Open mike 21/12/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 21st, 2015 - 76 comments
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76 comments on “Open mike 21/12/2015 ”

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  1. Chooky 1
    21 December 2015 at 7:54 am

    This is good …hope yet for the environment clean up . I was always fascinated by Foxton…quaint with so much important NZ history but scruffy and dirty at the waters’ edges

    “The Foxton Everglades”

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/201783578/the-foxton-everglades

    “The Horowhenua town of Foxton was once home to a bustling port with steamers and sailing ships carting away the region’s flax fibre. Rowing races and swimming competitions were regularly held in the Manawatu River which flowed through the town. All that changed in the 1940s with the Whirokino Cut – originally designed as a flood spillway but which ended up diverting the river entirely and cutting off the so-called Foxton Loop from the river. Now a group of environmental organisations is calling for the loop and the river to be reconnected and they have visions of the region’s wetlands being restored to a point where the “Foxton Everglades” become a major tourist attraction. Jeremy Rose visits the economically-depressed town to talk to some of those behind the proposal.”

    ( this is also good…the Avon was once so deep that a horse and his rider completely disappeared and were never seen again while crossing this river in the heart of Christchurch near the town hall)

    ‘Avon River’

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/201783579/avon-river

    “When you think of the Avon-Ōtākaro river in Christchurch, it’s likely to be an image of a meandering stream making its way through the city, fish swimming lazily, round stones on the bottom – boats punting along. The reality is very different, with much of the Avon, outside the CBD area, polluted with stormwater, sewage overflow and illegal dumping. Wallace talks to kaumatua Teoti Jardine and Prof Bryan Jenkins, who are both part of the Avon-Ōtākaro Network Strategic Steering Group.”

    ( these are the real indigenous environmentalists that Naomi Klein talks about as hope for the future ….working at the flaxroots /grassroots to protect and rejuvenate the landscapes they love )

  2. Paul 2
    21 December 2015 at 7:56 am

    White Ribbon Rob McCann CEO must practise what the organisation he represents preaches.
    Dreadful defence of Key on RNZ this morning.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201783634

    • Paul 2.1
      21 December 2015 at 8:05 am

      Charities that question the government lose the government’s funding.
      Ask the Problem Gambling Foundation.

      • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1
        21 December 2015 at 10:47 am

        yes, wondered at first why the CEO was being so evasive

      • Heather Grimwood 2.1.2
        21 December 2015 at 8:41 pm

        to Paul at 2.1….yes, but the alternative is to succumb to blackmail…….only courageous refusal to do so and support from other sponsors and donations can halt it, but the publicity of doing so should both increase their number and send a strong message to New Zealanders that such disgusting public behaviour will not be tolerated. I care deeply about the culture that our young are inheriting.

    • Tory 2.2
      21 December 2015 at 8:15 am

      Left is obviously still a bit raw regarding prison cell jokes following previous police investigation of Ex Labour MP Darren Hughes after “a young man laid a complaint of a sexual nature against him”.
      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darren_Hughes#Police_investigation_and_resignation

      • miravox 2.2.1
        21 December 2015 at 8:27 am

        So Darren Hughes is an ambassador for white ribbon? I didn’t know that!

        And has the PM resigned for his sexual faux pas?

        Sorry, I’m out of the country and this is all news to me.

      • Paul 2.2.2
        21 December 2015 at 8:33 am

        zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

      • Colonial Viper 2.2.3
        21 December 2015 at 12:37 pm

        Don’t be such a smartass Tory, the Right Wing has had its own very close calls.

        • greywarshark 2.2.3.1
          21 December 2015 at 2:41 pm

          Colonial viper
          Happy Christmas Col. I hope you enjoy your time off so you can recharge your batteries.

          Tory shows the type of NZr that supports National, low and grubby. Naturally then seeing our Prime Minister resorting to Key’s capers doesn’t upset Tory’s standards and sensitivities – because he hasn’t got any.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.2.4
        21 December 2015 at 1:11 pm

        And the apologists comes in with their but Labour did it too attempt to defend and distract.

        They really don’t seem to understand that vile behaviour is vile behaviour no matter who does it.

      • Wainwright 2.2.5
        21 December 2015 at 7:43 pm

        Still a bit raw? You’re the one bringing it up 4.5 years later. Not got any new mateiral?

      • greywarshark 2.2.6
        22 December 2015 at 10:45 am

        Tory
        Your link states that Mr Hughes resigned. Can you bring pressure to bear on your Key malefactor, or do you favourably factor in a bit of okay hanky panky into your side’s contenders?

