web analytics

Open mike 27/04/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 27th, 2022 - 52 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 …

52 comments on “Open mike 27/04/2022 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Poission 1
    27 April 2022 at 8:26 am

    Gazprom issued warning to Poland gas supplies will be cut from Wednesday,after failure to pay for supplies in Russian currency.

  2. Pataua4life 2
    27 April 2022 at 8:30 am

    Just finishing reading the "daily review" comments from last night.

    A good debate with valid points on both sides.

    Congrats to all who participated.

  3. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 3
    27 April 2022 at 8:41 am

    Another 2 Russian generals reportedly killed in the Ukraine! Making a total of 10!

    There's something seriously wrong with the command structure of the Russian armed forces!

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    27 April 2022 at 8:55 am

    Bomber reports AUT cancelling free speech:

    Daphna Whitmore is a staunch socialist feminist who was discussing the insanity of banning feminist critiques of the trans movement, here’s the description of the event…

    Join us for a discussion about free speech in the context of often polarising transgender-gender-critical feminism debate.

    Daphna was the plaintiff in Whitmore v Palmerston North City Council, which saw the Palmerston North library forced to honour a booking for the feminist group Speak Up For Women. Speak Up For Women booked the library for a public meeting to discuss their concerns about amendments to the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act. After initially accepting the booking, the library later cancelled, saying it would only host a debate where ‘all views could be heard’. Speak up For Women applied for interim relief, which was granted, forcing the library to honour the booking. Justice Gerald Nation held that the Council’s decision to cancel the event ‘involved a serious failure to recognise the BORA rights of Speak Up For Women and its members.’

    So, what lessons can we learn from this episode? Is it ever appropriate to limit free speech in public venues?

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/04/27/free-speech-alert-aut-university-disgracefully-cancel-feminist-event-on-campus/

    AUT is New Zealand's third largest university in terms of total student enrolment, with approximately 29,100 students enrolled across three campuses in Auckland. I was seriously impressed to discover that its wiki contains no section on governance!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_University_of_Technology

    Perhaps the thing governs itself?? You know, on autopilot, like an amoeba. Anyway, we don't know how to find out who did the cancelling. This operation is clearly a serious contender for the Evasion of Accountability & Responsibility Excellence Award, and Putin ought to take note of how they do it. Except that their magic invisibility screen is so damn good his spooks probably can't penetrate it.

    • Visubversa 4.1
      27 April 2022 at 9:25 am

      There is a strident Trans Rights Activist on the staff of AUT. Any deviation from the required beliefs is protested.

    • weka 4.2
      27 April 2022 at 9:58 am

      FSU say that the reason AUT gave was incomplete paperwork. Wish FSU would publish everything and make it transparent.

      • Dennis Frank 4.2.1
        27 April 2022 at 11:13 am

        incomplete paperwork

        A standard method of defense employed by bureaucrats since time immemorial.

        Wish FSU would publish everything and make it transparent.

        Incompetence. They ought to put it here:

        https://www.fsu.nz/news

        I mean, really, this is elementary. If they're too busy, put a one-liner there asking for volunteers to do it!

        Their Academic Freedom Poll Results are from 1,266 respondents. That's a goodly portion of the whole, methinks. However their link onsite only appears when you hover your cursor over the title. Bad design.

        Visitors scanning the page will wonder why the title appears over a huge blank space (as I did) and think they forgot to write text to explain it! Get media savvy, dudes. Think how eyeballs work! And there's also this here org from olden times:

        https://nzccl.org.nz/

        Freedom of thought, expression, and action, and the protection of these rights from government interference or restriction.

        • Anker 4.2.1.1
          27 April 2022 at 1:56 pm

          If the "paperwork is incomplete" sure that is easily remeded……..Re schedule the metting and complete the paper work in time! Too easy.

          Or else take the b….ards to court and sue the pants off them.

          Surprized more others on this site aren't up in arms about this.

  5. Tiger Mountain 5
    27 April 2022 at 9:16 am

    Have to support this post from Dennis. Freedom of speech, assembly and association should be upheld by us all.

    I do personally draw the line at open Nazis though, others may disagree of course on that.

    • weka 5.1
      27 April 2022 at 9:57 am

      this is the other problem. There's a whole Grand Canyon between GCFs and Nazis, but the cancelculture bros want to make out they are both a threat to society and the same degree of threat.

