Open mike 22/05/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 22nd, 2024 - 66 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:


Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

66 comments on “Open mike 22/05/2024 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. observer 1
    22 May 2024 at 8:12 am

    So this happened at the weekend in Wellington.

    You can draw your own conclusions. Speaking only for myself, I would never want to be associated with most of these people. But it's important to know who they are, and what they really believe, in their own words.

    Apparently civil unions and gay marriage are to blame, who knew?

    Fear, hate and a putrid stench: Inside the Unsilenced anti-trans event | The Spinoff

    • gsays 1.1
      22 May 2024 at 12:22 pm

      Ironically and perhaps prophetically the putrid stench was attributed to the protestors outside the venue.

      • Visubversa 1.1.1
        22 May 2024 at 12:35 pm

        You mean the ones who threw the shit on the steps of the venue?

        • Traveller 1.1.1.1
          22 May 2024 at 2:03 pm

          Spoiled children unhappy at not getting their own way.

          • tc 1.1.1.1.1
            22 May 2024 at 3:39 pm

            Yeah those children and their occupation of Parliament, blocking motorways, supporting vandals and other provocative moves the police get involved with but hey free country and all that…..for now.

        • gsays 1.1.1.2
          22 May 2024 at 6:41 pm

          Yes.

          The article felt like a scattergun hit piece against some high profile people rather than address the issues they and others are concerned about. Kinda the norm for reportage from that side of the fence.

    • David 1.2
      22 May 2024 at 12:49 pm

      The part of the story that interests me is the young woman who had a double mastectomy. This happened, presumably because the medical professionals are either incompetent, or most likely, concerned about their professional reputation and just went through the motions.
      Any good journalist should have jumped on this story as a case of medical malpractice. Obviously this is not a concern with the news organisation he works for.

      • Traveller 1.2.1
        22 May 2024 at 12:56 pm

        It's far easier to sit in a room for 5 hours and write snide remarks about people you don't like than do any actual investigative journalism.

        • observer 1.2.1.1
          22 May 2024 at 1:19 pm

          And far easier to make snide remarks on a blog than follow the links provided for you by that journalist.

          • Traveller 1.2.1.1.1
            22 May 2024 at 1:58 pm

            I read the article. It was dripping with bias. I agree with David, there was a deeper story here, but clearly it flew straight over the journo's head.

            • Drowsy M. Kram 1.2.1.1.1.1
              22 May 2024 at 3:41 pm

              Dripping with biases (even “spoiled children” 'ave 'em smiley ), and links (~14).

              I try to keep an open mind, and am perhaps luckier than most to have two gender-nonconforming niblings. To my shame, there was a time when I didn’t consider it 'lucky', but over the years my biases and concerns have ebbed.

              … there was a deeper story here …

              Maybe more than one, but who will have the courage to tell them.

              Ellie and Nele: From she to he – and back to she again
              The stories of these two young people are complex.

              They may not be typical of people who have transitioned to another gender. And they are not a judgement on the decisions of other trans people, be they trans men, trans women or non-binary.

              Both of these young people are conscious of how stories of detransition have been used by transphobic organisations and commentators to invalidate the experience of trans and non-binary people, and attack their hard-fought access to health care. Neither Ellie nor Nele deny the rights of trans people. They do, however, question whether transition is always the right solution.

              Transgender regret? Research challenges narratives about gender-affirming surgeries [23 Jan 2024]
              You’ll often hear lawmakers, activists and pundits argue that many transgender people regret their decision to have gender-affirming surgeries – a belief that’s been fueling a wave of legislation that restricts access to gender-affirming health care.

              But in an article we recently published in JAMA Surgery, we challenge the notion that transgender people often regret gender-affirming surgeries.

              Evidence suggests that less than 1% of transgender people who undergo gender-affirming surgery report regret. That proportion is even more striking when compared to the fact that 14.4% of the broader population reports regret after similar surgeries.

