I guess Jacinda’s baby will not get to swim in the oceans around her house as by the time she grows up that will not be possible by the look of things.
“Opposition grows to pumping sewage into Waitemata Harbour near the harbour bridge”
When Water care stared charging water separately from the Auckland rates it was supposed to transform Auckland’s water into 21 century with no sewerage going into the sea.
Instead Water care via Auckland council took the money, and have not separated the pipes and applying to keep polluting. Even if they do separate the pipes, there is growing pollution from the diesel and pollution of the wastewater due to the very poor planning in every area from Auckland council and the government.
In spite of all the growing problems local and central government stubbornly refuse to acknowledge they did this to make a short term buck out of immigration and leave the mess to the residents to clean up (or price them out as it seems to be turning out).
Like transport it is not just money that is needed. Watercare needs to be de corporatised into an organisation that answers to the people, has a clear mandate to stop pollution and does not have any salaries over $300k.
Less managers and a smaller more expert team to do the job instead of send out glossy pamphlets every month saying what a great job they do and asking for more money from ratepayers.
I live right beside the sea in Ngataringa Bay and have done so for the last 17 years. I swim October through to May.
The water quality has been steadying improving during that time. The old Devonport tip (long since closed) does not leach out nearly as much as in the past. Watercare has spent a lot of money in the last 15 years upgrading pipes, so sewerage overflows basically no longer happen.
I certainly recall water quality being much worse than it is now at Narrow Neck and at Cheltenham.
Sure Watercare could do better, but so far they are doing a pretty good job. Probably the best of all the Council Controlled Organisations. It certainly does not need major reform.
Jacinda’s baby will still be swimming in the sea around Auckland well into her old age.
Now, now, marty. Just because he’s a Nat doesn’t mean Wayne is always wrong.
The Manukau harbour has massively improved in the 19 years I’ve been in Titirangi. Problems now generally occur after heavy rainfall in areas where the sewage infrastructure is newish. Which leads me to suspect the coliforms are probably from pets, rather than inadequate infrastructure.
@Wayne, we can’t all afford to live in Devonport, according to the article, “Auckland Council has red alerts in place at more than 60 of the city’s 84 beaches; red alert means a “moderate to high risk of infection” from swimming.”
I don’t see that as a good omen for Jacinda’s baby or anyone elses kids either, look at the damage they are doing down Long Bay with their developments, and they are thinking of pumping sewerage into St Mary’s Bay, when Cox is bay is permanently polluted!
Watercare don’t deal with stormwater – Council’s Healthy Waters Department does that. It’s the storm water overflows at peak mixed with old sewer lines that Auckland Council failed to separate that do the most damage.
Watercare are separating most of this in the isthmus through the Central Interceptor project. That $900m+ job is preparing its bidders now.
Wayne & Ad overlook the fact that stormwater is not the polluter, wastewater is, and Watercare deceitfully opted out of the 3 waters concept when the greater Auckland City was formed they have been talking about a new Western interceptor for years and now they are involved with ACC in suggesting that money should be spent to ensure that wastewater can be discharged into the harbour above the bridge.
Watercare needs to be completely restructured it it no longer fit for purpose as far as handling wastewater is concerned except that they are keeping the North Shore Rosedale plant at the high standard that it had been brought up to before they acquired it from NSCC in the amalgamation ion process after many years of neglect.
saveNZ
23 June 2018 at 9:10 am
I guess Jacinda’s baby will not get to swim in the oceans around her house as by the time she grows up that will not be possible by the look of things.
With rising sea levels my guess is Jacinda’s baby may get to swim in the oceans around her house, whether she wants it or not.
More disappointment for affordable homes. Funny how when business and richer influential individuals consult they are listened too, but when the public consults they are ignored and called Nimby’s.
So first we had the Super city under the Natz, getting ready the assets for privatisation, next we had the unitary plan to sky rise the price of land and make instant profits out of thin air under the Natz, but now we have Labour believing the lie that it is the land that needs to be made affordable, and it is ok for NZ to open our land to the world to be speculated by foreign buyers driving up the prices?
Apparently that was so the ‘neoliberal mantra says’ foreigners put money in to build houses on the land.
But now backtrack, foreign buyers are actually now able to buy and speculate on the apartments as well as the land?
Surely we are worse off now than before because we just put another million low wage workers into Auckland to help keep the Ponzi housing and transport going and expect the residents to pay for it?????
“The select committee report, released today, recommends:
– allowing pre-selling up to 60 per cent of units in big housing projects to foreigners, without them having to on-sell once construction is finished, as long as the investors don’t live in the properties.
– Waiving the requirement to on-sell immediately for investors in big developments intended to be rented out or sold under a rent-to-buy model.
– Allowing all resident visa holders, not just those with permanent residents visas, to buy land without Overseas Investment Office consent.
– Putting the burden of proof on purchasers, not lawyers, to make sure they meet the residency criteria.
– Allowing foreigners to invest in major hotel developments as long as they lease the rooms they buy back to the hotel.”
You seem to be well out of date there with that remark/innuendo BG.
Go have a look at the threads under 8 (not 8 itself but further down the thread) and 11 in Open Mike yesterday. Parker made it very clear on Thursday in the House, and on RNZ Morning Report yesterday morning that he is not mates with Darby and has hardly seen him for many years.
As Anne remarked at 8.2.2 Parker “was obviously very angry and at one point politely advised Espiner that some of the claims he was making were bordering on defamation.”