      There's a good examination of dynamics and tactics used in this piece about email pronouns.

      https://www.legalfeminist.org.uk/2022/04/26/grammar-and-grievance/

      • Adrian Thornton 5.1.1
        27 April 2022 at 4:53 pm

        Thanks for that link weka…it was a really interesting piece. I will send it to my daughter to read, she has been negotiating her way through that minefield at various Art Schools she has been attending….by the sounds of it, some of those institutions have been very heavily mined!

        • weka 5.1.1.1
          27 April 2022 at 9:47 pm

          it's pretty intense out there. I'm so glad I don't work or study in places where the war is happening.

  6. Anker 6
    27 April 2022 at 9:39 am
    • Yes a feminist Marxist being shut down. Outrageous that AUT did this. This of course will not be reported in the msm who are complicit in the shutting down of debate on gender ideology.
    • SUFW is a group populated by mostly labour/green voters who have worked hard on progressive causes.
  7. Molly 7
    27 April 2022 at 11:09 am

    Reading this personal account from an older TiM, and thinking about the echo chambers we can create in our online interactions, I wonder how IRL we can counteract those limited perspectives.

    He talks about "surviving testosterone poisoning" and his belief in the unavoidable monstrous nature of men. A disturbing read for anyone. Such a limited and damaging view of the possibilities and realities of men, and the contributions they can make in the world. (I'll leave discussion of his understanding of 'feminists' and 'toxic masculinity' for another time, while acknowledging the damage that the interpretations that he had created for him, and continues to create for society).

    https://cutdowntree.substack.com/p/purification-rites?s=r

    "When I connected to the internet, I was inundated with messages about the violence of maleness. This wasn't just "toxic masculinity"–I saw feminists saying all masculinity was toxic, that all men were rapists, all men were oppressors, all men should be killed. As a white man, I was directly responsible for all of the oppression experienced by women and people of color. I was fourteen years old and had never been in a fight in my life or said a racist or misogynistic word to anyone, but I believed that the circumstances of my birth made me a monster. "

    This categorisaton of oneself as beyond the pale, is mirrored in the account from a TiF detransitioner:

    https://lacroicsz.substack.com/p/by-any-other-name?utm_source=url&s=r

    On Tumblr, the situation was such that any claim to being “oppressed” would accumulate social credibility, while any unfortunate “privileged” status was justification for verbal abuse. As a “privileged” person, you were expected to constantly grovel and apologize, you had no right to speak on any issue involving the group you were “oppressing”, and you could not object in any way to any mistreatment hurled against you because of your race, gender, or sexuality.

    I found myself in a bit of a double bind. On one hand, I had found what felt like the perfect group of friends who understood me on an intuitive level, who I was able to talk to openly about the things I liked and made me “weird” in real life, but on the other hand I was a “cishet white girl” in an environment where that was one of the worst things to be. Since Tumblr users are mostly biological females, the “cishet white girl” holds the position of most privileged and therefore most inherently bad group. In this climate, you are made to feel guilty and responsible for all the horrors and atrocities in the world. No hardship you could possibly go through could ever be as bad as the prejudice and genocide POC and LGBT people face every. Single. Day. Insert clap emoji. LGBT people and POC can’t even walk out of their houses without being murdered by cishet white people just like you!

    The first author retains an admirable amount of detail of the thinking processes that were taking place during his childhood and youth, and gives some insight into his reasoning, emotions and reactions.

    For those interested in the topic, or at least wondering whether medicalisation should be celebrated as the only option, both pieces are worth the read. And any ensuing discussion.

    • roblogic 7.1
      27 April 2022 at 3:57 pm

      There is a general attack on masculinity in popular culture and in universities. And it’s more acute in progressive circles. Whereas the right wing tends to toxicity. It’s not like there is a shortage of good male role models, but pop culture portrays males as either brutes, oafs, or completely emasculated androgynes like BTS (the k-pop boy band).

      Our culture is failing its boys. Elevating all sorts of other identities and lifestyles. But the reality for boys is that they need a father figure, a stable home, and a more active education rather than Ritalin.

      • Molly 7.1.1
        27 April 2022 at 4:14 pm

        I don't disagree, but I believe that we are failing both boys and girls in the messages we are sending to them. The fact that messages are amplified for individuals in online echo-chambers, makes it more difficult to ensure that more diverse voices are heard and reduction in community real life contacts with people, might also narrow perspectives.

