Open mike 19/09/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 19th, 2023 - 63 comments
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63 comments on “Open mike 19/09/2023 ”

  1. Bearded Git 1
    19 September 2023 at 6:31 am

    A Queenstown mayor talking a lot of sense on housing and sticking it to Luxon. Maybe there is a god.

    https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/queenstown/queenstown-mayor-slams-nats-shallow-housing-policy

    Reply
  2. bwaghorn 2
    19 September 2023 at 7:26 am

    Watching chippie on 1 news now on youth crime, brilliant compared to lock im up boot camp nact.

    Reply
  3. aj 3
    19 September 2023 at 7:28 am

    The manner in which Corrin and Ingrid this morning are feeding fear of public transport and the bus stations in Auckland makes my head spin. You'd think they were the most dangerous places to be on the planet.

    No sense of perspective at all.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018907529/stabbing-witness-questions-safety-of-public-transport

    And again at about 7:25am

    Reply
    • Sabine 3.1
      19 September 2023 at 8:03 am

      They have been the most dangerous place yesterday for someone, who is now dead.

      A few weeks ago a young girl was viciously beaten bloody by a mob of youngsters while waiting for the bus.

      https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/08/thirteen-year-old-girl-drenched-in-blood-after-being-bashed-at-rotorua-bus-stop.html
      several times there were children bashing other children at bus stops in CHCH.

      and bus drivers get it too.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300829897/bus-driver-who-was-hit-over-100-times-by-a-passenger-calls-for-more-protection

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130468954/mum-fears-there-will-be-a-death-after-two-girls-bashed-by-group-at-bus-stop

      links are very easy to find, just throw bus stop bashing in the search engine and you will see how safe public transport is.

      And i get it, it was just one person who was killed yesterday, and that leaves many people who got to use public transport safely. But for one person public transport was as unsafe as it gets.

      Maybe we need a manifesto for the police, and the judiciary. But i guess this poor murderer will be excused out of a prison sentence into a home D debacle cause their life was hard, no one loved them, their family is shite and well…kindness. s/

      Reply
      • Peter 3.1.1
        19 September 2023 at 9:26 am

        Was it public transport which was the problem? Was the venue random? Had there been a disagreement somewhere which just happened to resolve itself in that particular place?

        Should we spread the fear and say it could have been anywhere and have everyone everywhere live in trepidation?

        Do people not go to Aramoana or mosques or Dilworth School 'just in case'?

        Reply
        • Ad 3.1.1.1
          19 September 2023 at 10:05 am

          It really is a social problem where lots of young people congregate. It is a massively subsidised public policy to enable young people to use public transport, congregate in public transport stations, and so it is a public policy problem for AT and NZTA and Police to address.

          Yes the problem is real.

          Reply
          • Graeme 3.1.1.1.1
            19 September 2023 at 10:25 am

            Also not really a new problem. The old Britomart bus station of 70's wasn't the nicest of places either.

            Reply
            • Ad 3.1.1.1.1.1
              19 September 2023 at 2:51 pm

              Agree not new, but certainly multiples larger as a problem now.

              The Britomart of the late 1980s and early 1990s saw public transport use fall to its very lowest point.

              For comparison: Britomart since 2003 and upgraded in 2021 as a fully turnstiled operation with tens of thousands of people thorugh it every day, and is well staffed and surveilled and as a result has near-zero crime.

              Reply
            • Visubversa 3.1.1.1.1.2
              19 September 2023 at 8:44 pm

              Not the safest place at night in the 1960's either. I caught the last bus home to Mission Bay on many a Friday night.

              Reply
        • Mike the Lefty 3.1.1.2
          19 September 2023 at 11:15 am

          More people get assaulted or worse in their own homes but we don't see the media getting excited about that. Perhaps the media are practicing for the full scale dumping on public transport that the NACTs have planned for us over the next few years.

          Reply
      • Corey 3.1.2
        19 September 2023 at 12:02 pm

        Nzers who think nz and or nz public transportation is dangerous should travel the world more. They'll yearn for the "danger" of nz lol.

        It's hilarious and cute that a country with one of the very lowest crime rates in the world thinks crimes out of control… Compared to where? Greenland? Iceland?

        People act like nz transport is as scary as catching a train in NYC (which is still safe!)

        Reply
      • AB 3.1.3
        19 September 2023 at 12:23 pm

        Murder or manslaughter are serious crimes and the offender (being under 17) is likely to end up in a Corrections youth unit. Though I guess this might be determined by their age at sentencing. I take your point that PT must be safe and must also be seen to be safe, or else there is a disincentive to use it. However if you think locking this young bloke up in any sort of facility is going to make either of those goals more attainable, you're in Mark Mitchell's lala-land. But the kicker is that not locking him up is not going to make them more attainable either. The so-called corrections system cannot solve the problem whatever it does.

        Reply
    • Molly 3.3
      19 September 2023 at 8:57 am

      Instead of hand-waving away concerns and questions after the death of a public transport user, perhaps take time to consider if this is a problem or not. As Sabine shows above, this is not an isolated incident in terms of violence and safety.

      Unlike many other transport systems, Auckland Transport train system allows non-passengers on to the platform. Harassment and intimidation is not unknown, and the failure to have onsite guards or staff members makes this an act without consequences or impediments. Some stations are distinctly uneasy places to be at night, particularly for women. AT focus seems to be on architecture and other aspects – not service delivery in this respect.

      I suspect your "sense of perspective" may be skewed by the desire to pretend there is no improvements necessary, therefore no change of government is needed. Even though it's a long reach – some seem to be making it.