              Effects of transgender identity labels on perceptions of gender minorities [16 Aug 2023]

              Forms of Psychological Bias Against Transgender Women and Men and People with Nonbinary Gender Identities [15 May 2023]

              • Visubversa …
                22 May 2024 at 3:54 pm

                It is not "gender affirming care". It affects the primary and secondary SEX characteristics by means of chemical castration with "off brand" medications, followed by sterilization and mutilation by the removal of healthy organs. Add in a lifetime dependency on artificial sex hormones.

                And then they bleat and say that "gender is not sex".

                • Traveller …
                  22 May 2024 at 4:00 pm

                  yes

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  22 May 2024 at 4:07 pm

                  And then they bleat and say that "gender is not sex".

                  I tried to remonstrate with my niblings, Visubversa, I really did, but went about it wrong and did much more harm than good to the relationships.

                  Fortunately they are both thriving, and the damage done by my clumsy approach has been repaired somewhat (a joint effort) – family is family.

              • Traveller …
                22 May 2024 at 4:08 pm

                Transgender youth: Here’s what the data says about regret rates. (slate.com)

                This article looks at studies that show regret rates ranging from 1% to 30%.

                They say this:

                The issue here is that neither of these extremes are reliable estimates of regret. The 30 percent figure obviously does not map onto regret. Many people stop using their parent or partner’s health care for reasons completely unrelated to transition regret (i.e., divorce). And the studies of surgery in the review are mostly surgeons following up with their own patients, with quite high dropout rates. It’s not surprising that only 1 percent of people report to a surgeon who did an operation that they regret it!

                …and…

                Perhaps the most useful way to examine regret is to look at the proportion of people who cease their transition and go back to the gender they were originally. A large national study found that 13.1 percent of transgender people participating in the U.S. Transgender Survey reported detransitioning at some point in their lives. I think that’s a fairly reasonable estimate of the rate of people experiencing some measure of regret around their transition experience.

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  22 May 2024 at 4:17 pm

                  Ultimately, the question of what proportion of kids or adults regret their transition is only important to a select group: the people who want to transition, and their clinicians. At worst, the rate of regret is still better than other treatments which don’t require national debates over their use, which really begs the question of why anyone who isn’t directly involved with the treatment of transgender people is even weighing in on the topic at all.

                  Yep, it really begs the question. I received my answer(s) quiet and clear.

                  • Visubversa …
                    22 May 2024 at 4:30 pm

                    You might want to look again at the Cass Review report. It details very well why there is no good evidence base for the efficacy of "gender affirming care" for young people. Part of the reason is that any attempt to do good research about rates of regret – or the "complications" rate of the surgeries, is met with the usual resistance and abuse.

                  • Traveller …
                    22 May 2024 at 4:34 pm

                    This is life changing, irreversible surgery (some would say mutilation) on young, vulnerable people. It absolutely has to be widely debated.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      22 May 2024 at 7:15 pm

                      Fair enough, although I broadly agree with the concluding opinions expressed by the author (Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz) of the (imho balanced and well-researched) article you linked to and quoted from @4:08 pm – so thanks for that.

                      Ultimately, the question of what proportion of kids or adults regret their transition is only important to a select group: the people who want to transition, and their clinicians.

                      It absolutely has to be widely debated.

                      Of course; anyone can weigh in on the topic, but Meyerowitz-Katz makes an interesting point about to how much weight should be given to individual opinions. I had opinions about the wisdom of some of the choices my niblings have made over the last 3 or so years, and only some of those opinions have changed.

                      But I don't get to impose my sensibilities on my niblings, and I won't cut them off (perhaps an unfortunate phrase in context) for their choices, and hope that they won't cut me off, in spite of my 'I know what's best for you' attitude – which (fwiw) I still struggle with.

                    • Traveller …
                      22 May 2024 at 10:18 pm

                      …Meyerowitz-Katz makes an interesting point about to how much weight should be given to individual opinions.

                      Actually their point is absurd.