        It is the expectation of particular roles that causes damage for both boys and girls. Alongside a rejection and criticism of the traditional masculine stereotype, there is a rejection of the traditional feminine caretaker. It is assumed that both are regressive models, rather than it is the expectation that only those models are acceptable that is regressive.

        I thought the first article covered the points you make really well.

  8. Molly 8
    27 April 2022 at 11:24 am

    Does anyone here know the relationship of the sisters to the victim?

    News articles seem to be completely devoid of details.

    Te Puna child killer: Woman pleads guilty to murder of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz

  9. Stephen D 9
    27 April 2022 at 11:33 am

    National are going to have to be very careful how they respond to David Parker’s tax information gathering initiative. Labour are framing it to find out if all New Zealanders are paying their fair share of tax. The suspicion is that the top few percent are not.

    Should National be too heavy handed in opposing the legislation, and it’s findings, they stand to be accused of only wanting to look after the rich. We know that is the case, but I’m sure it’s not the way they want to be portrayed to the wider electorate.

    • Robert Guyton 9.1
      27 April 2022 at 12:00 pm

      Good times!

    • tc 9.2
      27 April 2022 at 1:06 pm

      Without a generic CGT they probably have affairs structured for capital gain i.e. not taxed, totally legit.

      I'd like to see then skewered on the tax havens they 'allowed' as kiwis need a reminder as to nationals true MO.

    • Siobhan McCormack 9.3
      27 April 2022 at 1:59 pm

      I very much doubt they are that worried. We all know people (National, Labour and Green Party voters) avoiding tax either purposefully through Trusts and what not, or more under the radar through simple accountancy sleigh of hand. National voters are people who do this with a bold sense of entitlement, or, more sadly, people who simply dream of being in a position to "claim their entitlements". Its rather like capital gains tax, or a meaningful drop in house prices, you would think people would have some desire for change alongside some level of shame for their profiteering …but they simply don't.

  10. Dennis Frank 10
    27 April 2022 at 1:03 pm

    God willed that a statuesque head of his daughter be found. A farmer in Gaza found it, and thanked God:

    Palestinian archaeologists say that the head of the Canaanite deity, Anat, dates back 4,500 years… The 22cm-high (8.7 in) carving clearly shows the face of the goddess wearing a serpent crown. "We found it by chance. It was muddy and we washed it with water," said farmer Nidal Abu Eid, who came across the head while cultivating his field.

    "We realised that it was a precious thing, but we didn't know it was of such great archaeological value," he told the BBC. "We thank God, and we are proud that it stayed in our land, in Palestine, since the Canaanite times." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-61228553

    Wikipedia: "In the Baal Cycle texts, Anat appears as a war-goddess, initially called upon by her father El". You may recall this original name of God the father from Genesis in the Bible (he renamed himself YHVH later to Moses).

    In contemporary Israel, "Anat" is a common female first name… Philologist Anat Bechar, who herself bears the name, wrote: "The Biblical Shamgar was a rather minor and obscure character, and of his mother Anat we know nothing but her name. We do know that it was the name of a goddess in a Semitic pantheon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anat

    Obvious explanation of ignorance about God's daughter is cultural transmission in a patriarchy. El was creator deity for various ancient semitic tribes, not just Hebrews & Canaanites. Interesting that freedom of choice prevailed in ancient times too. Genesis:

    the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

    God seems to have had a family and one naturally wonders who he had it with. Theologians have exhibited a tendency in the past to assume God wasn't actually telling the truth about this when instructing the authors of Genesis. Usage of metaphor was implied, as if to suggest that the Bible is not actually literally true. One suspects that fundamentalists get itchy trigger fingers when confronted by such theologians!

    • roblogic 10.1
      27 April 2022 at 3:50 pm

      A sincere faith in God can accept the existence of mysteries and unresolved questions. Only a fundamentalist demands certainty (which leaves no room for faith)

  11. Grey Area 11
    27 April 2022 at 1:26 pm

    Govt launches new mask exemption card

    So will people who want the new exemption from mask wearing card have to prove they have some relevant condition that makes it difficult/harmful for them to wear a mask?

    The fact the card can be obtained online or over the phone suggests a no me. The non-maskers will likely be able to continue to get a card they don't qualify for and which now cannot be questioned.