Hooton’s original article in the Herald has apparently also disappeared off the website …
oops thanks veutoviper….it looked very damning at first glance and I have had dealings with John Darby in the environment court where, shall we say (being careful here) some of the evidence put forward was questionable.
Of course I should have realised it was Hooton=largely made up.
How about electric buses and trucks being mandatory to reduce pollution, get the rail going to and out of the centre of Auckland, remove ports of Auckland somewhere else so freight is not going there and reducing congestion and putting the Vancouver tax on foreign sales ASAP!
Oh and actually have a 15 year period before giving out NZ permanent residency and citizenship like lollies while saying we can’t afford to pay super or care properly for our our residents hospital and educations and throwing up our arms and thinking a tax will stop the pollution of the oceans when they are pumping in more sewage and wastewater and forgetting about climate change and increased flooding in their haste to create more ‘tenants in our own country’ under a Labour government and NZ First government and Green government that campaigned on stopping foreign speculation!
It works a lot better for China, they have way cheaper electricity than say NZ… makes far more sense for them to do it. Our Solar is expensive (lack of cheap land and sun hours) so we rely on hydro but only enough for the local populace at this point. Any extra and the grid will be stretched.
Shut down Tiwai Point and there will be plenty of spare capacity.
After all, Australia’s bauxite mines are in the middle of one of the best solar resource areas in the world. Eventually it will make more sense to take advantage of that solar and refine it there rather than shipping alumina, which by weight is half oxygen that needs to be removed, to an island in the middle of nowhere to then be shipped back out again once it’s refined.
Once demand gets high enough, wind energy can ramp up fairly quickly. As I understand it there’s a lot of wind projects that are consented but shelved due to low demand.
giving out NZ permanent residency and citizenship like lollies while saying we can’t afford to pay super
One of the big benefits of immigration is that it makes our superannuation more affordable. New Zealand has a demographic bubble which will mean super costs will continue to increase for the next couple of decades. Increasing the ‘working age’ population and enlarging the economy means more tax revenue to fund our over 65 UBI.
Clearly not working when the migrants can bring their aged relatives over and they have full health benefits straight away and super within 10 years. So the average age of retirement is 65 and the average age of life is now over 80 years. Plus the last 3 years cost the most.
“Mr Woodhouse said another factor in closing the parent category was the strain being put on the health system.
“Information that I’ve been given about the burden … on the health services that are considerably higher than other people of that age who are eligible for New Zealand public health services.”
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been a relentless critic of the parent category.
He said after years of denying there was a problem, the government was now finally admitting something was wrong.
“You’ve got 87,000 people now who have arrived in the last 15 years, who are able to access our health service immediately and our superannuation within ten years, which other country in the world allows that?
Is it fair to allow migrants to bring aged relatives over to access our health care, while Kiwis who worked for years and paid taxes wait months and years for health access to operations and then have to compete on the waiting lists for more and more people???
Likewise they have already found the migrant parents cost far more in health care than equivalent aged Kiwis according to the links above.
Even in OZ they wait 15 years but it is not long enough when the burden is on the young who are getting poorer and poorer in their own countries.
Yep, they should just have 2 year visas for visiting when the parents have to have private health insurance and pay a fee to cover all the infrastructure they will use that the exisiting tax payers pay for and certainly not buy up housing!
I’m not against migrant parents visiting their kids and grandkids, but the present system is having a laugh, and grossly unfair on existing residents who are told pay more, get less while somehow someone’s aged parent can rock up, pay no taxes, get a gold card with free transport, super, free medical and their 20yo kids are on $20 p/h and qualify for WFF and free education, including one year free tertiary while the existing tax payers are paying of $50k student loans from the 1990’s and going to food banks in Auckland while they are both working.
It’s not a fair deal for those that have been taxed to death already from neoliberalism, when the government is happy to give hand outs to new comers who in many cases are far wealthier than the local tax payers.
In addition recent migrants, having babies which is only to be expected for 20 and 30 year olds so they ain’t working and paying taxes for that long in NZ and will never cover the taxes if they are on low wages, so maybe that is why our productivity is flat and we need to borrow more government and council money to pay for bad decisions while our public service are groaning under the load?
Certain people like Solka seem to think that’s fair on existing people to help new mostly richer people get even richer while poorer people pay for their care as those on $90k apparently are keen to abandon and not even bother looking after their own kin when NZ taxpayers will do if for them. It’s insane!
I believe our economy has been growing roughly at the same rate as net immigration and our productivity is almost flat.
Not all immigrants are ‘workers’ and certainly not all will contribute to diversifying the economy and make it more innovative and sustained & resilient to future shocks (of any kind).
One of the big benefits of immigration is that it makes our superannuation more affordable.
No it doesn’t.
Increasing the ‘working age’ population and enlarging the economy means more tax revenue to fund our over 65 UBI.
The government doesn’t actually need tax revenue. That’s a lie by the private sector that has helped them shift the power from the people into the hands of the rich.
The fact that you’re repeating that lie shows how you don’t understand why the demographic bulge is a problem and why immigration won’t fix it.
The demographic bulge is a physical problem. With so many leaving the workforce there won’t be enough people working to support both themselves, the retired and the bludging rich.
Immigration won’t fix that problem because it will cause other problems itself. Some will be social but mostly they’ll be economic (real economics not the delusional stuff based around money) and those will be to do with over-population. The government is trying to increase population growth to meet those retiring but to do that will push us well sustainability.