      Reply
      • Ad 3.3.1
        19 September 2023 at 9:32 am

        Most of AT's main train stations are indeed card-only access with turnstile barriers; the likes of Henderson, New Lynn, Newmarket, Britomart, Panmure, Manukau, Papakura, and others. Once CRL opens, those stations such as K'Road, Mt Eden, Aotea etc will also be card-access only. The smaller stations like the Onehunga line aren't likely to get them.

        The North Shore Busway would need a significant redesign for its stations to be HOP-card only. Same with the busway under construction Panmure-Botany.

        It might be possible in future to card-only whole bus-rail interchanges such as New Lynn and Manukau, but it's pretty unlikely. I would expect AT and Police to be reviewing the patrol and security measures as a result of this incident.

        Reply
        • Sanctuary 3.3.1.1
          19 September 2023 at 9:52 am

          Interesting that AT's card system only just came back up afdter being down for five days due to a ransomware attack

          It hasn't been reported at all here, but the Las Vegas casino/hotels have also been hit with a massive ransonware attack with MGM losing US$8-9,000,000 per day and Caesars rumoured to have paid a US$15,000,000 ransom.

          https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/9/15/23875113/mgm-hack-casino-vishing-cybersecurity-ransomware

          Since the "Scattered Spider" group behind the US attacks seems now to be part of a Russian organised crime gang it would be interesting tho know if a) there has been an uptick in such crime since the Russian invasion of the Ukraine and b) the origin of the AT attack.

          If the AT attack is linked to Russian crime gangs then does it constitute an act of asymetric cyber-warfare linked to our support for Ukraine?

          https://blog.bushidotoken.net/2023/08/tracking-adversaries-scattered-spider.html

          Reply
          • Ad 3.3.1.1.1
            19 September 2023 at 9:59 am

            One of the strongest arguments against a nationwide NZTA-run public transport PT card is precisely that one malware attack doesn't take out an entire national system.

            Thankfully in the tender hands of NZTA's IT team they have been two Parliamentary terms trying to make a nationwide card system and we are still another Parliamentary term away from implementation.

            Still in a nation of just 5 million and just two cities with functioning PT systems plus bits of Christchurch and Dunedin, it can't be this hard? For this long?

            Reply
        • Molly 3.3.1.2
          19 September 2023 at 9:57 am

          South Auckland stations may have been upgraded – ? – do you know?

          But was not unusual to have young teens on bikes harassing passengers on the platform.

          Reply
          • Ad 3.3.1.2.1
            19 September 2023 at 10:03 am

            Yes some have. But what card-only zones generate in reality is a safer zone inside the barrier-protected area, and a bit of a melee outside particularly after High Schools get out and groups of moronic males settle scores with each other.

            Not even Barry Manilow on the loudspeakers 24-7 can bring those tempers down. We tried it in Henderson and it was partially successful.

            AT and its Board will surely be held accountable for this kind of critical public safety risk since they are the asset owners and operators.

            Reply
            • Molly 3.3.1.2.1.1
              19 September 2023 at 10:46 am

              Good to know, thanks Ad.

              Other safety improvements like lighting, and no staff present also needed work. It would be good to see that given some attention at all stations, particularly the ones with less pedestrian traffic, and located in industrial or non-residential areas.

              Reply
              • Belladonna …
                19 September 2023 at 11:21 am

                Have to say that the presence of staff and even security guards doesn't materially reduce the incidences of anti-social behaviour. The young people involved are perfectly well aware that neither the staff nor the security guards can touch them, and that the police will only attend for a major incident (so yes, for the stabbing, but no for the violent assaults, and certainly not for 'routine' harassment and/or theft (e.g. stand-over tactics to extort mobile phones and even flash shoes)

                My perspective is that of someone who lives in a suburb adjacent to where these incidents occur, and with a teen who uses the PT system, and regularly reports on anti-social behaviour witnessed.

                Of course, it's not only PT stations – I have several women friends who work in the Auckland CBD and who will no longer walk on their own down Queen St after dark, to get to PT or carparks. They quite simply don't feel safe to do so.

                Reply
                • Molly …
                  19 September 2023 at 5:31 pm

                  My son used PT to go to Auckland central for study, and witnessed similar incidents to your teenage son.

                  Like many, I was a regular user of PT when living overseas, and did appreciate the fact that when travelling late at night, there were always more than one staff member on hand until stations were closed for the night for the Underground – not sure if this is the case now.

                  Reply
      • William 3.3.2
        19 September 2023 at 10:25 am

        You want to know something that are really not isolated incidents? The road deaths to date stands at 248 killed so far this year! Yet they are just normalised, and instead apparently people should be fearful on public transport.

        According to current election promises we'll get rid of moves to safer speeds and ambitions to road to zero.

        Let's focus on where the real danger lies.

        Reply
        • Molly 3.3.2.1
          19 September 2023 at 10:42 am

          William, there are more than one instance where public safety can be improved.

          It is responsible to CONSIDER where improvements may be warranted.

          Reply
          • William 3.3.2.1.1
            19 September 2023 at 3:48 pm

            I fully agree, but I think it would be best to put most consideration into areas where the largest reduction in harm could be achieved. 248 deaths is a number that could be significantly reduced using tools we already know work.

            Maybe RNZ are monitoring TS & will pick up on it!

            Reply
        • weka 3.3.2.2
          19 September 2023 at 11:23 am

          a couple of points.

          Humans are hardwired to have a different (and heightened) fear of intentional attacks than accidents, because that fear helps keep us safe. It's not an easy thing to override when we are surrounded by messages of unsafety.

          Yes, road deaths are important. They already have campaigns in place to resuce them. More needs to be done. We should also be making sure that we build safety into public transport systems, urgently where that is warranted.

          Reply
        • Belladonna 3.3.2.3
          19 September 2023 at 11:41 am

          Most (although not all) involve someone who is seriously breaching the current law (driving well above the current speed limit, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, etc.).