    That's if they even bother. All along some have been able to say they have an exemption but as I understand could not be compelled to prove it. For some it's only been about them.

    I realise there is genuine need to be exempt for some but basing the system on honesty and trust in NZ in a pandemic was always a mistake.

    I always felt that enforcement of mask-wearing should have been stricter and the government should not have left it to businesses. If people needed an exemption they could have rung their medical centre and a practice nurse could have easily confirmed any pre-existing condition from their medical record.

    Then it should have been no mask = prove your exemption or no entry. Simple.

    • Whispering Kate 11.1
      27 April 2022 at 2:11 pm

      Coincidence you say this Grey Area. I have just come in from a morning op shopping with a friend. First time I have been out for some discretionary retail therapy for a long time. Suitably masked up with my friend we wandered through a series of charity shops all clumped in one area together. I came across a young woman about 19 years old unmasked. I said to her politely "why are you not wearing a mask", she promptly opened her phone and showed me a an exemption cert. I thanked her and wandered on. She joined a group of a Mum and a Dad and a son of about the 16 years.

      I chatted with my friend and we concurred that it was highly unlikely the entire family was exempt and what a farce it was. Anybody could replicate a message on their phone and be buggered about everybody else's health. It really upsets me that pockets of the population are so thoughtless about other people and their own health concerns. This family looked pretty hale and hearty to me, not autoimmune compromised or struggling with poor health. They followed us through all of the op shops haunting us with their bare faces – typical.

      Just my contribution to my day out in the big bad world for some time now.

      • Whispering Kate 11.1.1
        27 April 2022 at 2:31 pm

        Forgot to say the entire family were not masked which made it pretty odd that they were all kosher with exemptions.

        • Grey Area 11.1.1.1
          27 April 2022 at 4:17 pm

          Ha. I was going mention my regular anecdotal observation of what appear to be family groups in Bunnings, all unmasked. Curious I've thought. Funny how they all must have conditions precluding mask use.

    • Molly 11.2
      27 April 2022 at 2:23 pm

      Woman attending an appointment in the Superclinic a couple of months ago, responded aggressively to the receptionist offering a mask. She neither offered proof of her stated exemption or was asked to provide it by staff.

      A good proportion of the women in the waiting room were there for chemotherapy, and so, immunocompromised.

      • Rosemary McDonald 11.2.1
        28 April 2022 at 8:46 am

        Having done the neutropeanic thing back in 2010 with Peter, I get the necessity to deploy as many infection preventative measures as are available until one's immune system regains some level of function. I recall that there was more concern about the patient catching a gastro bug…although it was a chest infection that nearly felled Himself.

        The immunocompromised person wearing a mask signals to others that this particular person requires an extra degree of care. Of course, in a hospital …and especially in an oncology setting… wearing a mask when there is widespread community transmission is a no brainer.

        Having said that...research strongly suggests that both the surgical masks and the N95 masks are of limited effectiveness…

        The study, published in JAMA, found that surgical masks were as effective as N95 respirators at preventing the flu, which is to say, not all that effective because, of the 446 nurses who took part in this study, nearly one in four (24%) in the surgical mask group still got the flu as did 23% of those who wore the N95 respirator. And, because both groups wore masks, it’s impossible to say how they would have fared compared with not wearing a mask at all.

        This piece from, The Conversation, quite sensibly states that those folk infectious with a serious respiratory disease, such as the flu, are most likely feeling so crook they are unlikely to be out and about spreading Te Virus.

        Of course in these Covid times, with the Pfizer product having limited effectiveness at preventing infection and transmission and reasonable effectiveness at reducing symptoms for a short time after being administered, the chances of infectious people feeling well enough to be out and about because the jab is 'working' so well is higher.

        So taking all the precautions to hand to prevent catching Covid if you might be more at risk of serious outcomes is not such a silly idea….even if wearing a mask is largely signalling to others that the wearer is vulnerable.

  12. weka 12
    27 April 2022 at 2:46 pm

  13. Dennis Frank 13
    27 April 2022 at 3:00 pm

    Maori as paragons of democracy? Looks like it's there in the tradition:

    In 1857, Francis Dart Fenton wrote, “No system of government that the world ever saw can be more democratic than that of the Maoris. The chief alone has no power. The whole tribe deliberate on every subject, not only politically on such as are of public interest, but even judicially they hold their ‘komitis’ on every private quarrel. In ordinary times the vox populi determines every matter, both internal and external. No individual enjoys influence or exercises power, unless it originates with the mass and is expressly or tacitly conferred by them.”

