Open mike 18/06/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 18th, 2020 - 70 comments
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70 comments on “Open mike 18/06/2020 ”

  1. Sanctuary 1

    The unbelievable level of incompetence on display from the MOH over the running of the border quarantine seems to be just another chapter of failure from government departments systematically wrecked by the last National government. Name me one agency – police bungling the self isolation checks, NZTA's inability to deliver even a core function like warrants of fitness, the housing debacle, ht list goes on – that has been able to meet the increased expectations that have been put on it?

    Second, the border fiasco clearly represents a classic example of stakeholder capture of the MOH/MBIE – they've been far to it willing to bend to the demands of lobby groups and business. Hopefully the government now finally has the mandate to enforce the border restrictions as strictly and as entusiastically as the public has expected them to be enforced. One the big takes to me has been that the public has been in favour of far tougher borders than the government agencies enforcing them have been.

    This is the one free pass the government will get on this, and that is only because their opponents have not a shred of credibility in their criticism. They need the military to act to get this right.

    Also, I don’t know about anyone else but I am really not looking forward to weeks of middle class Karens telling us of how they think the system doesn’t work based on their one off experience that we are now going to get in the media.

    • I just hope that this sorry little episodes might make a few Labour politicians reflect on the fact that some of their 'officials' are not necessarily all that they seem. At the moment (due to various circumstances), I'm most familiar with MoBIE. People have been warning of its shortcomings for years – i.e. people at the coalface and even former employees. Its a bugger's muddle and the clue should probably have been in whose creation it was (Mr Fixit Joyce, being one of them). Failed restructures, high staff turnover, demographic spreadsheets and now the notional one, people having to be "managed" out because of overt racism while covert racists remain, Thompson and Clark, people trying to be a select little police force rather than actually trying to serve the public – it covers the entire spectrum. And probably the saddest thing is that many in the organisation probably think the culture is quite OK.

      But as you say, there are the other departments.

      Helen Clark ws being diplomatic when she said the public service doesn't have the capacity it once had. She's correct, but its not just capacity. And it actually predates the last gummint though nowhere near the extent of dysfunction that crept in during the gNats reign of bullshit where even ethical behaviour was reduced merely to a tradable commodity if and when affordable .

      If this latest episode doesn't now convince Labour that there are departments/ministries/agencies that are not fit for purpose, nothing will.

    • observer 1.2

      I am really not looking forward to weeks of middle class Karens telling us of how they think the system doesn’t work based on their one off experience that we are now going to get in the media.

      There will be a "human interest" story any day the media want to find one.

      "Separated family denied by cruel officials" OR "Blundering officials" OR "Inconsistent officials".

      Sometimes I think Ardern should just announce a vote in Parliament on Martial Law, but say the government will abstain, so the Opposition can have it if they vote for it. If they don't then we're staying with what we've got – officials trying to follow the law, and strike a balance, and inevitably somebody somewhere making a mistake.

      I think that's better than armed soldiers on the streets but then I'm not some deranged Trump wannabe in opposition, who wants Tough Action alongside Total Freedom.

      • observer 1.2.1

        And right on cue …

        Booze ban in quarantine hotel

        We demand all our rights, and we also demand the government do whatever it takes.

        • aj 1.2.1.1

          observer 1.2.1

          Guests can't figure out why there is a temporary ban?

          Haven't they got half a brain to work it out?

          "It is a temporary measure and guests' ability to purchase alcohol will be reinstated once all test results have been returned and the facility has been given the all-clear.”
          Those inside the hotel said no reason was given for the ban, which came into force after the announcement on Tuesday afternoon of the new cases and their links to the facility.
          Another man at the Novotel, who asked not to be named, also said no reason was given for the ban.

  2. Andre 2

    Compassionate exemptions: there's now been a big flurry of stories about people being granted release from quarantines and then abusing that enormous privilege they've been granted and indulging in behaviours that are a huge risk of creating infection hotspots.

    There appears to be a common feature – they have been allowed to go after the pivotal person has died. To a funeral. A wake. To comfort a grieving relative. And so on.

    None of the stories I've seen have been about someone allowed to go see a loved one their last days, in order to say their last goodbyes. Or to be with loved ones at a critical life event such as birth.

    Something is very messed up here where condoning risk for the sake of dead bodies seems acceptable, but not for the sake of the living.

