266177734975492?cxt=HHwWiICxyZHAsa4qAAAA

    • pat 4.1
      17 May 2022 at 6:05 pm

      The future today

      • Poission 4.1.1
        17 May 2022 at 6:16 pm

        Terrifying thread from the PM as JB said.

        The Governor of the Bank of England,suggested strongly that the current conditions from the commodities shock (food and energy) are apocalyptic.

        https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/300590783/apocalyptic-food-shortage-threatens-says-bank-of-england-governor

        The UN agrees and the DG has invited Russia to remove its naval blockade on the Ukraine to allow maize,wheat and oils to go to developing countries.

        In exchange the UN will allow Russian and Belarusian fertilizers to be exported.

        • pat 4.1.1.1
          17 May 2022 at 6:26 pm

          We are fortunate we are a country of 5 million that (may be able to) feed 40 million…provided we can maintain our infrastructure.

          • Poission 4.1.1.1.1
            17 May 2022 at 6:54 pm

            If we can start to decrease our current account deficit,we have the ability to enhance our infrastructure,without it being either sold off shore (perpetuating the debt flow)

            • pat 4.1.1.1.1.1
              17 May 2022 at 7:23 pm

              we have been supposedly trying that for 40 years….dosnt look promising

              • Poission …
                17 May 2022 at 7:42 pm

                Well think big was supposed to avert some of the problems,where we were importing high cost refined product.

                Now the owners have closed Marsden point,we are not importing say $us100 bbl of oil,we are importing $ us 250 bbl of distillate,missing out on the windfall taxes that would have arisen with 60us$ bbl cracking profits.

                • pat …
                  17 May 2022 at 7:49 pm

                  Will take your word for the taxes…I'm more concerned about the reduced capacity…we produce oil (around 40,000 bpd)….but by shutting down the refinery and dismantling it) we have lost any future capacity…we are now completely reliant on offshore supply….and we know when push comes to shove how that will play out.

  5. Molly 5
    17 May 2022 at 11:42 am

    I enjoy the brief moment of indulgence in childlike wonder when I see photos like this.

    For a few seconds all the rational thinking in the world is kept at bay, … and it's magic.

    https://mars.nasa.gov/raw_images/1064629/?site=msl#.YnvOWyqfr8c.twitter

    <iframe src="https://mars.nasa.gov/raw_images/embed/1064629&quot; width="400" height="400" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe>

    (Sorry, mods. I’ve bollixed the image.)

  6. tc 6
    17 May 2022 at 12:04 pm

    Across the ditch an insight report conducted by Treasury found $27 billion was paid to businesses that didn’t have a 30% decline in turnover as the rules dictated.

    Scumo is now throwing people's super on the table in a desperate piece of 'on the fly' policy that will inflate house prices and screw super in one hit.

    The independent media are having a field day as Murdoch's media does it's best to keep scumo in the lodge

  7. Incognito 7
    17 May 2022 at 3:01 pm

    Neat!

    Gibbs said the cableway sat outside the project footprint.

    "The project documents are very specific on where the project's footprint is and the ancillary works area around it and there was no project footprint on the summit of Mt Messenger above the tunnel.

    "That was meant to be left as an ecological corridor not clear felled and levelled."

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/467263/cableway-to-be-built-to-transport-workers-and-material-to-mt-messenger-bypass-site

  8. JO 8
    17 May 2022 at 3:25 pm

    Here is something good for a gloomy Tuesday full of fractious arguments. Reading this essay reminds me of the way a determined government and almost all the rest of us could harness our own 'immense power of citizenry' when the pandemic first hit us in 2020. It's discouraging to see how quickly that collective sense of purpose seems to have dissolved around the edges (can the centre hold?) into factions and fury.

    What all this represents is not just a contrast in strategy—with Zelensky and the Ukrainians finding a way to turn their comparative weakness into strength—but a contrast at a much more fundamental level: that between stories of the role of the individual in society. There are three such stories in play here: those of Subject, Consumer and Citizen. […]

    Putin’s attack can be understood as a pure expression of the resurgence of the Subject Story, as in “subjects of the king.” […] The logic here says: “do what the leader says, and all will be well.”

    The west’s sanction-led response comes from the Consumer Story, the story that has been dominant for the last 80 years […] The logic here says: “pursue self-interest, and all will be well.”

    The alternative, the story Zelensky and the Ukrainians are tapping into, is the Citizen Story. This reflects a deeper truth about humanity. […] This logic says: “all of us are smarter than any of us—put meaningful power in people’s hands, and we will use it well.”

    https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/how-zelensky-harnessed-the-immense-power-of-the-citizen

  9. newsense 9
    17 May 2022 at 3:56 pm

    Spot the difference:

    RNZ : Luxon against corporate welfare for emissions reductions.

    Top story

    Stuff: Luxon remove climate subsidies- except for agriculture

    3rd or 4th

    Herald: Amber Heard and gang violence

    Rather suggests the main outlet was RNZ. And they don’t have a Jack Tame on staff or on their news website at least…

  10. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 10
    17 May 2022 at 4:46 pm

    In the House at QT: I am sure I could never be a politician – I'm nowhere near thick skinned enough.

    Luxon humiliated by Grant Robertson, but his ego protected him from assimilating the depth of his embarrassment.

    And James Shaw on top form in reply to questions about the Climate Change response.

    Good stuff: if the '23 election depended on responses in the House, Labour and the Greens would be a shoe in!

    • Jester 10.1
      17 May 2022 at 10:35 pm

      That's good to hear that James Shaw got better during the day, as his morning interview with Hosking was a train wreck.

  11. RedLogix 11
    17 May 2022 at 7:51 pm

    I would beg to differ.

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

  12. Peter 12
    17 May 2022 at 9:46 pm

    The collective sense dissipated quickly when people realised they were being protected and weren't going to die.

    That freedom gave them the space to attack Ardern and the Government because on a daily basis they were in front of us.

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  • Fashionable follies
    Eric Crampton writes –  A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Justice for Bainimarama!
    In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • March for Nature in June
    Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
    Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • The non-woke $3 Lunch.
    I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Labour’s chickens come home to roost
    The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings
    Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • The wrong direction
    Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • National hates democracy
    Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
    Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Member’s Day
    Today is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
    Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
    Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left   Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  •  Inflation and GST thresholds
    Eric Crampton writes –  I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes –  Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of Technology
    Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the Solomons
    Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
    With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
    Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • A few PT announcements
    There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problem
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Nothing to sneer at
    Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Still on their bullshit
    When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Drawn
    A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
    Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECD
     Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  •  Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to China
    Chris Trotter writes –  Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • A balanced and an unbalanced article
    David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Deeply unserious country
    Every bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    41 mins ago

  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
    Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
    The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Report provides insights into marine recovery
    New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region.   The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu.    “New Zealand has deep and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Low gas production threatens energy security
    There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co.  Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
    Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry
    Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data Summit
    It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government.  I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Ceasefire agreement needed now: Peters
    New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Daily school attendance data now available
    A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.  The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Ambassador to United States appointed
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.    “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says.    “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New permit proposed for recreational gold mining
    The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiations
    Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to sign
    New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Next stop NASA for New Zealand students
    Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crime
    New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • OECD reinforces need to control spending
    The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for Auckland
    The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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