          Reducing speed limits, further, is unlikely to change the behaviour of any of these people who are already ignoring the law.

          Nor does the court treatment of recidivist drunk drivers help. It's rare for any effective sanction to be applied – even after multiple appearances before the courts.

          While prison doesn't help them. It does keep them off the road. As would compulsory loss of licence (and prevention from re-applying for 5 years). And compulsory sale of any vehicles owned, and forfeiture of any vehicles lent to them – if they are caught again. Driving is not a right, it's a privilege.

          The recent case of a drunk driver – caught driving near a school, with their child in the car is a cautionary example.

          https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/crime/man-caught-speeding-driving-drunk-with-child-in-car-after-school-pick-up-in-motueka/

          Reply
          • William 3.3.2.3.1
            19 September 2023 at 3:38 pm

            Yesterday's incident at the Albany Bus Station also involved someone who seriously breached the current law, but that act has led to media spin that public transport should be feared.

            One of the first roads to have it's speed limit reduced was SH6 between Blenheim & Nelson. That change has led to a significant reduction in serious crashes on that road.

            https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127315811/zero-deaths-following-speed-lowering-on-blenheim-to-nelson-highway

            It seems the speed limit reduction has changed the behaviour of a significant number of drivers that you claim were mostly responsible for the serious crashes.

            Reply
            • Ad 3.3.2.3.1.1
              19 September 2023 at 3:49 pm

              Labour had a free run only weeks ago to put stronger rules around enforcement of risk-taking and rule-breaking drivers.

              This was in the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Bill, passed in the last week the House was sitting.

              https://disclosure.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2023/251/

              In the end it was pretty weak mostly because morons in MoT watered it down and it had little Ministerial focus. Not a difficult issue for a future law and order government to get their teeth into.

              Reply
              • William …
                19 September 2023 at 5:37 pm

                That's depressingly familiar.

                The changes I've been interested in are the Accessible Streets regulatory changes. They would make changes for pedestrians, cyclists & other mobility devices. That paper seeks approval to put it out to consultation, which did occur in 2020. The first paper optimistically states in para 120

                "I anticipate that changes would come into effect in mid-2020."

                The resulting paper eventually went to Michael Woods' office where it languished for maybe 18 months until it apparently went back to the Ministry.

                Since then, crickets! It doesn't even require legislation but progress is almost non existent.

                Reply
  4. Chris 4
    19 September 2023 at 10:09 am

    Just got another email from the nats, this time accusing Labour of spreading "misinformation" about, among other things, their tax policy.

    Interesting how they're bandying around the word "misinformation":

    "Hi Chris,

    Labour has no record to run on because they have not delivered what they said they would.

    Now they’re desperate and their MPs and candidates have been caught out spreading misinformation.

    Despite Chris Hipkins telling Kiwis he would put a stop to the flow of misinformation, Labour’s scare-campaign has continued with Michael Wood the latest Labour MP to repeat false claims about National.

    With the polls opening in two weeks National is taking urgent action to correct the record.

    We have launched a Get Back on Facts website to fight back against Labour’s misinformation.

    > Get Back on Facts <

    Labour has misled the public on National’s positions on tertiary policy, tax policy, student loans policy, education policy, and winter energy payment policy, and much more.

    Labour’s continued false statements show this is part of a carefully orchestrated scare-campaign because they are out of touch and out of ideas.

    National is focused on the issues that matter to New Zealanders.

    We have a plan to rebuild the economy to reduce the cost of living, which includes tax relief so you can keep more of what you earn.

    Only a Party Vote for National can change the government and get the country back on track.

    There are just 14 days till early voting opens. Help us fight back against Labour’s misinformation

    DONATE

    Thank you,
    National Party HQ"

    Reply
    • SPC 4.1
      19 September 2023 at 10:23 am

      You could email them back and let them know the claims are based on ACT Party policy proposals that might be part of a NACT coalition government agreement.

      All they have to do is say they will make no concessions to ACT in these areas to dismiss any concerns.

      For example Greens want a wealth tax and free dental, Labour have said no to one and have their own plan for free dental under age 30, stage by stage.

      Reply
    • Louis 4.2
      19 September 2023 at 1:41 pm

      National are hypocrites.

      Reply
    • Barfly 4.3
      19 September 2023 at 5:14 pm

      get the country back on track

      Sorta like "Make NZ Great Again" – oh my that sunnds familiar

      '

      Reply
  5. SPC 5
    19 September 2023 at 10:44 am

    It's high noon.

    Wayne, neither black nor white, unequivocally (no shades of angry) wants to make Auckland part of the national election campaign debate.

    Auckland is "the engine room of New Zealand" but its economic and financial capital is being stymied because it doesn't have the autonomy it needs

    "Auckland Council perversely has the least say of any council over how our resources are spent. We are the country's only council that does not have a direct statutory role in setting the policy direction for transport spending."

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/19/wayne-brown-seeks-cross-party-agreement-on-auckland-deal/

    A day earlier

    Mayor Wayne Brown (in consultation with and on the advice of, whom) released his Auckland election manifesto

    "partnership and devolution" … "a fundamentally different relationship between Auckland Council and central government"

    Brown said the creation of the Super City in 2010 was meant to provide regional leadership for Auckland (oh so it's Hide is it)

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/17/govts-must-give-auckland-more-power-to-fix-its-own-issues-wayne-brown/

    It seems he wants the option of control over regional area congestion (and toll?) charging, to avoid the political parties playing politics with regional fuel tax funding (tap on and tap off creating a hole in the Auckland budget – as per National).

    Reply
    • Ad 5.1
      19 September 2023 at 12:51 pm

      Imagine if Auckland Council and Labour had had a Minister for Auckland and a Minister for Transport and a sitting Councillor who cooperated meaningfully on key public policy issues like like rail and the control of the airport.

