Open mike 27/03/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 27th, 2011 - 71 comments
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71 comments on “Open mike 27/03/2011 ”

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  2. Bored 2
    27 March 2011 at 8:00 am

    Matt McCarten has said it far more eloquently than me in the Herald today, Goff has to go.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10715084

    • Marty G 2.1
      27 March 2011 at 8:07 am

      well, carter’s put the kiss of death on that, it seems

    • Draco T Bastard 2.2
      27 March 2011 at 12:44 pm

      Frankly, neither Labour or National have any intention of changing the fundamental neo-liberal dogma that steals from the poor and gives to the rich. Their differences are on the edges.

      That I’d agree with. In fact, from what I can make out, all political parties are supportive of that particular paradigm and don’t seem to be in any hurry to change it.

    • millsy 2.3
      27 March 2011 at 1:04 pm

      The ball is in the Labour party’s court now. If they are going to roll him, they need to do it quickly and cleanly. As in this week. If they dont do it soon, its going to fester.

      You have nothing to lose, Labour. Go on, stop thinking about your parliamentary salaries and start thinking about your supporters and your target market. You may lose this election regardless, but at least you’ll be in good stead for 2014. Do you really think that Phil Goff will still be there then?

  3. logie97 3
    27 March 2011 at 8:30 am

    Netball sells out to the highest bidder.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10715226

    The Herald on Sunday understands the national broadcaster made an offer of $700,000 for the rights – far, far below Sky’s successful bid of $2.3 million.

    Wouldn’t mind betting they will still have charitable status and have their hands out for other government grants / sports foundation funding though.

    • millsy 3.1
      27 March 2011 at 12:47 pm

      Australian cricket icon Richie Benaud has always been a stauch advocate on cricket being broadcast on free to air TV. Obviously he understands that the long term viability of a sport depends on having it reach as wide a television audience as possible.

      Unfortunately, with the exception of former All Black (Sir) Fred Allen, who the modern establishment would just dismiss as some raving senile old pensioner, the sporting authorties here do not appear to share that view, with international rugby in 1996 and cricket in 1999-2000 making the move over to pay TV – of course Sky then cunningly decides to change the rules on their customers and move some games over to channels that they need to pay extra for. Suffice to say, rugby (with the exeption of the World Cup and Sevens tournaments), and cricket have dissepared from free to air TV, apart from a few delayed games on Prime which are constantly interrupted by ads, with that, I belive that has lead to the dropping of playing numbers across the board for rugby and cricket in the past 10 years, given the fact that families and indivduals are unable, or unwilling to pay for a sky subscription, to watch our national game.

      Now I have no objections to niche sports, such as NFL/MLB/NBA or the Masters, or English football being shown on Sky, which is the best place for them, but the Olympic and Commenwealth Games, All Black tests, NPC/Ranfurly Shield matches really should be shown on free to air TV, to capture as wide an audience as possible, after all, like it or not, sport is a part of our national culture, and I think the NZRFU, NZ Cricket and now NZ Netball have comdemed their sports to long term damage for short term profit.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1
        27 March 2011 at 1:22 pm

        If they’re professional sports, which rugby is in NZ, then they should probably be on pay-tv. Amateur sports should be probably be on free-view.

        • millsy 3.1.1.1
          27 March 2011 at 1:42 pm

          Im talking about All Black tests, and test and ODI cricket, not super rugby or 20/20 slogfests.

          Before Sky got greedy and wanted everything, a reasonable compromise existed where TV1 broadcasted the All Black tests, and home cricket matches live as wells as a couple of NPC games each week, while Sky delivered the overseas stuff as well as the old Super 10 matches and the games that TVNZ were unable or unwilling to cover. I belive that such a compromise would have been more suitable than sky getting ALL the live stuff and TVNZ showing ad ridden replays.

        • logie97 3.1.1.2
          27 March 2011 at 2:18 pm

          Not sure that the professional aspect has much to do with it. The point missed here is that these sporting organisations always have their hand out when it comes to funding. They enjoy charitable status in some cases and therefore get tax relief (effectively a subsidy from the tax payer.) Might be nice for the tax payer to get a little bit of a return on their investment, rather than a snub…
          Just as an aside – who actually pays for the extra police required for large sporting events?

          captcha: dog

        • William Joyce 3.1.1.3
          27 March 2011 at 4:59 pm

          If they’re professional sports then they should pay for the turf at Ami stadium to be repaired. It is an essential part of their business and they chose not insure it.
          What happened to Verse 27 of the Book of Free Will in the LeoLib Bible regarding moral hazard?
          What about the uninsured home owners of Christchurch – we have to teach them a lesson but not the professional rugby industry!