    Something is very very wrong with our systems, and with the way those that have been given a privilege within the system then go on to behave after being granted that privilege.

    • Sanctuary 2.1

      Well the lockdown worked because the rules were brutally simple. it looks like we need a similar set of brutally simple rules for the quarantine system. Fourteen days in isolation, compulsory testing, no exceptions, no excuses. Ever. If you don’t like it, don’t come.

      Perhaps we also need to completely close the border with the UK. These two women and their attitude are pure failed state insouiance. There is a reason 60,000 people have died in the UK and this behaviour is it – everyone living there seems to think they are an exception to the rules. We simply cannot trust anyone arriving from the UK to not treat our rules with a cavalier attitude up to and including outright lying to officials.

      • Bearded Git 2.1.1

        Michael Woodhouse, a nasty Nat if there ever was one, has just been perpetrating a major beat-up of the problems with the quarantine system just now on Morning Report.

        While there appear to have been isolated cases where the system has failed (the 2 UK women especially) overall it seems to have been working well. There was always going to be the odd slip-the system has already been tightened to stop this.

        Woodhouse’s claims that there was physical contact between the 2 UK women and their friends seems to be false.

        Meanwhile Woodhouse admitted he would have opened the border to many thousands of overseas students some time ago. No matter how good the quarantine and testing system, this represents a much higher risk to NZ than the current regime.

        • Andre 2.1.1.1

          Sure, Woodhouse and the other Nats with their advocacy for internally contradictory future actions are just making it ever clearer that they're simply unfit for government.

          But that doesn't negate that they have brought to light very serious failings with the current system that are a lot more than just the inevitable occasional slip.

          • Bearded Git 2.1.1.1.1

            Agreed Andre-it was stupid to let the two UK people to sneak around the system without getting their test results-my guess is they argued long and hard and one of them hid symptoms. But I still think this is probably one of a few mistakes among many thousands of people that have come into NZ and overall the system has worked superbly well.

            The Nats need to crack the Jacinda magic and will majorly beat-up anything they can use against her. The NZ public's mood is so "fortress NZ" at the moment that they tend to buy into the idea that the system is failing when shown the slightest crack.

            NZ 2 cases in 25 days. Sweden 1,239 cases yesterday.

        • mauī 2.1.1.2

          "Woodhouse’s claims that there was physical contact between the 2 UK women and their friends seems to be false."

          Bloomfield said on radio this morning that a friend put an arm around one of the women after they got help with directions. So sadly… Woodhouse's claims are more correct than the MOH at this point. MOH stated yesterday that the women had no contact with anyone on their journey.

          • Peter 2.1.1.2.1

            Woodhouse said he didn't inform the MOH he only came out with information after the story was 'verified.'

            What's verified? When you hear what you wanted to hear? Did the stories come from those who wanted to embarrass the government?

          • observer 2.1.1.2.2

            Let's assume 2 things: Woodhouse was both told the truth, and he then repeated the truth.

            That doesn't make it better, it makes it worse. If you/I had info about the close contact with Covid-19 cases, what would we do? Or what should we do?

            I don't think "tell Michael Woodhouse" comes near the top of the list. He's not in the public health system.

            They witnessed this action on Saturday. It was raised in parliament on Wednesday, after they contacted him on Tuesday. What the hell were they doing in the meantime, and how many people were affected during the delay?

            • mauī 2.1.1.2.2.1

              This is about winning public trust and confidence during a national crisis, like it or not Woodhouse has dented that confidence. You really think the public response is going to be aimed at Woody's actions over the MOH's??

              • observer

                Of course not. But if instant public opinion led by headlines was our guide, we would have the death penalty for beneficiaries who eat takeaways.

                That doesn't change the moral responsibility of those who have important information about the virus in the community.

              • Incognito

                You really think the public response is going to be aimed at Woody’s actions over the MOH’s??

                False dichotomy.

              • Peter

                It's all about public trust and by his actions Woodhouse showed he can't be trusted in the slightest to primarily do good for the country. It won't make the headlines and journos won't give him a hard time about it but every time you see him on TV know you are looking at someone who behaves like a total slimebag.

      • Andre 2.1.2

        I'd kinda prefer to be a little more nuanced than that.

        It seems that after a death, the risk of people not thinking straight and behaving irresponsibly is just unacceptably high. So yeah, no exemptions from quarantine.