                      Should the opinions of the wider medical fraternity be given weight? Should, for example, medical professionals be able to provide other treatment beside gender affirming treatment (GAT), or should providing any treatment other than GAT be illegal, as it is now in Canada? (Reckless Consent: Issues with Gender-Affirming Treatment | C2C Journal)

                      Should the opinions of parents of transitioning children be given weight? Or should the only approach offered by GAT practitioners in many Western jurisdictions be unconditional acceptance of the patient’s feelings? (Reckless Consent: Issues with Gender-Affirming Treatment | C2C Journal).

                      Weka presents other examples below.

                      When we are discussing irreversible medical procedures being performed on highly vulnerable young people, the mere notion that only that young person and their medical practitioner should have a say is, IMHO, dangerous.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      22 May 2024 at 11:00 pm

                      Actually their point is absurd.

                      And again, I thank you for providing a link to Meyerowitz-Katz's article, and quoting from it to support your views.

                      Transgender youth: Here’s what the data says about regret rates.
                      https://slate.com/technology/2024/02/transgender-youth-health-care-regret-pamela-paul-nyt-data.html

                      Imho, an article that an individual can selectively quote from in support of their views, while also stating that a point the author makes "is absurd", can't be all bad.

                      Believe it or not, I used to think very much like you on this topic, but personal experience is an excellent teacher, and so while my natural inclination still leans towards a conservative view (which is pretty unusual for me), I must (now) also acknowledge that not all young people who undergo gender-affirming treatments view these as harmful, let alone "mutilation".

                      And, tbh, the more this topic gets discussed on TS (and imho it gets discussed a lot), the more I learn and regret my earlier ham-fisted efforts to set my niblings on a path that would still be easier for me – with the benefit of hindsight those efforts did more harm than good.

                      Of course, I also recognise that not transitioning in the first place would have been a better decision for some young people, hence the link to Ellie's and Nele's stories @1.2.1.1.1.1.

                    • Traveller …
                      23 May 2024 at 10:28 am

                      @ Drowsy

                      "I must (now) also acknowledge that not all young people who undergo gender-affirming treatments view these as harmful, let alone "mutilation"."

                      Perhaps because a very great number are already vulnerable. Perhaps because they are too close to be objective? Which is a valid reason wider input and discussion is required.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      23 May 2024 at 2:09 pm

                      Transgender youth: Here’s what the data says about regret rates.
                      https://slate.com/technology/2024/02/transgender-youth-health-care-regret-pamela-paul-nyt-data.html

                      Which is a valid reason wider input and discussion is required.

                      Yep, and that well-researched article you provided a link to, and quoted from to support your views, has faciliated discussion here.

                      Perhaps because a very great number are already vulnerable. Perhaps because they are too close to be objective?

                      Perhaps, perhaps – and perhaps because, for some, these treatments are beneficial? My initial judgements about the vulnerability of my niblings, and them being too close to be objective, were (I like to think) well-intentioned, but, with the benefit of hindsight, I made bad calls in my attempt to persuade them to make what I truly believed would be better choices for all concerned.

                      I (still) don't fully understand why my niblings made the choices they did, but they seem happy, and I'm trying to be content with that, even though some of the consequences still rankle.

                      And I'm still of the opinion that "on balance, it’s better to delay/withhold most/all irreversible [gender-affirming] interventions for as long as possible", but if I could do it all again then I wouldn't go in all guns blazing. Who knows what might have been.

                  • weka …
                    22 May 2024 at 6:44 pm

                    which really begs the question of why anyone who isn’t directly involved with the treatment of transgender people is even weighing in on the topic at all.

                    I didn't read the article, but this is very, very weird.

                    1. women's sex based rights are at risk from males transitioning and insisting they are women. Women have a right to weigh in.

                    2. detrans people aren't getting the support and medical care they need because apparently only trans people deserve that. Detrans people have a right to weigh in.

                    3. there is a specific set of gender critical activists who are the parents of children that transition or want to transition and where those parents believe it is a very serious mistake. They have a right to weigh in.