    • Chooky 2.3
      21 December 2015 at 10:36 am

      +100…i thought so too Paul…White Ribbon risks undermining itself with advocacy like that

      at least the Problem Gambling Foundation stood true to itself

    • Rosie 2.4
      21 December 2015 at 11:11 am

      Hi Paul. That audio won’t play for me. So White Ribbon has been criticised for having Key as an ambassador?

      I was really shocked to learn last week that he was even an ambassador, when he himself is an abuser, (Amanda Bailey) an enabler (Tania Billingsley) and a denier(Roast busters) of sexual abuse. There is an action station petition going asking White Ribbon to get Key to stand down as an ambassador.

      I know it’s easy to get cynical about on line petitions but action stations is effective, they played a part in getting Key to apologise (in his own I don’t give a rats arse way) to the opposition for his rapists and murderers comment.

      Here’s the petition:

      http://www.actionstation.org.nz/noribbon

      Key is an embarrassment to the White Ribbon campaign an undoes all the good work that so many volunteers and genuine ambassadors put into their work. But above all he is example of what they are working against therefore it’s totally inappropriate for him to be an ambassador.

      Lets get rid of NZ’s very own Silvio Berlusconi having any involvement with this group.

      • Karen 2.4.1
        21 December 2015 at 11:26 am

        Don’t just the petition, send them an email as well. Hearing the White Ribbon CEO making excuses for Key this morning made so angry.

        I don’t believe for a moment that Key did not understand the references to prison rape, but even if that is what the CEO believes why does he think it acceptable for Key to appear on a radio station like the Rock? How is that in keeping with White Ribbon’s aims?

        • RedLogix 2.4.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 11:35 am

          Indeed if Key didn’t know about the ‘joke’ in advance and was set up … then where is his demand for a retraction and apology? And then a refusal to do anymore appearances with the Rock.

          Key’s silence only indicates he his complicit in it.

          • Rosie 2.4.1.1.1
            21 December 2015 at 12:03 pm

            “Key’s silence only indicates he his complicit in it.”

            I agree. This isn’t the first time he’s been “set up” (feeding the chickens, pissing in the shower etc) and it’s not the first time he’s behaved badly (gay red shirt) on the radio. So he knows by now how this works.

            He has an audience to appeal to and appeal to them he must. Playing one sector of society against another seems to work for him. He’s only concerned about the people that vote for him, not the people as a whole who he is meant to represent.

            If he had a problem with it, along the lines of, ” I refuse to be played by you and encouraged to speak and act in an undignified manner, which is inappropriate for my status and position as PM and will no longer appear on Hauraki and The Rock” he would have said it by now.

            So yes, totally complicit.

            • Draco T Bastard 2.4.1.1.1.1
              21 December 2015 at 1:19 pm

              +1

              Key appeals to the scum of society.

              • James …
                21 December 2015 at 4:33 pm

                And also to wide segments of the rest of the population.

                I know you keep missing the point – but he’s extremely popular, and more people want him as PM than anyone else by a very, very wide margin.

                • Tracey …
                  21 December 2015 at 4:47 pm

                  Which might explain why nz is third in the world for sexual violence. Your pride is misplaced and harmful.

                  For the record his popularity is now in the 40s. Quite thedrop from the 60s

                • McFlock …
                  21 December 2015 at 4:53 pm

                  Not “wide segments”. Just a few narrow, but strategic, wedges.

                  For all their talk of “aspiration”, these tories level everyone down rather than seeking to raise themselves up. hence the missing million and the fuck-useless flag distraction.

                • Rosie …
                  21 December 2015 at 5:22 pm

                  James. Vladimir Putin enjoys an 80% approval rating. Does his popularity mean Russia is an awesome place to live?

                  Does Key’s supposed popularity make his abuse of women and rape culture joking make it all ok then?

                  What will history say of those who defended him?

        • miravox 2.4.1.2
          21 December 2015 at 11:38 am

          Yep – i think the video makes it clear the Prime Minister knew EXACTLY what was going on, and that he enabled the skit to continue.

          Apart from dismissing prison rape as a joke, he provides a pretty awful template for young men to follow in terms of sexual attitudes.

          Sexual mores are already difficult for young men to negotiate – they don’t need people in highly esteemed places to make light of sexual offences.

        • Rosie 2.4.1.3
          21 December 2015 at 11:54 am

          Hi Karen. Good idea. I will email the CEO, as soon I have time to get the audio to play and take in what he said, and send an appropriate response.

          Honestly if I had any idea Key was an ambassador I would have written to them ages ago. I’m so totally flabbergasted (“my ghasts were well and truly flabbered” – Rhinocrates) that they think Key is a suitable person to have as an ambassador.

          It’s not just this latest prison rape jolly jape, it’s everything that went before it too.
          How long has Key been an ambassador do we know? During his time he was abusing Amanda Bailey? Was Key marching alongside Kelvin Davis when he did his hikoi around Northland speaking out against violence towards women?

          Are White Ribbon OK with celebrity mouthpieces who say one thing and do another?

          So many questions!

          • Rosie 2.4.1.3.1
            21 December 2015 at 2:31 pm

            This is getting more absurd by the moment folks. Key has been an ambassador since 2010:

            “John became a White Ribbon Ambassador in 2010. “Family violence wrecks far too many lives in New Zealand,” says Mr Key. “This government is committed to working with the police, community and family organisations, and campaigns like White Ribbon and It’s Not OK to encourage people to take action and help bring family violence down.”

            http://whiteribbon.org.nz/act/ambassadors/

            Why TF has he not been stood down/removed given his history with his absolutely creepy and inappropriate attitude around the sexual abuse of women and girls?

            This explanation does not cover it: (“we take him at his word”

            http://whiteribbon.org.nz/2015/12/20/white-ribbon/

        • Paul 2.4.1.4
          21 December 2015 at 9:27 pm

          How else can pressure be put on White Ribbon?

    • mary_a 2.5
      21 December 2015 at 3:47 pm

      Hi Paul – (2) – yes I heard the same interview on RNZ and thought White Ribbon CEO McCann sounded as though he had been “got at!” Told not say anything negative about FJK, because if he did, White Ribbon just might find itself with a shortage of funds!

      Also another interesting point is Stuff has closed its comments section on the FJK/White Ribbon issue and the comments posted and published earlier today have been pulled completely!

      Signs of a dictatorship?

      What’s the saying … he (she) who has the media, has the power … or something to that effect.

      Welcome to most glorious state of NZ, where most exalted leader for life must be obeyed at all times!

    • Draco T Bastard 2.6
      21 December 2015 at 5:18 pm

      Time for Key to Strip (off his White Ribbon)

      So it seems we can add the White Ribbon Campaign to the burgeoning list of individuals and organizations willing to excuse and overlook Key’s boorishness, acting as if he were a lovable cheeky toddler stamping his chubby feet at the prospect of a bath, rather than the fully grown adult leader of our nation, responsible for his choices, which increasingly reflect badly on us all. How could someone with Key’s alleged business and political acumen not realize that stepping into a cage could only end badly?

      Because he doesn’t really have political acumen but showmanship directed by C/T.

      • Rosie 2.6.1
        21 December 2015 at 9:21 pm

        Thanks for that link to that well written post Draco. Something mentioned further up the link regarding funding has been elaborated on here:

        “The annual return filed with Charities Services reveals the organization received just $3,691 in donations for the year ending June 30, 2015 while at the same time garnering government grants and contracts to the tune of $309,940. Prior to then, their two posted returns report zero income from any source.

        By the way, in July 2014, Christchurch lost its only remaining rape crisis centre for lack of just $30,000 of government funding.”

        I’m reluctant to criticise a group whose purpose is to reduce abuse, however this disclosure about their financial position may indicate their unwillingness to drop Key.

        Which goes back to Heather Grimwood’s point at 2.1.2, which really comes down to integrity. For the sake of the victims they represent and the people they are trying to prevent from becoming victims they need to disassociate themselves from a perpetrator, enabler and bystander.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.6.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 10:59 pm

          I keep looking at that paragraph you quoted and I keep getting the feeling of rort. $200k operating costs on 1.5 person? Just how much is the CEO paying himself?

          • Rosie 2.6.1.1.1
            22 December 2015 at 9:21 am

            I was giving them the benefit of the doubt and thinking about the cost of TV advertising, poster campaigns and print media advertising……………?

  3. ianmac 3
    21 December 2015 at 8:39 am

    Put together cell/soap “jokes”, girls’ ponytail fondling, Labour supports rapists, and there seems to be a seedy pattern there. What about ones we don’t know about?

    • Trey 3.2
      21 December 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Mike Sabin

    • seeker 3.3
      21 December 2015 at 4:37 pm

      @ianmac8.39am

      Extra horror I have still to recover from ……. his nasty throat slashing gesture at the opposition benches ( mainly women opposite him).So violent,unsettling and shocking.
      Hideous behaviour from the leader of a civilised country.

      • Anne 3.3.1
        21 December 2015 at 8:27 pm

        The throat slashing gesture was aimed directly at Phil Goff who was leader at that time.

        • seeker 3.3.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 9:54 pm

          I remember Annette King sitting next to Goff Darien Fenton just behind and just looked it up to see Stevie (can’t remember her last name, sorry)just behind Annette King, all in the front firing line. Don’t care if he did it to Goff ,it was just such appalling behaviour Anne, the sort that can really affront a woman especially because of it’s apparent association with violence.
          I must say Goff did much to deflect it’s hideousness, by behaving calmly, stately and thereby almost protectively while
          the women gasped in horror and anger, and I along with them.
          It was almost like being confronted by a known dog suddenly turned rabid.

          • Anne 3.3.1.1.1
            21 December 2015 at 10:51 pm

            Yes seeker it was a despicable incident and a pre-curser for all he has done and said since. At the time we weren’t aware of his sociopathic tendencies. According to the media he believed the unfortunate gentleman was wanting to kill him and he blamed Phil Goff and Labour. That, in itself was absurd because if the man had jumped off the balcony it was the Labour members sitting immediately below him who would have been injured or even killed – not john Key.

            Afterwards he tried to excuse himself by saying “there were people who wanted to kill him”. There were unstable people who wanted to kill Helen Clark too but she didn’t run around blaming National.

            • seeker 3.3.1.1.1.1
              22 December 2015 at 10:26 am

              Thanks Anne, a really good ,truthful, perceptive comment, particularly the phrase ” despicable incident…….. a pre-curser for all he has said and done since”.
              My description of rabid dog again sprang to mind.
              Nicely put about Helen, so true. In those days I felt proud to be a Kiwi. Nowadays, I have to feel proud to be a Kiwi in spite of our prime minister,but always because of the wonderful Kiwis I know.

  4. Ad 4
    21 December 2015 at 8:55 am

    There was a reasonable flurry yesterday about the negative sides of Auckland; people were not impressed when I pointed out that there are some upsides to its growth. Today’s post on TransportBlog points out the scale and speed of growth and improvement in Auckland, across the fields of:
    – Transport, especially public transport
    – Economy
    – Population
    …and many more.

    http://transportblog.co.nz/2015/12/21/2015-aucklands-watershed-year/

    I think it’s a good one.

    The author of the piece will be doing a further one soon.

  5. Chooky 5
    21 December 2015 at 12:46 pm

    Matthew Hooton endorses Greens leader James Shaw as one of the most successful politicians of the year …new type of leadership…less about street activism…taking the Greens position to the centre

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201783664/politics-with-matthew-hooton-and-stephen-mills

    • Paul 5.1
      21 December 2015 at 1:04 pm

      Deliberate stirring by a corporate shill.

      • Chooky 5.1.1
        21 December 2015 at 1:55 pm

        maybe Hooton liked the Green lemon…Red Peak corporate flag ?…and Shaw’s slick manouvering to get it into the first referendum

        • Paul 5.1.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 1:57 pm

          Hooton is trying to stir.
          Plain and simple.
          Anything to cause trouble in the progressive ranks.
          That’s what his corporate masters pay him to do.
          He is a shill not worth listening to.

    • mary_a 5.2
      21 December 2015 at 4:02 pm

      @ Chooky (5) – when a NatzKEY supporter (Hooton) praises the perceived left of centre, I think it’s time to be somewhat apprehensive and begin listening to the alarm bells!

      After giving FJK a get out of jail free card re the flag issue earlier on and now with Hooton ringing his praises, I’m convinced more than ever now Shaw is there to take NZ Greens to the centre/right or right!

      I feel sorry for Meteria Turei, because she is strongly dedicated to keeping left wing Green policies out there. Makes me wonder how long she will be allowed to stay on as co leader.

      So after being a staunch NZ Green supporter for many years, it’s looking more like it will be Hone Harawira and the Mana Movement for me in 2017!

      • James 5.2.1
        21 December 2015 at 4:35 pm

        “it’s looking more like it will be Hone Harawira and the Mana Movement for me in 2017!”

        Are they still Mana or is it still “Internet Mana”?

        Will be interesting how much of the stink of Kim Dotcom stays with Mana this upcoming election.

        • Chooky 5.2.1.1
          21 December 2015 at 4:50 pm

          oh James you are such a nact bore…..Max Keiser doesnt agree with you…he thinks Dotcom is a genius

      • Sacha 5.2.2
        21 December 2015 at 5:31 pm

        “Shaw is there to take NZ Greens to the centre/right or right!”

        That would require their party members to vote for such a shift. It’s not a top-down dictatorship like some other parties seem to be.

        • Wainwright 5.2.2.1
          21 December 2015 at 7:47 pm

          Sure they have the charade of AGMs and membership votes on a coalition, but at the end of the day when decisions have to be made fast the leader makes them. And then you (they) end up on the right with no idea how. Green democracy isn’t any more robust than Labour democracy

          • Sacha 5.2.2.1.1
            21 December 2015 at 9:06 pm

            Not so. You may benefit from reading their constitution – or better still, talking to members.

          • Macro 5.2.2.1.2
            21 December 2015 at 10:31 pm

            You have no idea. If that happened – the caucus would be up in arms – as would be the whole membership. That’s why there is a co-leader. It’s not just James Shaw. It’s Meteria as well.
            Hooten is just saying that because he thinks because James has corporate experience he is one of them. James isn’t.

    • Tracey 5.3
      21 December 2015 at 4:51 pm

      Hooton is running a line. He clearly doesnt follow Shaws actual statements, emails and press releases.

  6. greywarshark 6
    21 December 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Chooky
    Happy Christmas
    Thanks for the heads up on Shaw – what can it mean when Hooton praises pollies?

  7. maui 7
    21 December 2015 at 1:09 pm

    Margaret Mutu on decision making by hui. What if Aotearoa/New Zealand’s decision making had been done like this for the last 175 years, I’m sure we would be in a much better place now…

    Ever since then, we — particularly those of us who were around that time — watch closely to see where the people are coming from. We especially keep an eye on those who work for government departments. We often find that those people come back and try to hog the floor, hog the hui. But we need to listen to those who have been there all the time, who genuinely represent their whānau and their hapū.

    And you let the talk go on. Then, when all the talk is done, the resolution is put. Resolutions in Ngāti Kahu are done by consensus. So, if a resolution isn’t accepted unanimously, it lies on the floor and is brought up at the next hui. The media may perceive that there are people from home who attack me. But, if you come back home and see what happens there, you’ll learn that those people rarely come to hui.

    And, when they do, they are a tiny but vociferous minority who learn that they can’t impose their views, or the government’s views, on the people. So they use the media to try to have a go at me. All that does is produce a very swift reaction from the hapū and marae who remind them of the decisions Ngāti Kahu has made.

    http://e-tangata.co.nz/news/margaret-mutu-they-told-me-id-know-how-to-beat-these-pakeha/pathways

  9. Penny Bright 9
    21 December 2015 at 6:48 pm

    It’s ok Sacha – just as well some of us are defending YOUR rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ local government?

    Oh – that’s right – as a (former?) consultant – you may not be quite so keen on fellow citizens being able to ‘follow (their) dollar?

    Any other Auckland Mayoral candidates actually DOING something, and standing up to be counted, regarding wanting more ‘fiscal responsibility’ or ‘fiscal prudence’ with Auckland Council and Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) SPENDING?

    “…Bright argued that the council was legally required to publicise the detail of every contract it awarded, and rates assessment notices were central to her case because they did not provide any of this information.

    “Where exactly are our rates monies going? It’s public money, we have a right to know,” she said.

    “I put my freehold house on the line… because nobody is holding the council accountable.

    “I do not expect to be continually persecuted and prosecuted when I’m trying to do a job that nobody else is doing,” she told the judge. ….”

    It’s all good!

    When I’m elected Mayor of Auckland, this nonsense will stop.

    Auckland Council and CCOs WILL be held accountable to the ‘Rule of Law’ regarding citizens and ratepayers LAWFUL rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ local government

    (Actually – I think the fact that I’m prepared to make a very strong stand on a matter of principle, actually sets me apart from the rest of the 2016 Auckland Mayoral candidates, whom, in my opinion, are all pretty much the same ….?

    ie: pro-business, pro-‘Supercity’ (for the 1%), with no clear stated policies on how to achieve ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ local government?

    Penny Bright

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    • Sacha 9.1
      21 December 2015 at 9:44 pm

      “Oh – that’s right – as a (former?) consultant – you may not be quite so keen on fellow citizens being able to ‘follow (their) dollar?”

      Rather defamatory, wouldn’t you say?
      Got the slightest scrap of evidence to back that slur?

      • Penny Bright 9.1.1
        22 December 2015 at 2:00 am

        If you’re in a hole Sacha – in my view – best to stop digging?

        Try googling your own track record from information that is out there in the public domain?

        Kind regards

        Penny Bright

        2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate

        • Sacha 9.1.1.1
          22 December 2015 at 10:02 am

          You really are nasty piece of work. The conclusions you jump to are nonsensical, then you persist in smearing people with them. Grow up and get a real job.

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    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
    17 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
    20 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
    24 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

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

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

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