    From the very early days of European settlement, efforts were made to establish structures of governance based on Western models, although as Busby observed, “It was . . . extremely difficult to get the Chiefs to separate themselves from their connexions, and to form themselves into anything like a regular assembly”.

    So chiefly mana came from a sense of being rooted in the social matrix. Hierarchy as a privilege system had to be foisted onto them by the Treaty. That changes my view considerably! More organic social process than I thought.

    Under Te Tiriti, the rangatira were entitled to participate as equals on the Executive Council and the Legislative Council appointed by the governor, but these groups had no Māori members. When the first House of Representatives was established in 1853, a requirement that electors were male land owners excluded most Māori men, who had use rights to land through whakapapa and occupation, not as individual property. Under ancestral tikanga, Māori women had rights to leadership and land, but these were also disregarded.

    Most recently, a Crown requirement that ‘Post-settlement Governance Entities’ be established at the iwi level to receive Treaty settlements and a redefinition of taonga as ‘property’ has seen a further erosion of tikanga, alongside the imposition of Western governance models on kin groups, and this has often been divisive.

    Building fake bridges across the cultural divide is poor governance. Therefore I wish Labour success in its attempt to provide an authentic alternative.

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/anne-salmond-tiriti-and-democracy-part-4-unite-and-rule

    • weka 13.1
      27 April 2022 at 3:56 pm

      Kei te pai. This would forgive a lot of other sins.

    • roblogic 13.2
      27 April 2022 at 4:06 pm

      There’s probably some symbolism in the old wooden bridge that connects the Waitangi Treaty Grounds with Paihia. It’s. a one-way bridge with no traffic signals that is often the site of jams in summer as wealthy Aucklanders vie to tow their massive boats across. Meanwhile the construction of the bridge caused the lower reaches of the Waitangi River to silt up and its once beautiful beaches to become covered with mangroves. The signs prohibit people from jumping off but I have been ignoring that for years!

  14. Jimmy 14
    27 April 2022 at 3:08 pm

    Looks like Kiwi citizens and residents not allowed back in the country have won a case against the government.

    Grounded Kiwis fight in the High Court ends in success – NZ Herald

    • Temp ORary 14.1
      27 April 2022 at 5:26 pm

      Hard to know what's what until we see the specific details, Jimmy. I saw the story on Stuff (not willing to pay for the NZH), which seemed a bit vague:

      The exact orders the judge will make have yet to be decided. The parties have 14 days to agree on the words of a declaration, or the judge will decide it at a later date…

      Minister of Covid-19 Response, Chris Hipkins, said the judgment upheld several parts of the MIQ system, including from mid-October when those already in New Zealand became infected and their close contacts were able to isolate at home.

      MIQ was always “the least worst option” to help keep out Covid-19 and stop it spreading.

      “We have long acknowledged the difficult trade-offs we’ve had to make in our Covid-19 response to save lives and the effects of those decisions on all New Zealanders, particularly those living abroad.”

      The judge’s decision was being carefully considered, he said…

      The judge said there were no easy answers but middle ground was available so, for instance, a points system could have operated for New Zealanders who said their return was unreasonably delayed, or to change the number of rooms available for emergency allocation.

      The virtual lobby system was more appropriate for people who wanted to return but could not show they’d been unreasonably delayed.

      The changes that were made were “at the margins” and not enough to eliminate unjustified delays.

      The judge decided that the restrictions were not lawful as a justified limitation on the right to enter New Zealand in a free and democratic society.

      However, she also said a voucher system was justified and the isolation periods were reasonable and proportionate.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/127890187/grounded-kiwis-win-miq-was-a-lottery-when-better-options-were-available-judge-decides

      Hipkins'; "The judge’s decision was being carefully considered", sounds like the government's lawyers may be considering an appeal, depending on the final wording of the judge's orders and declarations. I guess we'll know more in a fortnight or so.

    • Louis 14.2
      27 April 2022 at 5:32 pm

      From your link Jimmy. "We welcome the Court's determination that the requirement for returnees to undergo MIQ was lawful and was not an unjustified infringement of New Zealanders' right to come home," he said.