The government and NZ really would be better off spending huge amounts developing 3D printing factories and our extracting and processing our own resources. The problem the government has with that is that it will destroy jobs and cause an even faster collapse of our society as all the wealth created would simply go to the rich even fatser.
Unless a parent has an annual income of more than $60 000, and a spare $1 million that they’ll invest in NZ over four years and another $500 000 to live on, then they ain’t getting in.
And even satisfying the above only allows for an application for permanent residence after four years. During those four years it would appear that medical expenses must be covered by the patient.
I’m a citizen DTB. Just not a recognised New Zealand citizen.
Now, what’s your problem?
You’re concerned or agitated that I cannot hold a NZ passport, stand for public office, represent NZ in international sport…or are you in a fluster about the fact that I can be deported?
Oh. And as a permanent resident, bar any dependent children I may have, there is no easy pathway available for me to bring any family members into the country.
The stuff your railing against (it seems) is the benefits that accrue more readily to people accepted as and recognised as New Zealand citizens. That being the case, I fully expect the next sentence your piles mouth out for you to type will be calling for a ban on citizenship, yes?
Bill, when the right comes from all this lazy immigration, like Windrush they will be deporting the most vulnerable, after cutting all the benefits, and it will be people like you for the chop, while those who came here 5 years ago and got so much for free and have the money, will be sitting pretty.
That is the lesson from Windrush. They go after the venerable who don’t have access to lawyers, not those who came here last.
So migrants who think that defending lazy immigration is benefiting them, should check their paperwork is in order, because Auckland is ground zero and there’s been a massive change in demographic and they keep putting more taxes in to help the rich who don’t live here, while taxing the poor and existing residents.
Those coming in are voting for National and rights for the rich. Aka look at the recommendations from the select committee to give more rights to foreign investors in property and let bad lawyers off the hook.
As for not getting your parents in, you just don’t know the right immigration lawyers as 87,000 have arrived in the last 15 years, who are able to access our health service immediately and our superannuation within ten years.
Possibly that is why the lawyers apparently are trying not be responsible for their residency decisions in the select committees…
“Unless a parent has an annual income of more than $60 000, and a spare $1 million that they’ll invest in NZ over four years and another $500 000 to live on, then they ain’t getting in.”
Your comment makes it even worse that the poor long term resident Kiwi’s are expected to support new rich aged coming into NZ.
One million doesn’t even buy you much of a house in Auckland, and super and health is not means tested…so you get your 500k to live on while our laws allow new rich people to then get extremely generous benefits including free transport that beneficiaries who are disabled or very poor don’t get.
Surely the 1.5 million better spent of making the new aged migrant pay their own way via super and health care not expect the Kiwis to chip in for their affluent lifestyle? Apparently there are aged care issues as well as hospital issues, and many Kiwis who paid many taxes are on waiting lists for health care, but money apparently can just wave new people through.
Of course as well as all that, you can just convert that money into a trust once you gain citizenship and viola, you have no income!
+1 Draco. And you have to live here Permanently to achieve citizenship with provable taxes that are positive not negative and prove good character for 20 years! Unless you are a refugee. We are all living longer, yet our laws seem to think we all die at 70 years!
If we had a country without poor people it would be all well and good to be throwing money to the world’s rich and opportunistic migrants.
Sadly we have people living in cars and going to food banks and are shutting down our university libraries to save money and have mouldy hospitals. I’m not sure how the government can justify constant immigration hand outs to the world’s rich and working poor, until we can get our existing citizens problems under control
There is a test you can get when replacing mercury fillings called a serum compatibly test. This shows what material your system will react to vs what will be inert so when your fillings are replaced you know the new filling isn’t harming you. Its different for everyone and there are apparently over a thousand(!?) different types of materials that can be used in dentistry.
Q: Why would it not be the same for other foreign materials placed in the body?
“They were so cheap, they were only $3500, so I thought why not.”
“She spent the $15,000 she had saved to go travelling on the procedure.
“I had to choose my health or my happiness to go travelling.””
I cannot believe how somebody so moronic still breathes.
Well of course she nearly didn’t
What a fucking stupid brainless person
It’s no laughing matter. The guy I met was incredibly brave to keep going out in public. He faced his fears. I doubt I could have done it.
We are a community here, albeit an unusual one to be sure, and while it’s common for people to have the odd spat we all need to show a little more understanding and tolerance for each other IMO.
DH, I didn’t read the sign on the door, I was bantering under the belief I was in Open Mike.
Yes, I’m aware Tourettes is no joke, nor should it be taboo. Yeah me too, I’d turn hermit.
I agree DH, I think reasoned contrasting views is what makes this blog vibrant and we should be fostering an environment that induces more of it.
I wonder if the Germans are more open to immigration. The right leaning practical thinking executives at BMW realising they’re going to more retirement parties than apprentice inductions.
‘Labour commissioned Wellington lawyer Maria Berryman in March to investigate how it handled the affair, its general culture and any other incidents of sexual harassment or abuse within the party. She had three months to report back and her findings were not to be made public but go to key party leaders.’
I’m sure its a complete coincidence that its been three months and Andrew Kirton is leaving, not that we’ll know since the report isn’t being made public
Pleased to see that addiction support workers and mental health workers are getting equity. $3 to $5 dollars an hour back paid to July 1 2017. Let’s do this!!