          • MrSmith 3.1.1.3.1
            27 March 2011 at 5:56 pm

            Rugby is Social control William, we have to keep all those suckers supporting there team and watching pointless ‘games’ because if they actually had time to think, they just might want some change and we couldn’t have that now.

  4. Jim Nald 4
    27 March 2011 at 9:40 am

    9:37am Watching Paul Holmes interview Phil Goff
    Has the standard of interviewing descended so low? This is so very rude.
    Is Paul whipping himself into a frenzy so that he can ejaculate all over the carpet?
    Phil is keeping cool. I’m watching this because I want to hear Phil.
    Will turn off the tv right after this interview.

    p.s. can our Parliamentarians introduce a bill so that we can smack media interviewers?

    • happynz 4.1
      27 March 2011 at 9:50 am

      Not much of an interview. More of a vehicle to have Paul Holmes gas along like a bad TV series lawyer. I have to give Goff credit for showing patience. He answered the question, such as it was, at least several times.

      • Jim Nald 4.1.1
        27 March 2011 at 10:08 am

        Phil was tested and came across well – measured, thoughtful, cool, fair.
        Holmes should just interview cardboard cut-outs next time and indulge in a manic soliloquy.
        What has happened to the code of etiquette for media interviewers?
        Thought Kevin Rudd gave it back well to Guyon earlier in the morning – the interview, indeed the morning, showcased the mediocrity of journalism on TV1.

      • Anthony C 4.1.2
        27 March 2011 at 1:30 pm

        Haven’t watched this yet, but considering how much of a dick Holmes made of himself to Tariq Ali, I don’t think there is much lower you can sink, unless he is intent on slowly burrowing his way through the sea floor on a slow journey through the earths mantle.

        Bad TV series lawyer is apt, like Denny Crane without the charm.

        I don’t want to be defamatory but Holmes seriously comes across like his mind is addled.

        • lprent 4.1.2.1
          27 March 2011 at 1:35 pm

          I haven’t seen that interview, but by the sounds of it perhaps we should get some excerpts up on the screen.

          • higherstandard 4.1.2.1.1
            27 March 2011 at 2:05 pm

            Phil should have shouted ‘Macbeth” at him.

            • Kevin Welsh 4.1.2.1.2.1
              27 March 2011 at 8:46 pm

              If Paul Holmes continues to host Q+A, I will continue to watch. The thought of not watching on the day his head actually explodes on tv, is too much to bear.

              • Jim Nald …
                27 March 2011 at 10:30 pm

                Maybe not too long before that happens. Can it be made a term of his employment contract that he be administered some valium before the mike gets flicked on?

                1:42 “fffleeing” [fff?? drama queen moment]

                [Grunts and snorts at, for eg the following points, .. would make you wonder if he was fucking a pig. Or being fucked by a pig]
                2:09
                2:21
                2:26
                2:39
                2:50

                2:59 “It is not trial by mediaaa!” [oh, really, dear Paul, and what do you think you’re doing? Watering pot plants?]

                etc [ok, I’m not going to waste my evening and you can listen to the clip yourself ..]

        • Mac1 4.1.2.2
          27 March 2011 at 9:58 pm

          Just watched the item. Holmes seemed like it had become very personal. He was emotional, interrupting far too much. The grunt of dismissal or disagreement at the end when Goff thanked him was most ungracious.

          I would hope that an independent and fair assessment of Holmes’s interview could be made by his employers. I think it was ill-mannered, emotionally loaded and unprofessional. If he was trying to badger Goff into saying something unwise, then even that did not work.

          Goff was measured and very patient, Holmes frankly disgraceful. Well done, Phil Goff.

          • felix 4.1.2.2.1
            27 March 2011 at 10:54 pm

            “If he was trying to badger Goff into saying something unwise, then even that did not work”

            Yep. Not only is he an obnoxious bully, but he sucks at it too.

  5. Chris 5
    27 March 2011 at 9:46 am

    Ex. Herald 27th.March

    “Little said he and Goff had been together at least six times and the Hughes situation had not been mentioned. Goff said last night it had been a busy week and he had not had time to call Little.
    “It is, for me, a caucus matter.”

    Thats really going to help the relathionship. Goff was very remiss in not discussing it considering the ramifications.

