Open mike 20/04/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 20th, 2016 - 71 comments
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71 comments on “Open mike 20/04/2016 ”

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  1. Tautoko Mangō Mata 1
    20 April 2016 at 8:11 am

    Another reputable and independent expert, Jomo Kwame Sundaram, gives his opinion of the TPP.
    Jomo Kwame Sundaram was an Assistant Secretary-General responsible for analysis of economics and development in the United Nations system during 2005-2015, and received the 2007 Wassily Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought.

    The Empire’s New Clothes? Conjuring Growth from the TPP
    While the main US motivation for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been to counter China’s influence in the region, it has also been used to undermine the Doha ‘Development’ Round of trade negotiations to better advance politically influential US corporate interests. Hence, it has become all the more necessary to legitimize the TPP in terms of its ostensible benefits.

    Jomo then discusses the studies.

    The only US government study of the TPP’s likely impacts found very modest growth gains from tariff reductions of only 0.1% over a decade. In fact, all studies so far project negligible direct economic growth gains from TPP trade liberalization.

    Instead, the Peterson Institute of International Economics (PIIE) has provided the fig-leaf for the empire’s new clothes with far more inflated projections of supposed gains.
    ….To make the case for the TPP, the PIIE understates costs and risks, while exaggerating benefits. Very diverse TPP provisions were fed into the trade model as simple cost reductions, with little consideration of downside risks and costs. Although such costs and risks are not seriously considered, the projections are nonetheless presented as cost-benefit evaluations.

    By understating crucial costs, and exaggerating projected benefits, net gains are overstated. For example, provisions to strengthen, broaden and extend intellectual property rights (IPRs) become simple cost reductions that will increase the trade in services. Such analysis ignores impacts on consumers or on governments subsidizing the prices of medicines to patients.

    http://www.ipsnews.net/2016/04/opinion-the-empires-new-clothes-conjuring-growth-from-the-tpp/

  2. ianmac 2
    20 April 2016 at 8:51 am

    According to Fran the founder of Alabama Jack Ma said””Trade is a freedom it should not be used by government as a weapon…”
    She thinks he meant China. I think he meant the USA and TPPA.

    • Tautoko Mangō Mata 2.1
      20 April 2016 at 8:56 am

      I agree with you, Ianmac.

    • alwyn 2.2
      20 April 2016 at 2:50 pm

      Oh dear. Predictive text strikes again.
      Alibaba please. Not Alabama.
      The late George Wallace would turn in his grave if he thought a Chinese gentleman had founded the state of which he was so proud.

  3. Herodotus 3
    20 April 2016 at 8:58 am

    Who to believe … The patients in Dunedin or Mr Slater in Auckland
    Poor quality hospital food ‘a safety issue
    vs
    DUNEDIN HOSPITAL FOOD PASSES THE COLEMAN TASTE TEST
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11625488
    http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2016/04/dunedin-hospital-food-passes-the-coleman-taste-test/

  4. travellerev 4
    20 April 2016 at 9:24 am

    Around 9:35 am I will be talking to Raglan Radio Host Aaron Mooar about the ongoing saga of the Panama Papers, John Key’s visits to China, Malta and Mexico to name but a few countries.

    http://www.raglanradio.com/index.php/listen/listen-live

  5. greywarbler 5
    20 April 2016 at 9:40 am

    On Bowalley Road commenter Guerilla Surgeon wrote about the company he used to work for when he made a good basic living for his young family at $1.56 an hour. He visited the town again and his son now works for the company and this is what he found.
    http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2016/04/raging-against-dying-american-light.html

    33 years later I found myself back in Winchester and close to Rubbermaid workers again…… I spent three months living with 34-year-old Tim, who had been pulling rotating shifts at Rubbermaid for five years. What I saw broke my heart. The working class world of my sons Rubbermaid friends was so harsh and insecure and barren of the dignity of labour that I damned near cried.

    Some commuted more than 100 miles from West Virginia to work, spending four or five hours a day in transit. One van load of workers commuted almost seven hours a day, taking turns driving while the rest caught up what sleep they could. Some slept on couches and in sleeping bags at Tim’s when the snow was too deep to drive home, which is often enough when you live in the mountains of West Virginia…..

    They were decent and quiet men….. All seemed worried to death about a possible plant move overseas and about bills, medical bills in particular. Their wives worked yet they barely kept their heads above water….. Here in Winchester we have been pistol whipped into a proper sense of gratitude so this is considered a good deal.”

    When looking at the USA elections we should keep this in mind. When things are so bad and you are just holding on by the skin of your teeth to the dream of a decent life on a secure livable wage how long can you hold your grip. And whicch pollie seems to offer a change at all – hopefully better?

  6. Penny Bright 6
    20 April 2016 at 9:44 am

    My prediction about a BIG voter turnout for the New York Primary seems to have been correct.

    I predict Bernie Sanders will win New York.

    http://www.syracuse.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/04/elections_officials_expect_40_percent_of_nys_eligible_voters_to_vote_today.html

    “…Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny said he is expecting a record turnout, although he acknowledged he’s not sure exactly what the record is.

    “All the conditions are right (for a record),” he said. “I think somewhere around 40 percent is a record.”

    The polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. in Central New York and most of the state. In New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Erie counties, the polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

    ….”
    ______________

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  7. adam 7
    20 April 2016 at 11:10 am

    I must say as this is Samantha Bee, bad language is in this video. Just another example of the why fundamentalism is very bad for society.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f4vZmsuw2s

  8. Penny Bright 8
    20 April 2016 at 11:36 am

    Did anyone from New Zealand play any role in 1996 in helping to set up Niue as a tax haven?

    Seen this?

    http://asia.nikkei.com/print/article/166663

    “…. By the time Mossack turned his attention to the South Pacific, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Nauru were already in the offshore financial sector business. Nauru had 450 “banks” registered to a single government mailbox through which $70 billion of Russian mafia money passed in 1998, according to statements by the Russian central bank.

    Mossack bypassed those islands after reaching a 20-year exclusive deal in 1996 to handle offshore incorporations for Niue, a dependency of New Zealand. “We figured that if we had the exclusivity, we would avoid the price wars because in offshore jurisdictions there is a lot of competition going on,” Mossack said in 2000.

    Niue, which has a population of less than 1,600, received $100 a year from each of the 6,000 international business companies set up by Mossack Fonseca over eight years. Local lawyer Peleni Talagi, daughter of the current prime minister, became the firm’s agent, working out of one of the few commercial buildings in Alofi, the capital.

    Niue registration offered “total secrecy and anonymity,” with no need to file annual returns, the firm’s web ads bragged.

    By the late 1990s, Niue’s activities were attracting attention from bigger economies, represented by the Group of Eight and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The U.S. State Department’s 1999 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report said, “Niue’s thriving offshore financial sector has been linked with the laundering of criminal proceeds from Russia and South America.”

    In March 2000, Mossack visited New Zealand, which was trying to close his Niue business down. Foreign Minister Phil Goff refused to meet him.

    While on the trip, Mossack denied to this reporter that his Niue companies were laundering criminal receipts, saying his business involved people “trying to avoid paying taxes in their home countries.” Money laundering could not be carried out in Niue, he said, because it did not have a banking system. “Without the banking system, it is impossible to launder money,” he said.

    According to data compiled from Mossack Fonseca’s files by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the firm’s use of Niue as a tax haven peaked in 1999.

    International pressure on Niue continued to grow after that, with credit card networks instituting a block on usage on the island, threatening its small tourist industry. In 2004 Mossack Fonseca packed up its operations in Niue, though the island still ranks as the fifth most-used tax haven by the firm since 1977, according to the ICIJ’s calculations.
    …..”
    ___________________________

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  9. greywarbler 9
    20 April 2016 at 12:09 pm

    lprent
    My archives aren’t working. The last item that shows is from 18 April

    And something that often happens is that when I press on comment list on right wing I don’t get taken to the highlighted comment. I just pressed one in Open Mike and got taken to Panama Papers for instance. When I went back to list, neither of the close comments were on Panama papers so wasn’t a cursor slip.

    • lprent 9.1
      20 April 2016 at 5:50 pm

      Heading home now. Last night I didn’t get to any of the niggles (I know what they are now). Went to Lyn’s nieces 5th birthday, ate Cake, felt ill and went to bed early. Might have felt ill prior to cake but it is hard tell when you are in traffic.

      I’ll get Lyn to cook to night and have a go at the fix.

  10. Penny Bright 10
    20 April 2016 at 12:54 pm

    How islands in the South Pacific were used as tax havens and for money-laundering.

    Fascinating!

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/07-04-2016/me-and-jurgen-mossack-how-kiwi-journalist-revealed-mossack-fonsecas-dodgy-pacific-deals/

    Me and Jürgen Mossack: Michael Field on chasing the Panama Papers through the South Pacific in the ’00s

    By Michael Field
    April 7, 2016

    Outside the arcane world of tax havens few had noticed Mossack Fonseca creeping into the South Pacific, but New Zealand journalist Michael Field was one. He recalls how he confronted the co-founder of the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers data leak.

    Jürgen Mossack came to Auckland to shut me up.

    For a moment it felt like a war movie cliché. Steely eyed and ramrod straight, Mossack could have clicked his heels just as his German Waffen-SS father had.

    It was March 2000 and the 52-year-old co-founder of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca had already threatened me with legal execution in the form of a libel writ. In a rent-an-office space in Hobson Street, across the road from the Auckland District Court, he wanted a halt to my stories on his firm’s operations in Niue.

    Instead, by chance, I got one of the few media interviews he ever gave. I asked him whether his Niue tax haven operation was morally right. He thought a moment and replied: “There is a big grey zone, there is no clear cut area.”

    …….”
    __________________________________

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  11. swordfish 11
    20 April 2016 at 1:30 pm

    First wave of Exit Polls suggest Clinton 52% / Sanders 48% – far closer than the various pre-Election Polls had it. Probably due to significant under-estimation of both young voter turnout and Upstate turnout in the weighting of most polls (Hillary’s stronger in the five boroughs).

    52/48 would be an extraordinary result given that this is a closed primary where only Democrats can vote. Sanders usually blitzes the Independent vote (on average by 2 to 1) and in some States Independents have comprised up to half of his support (which is why he has such crossover appeal and consistently beats Clinton in all of the one-on-one match-ups with various Republican nominees).

    The exit polls suggest:
    Sanders winning 18-24 year olds by 85% to Clinton’s 15%
    Clinton winning the over 65s by 70% to 30%

    Sanders carries White voters by 9 points
    Clinton takes Latinos by 18 and Blacks by 43 points

    Reports of many voters, especially younger ones (including many College/Uni students) being turned away. Could be the winning margin right there.

    • joe90 11.1
      20 April 2016 at 1:40 pm

      Could be the winning margin right there.

      More than a few problems with voter registration rules and purged electoral rolls.

      Ezra Koenig Verified account
      ‏@arzE

      The New York primary is bullshit. Whoever wins – this is garbage. It’s voter suppression.

      https://twitter.com/arzE/status/722098749015777282

      http://thetab.com/us/2016/04/19/judge-rules-against-opening-the-ny-primary-3593

    • swordfish 11.2
      20 April 2016 at 1:42 pm

      Nate Silver, however, is speculating that the Exit Polls may be wrong on this occasion.

      Clinton had a 10 point lead over Sanders in NYC in the Exit Poll, but currently (from votes counted) she has a much greater 62/38 advantage there.

      • Colonial Viper 11.2.1
        20 April 2016 at 1:46 pm

        As an aside, next Roy Morgan is due out on Friday. Any picks?

        • Puckish Rogue 11.2.1.1
          20 April 2016 at 1:58 pm

          Not much change I reckon but because I prefer predictions to sitting on the fence I reckon it’ll be something like:
          National above 40%,
          Labour below 30%,
          Greens slightly lower then NZFirst

          Preferred PM (I won’t even mention John Key) will be:
          Winston second
          Little third

        • swordfish 11.2.1.2
          20 April 2016 at 2:23 pm

          Eagerly anticipated.

          The really interesting thing about the last two polls (March Roy Morgan and April Colmar Brunton) is that they both bucked their own trends (at least in terms of the broader Oppo vs Govt results).

          All of the Colmar Brunton and Reid Research polls since late May 2015 (excepting the last) have placed the Oppo in front (by an average of almost 4 points in the CBs). The latest has the Govt leading by 5.

          By contrast, since the last Election, Two-Thirds of the Roy Morgans (and all of them from September through to February) have had the Govt leading. Whereas the latest put the Oppo ahead by 4.

    • swordfish 11.3
      20 April 2016 at 2:50 pm

      Looks like the Polls may have been pretty much on the money this time. Probably a Clinton win in the double digits. But, as joe90 suggests – purged electoral rolls and voter suppression. Deep concern expressed by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. Significant number of young College students (overwhelmingly Sanders supporters) turned away.

  12. Chooky 12
    20 April 2016 at 2:34 pm

    ‘New York primary live results: Trump and Clinton win’

    https://www.rt.com/usa/340298-primary-results-new-york/

    • swordfish 12.1
      20 April 2016 at 2:55 pm

      Looks like the Polls might have been on the money this time. Clinton projected to win in the double digits. But, as joe90 implies, purged electoral rolls / voter suppression. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has expressed deep concern. Younger College students (overwhelmingly Sanders supporters) appear to have been turned away in big numbers.

        • Penny Bright 12.1.1.1
          20 April 2016 at 5:23 pm

          It ain’t over till it’s over….

          Bernie Sanders has been written off by some punters effectively from day one.

          As I keep saying – a year ago – who had even heard of Bernie Sanders?

          Penny Bright
          2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

          • tinfoilhat 12.1.1.1.1
            20 April 2016 at 5:26 pm

            I’d very much like to see Sanders win the democratic nomination but you have to face reality that it’s not going to happen…… I wonder if there’s any chance that Clinton would choose him as a VP ?

            • Penny Bright 12.1.1.1.1.1
              20 April 2016 at 5:41 pm

              Reality – in my view – is it ain’t over till it’s over….

              Penny Bright
              2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

              • tinfoilhat …
                20 April 2016 at 5:45 pm

                With all due respect Penny you and reality don’t often inhabit the same timezone.

                • Sacha …
                  20 April 2016 at 6:21 pm

                  You and your evidence-based reasoning. 🙂

                • Penny Bright …
                  20 April 2016 at 7:41 pm

                  Really?

                  Did you predict that Bernie Sanders would do as well as he has to date?

                  Who did?

                  (And – it ain’t over … 🙂

                  Penny Bright
                  2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

          • James 12.1.1.1.2
            20 April 2016 at 8:58 pm

            And as you said he would win New York. Let’s face it. You have a pretty lousy track record of picking winners.

        • Penny Bright 12.1.1.2
          20 April 2016 at 5:38 pm

          Seen this?

          http://www.financialsecrecyindex.com/PDF/NewZealand.pdf

          New Zealand’s 2015 Financial Secrecy Index rating, by the Tax Justice Network.

          If Transparency International’s ‘Corruption Perception Index’ also included ‘financial secrecy’ criteria – how different would the former ratings be?

          Why DOESN’T Transparency International include ‘financial secrecy’ in their ‘Corruption Perception Index’?

          Where do the corrupt hide their bribes and their ill-gotten gains?

          Makes rather a farce, in my opinion, of both Transparency International’s ‘Corruption Perception Index’ and New Zealand’s ‘perceived’ status as now the fourth ‘least corrupt country in the world’?

          (Mind you – I have been saying this for some time. Perhaps now more people will pay attention?)

          Penny Bright
          2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

      • Ad 12.1.2
        20 April 2016 at 4:05 pm

        The one good thing Sanders is doing for twill put stakes through he inevitable Clinton nomination is keep pulling Clinton leftwards in policy terms, without trashing Obama’s domestic policy achievements.
        If both of them can turn the Democratic Convention away from being a nomination contest and towards a policy achievement platform, they will have done the whole electorate some good.

        Sanders, like Trump, could still stuff it all up by directing his supporters away from supporting the Democratic Party towards a simple free vote, or going Independent. But I’ll grant Sanders is smarter than Trump politically.

        • Colonial Viper 12.1.2.1
          20 April 2016 at 7:15 pm

          It’s an easy to avoid situation; Clinton simply offers Sanders the position of running mate.

          • Scythe 12.1.2.1.1
            21 April 2016 at 2:15 am

            100% not going to happen. Hilary is to the right of Obama. She’ll pick some bum from the DNC who’ll cowtow to Wall Street.

    • McFlock 13.1
      20 April 2016 at 3:16 pm

      lol

      • UglyTruth 13.1.1
        20 April 2016 at 6:10 pm

        “Lightning effect and duration of the fire ball being suspended in mid air and the very large mushroom cloud is the main give away, that is because it is being hit by neutrons from the nuclear fireball blast. It overloads the ccd’s electronic circuit producing white flashes. If the radiation is too high it will burn out the chip.” ~ Jeff Smith, former IAEA inspector

        • McFlock 13.1.1.1
          20 April 2016 at 10:31 pm

          lol

          ok, a couple of questions – how many cases of radiation poisining occurred from this supposeduse of nuclear weapons closeenough to a population base to disrupt electronic devices with its neutron radiation?

          Why did the neutron radiation cause damage to the camera, but the EMP emitted by every nuclear blast failed to fry said camera?

          Why did the neutron radiation from a source several kilometres away not cause a uniform distribution of interference across the entire surface of a small, two-dimensional CCD/CMOS focal plane?

          Are nuclear bombs the only type of big explosion to cause a mushroom cloud?

          Lastly, are you aware how fucking stupid you are?

  14. Bearded Git 14
    20 April 2016 at 3:16 pm

    Unfortunately Clinton winning by 58-42. But Sanders has taken most of the counties; Clinton the metropolitan areas. Still not too bad as the delegates are proportional;104-85.

    ….and the good news is Trump won well

    http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results

    • Chooky 14.1
      20 April 2016 at 3:57 pm

      yes if it is between Trump and Clinton…Trump might just win

      • Bearded Git 14.1.1
        20 April 2016 at 4:56 pm

        I think not Chookyman, that is the wonderful thing about Trump winning. If the Americans elect him over Hillary/Bernie they will be a laughing stock.

        The other thing is that if Trump is the candidate this will push some voters to vote for Democrats in the House and the Senate-they might win both!

      • tinfoilhat 14.1.2
        20 April 2016 at 5:23 pm

        If Trump secures the republican nomination it will the biggest win for the democrats since Lyndon Johnson swamped Barry Goldwater.

    • Ad 14.2
      20 April 2016 at 3:57 pm

      If anyone complains about the mess Trump and Cruz are going to make of the GOP Conference, they might want to have a look at what Sanders is going to do to the Democratic Convention. At some point he’s going to actually join the Democratic Party properly rather than masquerading.

      • adam 14.2.1
        20 April 2016 at 5:34 pm

        Do you understand any USA politics or history Ad?

        How about the new deal, and the deals made with independents to make that happen – know any of that history?

        Because if you keep running with a sad talking points from fox news, you should acknowledge your source.

        • Ad 14.2.1.1
          20 April 2016 at 6:36 pm

          I don’t watch Fox.

          If the US elects anyone more left as President than Obama this century, I’ll eat my hat.

          • adam 14.2.1.1.1
            20 April 2016 at 9:46 pm

            Then why are you using fox talking points?

            Why are you so scared of the left Ad?

  15. Wayne 15
    20 April 2016 at 4:55 pm

    Pretty hard to see how Sanders can get the nomination from here.

    I am confident that Hillary will beat either Cruz or Trump. She will have a decisive lead among key voter groups. Women, the majority of all voters, surely will mostly vote for Hillary over either Cruz or Trump.
    And she will have a lead with Black and Larino voters. Even if white male voters go with either Republican options, there is simply not enough of them.

    Hillary will also do impressively well in the debates, especially against Trump. If it is Cruz it will be harder since Cruz is real smart and articulate, but many of his political positions will seem to be extreme for many in middle America. Mind you he could suddenly become a sensible moderate, easpecilly in the debates. Might not be easy to rebut within the tight confines of a debate.

    • lprent 15.1
      20 April 2016 at 5:39 pm

      That is pretty much how I read the politics over there as well.

      But even that is qualified. Depends how much the Republican party gets behind their final extremist candidate. While Trump thrives as being a demagogue, and Cruz is rightly regarded with suspicion by virtually every member of the Republican congress, there are a lot of very good political managers amongst the Republicans.

      Plus of course the reptilian convention may not support either. I haven’t seen what, if any, changes have happened in the rules for this year. If they remove that rule from last time about having to win x states in the primaries, then all hell may break loose.

    • Colonial Viper 15.2
      20 April 2016 at 5:50 pm

      Hillary will also do impressively well in the debates, especially against Trump.

      Nope; Trump will have it over Hilary every step of the way in the televised debates.

    • Sacha 15.3
      20 April 2016 at 6:23 pm

      “I am confident that Hillary will beat either Cruz or Trump.”

      How do you see Clinton faring against Kasich, if he turns out to be the brokered candidate?

      • Wayne 15.3.1
        20 April 2016 at 9:22 pm

        Might be harder, though I think she would still win.

        I must say I don’t understand why so many Americans have a negative view of her. I can understand why people may not agree with her (that’s politics) but what has she done that cause people to distrust her?

        • Pat 15.3.1.1
          20 April 2016 at 10:07 pm

          might have something to do with the fact she is bankrolled by, and supports the status quo as the American middle class watches their hopes of a future for their children (and themselves) disappear into the bank accounts of those that have far more than they could ever possibly need….I believe its called greed

  16. Macro 16
    20 April 2016 at 7:03 pm

    Ok so how many Politicians could give this off the cuff answer on Quantum Computing?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eak_ogYMprk
    Not only has he formed an equal gender Cabinet and appointed Ministers who might actually know what they are doing, he is also taking a hard long look at the TPPA.

    • Rodel 16.1
      20 April 2016 at 10:10 pm

      Can you imagine our PM giving an answer like this?
      Axshully no….but
      God defend New Zealand..

  17. Penny Bright 17
    20 April 2016 at 7:36 pm

    Is the UK Government serious in their supposed opposition to tax evasion?

    According to Professor Prem Sikka – no.

    Seen this?

    http://leftfootforward.org/2016/04/smoke-and-mirrors-government-deliberately-sidesteps-effective-tax-avoidance-strategies/

    “After the Panama leaks, the Conservative government is desperately trying to portray itself as the scourge of organised tax avoidance. It is consulting on draft legislation which would introduce a new corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent the criminal facilitation of tax evasion. Such promises have become part of impression management, but have rarely delivered.

    A good case study of the smoke and mirrors tax avoidance policies is the government’s much trumpeted Guidance on Promoting Tax Compliance and Procurement. These rules came into effect on 1st April 2013 and were meant to ensure that organisations engaged in tax avoidance/evasion are barred from securing public contracts.

    … ”

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  18. McFlock 18
    21 April 2016 at 4:05 pm

    Good to see the opposition parties cooperating at an electorate level. In this case protesting the abysmal food at SDHB hospitals following outsourcing to Compass group caterers.

    And for Coleman who thinks their meals are fine: the meals on wheels service has lost just under half its clients – amazing what happens when you don’t have a captive audience. Hell, people who can afford it are getting other food delivered to their hospital beds rather than eating the gravy.

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    16 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    16 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    17 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    17 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    18 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    20 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    21 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    23 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    5 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
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  • Government backing mussel spat project
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  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
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  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
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    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
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  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
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  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
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  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
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  • Navigating an unstable global environment
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  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
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  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
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  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
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