      Oh wait… they did cooperate. On their own direct personal gain.

      Reply
      • SPC 5.1.1
        19 September 2023 at 2:16 pm

        Not really, if they had he would still be a Minister (more money in that than anything to do with their petty cash holdings).

        Not even ACT claimed there was any pecuniary activity, just complacency in meeting a ministerial standard.

        Reply
        • Ad 5.1.1.1
          19 September 2023 at 2:40 pm

          It was their common Trust shareholding in AIAL that prevented as a both of them from being of use at either Cabinet or at Council on this issue. One was silenced and had to abstain the relevant vote, the other was simply sacked.

          Reply
  6. Macro 6
    19 September 2023 at 10:51 am

    Had the immense pleasure on Sat evening to attend a Music concert in the Kauaeranga. An awesome night with "Too Many Chiefs" – Wayne Mason, Rob Joass, Andrew London, Charlotte Yates. Thought of all standard readers when Andrew sang this, Sorry can't link directly to the song but it is from 26:11 through to 30 on the video.

    Enjoy.

    Country's Buggered.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auA8jy8km8o&t=42s

    Reply
  7. Peter 7
    19 September 2023 at 1:56 pm

    Did NZLoyal and Liz Gunn turn out to be just a parody? Two party candidates? The group that was going to put the country on the straight and narrow couldn’t even fill in the paperwork?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z58N0CMcWsg

    Reply
    • PsyclingLeft.Always 7.1
      19 September 2023 at 2:09 pm

      Well..they were on "Unchartered" Waters. That might have been a play on Uncharted ? Or something else..entirely !

      I did try to watch some of The Vid…but my Sanity warning alarm was into the danger zone : )

      Truly.. Liz speaks for the cookers.

      Reply
    • SPC 7.2
      19 September 2023 at 2:20 pm

      The thing about the resistance to any governance regime that impacts on them, is that there are a lot of people with a common cause but no allegiance to any particular hierarchy.

      This is why the organised efforts to divide the secular left in the USA/west were so successful.

      Reply
    • Matiri 7.3
      19 September 2023 at 2:42 pm

      A triumph of waffle!

      Reply
    • Ad 7.4
      19 September 2023 at 2:45 pm

      The great thing is they will have their day with the voters, and the result will tell them and us all how our democracy functions every three years to balance sensible policy from nuttiness.

      On the other hand NZFirst are their back door.

      Imagining No. 3 NZFirst Casey Castello as ex Police Detective and Police Association and Hobson's Pledge player anywhere near the Police or Justice portfolio should remind us of what John Banks was like in those kind of ministerial portfolios.

      Reply
    • ianmac 7.5
      19 September 2023 at 2:52 pm

      I watched patches of Gunn's speech and could not get a grip on her meaning. A word salad just like Luxon. So they have just two on their List because of an Administrative error, but those two will swamp the ballot boxes with thousands and thousands of right thinking loyalists so they can totally change the way we are governed. Really Liz? Trying to decide if she really believes what she says.

      Reply
      • SPC 7.5.1
        19 September 2023 at 3:00 pm

        Maybe they should campaign for the end of the 5% threshold – so parties with over 1% of the vote can get one or two MP's off the list?

        Reply
        • Michael P 7.5.1.1
          21 September 2023 at 7:19 am

          If you're supportive of the MP's in parliament being more representative of the people then that should be welcome.

          In my opinion proportional representation should be just that. There should be a 1% threshold and there should be only 100 MP's. Whatever percentage of the vote a party gets should directly translate to the number of MP's they get in parliament. I can't see how anybody could argue (in good faith) that this is not the fairest / most democratic way to elect MP's. It is much simpler and more representative. (the whole purpose of MMP is to have better representation)

          Whoever says a low threshold such as this is not a good idea (for whatever reason) is a phony who pretends they want a more representative, diverse and democratic parliament, but in really don't think that a certain percentage of the population should be allowed to have their views represented. If we were to say there are roughly 4 million eligible voters, then a 5% threshold means large groups of people can be excluded from having their views represented. At the last election, over 9% of voters were denied representation in parliament because apparently their views are not acceptable. That's a large proportion of voters

          If you want to be a free country and have elected representation that reflects the population as accurately as possible then you have to allow voices you disagree with to be heard and to hold as much sway as any other. This is one of the fundamental principles of having a free and democratic society.

          Reply
  8. Mike the Lefty 8
    19 September 2023 at 2:48 pm

    Petrol is tipped to be at around $3.50 litre for 91 grade by Christmas.

    First big test for the incoming NACT government will be whether they keep their (implied) promises to "do something about the cost of living".

    They roasted Labour when Labour temporarily reduced the petrol tax and then similarly roasted Labour when Labour put it back up.

    I'm picking that the NACTs won't reduce petrol tax. They only pretend to care about the cost of living, most of their supporters are rich enough not to have to worry about it too much, although it gets a bit annoying when your latest Ford Ranger update costs a few thousand more.

    Reply
  9. georgecom 9
    19 September 2023 at 3:11 pm

    2 things Hipkins can hammer home tonight – (1) the number of days Luxon hasn't released his tax cut costings and (2) when will Luxon do the simple thing and release his tax cut costings

    Reply
    • Ad 9.1
      19 September 2023 at 3:16 pm

      No one gives a fuck about where the money is coming from. They will vote for the guy promising them the money full stop.

      Hipkins repeating lines about tax cuts is like MSNBC endlessly cycling reports about Trump prosecutions: actual Labour+ government doesn't get discussed at all.

      Reply
      • Drowsy M. Kram 9.1.1
        19 September 2023 at 4:22 pm

        No one gives a fuck about where the money is coming from.

        This Kiwi gives a fuck about where the money is supposedly coming from – Nat's know I can't grab their ghost money.