      "The Court also ruled that the requirement for people entering the country to isolate was lawful and was reasonable and proportionate even when, from mid-October 2021, those in the community who had the virus and their close contacts were able to self-isolate at home."

      Hipkins did accept the court's ruling that the virtual lobby system said the Government infringed on New Zealand citizens' right to enter the country.

      "We are carefully considering the Court's decision," he said.

    • Ad 14.3
      27 April 2022 at 5:42 pm

      The Crown needs to appeal this both to Appeal and Supreme Court levels.

      Parliament needs to be guided by stronger BORA judgements all round in preparation for the next one.

  15. roblogic 15
    27 April 2022 at 3:43 pm

    Beloved old fossil Joe Bennett writes faux pas in that bastion of progressive thought, the Otago Daily Times

    Dear old Joe is listening to the wrong station. He can hear the Queen’s English as she is spoke on the BBC (oops they have presenters from all their colonies with weird accents too!). This is Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa, i.e. Radio New Zealand, which represents us.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Govt keeps AM on the air in Northland
    Minister of Broadcasting and Media Willie Jackson and Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty today announced a $1.48 million package to fund the repair and replacement of three transmission masts in Northland to ensure AM radio can stay on air in the region. “This funding will secure the reinstatement of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Multi million dollar package to tackle retail crime and reoffending
    A multi million dollar package to tackle retail crime and reoffending is the most significant crime prevention financial package in recent memory  New fog cannon subsidy scheme set up. Government to provide $4000 for all small shops and dairies in New Zealand who want a fog cannon installed, with shops ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Funding boost to support NZ’s game development industry
    New Zealand’s game developers will receive an immediate funding boost to help support the growth of local studios beyond the current Dunedin centre. “New Zealand’s game development sector has been rapidly growing. The latest data from the New Zealand Game Developers Association shows the total revenue for the industry is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Government takes action on pay parity for healthcare workers
    Thousands of frontline community health workers – including nurses in aged-care facilities - are in for a pay rise as the Labour Government takes action on pay parity in the health sector. “I’m pleased to announce that Cabinet has agreed to on-going funding of $200 million a year so that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • World’s first algae-based local anaesthetic another step closer to reality
    A partnership between the Government and the Cawthron Institute has delivered a breakthrough in the production of a potent microalgal ingredient for the world’s first algae-based pain medication, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced.  “Scientists at Cawthron Institute in Nelson have developed a reliable and commercially scalable method for producing neosaxitoxin, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown sign Agreement in Principle| Ka waitohu a Ngāti Mutunga o...
    Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown have signed an Agreement in Principle marking a significant milestone towards the settlement of their historical Treaty of Waitangi claims. Ngāti Mutunga are based on Wharekauri/Chatham Islands and are the second of two iwi/imi to reach agreement with the Crown. “Today’s signing follows ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Further ACC reforms introduced to Parliament
    New reporting requirements on access to ACC Earlier access to minimum rate of compensation Refinement to ACC purpose to focus on supporting all eligible injured people to access ACC The Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill which aims to improve access to ACC for all injured people, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government supports Chatham Islands' resilience
    The Government is supporting the Chatham Islands’ resilience to extreme weather events and natural hazards through a grant to secure safe drinking water, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty said. “Many households in the Chatham Islands lack easy access to drinking water and have been forced to get water to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Chief Coroner appointed
    Coroner Anna Tutton has been appointed as the new Chief Coroner, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Anna Tutton was appointed as a Coroner in January 2015, based in Christchurch, and as Deputy Chief Coroner in 2020.  After the previous Chief Coroner, Judge Deborah Marshall, retired Ms Tutton took on the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • DIRA Amendment Bill passes third reading
    The Government has passed an Amendment Bill today to support Fonterra’s move to a new capital structure and the continued success of New Zealand’s dairy industry. The Dairy Industry Restructuring (Fonterra Capital Restructuring) Amendment Bill will allow the Fonterra co-operative to make changes to its capital structure, as well as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Minister Whaitiri to attend Food Ministers’ Meeting with Australian counterparts
    Minister for Food Safety Meka Whaitiri will attend the Fourth Australia and New Zealand Food Ministers’ Meeting in Melbourne on Friday. It will be the first time the meeting has been held in person since the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted international travel. “The Food Ministers’ Meeting sets the policy direction for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Kiwibank parent appoints directors