ABs wins havnt been great for a long time and won’t be until they are representative of NZ community again. Winnng by any means #1 is at the detriment to NZ, sport is to bring together, not isolate.
Neo-liberal nitwittedness elitism pee poor excuse for a ruling class!
Q*A Michael Barnett is full of national propa-ganda pushing the doom and gloom to try and make labour look bad . Business have been Creaming it with all the business friendly changes to taxes and labour laws under national . The skill shortage well we know who to blame for that mess national did not invest in training tangata there cheap solution to this was to import foreign skilled workers and who gives a toss about the common tangata whom these foreign workers put on the couch.
Its not just multi national company’s that pay a low wage its a lot of big business who do this don’t be afraid of a wage rise take it as a challange to lift your productivity its not rocket science .The low wage society is the reason OUR productivity is low on the OECD list why bother to try and gain productivity efficiencys when one can just hire cheap labour efficient productivity is what we need to do to help save our environment No. Yes there is only one person in trumps world and thats himself he is trying to spread his dumb ass views around Papatuanuku Many thanks to the European Union and OUR Labour lead coalition goverment. ka kite ano P.S in the near future we are going to have a lot of Pacific Island environmental refugees and we need to plan for that
thehui the meth testing was a sham and look whom that bad behavior by the national government and there meth testing m8s affected mostly Maori there views on this is who cares . ka kite ano P.S $100 million flushed into the wealthy m8s of the national party’s pockets
Newshub Nation there you go the justices system is a big sham when the police can not get enough evidence to set up there fall person for a unsolved crime they bribe and manufacture evidence Lisa Arthur Taylor is letting everyone know how corrupt the jail house witness police bribed witnesses are the courts should be baned from using this bull—- evedince. tangata are just sheep in there reality . Ana to kai
Ka kite ano
Newshub did you know that tangata classes for learning te reo are in high demarned now ka pai Maori culture is a beautiful caring historic respectful culture .
Germany has won there game in the Russian football World cup ka pai.
Loyd that will be great if Peter Burling won the Volvo Ocean race around Papatuanuku I say you will have a couple of refreshments tonight to celebrate the team and Peters win Loyd and that will be the triple wins for Peter Burling .
Ka kite ano P.S I miss my days working on Tangaroa watching the wild life we have to get this poisons stuff plastic out of OUR environment asap
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Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Let’s start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last week’s leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The ‘Vampire’ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australia’s biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019–20 Black ...
Responding to the Government’s announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “These changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Government’s inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop I’ve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise – with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winner’s circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
Popstars wasn’t just a reality television revolution, it was also a huge moment for Y2K fashion.It’s 25 years since girl group TrueBliss was formed on New Zealand national television, breaking new ground for both the reality television industry and the shiny clothing industry. With the first episode on NZ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Pepping, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Griffith University Marvin / Shutterstock Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Trismegist san, Shutterstock Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock/S Curtis Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earth’s fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we don’t have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Crocker, PhD Student in Economics, Deakin University Here’s something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a charity director outlines how she’s saving for retirement and buying secondhand. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 45 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Charity director, mum of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Yates, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a ...
It’s been called a failed experiment and a judicial straightjacket but the government says the revised three strikes law will be a more workable regime, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Three ...
New Zealand’s Palestinian community and Palestinian Youth Aotearoa are voicing alarm and disappointment with the lack of factual rigour present during the Israeli Ambassador’s appearance as a guest on TVNZ’s Q+A With Jack Tame Sunday (21/04). ...
Both ACT leader David Seymour, who played a key role in drawing up the assisted dying law, and hospice leaders say it's time the legislation was changed. ...
Public submissions on proposed gang control laws are being heard today. Rising gang membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown – but what do we actually know about how many people belong to gangs in New Zealand?What’s all this then?A rise in the number of gang ...
Climate activists are setting their sights on an unpopular target, and hoping to bring lots of the public with them. It’s hard to miss the Majestic Princess: the enormous cruise ship, docked at Auckland’s Prince’s Wharf, looms over the nearby buildings. The ship, which can fit nearly 6,000 people, ...
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Tasty!
https://i.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/104952405/rat-breaches-bank-atm-in-india-dines-out-on-27500-worth-of-cash
I guess Jacinda’s baby will not get to swim in the oceans around her house as by the time she grows up that will not be possible by the look of things.
“Opposition grows to pumping sewage into Waitemata Harbour near the harbour bridge”
http://trendingnowgh.com/opposition-grows-to-pumping-sewage-into-waitemata-harbour-near-the-harbour-bridge/
When Water care stared charging water separately from the Auckland rates it was supposed to transform Auckland’s water into 21 century with no sewerage going into the sea.
Instead Water care via Auckland council took the money, and have not separated the pipes and applying to keep polluting. Even if they do separate the pipes, there is growing pollution from the diesel and pollution of the wastewater due to the very poor planning in every area from Auckland council and the government.
In spite of all the growing problems local and central government stubbornly refuse to acknowledge they did this to make a short term buck out of immigration and leave the mess to the residents to clean up (or price them out as it seems to be turning out).
Like transport it is not just money that is needed. Watercare needs to be de corporatised into an organisation that answers to the people, has a clear mandate to stop pollution and does not have any salaries over $300k.
Less managers and a smaller more expert team to do the job instead of send out glossy pamphlets every month saying what a great job they do and asking for more money from ratepayers.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/350225/auckland-swimmers-unaware-of-contamination-on-beaches
I live right beside the sea in Ngataringa Bay and have done so for the last 17 years. I swim October through to May.
The water quality has been steadying improving during that time. The old Devonport tip (long since closed) does not leach out nearly as much as in the past. Watercare has spent a lot of money in the last 15 years upgrading pipes, so sewerage overflows basically no longer happen.
I certainly recall water quality being much worse than it is now at Narrow Neck and at Cheltenham.
Sure Watercare could do better, but so far they are doing a pretty good job. Probably the best of all the Council Controlled Organisations. It certainly does not need major reform.
Jacinda’s baby will still be swimming in the sea around Auckland well into her old age.
Lol my confidence is not increased based on those anecdotal musings.
I wonder how many beaches will close next summer in Auckland due to pollution – 10? 16? 30? Who knows but it ain’t going to be zero.
Now, now, marty. Just because he’s a Nat doesn’t mean Wayne is always wrong.
The Manukau harbour has massively improved in the 19 years I’ve been in Titirangi. Problems now generally occur after heavy rainfall in areas where the sewage infrastructure is newish. Which leads me to suspect the coliforms are probably from pets, rather than inadequate infrastructure.
Plenty of Do Not Swim signs around the Titirangi area still.
Some of the pipe and pumping stations that they put in place in the early 1980s seem to be wearing out.
There’s no doubt Watercare has done amazing and positive things to the Manukau by brining the entire treatment system onshore over the past 15 years.
But Piha, Muriwai, Wood Bay, Blockhouse Bay and others are still pretty bad.
Good the poos and weese going in has reduced. Localised sea water quality may indeed be slightly better, once the plastic is ignored, I spose.
@Wayne, we can’t all afford to live in Devonport, according to the article, “Auckland Council has red alerts in place at more than 60 of the city’s 84 beaches; red alert means a “moderate to high risk of infection” from swimming.”
I don’t see that as a good omen for Jacinda’s baby or anyone elses kids either, look at the damage they are doing down Long Bay with their developments, and they are thinking of pumping sewerage into St Mary’s Bay, when Cox is bay is permanently polluted!
Excellent – Wayne has just reported in from his dacha on the Black Sea that all is well. Fantastic – I am so relieved.
Watercare don’t deal with stormwater – Council’s Healthy Waters Department does that. It’s the storm water overflows at peak mixed with old sewer lines that Auckland Council failed to separate that do the most damage.
Watercare are separating most of this in the isthmus through the Central Interceptor project. That $900m+ job is preparing its bidders now.
Wayne & Ad overlook the fact that stormwater is not the polluter, wastewater is, and Watercare deceitfully opted out of the 3 waters concept when the greater Auckland City was formed they have been talking about a new Western interceptor for years and now they are involved with ACC in suggesting that money should be spent to ensure that wastewater can be discharged into the harbour above the bridge.
Watercare needs to be completely restructured it it no longer fit for purpose as far as handling wastewater is concerned except that they are keeping the North Shore Rosedale plant at the high standard that it had been brought up to before they acquired it from NSCC in the amalgamation ion process after many years of neglect.
With rising sea levels my guess is Jacinda’s baby may get to swim in the oceans around her house, whether she wants it or not.
Trump targeting of women and children, as criminals, rapists and murderers is so so sad. Dumb. Fake News.
More disappointment for affordable homes. Funny how when business and richer influential individuals consult they are listened too, but when the public consults they are ignored and called Nimby’s.
So first we had the Super city under the Natz, getting ready the assets for privatisation, next we had the unitary plan to sky rise the price of land and make instant profits out of thin air under the Natz, but now we have Labour believing the lie that it is the land that needs to be made affordable, and it is ok for NZ to open our land to the world to be speculated by foreign buyers driving up the prices?
Apparently that was so the ‘neoliberal mantra says’ foreigners put money in to build houses on the land.
But now backtrack, foreign buyers are actually now able to buy and speculate on the apartments as well as the land?
Surely we are worse off now than before because we just put another million low wage workers into Auckland to help keep the Ponzi housing and transport going and expect the residents to pay for it?????
“The select committee report, released today, recommends:
– allowing pre-selling up to 60 per cent of units in big housing projects to foreigners, without them having to on-sell once construction is finished, as long as the investors don’t live in the properties.
– Waiving the requirement to on-sell immediately for investors in big developments intended to be rented out or sold under a rent-to-buy model.
– Allowing all resident visa holders, not just those with permanent residents visas, to buy land without Overseas Investment Office consent.
– Putting the burden of proof on purchasers, not lawyers, to make sure they meet the residency criteria.
– Allowing foreigners to invest in major hotel developments as long as they lease the rooms they buy back to the hotel.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12073385
Yep, bloody stupid.
We need an outright ban on offshore ownership. Not excuses for them to keep pricing NZers out of living in NZ.
When David Parker is mates with John Darby you have to expect this kind of fudged policy.
You seem to be well out of date there with that remark/innuendo BG.
Go have a look at the threads under 8 (not 8 itself but further down the thread) and 11 in Open Mike yesterday. Parker made it very clear on Thursday in the House, and on RNZ Morning Report yesterday morning that he is not mates with Darby and has hardly seen him for many years.
As Anne remarked at 8.2.2 Parker “was obviously very angry and at one point politely advised Espiner that some of the claims he was making were bordering on defamation.”
Hooton’s original article in the Herald has apparently also disappeared off the website …
oops thanks veutoviper….it looked very damning at first glance and I have had dealings with John Darby in the environment court where, shall we say (being careful here) some of the evidence put forward was questionable.
Of course I should have realised it was Hooton=largely made up.
Apologies to you and Mr. Parker.
No need for apologies to me, BG. I was just warning you /watching your back!
Also there is now a frenetic post on TDB on the subject of Hooton’s missing Herald article:
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/06/22/wheres-matthew-hootons-claim-that-david-parker-is-corrupt-gone/
You may be interested in this other Herald article on the subject, if you have not already seen it.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12075267
From TDB article:
“Matthew Hooton is the Head of Slytherin House, the architect of the Death Star, the moral Shepard to the Right.”
Larf……I actually like The Daily Blog contrary to some Standardistas. It’s out there doing it, calling a spade a spade etc.
Love how the ‘poor’ lawyers can’t possibly be held accountable for residency criteria. Happy to take the money but not liable for any frauds I see.
It’s like John Key’s back in town.
How about electric buses and trucks being mandatory to reduce pollution, get the rail going to and out of the centre of Auckland, remove ports of Auckland somewhere else so freight is not going there and reducing congestion and putting the Vancouver tax on foreign sales ASAP!
Oh and actually have a 15 year period before giving out NZ permanent residency and citizenship like lollies while saying we can’t afford to pay super or care properly for our our residents hospital and educations and throwing up our arms and thinking a tax will stop the pollution of the oceans when they are pumping in more sewage and wastewater and forgetting about climate change and increased flooding in their haste to create more ‘tenants in our own country’ under a Labour government and NZ First government and Green government that campaigned on stopping foreign speculation!
Vancouver slaps 15% tax on foreign house buyers in effort to cool market
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/02/vancouver-real-estate-foreign-house-buyers-tax
People need to reduce their travel and rely mainly on local produce.
Electric isn’t going to cut it.
UPS is buying a fleet of 1,000 electric vans from Workhorse
https://electrek.co/2018/06/15/ups-fleet-1000-electric-vans-workhorse/
Tesla Semi will deliver beer – Budweiser orders 40 electric trucks
https://electrek.co/2017/12/07/tesla-semi-deliver-beer-budweiser-orders-40-electric-trucks/
Where they currently have charging stations in NZ or in the next 12 months.
https://charge.net.nz/map/
https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1009470198896738305/video/1
Not to mention what the Chinese are doing – like changing entire city bus fleets to electric.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/01/03/100-chinese-citys-record-smashing-16359-electric-bus-fleet/
Or the Chinese car market accounts for something 40% of the world sales of electric cars – supplied almost entirely by domestic production.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/04/22/byd-steps-up-china-electric-car-sales-report/
It works a lot better for China, they have way cheaper electricity than say NZ… makes far more sense for them to do it. Our Solar is expensive (lack of cheap land and sun hours) so we rely on hydro but only enough for the local populace at this point. Any extra and the grid will be stretched.
Shut down Tiwai Point and there will be plenty of spare capacity.
After all, Australia’s bauxite mines are in the middle of one of the best solar resource areas in the world. Eventually it will make more sense to take advantage of that solar and refine it there rather than shipping alumina, which by weight is half oxygen that needs to be removed, to an island in the middle of nowhere to then be shipped back out again once it’s refined.
Once demand gets high enough, wind energy can ramp up fairly quickly. As I understand it there’s a lot of wind projects that are consented but shelved due to low demand.
giving out NZ permanent residency and citizenship like lollies while saying we can’t afford to pay super
One of the big benefits of immigration is that it makes our superannuation more affordable. New Zealand has a demographic bubble which will mean super costs will continue to increase for the next couple of decades. Increasing the ‘working age’ population and enlarging the economy means more tax revenue to fund our over 65 UBI.
Clearly not working when the migrants can bring their aged relatives over and they have full health benefits straight away and super within 10 years. So the average age of retirement is 65 and the average age of life is now over 80 years. Plus the last 3 years cost the most.
“Mr Woodhouse said another factor in closing the parent category was the strain being put on the health system.
“Information that I’ve been given about the burden … on the health services that are considerably higher than other people of that age who are eligible for New Zealand public health services.”
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has been a relentless critic of the parent category.
He said after years of denying there was a problem, the government was now finally admitting something was wrong.
“You’ve got 87,000 people now who have arrived in the last 15 years, who are able to access our health service immediately and our superannuation within ten years, which other country in the world allows that?
“Well the answer is none – just New Zealand.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/315435/migrants'-parents-cost-nz-'tens-of-millions‘
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11635692
Is it fair to allow migrants to bring aged relatives over to access our health care, while Kiwis who worked for years and paid taxes wait months and years for health access to operations and then have to compete on the waiting lists for more and more people???
Likewise they have already found the migrant parents cost far more in health care than equivalent aged Kiwis according to the links above.
Even in OZ they wait 15 years but it is not long enough when the burden is on the young who are getting poorer and poorer in their own countries.
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/punjabi/en/article/2017/06/22/migrants-wait-15-years-aged-pension
Shouldn’t be allowed to bring in the parents at all. Immigration should probably be banned for anyone over the age of 30.
Yep, they should just have 2 year visas for visiting when the parents have to have private health insurance and pay a fee to cover all the infrastructure they will use that the exisiting tax payers pay for and certainly not buy up housing!