        But so far, we don't have evidence of that risky behaviour coming from those granted leave for critical moments with the living. It's not clear whether it's because in those cases leave has not been granted (in which case our system priorities are seriously fucked up), or whether people actually do behave more responsibly after being granted leave for these other life events.

        As to the reports of lack of testing, and the idea that testing can be declined, and mingling of those near the start of quarantine and near the end – yeah, those are just fuckups that have to be fixed. No if, buts or maybes. Given the frequency of false negatives, I also question giving people the all clear on the basis of just one test – two clear tests 24 hours apart should be required. Don't agree to that, don't come.

        • bwaghorn 2.1.2.1

          I see no problem with people in quarantine being required to were tracking braclets especially if we return to letting them out on occasion.

          • Andre 2.1.2.1.1

            Hell, I'd even go as far as assigning a minder to every single one of them.

            • joe90 2.1.2.1.1.1

              Ankle bracelets. They'd be cheaper and wearers would think twice about being seen wearing one in public.

        • aj 2.1.2.2

          It seems that after a death, the risk of people not thinking straight and behaving irresponsibly is just unacceptably high. So yeah, no exemptions from quarantine.

          You would think that after a death, the value of life would actually be right to the forefront of your mind. If the person who had died could speak, they would probably say two things: 'I don't want to be here' and 'Don't do anything that may endanger the lives of others'

          How you could be given an exemption to attend a funeral, and not have in mind your own position with respect to this pandemic which is taking a heavy toll of lives, completely escapes me.

          I haven't heard one person from the right of politics suggest these people should have shown some personal responsibility.

      • aj 2.1.3

        +100

        They just don't seem to have any concept of responsibility to the community. If the gym story is true it boggles the mind. Why on earth would you even think about going there, given their position.

        • SPC 2.1.3.1

          They went In the morning found out in the afternoon that there was a positive test for the pair in Wellington.

      • AB 2.1.4

        "failed state insouciance"

        Phrase of the week! So good I barely care if it's true or not

    • Gabby 2.2

      Got to wonder what connexions the exemptees might have had. A group of 10 getting to pop off to a funeral suggests someone had a bit of influence.

  3. Sanctuary 3

    A good FTA with the UK would be bloody useful for reducing our strategic dependence on China, even if we just went back to 1972 levels of exports – that is, around 400,000 tons of butter and cheese and 250,000 tons of sheepmeat – along with our wine and other exports. Imagine if we could send them 500,000 tons of dairy productsd and 300,000 tons of lamb! Luckily, we actually have some leverage on the Brexit brigade currently in charge in the UK, who are very keen on getting some runs on the board outside the EU on trade and even more importantly, for NZ to not veto their attempts to join the Pacific free trade partnership.

  4. Reality 4

    Some lax procedures, plus people who expect they be able to bend the rules, has resulted in what has happened. The two women driving to Wellington should have known better, given they had come from the UK. To blame the bureaucrats alone in this case and others, is overlooking the people who think rules don’t apply to them.

    I was told yesterday by a person in charge of checking people visiting a rest home/hospital that some would refuse to give their tracing details. Also a cafe manager told me some would refuse to give their details. She simply told them to leave as her first priority was the welfare of her staff.

    • observer 4.1

      To blame the bureaucrats alone in this case and others, is overlooking the people who think rules don’t apply to them.

      Some alternative headlines:

      "Place requires contact tracing. Says it's now required. Plucky Kiwi fights for his freedoms, won't give his details. This is dictatorship! We've beaten the virus, so why the heavy-handed bureaucracy? Outraged Opposition MP joins us now …"

  5. observer 5

    Sweden: over 5,000 dead now.

    So naturally the AM show turns to Simon Thornley for his valuable insights on NZ's Covid challenges. We have 22 dead, it would be (per capita) 100 times more if the Sweden fans had their way.

    I guess it's the old story: people have to take responsibility for what they do, but never for what they say and don't have to do.

    • Bearded Git 5.1

      22 dead and political uproar in NZ because two less-than-forthcoming (privileged?) UK people manage to talk and sneak their way around the system and end up testing positive.

      Imagine if we had 1,239 new cases daily like Sweden did yesterday. That would be cause for the type of reaction Woodhouse and Muller have exhibited in the last 2 days.

      Then there is RNZ's headline that that the tracing /test regime has "failed" when it achieved 79 and 74% in 2 days where it was aiming for 80%. That looks very close to the gold standard to me.