    • William joyce 5.1
      27 March 2011 at 10:05 am

      Yes, he’s leaving Phil to hang twisting in the wind. It sends a message about the party internal politics.

  6. Sanctuary 6
    27 March 2011 at 10:01 am

    I watched a bit of NSW election coverage on Sky channel 90 last night and there was something very odd about it that I couldn’t put my finger on… And then it came to me. In Australia, it is OK to present to different points of view without the argument immediately degenerating into hysterical acccusations of deviation from the received wisdom!

    People could talk about Labor having to get back to Labor values without them being mocked by fashionably cyncial journalists and solidly neo-liberal media talking heads, and no one felt like their revolutionary dogma was under threat by merely talking to a working class trade unionist on air.

    Not for the first time I looked at the more sophisticated Australian political debate and dispairingly realised that New Zealand’s entire political/media establishment is afflicted with monolithic ideological blinkers that reduces our political debate to a comical certitude of self important navel gazing.

  7. William joyce 7
    27 March 2011 at 10:03 am

    Q+A follow up…..re: DH affair
    I thing the panel had a point that this is politics and from a politics POV Goff dropped the ball.
    From a POV of honour, Goff played it well in the interests of those involved.

    The sad truth is sometimes politics and honour are mutually exclusive.

    • Jim Nald 7.1
      27 March 2011 at 10:18 am

      Mmm, not sure. After being immersed with the politics of smiling assassination, honour is refreshing.

      • William Joyce 7.1.1
        27 March 2011 at 11:28 am

        I’m a big fan of honour – but too jaded to expect it from pollies. Yeah, nice to see it when it appears. But the jocks of politics see it as a weakness and give you a wedgie and throw you in the dumpster.

    • Draco T Bastard 7.2
      27 March 2011 at 12:53 pm

      Politics an honour should be mutually supporting. If they’ve become mutually exclusive then our society has become very sick.

  8. ianmac 8
    27 March 2011 at 10:13 am

    I was pleasantly surprised at how well Phil did with the ever- awful Holmes. Specially liked his succinct one word answers to the first few questions.
    At the end of the show there was a note about the top State Servant refusing to lead the Recovery Team because he couldn’t work with Brownlie.
    Anyone?

  9. Chris 9
    27 March 2011 at 10:51 am

    I’am sorry did I miss something. There’s going to be no change ? after several years of ‘unremarkable’ polling for Labour, after years of personal low polling by Goff and him failing to gain any traction for Labour, after this debacle where Goffs poor handling has been highlighted, where fractions and decent within the Party are very public, and then when even someone like Matt McCarten says he has to go and change has to happen – we just stick a plaster over this large boil and expect everything to be rosie ? This with an election looming ? Is this a recipe for resounding success for Labour ? – sorry I’am not buying it.

  10. Tigger 10
    27 March 2011 at 11:07 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10715181

    Now comes all the ‘gossip’ stuff – this piece about Hughes apparently making a ‘pass’ – very dangerous move because there is a bunch of ‘gossip’ about MPs in Wellington and I suspect the lid is about to come off some of it. Two in particular…

    • Jim Nald 10.1
      27 March 2011 at 11:23 am

      Haha … I have heard at least three juicy stories about Cabinet Ministers.
      I wonder if we’re about to go into ‘open season’ about the sex lives of MPs, of any party.

      • gobsmacked 10.1.1
        27 March 2011 at 11:47 am

        I remember hearing on the grapevine several years ago about a politician (still active) visiting a massage parlour.

        Of course I enjoyed the gossip, but thought then (and still do) that this was private, legal and irrelevant.

        But that’s the trouble when the sewer is running our media. It’s very tempting to respond in kind. There’s more than enough “dirt” to go around.

  11. William Joyce 11
    27 March 2011 at 11:21 am

    I can’t see a justification for this article. Passes in the work context are made every day of the week and twice on Sundays. It’s a matter of degrees and the article doesn’t tell us that. What would be interesting to know was the degree of the passes – somewhere on the spectrum from tentative invitation for further “congress” to rebuffed, persistent harassments.
    The sad thing for DH is that being in politics is not the best place to explore your sexuality, especially if you are in the process of “coming out” (if indeed this is what has been happening).
    I suppose this would be a something that we would expect an older person to have been through and then moved on to politics. (Tho’ history/politics/religion is littered with older men who have not done this).

    anti-spam : personal

  12. Colonial Viper 12
    27 March 2011 at 11:58 am

    500,000 march in UK against Government cut backs and public sector lay offs

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/blog/2011/mar/26/march-for-the-alternative-live-blog-updates

    • Bored 12.1
      27 March 2011 at 12:01 pm

      Was just going to post the link, good stuff Viper. I sense the sense of frustraation is moving on from the Arab states to the west…its happening in the US (even though we are never told) and its across Europe. 1848?