        The Canadian state of Ontario (popn 15.5 million) recently raised its “non-resident speculation tax” from 20% to 25%.

        Non-Resident Speculation Tax in Canada [updated 4 Nov 2022]

        Nats could make up some of the projected shortfall in revenue from their 15% foreign buyer tax/hoax by raising it to 25% – like they raised GST to part-fund tax cuts.

        Govt’s 2010 tax cuts costing $2 billion and counting [13 May 2012]
        The Green Party has today revealed that the National Government has so far had to borrow an additional $2 billion dollars to fund their 2010 tax cut package for upper income earners.
        …
        “The National Government said that their signature 2010 income tax cut package would be ‘fiscally neutral’ — paid for increased revenues from raising GST. That hasn’t happened.”
        …
        “National’s poor economic decisions have led to record levels of government debt and borrowing.”

        In other news, frauds and scams are on the rise…

        Fraud and deception crime nearly doubled through 2022 – Crime and Victims Survey [28 June 2023]

        Reply
      • georgecom 9.1.2
        19 September 2023 at 4:27 pm

        if all people worry about is "that nice man Mr Luxon getting me some more" then no they won't. If people want to gauge if Luxon is honest and fiscally competent they would expect him to be open and transparent.

        Reply
  10. Peter 10
    19 September 2023 at 3:54 pm

    I see there's a leader's 'debate' on TVOne tonight. It's followed by a BBC game show called 'Would I Lie to You?"

    Reply
  11. Patricia Bremner 11
    19 September 2023 at 5:45 pm

    Chippy will be clear and earnest and rational.. I wish him well. Luxon lied about his debating experience, which is a troubling start.

    Luxon will try for a camera friendly 'gottcha', he has been practicing with a coach.

    The questions asked will matter. The way they are asked will matter. Lighting will matter.

    Sound quality will be crucial. Being likeable will matter. TV1 make up will matter. Audience make up will matter.

    Then most important will be the answers.

    Luxon is trying to be perceived as the under dog … yep Tui (and repeating mantras does not work in a debate.)

    Chippy should ask him how many jobs will go? Will GST rise to pay for any tax cut shortfall? (remembering they were not truthful last time)

    Reply
    • observer 11.1
      19 September 2023 at 5:55 pm

      The moderator is not Jack Tame, alas. It is Jessica M-M, who lets waffle and weasel words go without challenge. Ideal for Luxon then.

      The exchanges will go something like …

      JMM: "Mr Luxon, you've committed to billions of tax cuts, where will the money come from?"

      Lux: "Look, let me be clear, what I'm saying to you is perfectly clear, rock solid, I've been very clear. "

      JMM: "Thank you".

      Hipkins: "WTF? He hasn't said anything!"

      JMM: "And the next question is on transport …"

      Reply

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    15 hours ago

  • Pure class warfare
    National unveiled its fiscal policy today, announcing all the usual things which business cares about and I don't. But it did finally tell us how National plans to pay for its handouts to landlords: by effectively cutting benefits: The biggest saving announced on Friday was $2b cut from the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    15 hours ago

  • Ask Me Anything about the week to Sept 29
    Photo by Anna Ogiienko on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour, including:duelling fiscal plans from National and Labour;Labour cutting cycling spending while accusing National of being weak on climate;Research showing the need for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 29-September-2023
    Welcome to Friday and the last one for September. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted at the latest with the City Rail Link. On Tuesday, Matt covered the interesting items from Auckland Transport’s latest board meeting agendas. On Thursday, a guest post from Darren Davis ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    22 hours ago

  • Protest at Parliament: The Reunion.
    Brian’s god spoke to him. He, for of course the Lord in Tamaki’s mind was a male god, with a mighty rod, and probably some black leathers. He, told Brian - “you must put a stop to all this love, hope, and kindness”. And it did please the Brian.He said ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    23 hours ago

  • Labour cuts $50m from cycleway spending
    Labour is cutting spending on cycling infrastructure while still trying to claim the higher ground on climate. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government released a climate manifesto this week to try to claim the high ground against National, despite having ignored the Climate Commission’s advice to toughen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago

  • The Greater Of Two Evils.
    Not Labour: If you’re out to punish the government you once loved, then the last thing you need is to be shown evidence that the opposition parties are much, much worse.THE GREATEST VIRTUE of being the Opposition is not being the Government. Only very rarely is an opposition party elected ...
    Bowalley Road
    24 hours ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #39 2023
    Open access notables "Net zero is only a distraction— we just have to end fossil fuel emissions." The latter is true but the former isn't, or  not in the real world as it's likely to be in the immediate future. And "just" just doesn't enter into it; we don't have ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Chris Trotter: Losing the Left
    IN THE CURRENT MIX of electoral alternatives, there is no longer a credible left-wing party. Not when “a credible left-wing party” is defined as: a class-oriented, mass-based, democratically-structured political organisation; dedicated to promoting ideas sharply critical of laissez-faire capitalism; and committed to advancing democratic, egalitarian and emancipatory ideals across the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Road rage at Kia Kaha Primary School
    It is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha Primary School!It can be any time when you are telling a story.Telling stories about things that happened in the past is how we learn from our mistakes.If we want to.Anyway, it is not the school holidays yet at Kia Kaha ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Hipkins fires up in leaders’ debate, but has the curtain already fallen on the Labour-led coalitio...
    Labour’s  Chris Hipkins came out firing, in the  leaders’ debate  on Newshub’s evening programme, and most of  the pundits  rated  him the winner against National’s  Christopher Luxon. But will this make any difference when New  Zealanders  start casting their ballots? The problem  for  Hipkins is  that  voters are  all too ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    2 days ago

  • Govt is energising housing projects with solar power – and fuelling the public’s concept of a di...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Not long after Point of Order published data which show the substantial number of New Zealanders (77%) who believe NZ is becoming more divided, government ministers were braying about a programme which distributes some money to “the public” and some to “Maori”. The ministers were dishing ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW: Election 2023 – a totemic & charisma failure?
    The D&W analysis Michael Grimshaw writes –  Given the apathy, disengagement, disillusionment, and all-round ennui of this year’s general election, it was considered time to bring in those noted political operatives and spin doctors D&W, the long-established consultancy firm run by Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Known for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • FROM BFD: Will Winston be the spectre we think?
    Kissy kissy. Cartoon credit BoomSlang. The BFD. JC writes-  Allow me to preface this contribution with the following statement: If I were asked to express a preference between a National/ACT coalition or a National/ACT/NZF coalition then it would be the former. This week Luxon declared his position, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • California’s climate disclosure bill could have a huge impact across the U.S.
    This re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Andy Furillo was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The California Legislature took a step last week that has the potential to accelerate the fight against climate ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Untangling South East Queensland’s Public Transport
    This is a cross post Adventures in Transitland by Darren Davis. I recently visited Brisbane and South East Queensland and came away both impressed while also pondering some key changes to make public transport even better in the region. Here goes with my take on things. A bit of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Try A Little Kindness.
    My daughter arrived home from the supermarket yesterday and she seemed a bit worried about something. It turned out she wanted to know if someone could get her bank number from a receipt.We wound the story back.She was in the store and there was a man there who was distressed, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • What makes NZFirst tick
    New Zealand’s longest-running political roadshow rolled into Opotiki yesterday, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters knowing another poll last night showed he would make it back to Parliament and National would need him and his party if they wanted to form a government. The Newshub Reid Research poll ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • September AMA
    Hi,As September draws to a close — I feel it’s probably time to do an Ask Me Anything. You know how it goes: If you have any burning questions, fire away in the comments and I will do my best to answer. You might have questions about Webworm, or podcast ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • Bludgers lying in the scratcher making fools of us all
    The mediocrity who stands to be a Prime Minister has a litany.He uses it a bit like a Koru Lounge card. He will brandish it to say: these people are eligible. And more than that, too: These people are deserving. They have earned this policy.They have a right to this policy. What ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • More “partnerships” (by the look of it) and redress of over $30 million in Treaty settlement wit...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order has waited until now – 3.45pm – for today’s officially posted government announcements.  There have been none. The only addition to the news on the Beehive’s website was posted later yesterday, after we had published our September 26 Buzz report. It came from ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • ALEX HOLLAND: Labour’s spending
    Alex Holland writes –  In 2017 when Labour came to power, crown spending was $76 billion per year. Now in 2023 it is $139 billion per year, which equates to a $63 billion annual increase (over $1 billion extra spend every week!) In 2017, New Zealand’s government debt ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • If not now, then when?
    Labour released its fiscal plan today, promising the same old, same old: "responsibility", balanced books, and of course no new taxes: "Labour will maintain income tax settings to provide consistency and certainty in these volatile times. Now is not the time for additional taxes or to promise billions of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • THE FACTS:  77% of Kiwis believe NZ is becoming more divided
    The Facts has posted –        KEY INSIGHTSOf New Zealander’s polled: Social unity/division 77%believe NZ is becoming more divided (42% ‘much more’ + 35% ‘a little more’) 3%believe NZ is becoming less divided (1% ‘much less’ + 2% ‘a little less’) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the cynical brutality of the centre-right’s welfare policies
    The centre-right’s enthusiasm for forcing people off the benefit and into paid work is matched only by the enthusiasm (shared by Treasury and the Reserve Bank) for throwing people out of paid work to curb inflation, and achieve the optimal balance of workers to job seekers deemed to be desirable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Wednesday’s Chorus: Arthur Grimes on why building many, many more social houses is so critical
    New research shows that tenants in social housing - such as these Wellington apartments - are just as happy as home owners and much happier than private tenants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The election campaign took an ugly turn yesterday, and in completely the wrong direction. All three ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Old habits
    Media awareness about global warming and climate change has grown fairly steadily since 2004. My impression is that journalists today tend to possess a higher climate literacy than before. This increasing awareness and improved knowledge is encouraging, but there are also some common interpretations which could be more nuanced. ...
    Real ClimateBy rasmus
    3 days ago

  • Bennie Bashing.
    If there’s one thing the mob loves more than keeping Māori in their place, more than getting tough on the gangs, maybe even more than tax cuts. It’s a good old round of beneficiary bashing.Are those meanies in the ACT party stealing your votes because they think David Seymour is ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • The kindest cuts
    Labour kicks off the fiscal credibility battle today with the release of its fiscal plan. National is expected to follow, possibly as soon as Thursday, with its own plan, which may (or may not) address the large hole that the problems with its foreign buyers’ ban might open up. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Green right turn in Britain? Well, a start
    While it may be unlikely to register in New Zealand’s general election, Britain’s PM Rishi Sunak has done something which might just be important in the long run. He’s announced a far-reaching change in his Conservative government’s approach to environmental, and particularly net zero, policy. The starting point – ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions?
    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
    3 days ago

  • How could this happen?
    Canada is in uproar after the exposure that its parliament on September 22 provided a standing ovation to a Nazi veteran who had been invited into the chamber to participate in the parliamentary welcome to Ukrainian President Zelensky. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, a Ukrainian man who volunteered for service in ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    4 days ago