                    4. It's very strange to see liberals making such a distinct libertarian argument, that extreme body modification is between the person and their doctor, especially after Cass. Those of us who see transhumanism as a threat to humans and nature, have the right to weigh in.

                    5. Some of the people who have transitioned turned out to be lesbian or gay and/or autistic and they were subject to medical malpractice. It's a kind of conversion therapy. LGB people have a right to weigh in as do neurodiverse people.

                    6. Society pays not only for transition, but life long medical costs. Society has a right to weigh in.

                    7. Transwidows have a right to weigh in.

                    8. regret about knee surgery is not like transition regret. Patient rights advocates have a right to weigh in.

                    9. whatever the issues around regret, there are also issues in the number of people who were transitioned by malpractice. Regret is not the right word for the feelings of detrans people who were put on a medical pathway as a young child, or got caught up in social contagion as a preteen or teen, or who grew up in a homophobic family/community society and hated their sex and were convinced that transitioning was the solution. Everyone who cares about children and young adults has a right to weigh in on that.

                    • roblogic …
                      23 May 2024 at 3:55 pm

                      I did read the article and it was incredibly lazy and incurious. He makes eminently fair criticisms of Brian Tamaki and other fringe figures whose rhetoric tends towards unhinged violence.

                      But the reporter makes less than zero effort to understand the core arguments of the GC position – it is a literal smear job.

                      The media loves to platform the loonies and ignore the left wing GC feminists who stick to the science and human rights arguments. In this the Spinoff (and idpol left) is a mirror image of the emotive bullshit from Tamaki and Posie Parker.

                      And why is it always low-T millennial dudes taking these potshots?

                • SPC …
                  22 May 2024 at 5:06 pm

                  Perhaps the most useful way to examine regret is to look at the proportion of people who cease their transition and go back to the gender they were originally. A large national study found that 13.1 percent of transgender people participating in the U.S. Transgender Survey reported detransitioning at some point in their lives. I think that’s a fairly reasonable estimate of the rate of people experiencing some measure of regret around their transition experience.

                  For the USA at least. Other nations might have different rates – the difference may be based on the rates of transitioning (as per health care practice), or cultural factors.

                  • weka …
                    22 May 2024 at 6:50 pm

                    there are too many people who cannot go back to the gender they were. Once your penis has been removed and you have a simulacrum of a vagina inserted in your body, there is little going back.

                    Some of the effects of artificial hormone treatment aren't reversible.

                    Puberty blockers aren't reversible depending on the age/stage they were starting and how long they were taken.

                    Anyone who has an opinion on transition needs to listen to the succinct and very clear 3min testimony of this young man,

                    https://youtu.be/Ko_MJln6c_4?si=ta5Hky1xzYWsNfa0

          • David 1.2.1.1.2
            22 May 2024 at 2:45 pm

            I would hope that the real story is that surgeons are removing healthy appendages of young people who have not received the proper care and treatment from medical professionals.

            • SPC 1.2.1.1.2.1
              22 May 2024 at 5:49 pm

              Are you arguing that there should be no such surgical procedures for those under 18?

              At the moment the focus has been on no use of puberty blockers (ignoring the fact that the original purpose to delay early onset puberty remains) and no hormone treatments under age 18.

              The number of surgery cases being much lower.

              Or does proper care have another meaning?

              • weka …
                22 May 2024 at 6:54 pm

                We should have a moratorium on surgery, hormonal treatments, and PBs in people under 18, until as a society we get past No Debate and the issues can be looked at in valid ways. At the moment people in academia and medicine are too scare to speak. There is no ethical medical treatment under those conditions.

                There should be no surgical and hormonal treatment for anyone until the needs of detrans people are acknowledge and medical and health system supports are put in place around detrans healthcare. Again, there is no ethical medical treatment until that happens.

                In any other area of medicine, what I just said wouldn't be controversial.