    • Sanctuary 12.2
      27 March 2011 at 12:11 pm

      Cameron wants to be careful, the English are not like those rioting continentals – it is all polite marches, then next thing you know its a civil war and the king’s head is on a pike.

      I see even the Torygraph is reporting 400,000. Although in true liberal Tory style reporting apparently every one of the marchers is an anarchist bent on killing your neighbourhood bobby.

      • Colonial Viper 12.2.1
        27 March 2011 at 12:16 pm

        it is all polite marches, then next thing you know its a civil war and the king’s head is on a pike.

        Exactly. Just wait until a few more Northern Irish and Scottish turn up to the next meet. At that stage all the King’s men won’t do Cameron and Clegg an ounce of good.

    • Carol 12.3
      27 March 2011 at 7:27 pm

      ON TV3 News tonight, the UK report they used was stressing how most of the protesters were peaceful & only a small minority got violent. The subtext was that the violent protesters were out of order & off message. But they did report that the “violent” protests were against wealthy businesses/retail chains: banks, the Ritz Hotel, the upmarket Fortnum & Mason. The reporters seemed to wilfully ignore the selective targetting of businesses as part of the message of the protest.

  13. Morrissey 13
    27 March 2011 at 12:01 pm

    Government’s science adviser not so smart about politics
    National Radio, Sunday 27 March 2011, 11.10 a.m.

    For someone who prides himself on his scientific thinking and his education, Chris Laidlaw’s guest Peter Gluckman showed himself to be alarmingly woolly-minded about politics. After Gluckman mentioned something about the “heroic” image of Israel before 1967 “when things started to go wrong”, Laidlaw asked him about his thoughts on the Israeli regime of the present day…

    GLUCKMAN: Ahhhh, I am disappointed that it has not been able to, ahhhhh, find a way to some sort of reconciliation with those around them.

    LAIDLAW: Hrrrumph. What are your instincts about Israel finding a, hrrrumph, way out of the situation?

    GLUCKMAN: Ahhhhh, there needs to be, ahhhhh, rationality on both sides that can lead to the kinds of accommodations on BOTH sides that have to be met.

    LAIDLAW: Hrrrrumph. I hope you are right.

    Not once did Gluckman mention the need for Israel to start observing international law, not once did he mention the word “occupation”. He also said that “all Jews” accept the “need” for an Israeli state “for protection.” That’s false, in fact grievously false.

    It is disappointing that Laidlaw did not dare to contradict these wandery and cliché-ridden statements. Gluckman is a learned scientist who deserves respect when he speaks about scientific matters; sadly, however, he does not seem to have read a lot about politics and history, and his seem to no more informed than, say, the views of Leighton Smith, or Kerre Woodham, or John Key.

    • Bored 13.1
      27 March 2011 at 12:04 pm

      The stark contrast was Kim (the llightweight) Hills interview with Tariq Ali last Saturday. Tariq was gentle as he took the ground out from Hills cliche ridden establishmentarianism. Laidlaw is much the same, part of the status quo.

      • Morrissey 13.1.1
        27 March 2011 at 1:21 pm

        To be fair, though, Kim Hill did subject that criminal and pathological liar John Howard to a rigorous grilling late last year. At least it riled that poor old oenophile Karl Du Fresne to roar to the defence of the great man with an hilariously inept ad hominem attack on Hill in the Australian version of the Spectator.

        With friends like De Fresne….

    • Jim Nald 13.2
      27 March 2011 at 12:09 pm

      I’ve heard it many times from many sources that Gluckman thinks he is a learned scientist.
      Will be good to hear more of Gluckman so that we can make up our minds.

    • Vicky32 13.3
      27 March 2011 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks for that, Morrisey, as I had missed most of the interview!
      Deb

  14. joe90 14
    27 March 2011 at 12:35 pm

    Gluckmans reticence is understandable knowing that the IDF has set up an intelligence group to monitor any foreigner who criticises Israel and her actions.

    Richard Silverstein: IDF VS. THE DELEGITIMIZERS.

  15. William Joyce 15
    27 March 2011 at 12:49 pm

    Ouch – I’ve found myself thinking that Hone is making some sense. I think I will have to have a lie down now……
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1103/S00374/hone-harawira-open-letter-on-coastal-and-marine-area-bill.htm
    Chris “Sphincter Clench” Finlayson has not solved good-god-damn thing!

  16. todd 16
    27 March 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Asshole of the Week Award

    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/03/asshole-of-week-award_27.html

    OK! So we’ve had an allegation concerning Darren Hughes, one of the Labour ministers. The police have been informed and will appropriately look into the matter. Do we have to have a trial by media who has run the story at the beginning of every news hour for the last four nights? Do we have to have a media beat up when there are far more important things happening in the World?

    • ianmac 16.1
      27 March 2011 at 4:28 pm

      The Jackal was a bit too kind to Mr Holmes though. Perhaps he could have really say what he thought. But otherwise totally agreed!

    • Deadly_NZ 16.2
      27 March 2011 at 10:28 pm

      Well that poison Dwarf Paul Homes is positive he is guilty.. I watched the I suppose you could call it an interview, but in my humble opinion it was someone blowing a gasket because his target did not rise to all the innuendo.

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    27 March 2011 at 5:27 pm

    Libya fighting shows just how idiotic the Defence Review was

    Analysis Recent combat operations by British and allied forces in Libya are beginning to tell us a lot: not so much about the future of Libya, which remains up for grabs, but about the tools one actually needs for fighting real-world wars against real-world enemy armed forces.

    Précis of the conclusions:
    1.) Aircraft are useless without aircraft carriers
    2.) Tanks and artillery are useless
    3.) If you want to fight a war then you need cheap and effective missiles
    4.) Profit making defense industry is a rip-off of the taxpayer.

  18. Chris 18
    27 March 2011 at 5:44 pm

    Read the Jackel comment and yes P.H.s was OTT – BUT sorry if this ‘scandal’ was handled from the start this ‘trial by media’ would not be occurring. This is what journalist live for its their bread and butter and this one is served up with jam . This ‘scandal’ will continue to be media fodder for weeks / months and it will distract us from the real issues as it has it all – politics, sex, human nature, intrigue, and coverups. A good old political sex scandal makes good copy and sells newspapers. It comes back to Goffs original mismanagement of this. The media and public just love a good political sex scandal – so don’t give them one.

    • weizguy 18.1
      28 March 2011 at 7:35 am

      “BUT sorry if this ‘scandal’ was handled from the start this ‘trial by media’ would not be occurring.”

      Rubbish. Utter rubbish. The political management angle is just another sideline. The reason that there is a trial by media is because our media is obsessed by sex and scandal. No matter what Goff did, as soon as this was leaked, it was going to be treated in this way.

  19. joe90 19
    27 March 2011 at 5:46 pm

    At last, jail time for a player in the sub-prime mortgage disaster.

    Was Mr. Engle convicted of running a crooked subprime company? Was he a mortgage broker who trafficked in predatory loans? A Wall Street huckster who sold toxic assets?

    No. Charlie Engle wasn’t a seller of bad mortgages. He was a borrower. And the “mortgage fraud” for which he was prosecuted was something that literally millions of Americans did during the subprime bubble. Supposedly, he lied on two liar loans.

    • Draco T Bastard 19.1
      27 March 2011 at 7:46 pm

      In any collapsing society you will always find the administrators protecting themselves and their clique at everyone else’s expense rather than facing reality.

  20. travellerev 20
    28 March 2011 at 10:03 am

    For those of you who enjoyed his writing, I have just been notified by my facebook page that a wonderful writer and all round great guy Joe Bageant has passed away after a four month long battle with cancer. May he rest in peace. I am gutted

  21. randal 21
    28 March 2011 at 11:16 am

    the dimpost is full of dire warnings about Phill Goffs performance over the weekend.
    they seem incensed that he told the meeja to go and get sstuffed on Q&A.WOW.Go backa gain next week Phil and give them another shot.
    TVNZ has a soft centre and they need a good kicking every now and again.
    who do they think they are?
    They dont run the country and they dont run the Party.
    they just a bunch of overpaid fleas dressed up as hothouse flowers.

  22. Mac1 22
    2 April 2011 at 2:16 pm

    I share your sense of grief and loss, travellerev.

    “Deerhunting with Jesus” is so applicable to New Zealand 2011. I wish I had been acquainted with his work before this year. May others discover this man’s writing, ideas and analysis. As his obituary said, they will live on.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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