  6. Anker 6

    Still smarting over the quarantine/isolation issue.

    1. it is a system failure of course. Nursing training possibly implicated where gaining consent patient rights etc is over emphasised. So how a nurse phrases the question about the test is highly influential in what happens. “Would you like a covid test? You don’t have to”. Versus, “I am here to give you your Covid test”. I say this because last night Lisa Owen interviewed a women who is isolating in the covid women’s hotel. This women said they were offered a test on day three, but she didn’t want to have it. But now of course that this women has been in the same facility with two women with covid she couldn’t wait to get the test (and had had it just before she talked to Lisa). I am so furious with this woman’s blatant self interest……..

    but responsibility lies further up the chain. Who knew that people were absconding from funerals and didn’t alert the minister. Sounds like he genuinely didn’t know when asked about it by heather d p Allen. Someone somewhere in the chain knew and did nothing. They need to be sacked

    it’s a f…g pandemic. Bring in the military.
    btw my apologies for my angry posts over this. I can’t remember when I last felt this angry.

  7. observer 7

    It's the nature of fast-changing news coverage that facts slip through the cracks, and people who rant without the facts don't bother re-visiting what they said. We all move on to the next episode.

    So, for the record – everyone who said (with complete certainty and no evidence) the 2 women driving to Wellington MUST have stopped for petrol … was wrong. It was diesel. So they didn't.

    It might be worth pausing before the next instant judgement, but hey, where's the fun in that?

    wink

    • Andre 7.1

      I'm gobsmacked that whether they could go Orcland-Wellie on one tank ever got to be an issue. Anyone with just a bit more driving experience than needed for a restricted licence should be able to work out it depends on the car's fuel tank size, efficiency, driving style and skills, and how close the driver is willing to get to empty. Of the cars I've owned in the last thirty years, I'd be confident of doing it in roughly a third, could maybe eke it out in a third, and not a chance in a third of them.

      Besides, there's plenty of zero-contact places to fill up. Most Gulls are unmanned, and the Gull at Atiamuri definitely is (it's usually the cheapest around). Pretty sure last couple of times I filled up anywhere near Wellie I paid at the pump.

  8. anker 8

    Observer, I have been appreciating your comments on this issue.

    Realize some of mine are generated in anger, although didn't accuse women of not being able to drive from Ak to Wellington. Knew that was possible.

    • observer 8.1

      Thanks. I wasn't attacking anyone in particular (I've got things wrong too), it just seems funny that some aspects of a story become the big Debating Point. The whole "could they or couldn't they?" question was all over social media, and the various talking heads on radio etc. Seemed like everyone had an opinion.

      Turns out it didn't matter at all.

  9. xanthe 9

    It seems to me that the process for visas is arse backwards at the moment. Surely the process should be

    1 how many people have we the capacity to hold in isolation/ quarantine

    2 how many people presently in quarantine

    if 2 >= 1 no visa.

    it looks like there is an essential feedback path missing here

  10. joe90 10

    Sixth in the past fortnight. Looks like something awful is going on.

    https://twitter.com/thedailybeast/status/1273128251972599809

    • greywarshark 10.1

      Thanks for documenting this Joe90. I can't bear to look – I am afraid of losing my mind watching the implosion and the toxic stuff emerging from the USA every day. There is no truth in the thinking that raising people's living standards (as regularly said about low-paid Asian workers) is sure to make life better. The USA is one of the richest countries, but getting money has only made them meaner and then the strugglers at the bottom are still relatively if not actually poorer. A concrete like conformist mindset creeps in to those with some improvements, and sets up waves of negative thinking about those whose lives aren't improving and who struggle still. Why can't we all get on.

    • Sabine 10.2

      It is a school area and they don't have cameras? Yeah, right Tui.

  11. greywarshark 11

    Surely assisting business to comply with regs has been the leitmotif since neolib came in. Why should a plumber be dumped on who realised something was wrong on a big job, notified the management, but continued with his contractual work? If he doesn't do his work, he doesn't pay his rent or eat, and he might be avoided in future as a trouble-maker. How damn ignorant of the chap from the Plumbing Board to blame the bloke at the bottom, and make him (or her) the scapegoat for shoddy design and sector laxness and rule-breaking.

    However, Plumbing Board investigator David Thomas said the certifying plumber had to do much more than just speak up."You couldn't keep installing them the way they were, because they weren't correct, they didn't comply.