    David McLean and Sir Brian Roche have been appointed as the first two directors of the newly incorporated Kiwi Group Capital Limited (KCG), the parent company of Kiwibank. In August, the Government acquired 100 percent of Kiwi Group Holdings, which also operates New Zealand Home Loans, from NZ Post, ACC ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Defence Ministers meet in Cambodia
    Minister of Defence Peeni Henare attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Siem Reap, Cambodia. “The first face to face meeting of the ADMM-Plus members is an opportunity for me to highlight New Zealand’s position on key regional security matters,” Peeni Henare said.  “In ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pay equity extended to thousands more social workers
    The Government will extend pay equity to all community and iwi organisations who employ social workers and receive funding from the Crown, Minister for Women Jan Tinetti announced today. We expect this will improve the lives of approximately 4,600 social workers. “This extension means thousands more social workers will be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Taskforce set up to protect construction industry from product shortages & delays
    New ‘Critical Materials Taskforce’ will trouble shoot building materials shortages Focus on maximising productivity & cushioning businesses from supply chain risks Successful ‘Plasterboard Taskforce’ reshaped to include broader sector knowledge and expertise Will provide guidance, data and information to support builders, designers and business owners A new Critical Materials Taskforce ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Bigger ED, more theatres and more beds in new Whangārei Hospital
    A new emergency department with three times more space will be part of the first stage of a two-stage project to build a new hospital for Whangārei and Northland. The Government has today confirmed funding for stage one of the new hospital – an acute services building and a child-health ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finnish PM to visit New Zealand
    Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin, accompanied by Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari and a business delegation will visit New Zealand next week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. The two leaders will meet in Auckland. “New Zealand and Finland are natural partners. We share similar approaches ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New recreational rules to support hāpuku and bass fisheries
    The daily limits on recreationally caught hāpuku (also known as groper) and bass will be lowered to a total of two per person in some areas, with a new accumulation limit of three per person on multi-day trips. Oceans and Fisheries Minister, David Parker said the rule changes would take ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Jobs for Nature enabling Mātāuranga Māori
    Mātāuranga Māori is at the heart of the latest tranche of Jobs for Nature projects set to promote biodiversity and reduce impacts of climate change on Māori land, Minister of Conservation Poto Williams says. Project work will include the creation of an ecological corridor in Tairāwhiti, protecting 60 hectares of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Supporting resilient shipping infrastructure in Vanuatu
    The Government has announced further support to Vanuatu to assist in constructing climate-resilient wharves as part of the Vanuatu Inter-Island Shipping Support Project (VISSP). “Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to supporting the economic recovery of our Pacific region in a way that continues to provide growth and supports climate resilience,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Government welcomes High Court ruling on climate case
    The High Court has today confirmed the legality of the advice provided by the Climate Change Commission (the Commision) to inform New Zealand’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) and the first three emissions budgets.  Minister of Climate Change James Shaw says New Zealanders can have confidence in the Commission and of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Government introduces changes to mining Act with stronger environmental focus
    ·         Crown Minerals Act will no longer actively “promote” prospecting, exploration, and mining of Crown-owned minerals ·         Will create more certainty around engagement between industry, iwi and hapū. The Government is proposing changes to modernise the Crown Minerals Act 1991 (CMA) to support more environmentally conscious management of resources, says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Speech to Building Nations 2050 conference
    Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Good morning and thank you, Jack, for the introduction. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge Infrastructure New Zealand Chair, Margaret Devlin and all the sponsors and organisers of this event for bringing us together in ‘Building Nations 2050’. I would also like to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Better natural hazard information for home buyers
    Associate Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty has today introduced legislation to empower councils to share better information about natural hazards with the public. The Local Government Official Information Amendment (LGOIMA) Bill will make it easier for Councils to share clear and concise information in Land Information Memorandum (LIM) reports. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand welcomes visiting WTO Director General
    The World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala visits New Zealand this week. Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor said the WTO was essential to New Zealand as a small export-dependent trading nation.  “New Zealand’s economic security depends on our ability to trade. Our goods exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Faster, cheaper, better resource management law given first reading