                • SPC …
                  22 May 2024 at 7:01 pm

                  No surgical or hormonal treatment for anyone (as per different to birth sex for gender dysphoria reasons) – including private and paid for … until there is support for “detrans healthcare”?

                  What detrans health care (not available now) would that be?

                  • weka …
                    22 May 2024 at 7:11 pm

                    Medical (PB, hormonal, and/or surgical transition) means becoming a lifelong patient.

                    Sometimes after surgery, other surgeries are needed to fix the first one or the complications. People having simulacrum vaginas can end up with a wound that extends into the bowel. That means the shit leaks out. This can be life threatening if not treated properly.

                    Post-mastectomy pain is not unusual. Nor bladder issues and pain.

                    And so on. All of this should be known and support available to deal with it. Trans people seem to be getting follow up surgeries some of the time, I hear detrans people talking about how difficult it has been to get that follow up care once they say they are detrans.

                    Afaik there are no specialist services. So while trans people can get affirmation only care, detrans people can't get support around being detrans.

                    I've actually not seen a good write up on this, I just know from following a lot of detrans people on twitter and watching/listening to them speaking.

                    • weka …
                      22 May 2024 at 7:14 pm

                      the state of what I am referring to is criminal imo. The problem is that the pro-transition medical community can't be honest about the situation because then they'd have to be honest about how experimental the surgeries are, and the failure rates.

                      But because of trans ideology, no-one will or is allowed to talk about it. There have been whistle blowers that have worked in clinics, so we know some of what is going on from them in addition to listening to detrans people.

                      Also, fuck all the people who have supported No Debate. I'd be writing about this on TS weekly if I could.

      • SPC 1.2.2
        22 May 2024 at 5:01 pm

        Given the woman decided to be a transgender man at age 18 and did not have the breast removal until age 26 – it is one separate from the campaign to end puberty blocking and transitioning support to those under age 18.

        The issue there is that she was identifying as male for 8 years, apparently because of body dysmorphia.

        • weka 1.2.2.1
          22 May 2024 at 7:05 pm

          The conference is about the transitioning of children and young people, it's not limited to PBs and medical transition (nor for many others).

          it's unlikely that Mel Jeffries suddenly decided to be a man at 18. She would have been exposed to trans ideology before then. She also says she couldn't have given informed consent because she wasn't given the relevant information.

          We are told less than 1% regret doing this. We are told the "informed consent" model works. But let me ask you, how can we give informed consent if we aren't given accurate information to base these permanent, life altering decisions off?

          …

          Let me ask you something: if you were told you have cancer, underwent chemo and had your breasts removed and later found out you never had cancer – how would you feel? This is analogous to our experiences as detrans people.

          https://x.com/xmjefferies/status/1786711839663067561

  2. Traveller 2
    22 May 2024 at 11:47 am

    ""They [Government] seem to be talking about the fact that because we built 13,000 additional houses, Kāinga Ora has more debt and they seem to be talking about that as if it's a terrible thing," he said."

    Chris Hipkins defends Kāinga Ora after scathing review, lashing from Christopher Luxon | Newshub

    Chris Hipkins still doesn't get it.

    "…the Board followed directives from the previous government to rapidly increase the number of additional social houses."

    "…we consider that the imperative to increase the number of houses rapidly has resulted in a high-cost structure and poor financial discipline."

    and

    "Kāinga Ora is struggling to meet its delivery targets. In the absence of acquisitions, their build programme would not be meeting its annual targets. Over the last five years, it built on average 2,400 gross homes each year, growing the stock by on average 1,600 net homes each year. Kāinga Ora forecasts procuring on average
    4,600 new build homes each year and are already not meeting this plan."

    Independent Review of Kainga Ora.pdf (beehive.govt.nz)

    It's not about whether or not they built extra houses. It's about organisational incompetence.

    • bwaghorn 2.1
      22 May 2024 at 12:10 pm

      Na it's about national being on the campaign trail 24/7, 365 days if the year, just trowing constant shit, is all the have.

      • Traveller 2.1.1
        22 May 2024 at 12:17 pm

        The quotes are from an independent review. If you have a problem with any of the content, take it up with the review panel.

        • Macro 2.1.1.1
          22 May 2024 at 12:36 pm

          An "independent" review conducted by failed Nat PM. So independent.Yeah Right. 🙄

          • Traveller 2.1.1.1.1
            22 May 2024 at 12:46 pm

            The review was prepared by a panel of three. But again, run a critique.

            • Macro 2.1.1.1.1.1
              22 May 2024 at 4:26 pm

              The conclusion to that so called report was most likely written prior to the so called report. It's SOP when you want to find things wrong in an organisation, and BE is hardly independent and surprise, surprise! He comes up with Social Housing.Now who was it that introduced that during the last Nat admin?

      • Incognito 2.1.2
        22 May 2024 at 12:42 pm

        laugh

        Did you just describe Traveller? cheeky

    • SPC 2.2
      22 May 2024 at 4:37 pm

      I suppose you do not care that National's focus on financial discipline is a cover for having no intent to increase social housing stock – just transfer some of Kainga Ora housing to other providers to provide a stronger social housing market.

      This despite the fact that the numbers of disabled and those unable to work because of health problems is growing. And the number of people reaching retirement age without home ownership is growing.

      One of the expectations of nations of the UN is The Universal Declaration of Human Rights – it does mention housing.

      • Traveller 2.2.1
        22 May 2024 at 4:47 pm

        If you could provide any evidence of those claims, I'd certainly be interested.

        • SPC 2.2.1.1
          22 May 2024 at 5:24 pm

          I suppose you do not care that National's focus …

          You could express an opinion on the point … rather than not …

          Until the Government has received and approved the turnaround plan demanded of the refreshed board, no further funding will be budgeted for the organisation to deliver additional social housing places.

          https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-invests-1500-more-social-homes

          There is as yet no known commitment to increase Kainga Ora housing stock numbers – new homes at a rate to replace demolished stock or higher or higher …and a suggestion of transferring to other social housing providers to strengthen that market.

          Fun question – is there any evidence of social housing stock increasing under a National led government in the past 40 years?

          All we have is 1500 places over * 3 years to other social housing providers instead of supporting people into first homes.

          One might well compare that to the rate that Kainga Ora has being buying (and or leasing) on the market to let at income related rent.

  3. bwaghorn 3
    22 May 2024 at 12:05 pm

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350285938/fast-track-committee-not-undermined-mps-donation-national

    “”The National Party insists there has been no conflict of interest in David Macleod’s chairing the committee considering the contentious fast-track bill.

    “”The New Plymouth MP received $10,000 from a donor with shares in a company hoping to benefit from the legislation.

    Corruption in the open , national knows nothing will happen so don’t even try cover it up

    • Drowsy M. Kram 3.1
      22 May 2024 at 1:23 pm

      Corruption in the open…

      Follow(ing) the (lovely) money (at all costs) sad

      Top oil firms’ climate pledges failing on almost every metric, report finds [22 May 2024]
      Oil Change International says plans do not stand up to scrutiny and describes US fossil-fuel corporations as ‘the worst of the worst’

      “The Big Oil Reality Check data illustrates these companies’ dangerous commitment to profit at all cost,” said Tong.

      UN expert attacks ‘exploitative’ world economy in fight to save planet [7 May 2024]
      Outgoing special rapporteur David Boyd says ‘there’s something wrong with our brains that we can’t understand how grave this is’
      …
      This article was amended on 8 May 2024. An earlier version said that [annual] fossil fuels subsidies had reached $7tn with a rise of “$2m” since 2021. The rise was in fact $2tn.

      "Throw is some cognitive dissonance, craven greenwashing and faux concern and here we are. Profit before planet."

  4. Jimmy 4
    22 May 2024 at 2:08 pm

    Kiri Allan decided to change her plea to "Guilty" at the last minute to refusing to accompanying police.

    I guess she decided that grey area in the law wasn't so important to test or wasn't so grey after all.

    Kiri Allan crash: Former Justice Minister convicted for drink-driving crash, refusing to go with police – NZ Herald

    • Mike the Lefty 4.1
      22 May 2024 at 2:29 pm

      Keep guessing Jimmy, that's all you will ever do.

      You don't actually know anything, you just guess.

    • bwaghorn 4.2
      22 May 2024 at 3:10 pm

      You'll be be filled with joy that Kiri decided to save the poor old tax payer some money!!

  5. Drowsy M. Kram 5
    22 May 2024 at 2:33 pm

    National’s New Plymouth candidate David MacLeod failed to disclose $178,000 in donations, including $55,000 from Auckland-based property developer [21 May 2024]

    Wonder if any of MacLeod's big donors will be concerned that he may be prone to making 'errors' of an "inadvertent" kind. Probably not, as long as he ums and errs in their favour.

  6. Peter 6
    22 May 2024 at 2:45 pm

    My feeling is that Parliament today is a disordered rabble. My feeling is that the Speaker very easily becomes a flippant boofhead.

    • ianmac 6.1
      22 May 2024 at 4:08 pm

      Yes Peter and he lets Luxon carry out long election rants but seldom answers the question. Pointless having QT really. And much harder to run the On Demand and then not till the following day.

    • SPC 6.2
      22 May 2024 at 4:29 pm

      The House is in decline and so is coverage of it at the parliament site.

      It is part of the lowering of standards across "government" since the election – if Transparency International does not do a downgrade we can resume they are not paying close attention (elsewhere either?).

  7. ianmac 7
    22 May 2024 at 4:17 pm

    I wonder what this means?

    Bishop and PM …"as new funding for 1500 new social housing places.."

    Is that people or houses? Luxon uses it repeatedly.

    • SPC 7.1
      22 May 2024 at 4:31 pm

      They ended a programme to support people into housing ownership they began in 2017 and say they will transfer the money to providing social housing places instead.

      • ianmac 7.1.1
        22 May 2024 at 4:43 pm

        Yes SPC but is places = houses?

        • SPC 7.1.1.1
          22 May 2024 at 5:31 pm

          They have allocated $140M (over 3 years) from July 2025 for 1500 places.

          It is under $100,000 per house.

          https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-invests-1500-more-social-homes

          • ianmac 7.1.1.1.1
            22 May 2024 at 6:58 pm

            Hate to bang on but if they meant houses surely they would call them houses, but to me, calling them places might be a sleight of hand.

            • Graeme 7.1.1.1.1.1
              22 May 2024 at 7:45 pm

              The language is sort of implying payments to providers on a per person basis, same way as the word "places" is used in tertiary education funding or social programs.

              • SPC …
                22 May 2024 at 8:11 pm

                At $100,000 a place … it will inspire some interesting bed sit designs.

                • Graeme …
                  22 May 2024 at 9:55 pm

                  My take is they are paying for 1500 rentals at $600 / week for 3 years.

                  Either that, or they're getting someone other than Kāinga Ora to build internment camps.

                  • SPC …
                    22 May 2024 at 10:05 pm

                    Maybe, but they are framing it as enabling other social housing providers to have some guarantee of funding for new supply (even if it is merely $600 a week for each new place, rather than the cost of the new building supply up front).

                    “The Government’s new investment in 1,500 social housing places will start to become available from July 2025 onwards, giving the community housing sector much-needed certainty about the social housing pipeline, allowing them to plan for the future, and scale-up their build programmes.

                    • ianmac …
                      23 May 2024 at 10:01 am

                      I heard the tail end of Bishop this morning on NRadio talking about houses. I will keep listening.

    • Patricia Bremner 7.2
      22 May 2024 at 4:54 pm

      I think they are still pushing that "short term help", not considering how disruptive being moved on from temporary places truly is to schooling work and community.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-27T00:09:38+00:00