I’m not against migrant parents visiting their kids and grandkids, but the present system is having a laugh, and grossly unfair on existing residents who are told pay more, get less while somehow someone’s aged parent can rock up, pay no taxes, get a gold card with free transport, super, free medical and their 20yo kids are on $20 p/h and qualify for WFF and free education, including one year free tertiary while the existing tax payers are paying of $50k student loans from the 1990’s and going to food banks in Auckland while they are both working.
It’s not a fair deal for those that have been taxed to death already from neoliberalism, when the government is happy to give hand outs to new comers who in many cases are far wealthier than the local tax payers.
In addition recent migrants, having babies which is only to be expected for 20 and 30 year olds so they ain’t working and paying taxes for that long in NZ and will never cover the taxes if they are on low wages, so maybe that is why our productivity is flat and we need to borrow more government and council money to pay for bad decisions while our public service are groaning under the load?
Certain people like Solka seem to think that’s fair on existing people to help new mostly richer people get even richer while poorer people pay for their care as those on $90k apparently are keen to abandon and not even bother looking after their own kin when NZ taxpayers will do if for them. It’s insane!
Can you please walk me through your argument?
I believe our economy has been growing roughly at the same rate as net immigration and our productivity is almost flat.
Not all immigrants are ‘workers’ and certainly not all will contribute to diversifying the economy and make it more innovative and sustained & resilient to future shocks (of any kind).
No it doesn’t.
The government doesn’t actually need tax revenue. That’s a lie by the private sector that has helped them shift the power from the people into the hands of the rich.
The fact that you’re repeating that lie shows how you don’t understand why the demographic bulge is a problem and why immigration won’t fix it.
The demographic bulge is a physical problem. With so many leaving the workforce there won’t be enough people working to support both themselves, the retired and the bludging rich.
Immigration won’t fix that problem because it will cause other problems itself. Some will be social but mostly they’ll be economic (real economics not the delusional stuff based around money) and those will be to do with over-population. The government is trying to increase population growth to meet those retiring but to do that will push us well sustainability.
The government and NZ really would be better off spending huge amounts developing 3D printing factories and our extracting and processing our own resources. The problem the government has with that is that it will destroy jobs and cause an even faster collapse of our society as all the wealth created would simply go to the rich even fatser.
Unless a parent has an annual income of more than $60 000, and a spare $1 million that they’ll invest in NZ over four years and another $500 000 to live on, then they ain’t getting in.
And even satisfying the above only allows for an application for permanent residence after four years. During those four years it would appear that medical expenses must be covered by the patient.
Permanent residency needs to be removed. You’re either a citizen or your out.
That would affect a lot of people – do you know the numbers?
I’m a citizen DTB. Just not a recognised New Zealand citizen.
Now, what’s your problem?
You’re concerned or agitated that I cannot hold a NZ passport, stand for public office, represent NZ in international sport…or are you in a fluster about the fact that I can be deported?
Oh. And as a permanent resident, bar any dependent children I may have, there is no easy pathway available for me to bring any family members into the country.
The stuff your railing against (it seems) is the benefits that accrue more readily to people accepted as and recognised as New Zealand citizens. That being the case, I fully expect the next sentence your piles mouth out for you to type will be calling for a ban on citizenship, yes?
Bill, when the right comes from all this lazy immigration, like Windrush they will be deporting the most vulnerable, after cutting all the benefits, and it will be people like you for the chop, while those who came here 5 years ago and got so much for free and have the money, will be sitting pretty.
That is the lesson from Windrush. They go after the venerable who don’t have access to lawyers, not those who came here last.
So migrants who think that defending lazy immigration is benefiting them, should check their paperwork is in order, because Auckland is ground zero and there’s been a massive change in demographic and they keep putting more taxes in to help the rich who don’t live here, while taxing the poor and existing residents.
Those coming in are voting for National and rights for the rich. Aka look at the recommendations from the select committee to give more rights to foreign investors in property and let bad lawyers off the hook.
As for not getting your parents in, you just don’t know the right immigration lawyers as 87,000 have arrived in the last 15 years, who are able to access our health service immediately and our superannuation within ten years.
Possibly that is why the lawyers apparently are trying not be responsible for their residency decisions in the select committees…
See my comment at 2.6.4. (or better, do some reading on immigration criteria before running off at the mouth)
“Unless a parent has an annual income of more than $60 000, and a spare $1 million that they’ll invest in NZ over four years and another $500 000 to live on, then they ain’t getting in.”
Your comment makes it even worse that the poor long term resident Kiwi’s are expected to support new rich aged coming into NZ.
One million doesn’t even buy you much of a house in Auckland, and super and health is not means tested…so you get your 500k to live on while our laws allow new rich people to then get extremely generous benefits including free transport that beneficiaries who are disabled or very poor don’t get.
Surely the 1.5 million better spent of making the new aged migrant pay their own way via super and health care not expect the Kiwis to chip in for their affluent lifestyle? Apparently there are aged care issues as well as hospital issues, and many Kiwis who paid many taxes are on waiting lists for health care, but money apparently can just wave new people through.
Of course as well as all that, you can just convert that money into a trust once you gain citizenship and viola, you have no income!
+1 Draco. And you have to live here Permanently to achieve citizenship with provable taxes that are positive not negative and prove good character for 20 years! Unless you are a refugee. We are all living longer, yet our laws seem to think we all die at 70 years!
If we had a country without poor people it would be all well and good to be throwing money to the world’s rich and opportunistic migrants.