    New laws that will deliver a faster, cheaper, and better resource management system had their first reading in the House today. The Spatial Planning (SP) and the Natural and Built Environment (NBE) Bills, which were introduced last week, will replace the 30-year-old Resource Management Act (RMA). Environment Minister David Parker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Minister Sio to meet new Vanuatu PM
    Associate Foreign Affairs Minister Aupito William Sio travels to Vanuatu today, to meet with the new Government led by Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau and to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the Pacific Community (SPC) Ministerial Conference being hosted in Port Vila. Minister Sio will have a number of bilateral meetings with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Driving ahead with the Clean Car Standard
    Following discussions with vehicle importers, the Government has confirmed the Clean Car Standard will be phased in from 1 December 2022, significantly reducing the CO2 emissions of light vehicles in New Zealand, announced Transport Minister Michael Wood. “Emissions from our light vehicle fleet are the single largest source of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Speech to Constitutional Kōrero conference
    Our Evolving Sense of Nationhood – Me Anga Whakamua Indigenous Futures and New Zealand’s Constitution Tuia ki runga, Tuia ki raro, Tuia te here tangata, Mai i te wheiao ki te ao mārama Ka rongo te pō ka rongo te āo! Tīhei Mauri Ora! Kei ngā miro o te ao ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Rental sector changes to regulate residential property managers, clear up meth confusion and ease pr...
    A suite of measures to improve the lives of renters and landlords has been announced by Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods as the Government makes more progress on reform of the rental sector. “Nearly 600,000 households rent in New Zealand and these measures will result in regulated oversight of residential ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Further sanctions on the political and economic elites of Russia and Belarus
    Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced further sanctions on members of the inner circles of governments in Russia and Belarus, as part of the ongoing response to the war in Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand first moved against the powerful and wealthy in Russia with sanctions on political and economic ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Another step towards improved supermarket competition
    The Bill to trigger an unprecedented shake-up of the grocery sector and deliver New Zealanders a fairer deal at the checkout and help tackle cost of living pressures is ready for its first reading at Parliament. “The duopoly has now been given plenty of warning. If they fail to adequately ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Black Ferns to be celebrated at Parliament
    A public event and celebration will be held on Parliament’s lawn on December 13 to celebrate our Rugby World Cup winning Black Ferns. “The Black Ferns’ triumph at Eden Park is one of New Zealand’s greatest sporting moments,” Grant Robertson said. “They are extraordinary athletes, exceptional people and proud New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Autism Guideline released by Ministry
    The release of the latest edition of the Aotearoa New Zealand Autism Guideline – He Waka Huia Takiwātanga Rau has been welcomed by Minister for Disability Issues Poto Williams today. The Guideline provides an opportunity to better understand and communicate best practices for supporting autistic people and their families and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Speech to Aotearoa Refugee Hui
    Nga mihi nui ki a koutou, Welcome to the Parliament, your Parliament. It is great to see the community here in such numbers, and I am happy to be here with my parliamentary colleagues to listen and take part in the discussions today. I particularly want to acknowledge Ibrahim Omer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Global climate talks underline need for domestic action
    Minister of Climate Change James Shaw marked the end of COP27 negotiations in Egypt by saying it was now crunch time for counties to step up and take urgent action at home. “Even though we have these international negotiations every year, our focus must always be on what we do ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Defence Minister visits Ukraine and Poland
    Defence Minister Peeni Henare has visited Ukraine and Poland, holding talks with his Ministerial counterparts. During the talks Minister Henare reaffirmed New Zealand’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian defence against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.   The visit  was a further demonstration of New Zealand’s ongoing support to the people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Stuart Nash to attend OECD meetings
    Small Business Minister Stuart Nash will travel to Paris today to attend small business meetings with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Stuart Nash will chair the OECD’s Digital for SMEs (D4SME) Steering Group meeting and the 4th Roundtable of the OECD D4SME Global Initiative. “The OECD’s Digital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Human Rights Act enhanced to protect religious communities
    The Government will amend the law to make sure religious communities feel safe and welcome in New Zealand. After extensive consultation, with more than 19,000 submissions on six proposals, the Government will make one change to address incitement towards religious communities while asking for further work to be done alongside ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Defence Minister meets with UK counterpart and visits NZDF personnel
    Minister of Defence Peeni Henare held talks in the UK today with his counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace.   The Ministers reiterated the importance of our defence relationship, and reflected on the strong historical and cultural ties between the United Kingdom and New Zealand.   Together, they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago