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 ”

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  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

  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.

  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

    • 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/

      • 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'?

        • 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.

          • 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.

            • 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.

            • 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.

        • 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.

      • 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!)

      • 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.

    • 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.

      • 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.

        • 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

          • 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?

        • 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.

          • 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.

            • 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.

              • 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.

                • 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.

      • 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.

        • 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.

          • 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!

        • 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.

        • 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/

          • 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.

            • 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.

              • 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.

  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"

    • 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.

    • Louis 4.2
      19 September 2023 at 1:41 pm

      National are hypocrites.

    • 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

      '

  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).

    • 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.

      • 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.

        • 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.

  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.

  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?

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Matiri 7.3
      19 September 2023 at 2:42 pm

      A triumph of waffle!

    • 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.

    • 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.

      • 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?

        • 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.

  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.

  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

    • 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.

      • 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]

      • 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.

  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?"

  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)

    • 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 …"

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  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 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
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

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

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

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

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

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

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

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