Sadly we have people living in cars and going to food banks and are shutting down our university libraries to save money and have mouldy hospitals. I’m not sure how the government can justify constant immigration hand outs to the world’s rich and working poor, until we can get our existing citizens problems under control
I think this tits thing has legs.
There is a test you can get when replacing mercury fillings called a serum compatibly test. This shows what material your system will react to vs what will be inert so when your fillings are replaced you know the new filling isn’t harming you. Its different for everyone and there are apparently over a thousand(!?) different types of materials that can be used in dentistry.
Q: Why would it not be the same for other foreign materials placed in the body?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/360217/so-many-people-don-t-believe-what-we-re-saying
Ugly…
“They were so cheap, they were only $3500, so I thought why not.”
“She spent the $15,000 she had saved to go travelling on the procedure.
“I had to choose my health or my happiness to go travelling.””
I cannot believe how somebody so moronic still breathes.
Well of course she nearly didn’t
What a fucking stupid brainless person
Make of it what you like …
Hmmm…
What do you call the person who graduates bottom of the class in med school?
I used to having fucking Tourettes, now I just swear.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
It’s no laughing matter. The guy I met was incredibly brave to keep going out in public. He faced his fears. I doubt I could have done it.
We are a community here, albeit an unusual one to be sure, and while it’s common for people to have the odd spat we all need to show a little more understanding and tolerance for each other IMO.
DH, I didn’t read the sign on the door, I was bantering under the belief I was in Open Mike.
Yes, I’m aware Tourettes is no joke, nor should it be taboo. Yeah me too, I’d turn hermit.
I agree DH, I think reasoned contrasting views is what makes this blog vibrant and we should be fostering an environment that induces more of it.
I wonder if the Germans are more open to immigration. The right leaning practical thinking executives at BMW realising they’re going to more retirement parties than apprentice inductions.
For those that haven’t seen it and dig the Fab Four, car karaoke with Paul McCartney is a bit of a hoot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjvzCTqkBDQ
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Take this generic stuff over to Open Mike please.
This post is on immigration.
Oh blow, sorry Ad, I am in the wrong spot, my apologies, please bump it over.
David Mac, Norm and I say “Thanks!”
Fantastic Negrito, Love this video. Rock and Roll baby with a great chorus!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djWziMwFVWw&ab_channel=FantasticNegrito
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104936906/labours-general-secretary-understood-to-be-taking-new-job-with-air-nz
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/06/22/128569/labour#
‘Labour commissioned Wellington lawyer Maria Berryman in March to investigate how it handled the affair, its general culture and any other incidents of sexual harassment or abuse within the party. She had three months to report back and her findings were not to be made public but go to key party leaders.’
I’m sure its a complete coincidence that its been three months and Andrew Kirton is leaving, not that we’ll know since the report isn’t being made public
Rest in peace Koro Wetere.
All the way from Kirk to Lange, with a haul of policy wins and the great Tainui settlement.
A life well lived, in the service of others.
Pleased to see that addiction support workers and mental health workers are getting equity. $3 to $5 dollars an hour back paid to July 1 2017. Let’s do this!!
Great win for Abs and test debutants
ABs wins havnt been great for a long time and won’t be until they are representative of NZ community again. Winnng by any means #1 is at the detriment to NZ, sport is to bring together, not isolate.
Neo-liberal nitwittedness elitism pee poor excuse for a ruling class!
Q*A Michael Barnett is full of national propa-ganda pushing the doom and gloom to try and make labour look bad . Business have been Creaming it with all the business friendly changes to taxes and labour laws under national . The skill shortage well we know who to blame for that mess national did not invest in training tangata there cheap solution to this was to import foreign skilled workers and who gives a toss about the common tangata whom these foreign workers put on the couch.
Its not just multi national company’s that pay a low wage its a lot of big business who do this don’t be afraid of a wage rise take it as a challange to lift your productivity its not rocket science .The low wage society is the reason OUR productivity is low on the OECD list why bother to try and gain productivity efficiencys when one can just hire cheap labour efficient productivity is what we need to do to help save our environment No. Yes there is only one person in trumps world and thats himself he is trying to spread his dumb ass views around Papatuanuku Many thanks to the European Union and OUR Labour lead coalition goverment. ka kite ano P.S in the near future we are going to have a lot of Pacific Island environmental refugees and we need to plan for that
thehui the meth testing was a sham and look whom that bad behavior by the national government and there meth testing m8s affected mostly Maori there views on this is who cares . ka kite ano P.S $100 million flushed into the wealthy m8s of the national party’s pockets
Newshub Nation there you go the justices system is a big sham when the police can not get enough evidence to set up there fall person for a unsolved crime they bribe and manufacture evidence Lisa Arthur Taylor is letting everyone know how corrupt the jail house witness police bribed witnesses are the courts should be baned from using this bull—- evedince. tangata are just sheep in there reality . Ana to kai
Ka kite ano
Newshub did you know that tangata classes for learning te reo are in high demarned now ka pai Maori culture is a beautiful caring historic respectful culture .
Germany has won there game in the Russian football World cup ka pai.
Loyd that will be great if Peter Burling won the Volvo Ocean race around Papatuanuku I say you will have a couple of refreshments tonight to celebrate the team and Peters win Loyd and that will be the triple wins for Peter Burling .
Ka kite ano P.S I miss my days working on Tangaroa watching the wild life we have to get this poisons stuff plastic out of OUR environment asap