    "So it's no good saying, 'Oh these aren't right, but I'll just keep going'."Surely you've got to have that ability to say, 'This is where we stop', document it, then wait for a solution to come back," Thomas told the five-member panel in Wellington yesterday.

    I think that this Thomas needs to stop working, while he waits for somebody with integrity to investigate his findings, and see whether his employer pays him. There needs to be protection for whistle-blowers that involves paying their costs for doing so. This Plumbing Board guy must be paid to keep authority off the backs of the builders and speculators; he doesn't seem concerned about the contractor. That poor guy, when looking for his next job, may end up in a job shelf-stacking at any hardware shop that remains open.

    The opinion the Plumbing Board guy has espoused enables business to slope away from its responsibilities as has been its habit. Government imposes tight regulations and costs on the contractors, workers, micro businesses but the lead guys are virtual criminals allowed free rein. Government itself does not want to accept the responsibility that its power and finances require. The pollies are mates with lead business people who are 'wealth creators' (for themselves). We citizens scrape the pot, and they get the gravy.

  12. Andre 13

    Heh. My only question is why is this guy homeless when he's got the skills to identify an opportunity and the initiative to jump on it when the moment is right?

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12340918

  13. Adrian 14

    Sounds a bit dodgy, all most all homeless were housed during and after lockdown. Maybe Chris bishop vouched for him.

  14. Scud formerly Exkiwiforces 16

    On Monday Joe, Darwin in the NT hit its highest ever recorded June temp of 35.5 deg and has now push our average daily temp up to 30.7 degrees. We aren’t meant to see these temperatures until mid to late Jul. Soils moisture content in the Northern NT has also crashed to record lows for this time of the yr and again we shouldn’t be seeing this until at least August or September.

    The BOM guys have said it going to get even worse during the Dry and a greatest likely hood of more running fires than last yr, btw running fires usually lead to crown fires. Last yrs fire season saw many people too see their first running and crown fires in the NT which were to the old hands a very rare event, but to have 3 such events last yr on the weekend was crazy a enough and very stressful for those on the fire line as well.

    Anyway got to head and finish my jobs around the house, before head out bush again on Monday for fire duty.

    • greywarshark 16.1

      Kind regards Scud – you seem to be on the front line – to this keyboard 'warrior.' Are the farmers up there connecting with the Mulloon Institute on how to contain water. What to do when you don't get any – the aborigines would probably know something about that.

  15. ickey 17

    who can't leave the novatel hotel drive 50 metre turn left and keep going

  16. sumsuch 18

    I appreciate your details, above. But you're like a hyped up current events class.

    I'm always out of sync on that account. Shouldn't we concentrate on the central things of the neediest and the fact this is the decade of 1939 for climate change? And we are already too late, 100s of millions will die now.

  17. Eco Maori 19

    Kia Ora

    The Am Show.

    Papatuanuku albartross day great we need to care for the wildlife.

    I say that our government has handled the economy quite well keeping people in jobs the alternative government would have sent all the subsidies straight to top and forgot about the common people next minute a big financial mess the trickle down lie never worked .

    Its all your m8s in the system that are throwing a spanner in the works.

    Its good to see %20 of people don't consume alcohol.

    Ka kite Ano

  18. Eco Maori 20

    Kia Ora

    Te Ao Maori Marama.

    More Wai storage is needed in Aotearoa we also have to minimise our Wai usage and wastage of Wai with what our scientists have forcast for our Mokopuna weather and environment.

    It would be good to see Maori business thriving in their exporting markets Maori we're one of the first to export Aotearoa products.

    The art wall is a great project.

    Ka kite Ano

  19. Eco Maori 21

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    That's is great Iwi investing in water storage and horticultural.

    Mclarn the supercar with A Aotearoa connection.

    Matariki starts today we had some Thunder and lightning last night to.

    Ka kite Ano

  20. Eco Maori 23

    Kia Ora

    Newshub.

    The trees need to be planted in steep farm land its all about a ballance.

    Anti virus masks and clothing cool new tech clothing.

    Ka kite Ano.

  21. Eco Maori 24

    Kia Ora

    The Am Show.

    Aotearoa is lucky we are in a better situation than most.

    Asia is important to Aotearoa.

    We do need to protect the wildlife.

    Ka kite Ano.

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    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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
    18 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
    21 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
    21 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

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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