  • Always Be Campaigning
    The big screen is a great place to lay out the ways of the salesman. He comes ready-made for Panto, ripe for lampooning.This is not to disparage that life. I have known many good people of that kind. But there is a type, brazen as all get out. The camera ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • STEPHEN FRANKS: Press seek to publicly shame doctor – we must push back
    The following is a message sent yesterday from lawyer Stephen Franks on behalf of the Free Speech Union. I don’t like to interrupt first thing Monday morning, but we’ve just become aware of a case where we think immediate and overwhelming attention could help turn the tide. It involves someone ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Competing on cruelty
    The right-wing message calendar is clearly reading "cruelty" today, because both National and NZ First have released beneficiary-bashing policies. National is promising a "traffic light" system to police and kick beneficiaries, which will no doubt be accompanied by arbitrary internal targets to classify people as "orange" or "red" to keep ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Further funding for Pharmac (forgotten in the Budget?) looks like a $1bn appeal from a PM in need of...
    Buzz from the Beehive One Labour plan  – for 3000 more public homes by 2025 – is the most recent to be posted on the government’s official website. Another – a prime ministerial promise of more funding for Pharmac – has been released as a Labour Party press statement. Who ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies
    As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Labour may be on way out of power and NZ First back in – but will Peters go into coalition with Na...
    Voters  are deserting Labour in droves, despite Chris  Hipkins’  valiant  rearguard  action.  So  where  are they  heading?  Clearly  not all of them are going to vote National, which concedes that  the  outcome  will be “close”. To the Right of National, the ACT party just a  few weeks  ago  was ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS: Will the racists please stand up?
    Accusations of racism by journalists and MPs are being called out. Graham Adams writes –    With the election less than three weeks away, what co-governance means in practice — including in water management, education, planning law and local government — remains largely obscure. Which is hardly ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on whether Winston Peters can be a moderating influence
    As the centre-right has (finally!) been subjected to media interrogation, the polls are indicating that some voters may be starting to have second thoughts about the wisdom of giving National and ACT the power to govern alone. That’s why yesterday’s Newshub/Reid Research poll had the National/ACT combo dropping to 60 ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Tuesday’s Chorus: RBNZ set to rain on National's victory parade
    ANZ has increased its forecast for house inflation later this year on signs of growing momentum in the market ahead of the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National has campaigned against the Labour Government’s record on inflation and mortgage rates, but there’s now a growing chance the Reserve ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • After a Pittsburgh coal processing plant closed, ER visits plummeted
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Katie Myers. This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Pittsburgh, in its founding, was blessed and cursed with two abundant natural resources: free-flowing rivers and a nearby coal seam. ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • September-23 AT Board Meeting
    Today the AT board meet again and once again I’ve taken a look at what’s on the agenda to find the most interesting items. Closed Agenda Interestingly when I first looked at the agendas this paper was there but at the time of writing this post it had been ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Electorate Watch: West Coast-Tasman
    Continuing my series on interesting electorates, today it’s West Coast-Tasman.A long thin electorate running down the northern half of the west coast of the South Island. Think sand flies, beautiful landscapes, lots of rain, Pike River, alternative lifestylers, whitebaiting, and the spiritual home of the Labour Party. A brief word ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Big money brings Winston back
    National leader Christopher Luxon yesterday morning conceded it and last night’s Newshub poll confirmed it; Winston Peters and NZ First are not only back but highly likely to be part of the next government. It is a remarkable comeback for a party that was tossed out of Parliament in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 20 days until Election Day, 7 until early voting begins… but what changes will we really see here?
    As this blogger, alongside many others, has already posited in another forum: we all know the National Party’s “budget” (meaning this concept of even adding up numbers properly is doing a lot of heavy, heavy lifting right now) is utter and complete bunk (read hung, drawn and quartered and ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    4 days ago

  • A night out
    Everyone was asking, Are you nervous? and my response was various forms of God, yes.I've written more speeches than I can count; not much surprises me when the speaker gets to their feet and the room goes quiet.But a play? Never.YOU CAME! THANK YOU! Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • A pallid shade of Green III
    Clearly Labour's focus groups are telling it that it needs to pay more attention to climate change - because hot on the heels of their weaksauce energy efficiency pilot programme and not-great-but-better-than-nothing solar grants, they've released a full climate manifesto. Unfortunately, the core policies in it - a second Emissions ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • A coalition of racism, cruelty, and chaos
    Today's big political news is that after months of wibbling, National's Chris Luxon has finally confirmed that he is willing to work with Winston Peters to become Prime Minister. Which is expected, but I guess it tells us something about which way the polls are going. Which raises the question: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • More migrant workers should help generate the tax income needed to provide benefits for job seekers
    Buzz from the Beehive Under something described as a “rebalance” of its immigration rules, the Government has adopted four of five recommendations made in an independent review released in July, The fifth, which called on the government to specify criteria for out-of-hours compliance visits similar to those used during ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Letter To Luxon.
    Some of you might know Gerard Otto (G), and his G News platform. This morning he wrote a letter to Christopher Luxon which I particularly enjoyed, and with his agreement I’m sharing it with you in this guest newsletter.If you’d like to make a contribution to support Gerard’s work you ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Alarming trend in benefit numbers
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  While there will not be another quarterly release of benefit numbers prior to the election, limited weekly reporting continues and is showing an alarming trend. Because there is a seasonal component to benefit number fluctuations it is crucial to compare like with like. In ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON: Has there been external structural change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase.   Brian Easton writes –  Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • CRL Progress – Sep-23
    It’s been a while since we looked at the latest with the City Rail Link and there’s been some fantastic milestones recently. To start with, and most recently, CRL have released an awesome video showing a full fly-through of one of the tunnels. Come fly with us! You asked for ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • Monday’s Chorus: Not building nearly enough
    We are heading into another period of fast population growth without matching increased home building or infrastructure investment.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Labour and National detailed their house building and migration approaches over the weekend, with both pledging fast population growth policies without enough house building or infrastructure investment ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Game on; Hipkins comes out punching
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins yesterday took the gloves off and laid into National and its leader Christopher Luxon. For many in Labour – and particularly for some at the top of the caucus and the party — it would not have been a moment too soon. POLITIK is aware ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Tax Cut Austerity Blues.
    The leaders have had their go, they’ve told us the “what?” and the “why?” of their promises. Now it’s the turn of the would be Finance Ministers to tell us the “how?”, the “how much?”, and the “when?”A chance for those competing for the second most powerful job in the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • MIKE GRIMSHAW:  It’s the economy – and the spirit – Stupid…
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Over the past 30-odd years it’s become almost an orthodoxy to blame or invoke neoliberalism for the failures of New Zealand society. On the left the usual response goes something like, neoliberalism is the cause of everything that’s gone wrong and the answer ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 17, 2023 thru Sat, Sep 23, 2023. Story of the Week  Opinion: Let’s free ourselves from the story of economic growth A relentless focus on economic growth has ushered in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • The End Of The World.
    Have you been looking out of your window for signs of the apocalypse? Don’t worry, you haven’t been door knocked by a representative of the Brian Tamaki party. They’re probably a bit busy this morning spruiking salvation, or getting ready to march on our parliament, which is closed. No, I’ve ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • Climate Town: The Brainwashing Of America's Children
    Climate Town is the YouTube channel of Rollie Williams and a ragtag team of climate communicators, creatives and comedians. They examine climate change in a way that doesn’t make you want to eat a cyanide pill. Get informed about the climate crisis before the weather does it for you. The latest ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Has There Been External Structural Change?
    A close analysis of the Treasury assessment of the Medium Term in its PREFU 2023 suggests the economy may be entering a new phase. Last week I explained that the forecasts in the just published Treasury Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU 2023) was similar to the May Budget BEFU, ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago

  • Another Labour bully
    Back in June, we learned that Kiri Allan was a Parliamentary bully. And now there's another one: Labour MP Shanan Halbert: The Labour Party was alerted to concerns about [Halbert's] alleged behaviour a year ago but because staffers wanted to remain anonymous, no formal process was undertaken [...] The ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Ignoring our biggest problem
    Its that time in the election season where the status quo parties are busy accusing each other of having fiscal holes in a desperate effort to appear more "responsible" (but not, you understand, by promising to tax wealth or land to give the government the revenue it needs to do ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • JERRY COYNE: A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand
    JERRY COYNE writes –  If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • Good news on the GDP front is accompanied by news of a $5m govt boost for Supercars (but what about ...
    Buzz from the Beehive First, we were treated to the news (from Finance Minister Grant Robertson) that the economy has turned a corner and New Zealand never was in recession.  This was triggered by statistics which showed the economy expanded 0.9 per cent in the June quarter, twice as much as ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • The Scafetta Saga
    It has taken 17 months to get a comment published pointing out the obvious errors in the Scafetta (2022) paper in GRL. Back in March 2022, Nicola Scafetta published a short paper in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) purporting to show through ‘advanced’ means that ‘all models with ECS > ...
    Real ClimateBy Gavin
    1 week ago

  • Friday's Chorus: Penny wise and pound foolish
    TL;DR: In the middle of a climate emergency and in a city prone to earthquakes, Victoria University of Wellington announced yesterday it would stop teaching geophysics, geographic information science and physical geography to save $22 million a year and repay debt. Climate change damage in Aotearoa this year is already ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Calling the big dog’s bluff
      For nearly thirty years the pundits have been telling the minor parties that they must be good little puppies and let the big dogs decide. The parties with a plurality of the votes cast must be allowed to govern – even if that means ignoring the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step
     Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now being asked: how low can you go?It seems such an unlikely question because this doesn't feel like the kind ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    1 week ago

  • A Womance, and a Nomance.
    After the trench warfare of Tuesday night, when the two major parties went head to head, last night was the turn of the minor parties. Hosts Newshub termed it “the Powerbrokers' Debate”.Based on the latest polls the four parties taking part - ACT, the Greens, New Zealand First, and Te ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • New community-level energy projects to support more than 800 Māori households
    Seven more innovative community-scale energy projects will receive government funding through the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to bring more affordable, locally generated clean energy to more than 800 Māori households, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. “We’ve already funded 42 small-scale clean energy projects that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Huge boost to Te Tai Tokerau flood resilience
    The Government has approved new funding that will boost resilience and greatly reduce the risk of major flood damage across Te Tai Tokerau. Significant weather events this year caused severe flooding and damage across the region. The $8.9m will be used to provide some of the smaller communities and maraes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Napier’s largest public housing development comes with solar
    The largest public housing development in Napier for many years has been recently completed and has the added benefit of innovative solar technology, thanks to Government programmes, says Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods. The 24 warm, dry homes are in Seddon Crescent, Marewa and Megan Woods says the whanau living ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Te Whānau a Apanui and the Crown initial Deed of Settlement I Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me...
    Māori: Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna te Whakaaetanga Whakataunga Kua waitohua e Te Whānau a Apanui me te Karauna i tētahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga hei whakamihi i ō rātou tāhuhu kerēme Tiriti o Waitangi. E tekau mā rua ngā hapū o roto mai o Te Whānau ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Plan for 3,000 more public homes by 2025 – regions set to benefit
    Regions around the country will get significant boosts of public housing in the next two years, as outlined in the latest public housing plan update, released by the Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods. “We’re delivering the most public homes each year since the Nash government of the 1950s with one ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Immigration settings updates
    Judicial warrant process for out-of-hours compliance visits 2023/24 Recognised Seasonal Employer cap increased by 500 Additional roles for Construction and Infrastructure Sector Agreement More roles added to Green List Three-month extension for onshore Recovery Visa holders The Government has confirmed a number of updates to immigration settings as part of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Poroporoaki: Tā Patrick (Patu) Wahanga Hohepa
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