Open mike 28/02/2022

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 28th, 2022 - 66 comments
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66 comments on “Open mike 28/02/2022 ”

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  1. weka 1
    28 February 2022 at 6:05 am

    Please put comments about the convoy protest under one of the dedicated posts so we can keep Open Mike free for other discussions.

  2. tsmithfield 2
    28 February 2022 at 7:13 am

    Russia isn't doing so well in Ukraine:

    "Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said Putin's forces had been unable to capture key cities in the first few days of fighting as intended and had left pockets of 'well-armed' Ukrainians to the rear of their front line.

    A picture is emerging of a haphazard and disorganised invasion effort, with armoured columns running out of fuel or getting lost, and some having to advance without air cover."

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10556813/President-lose-grip-power-doesnt-Ukraine-says-minister.html

    "Ukrainian deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar said on Sunday that the number of dead could be as high as 4,300, but it still needed to be clarified. She also said on her Facebook page that Russian troops lost about 146 tanks, 27 aircraft and 26 helicopters."

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1572568/Ukraine-Russia-live-invasion-vladimir-Putin-mocked-resistance-kyiv-Volodymyr-Zelenskyy

    "Ukrainian military forces were successful in destroying a Chechen special forces column of 56 tanks near the capital of Kyiv on Saturday, Ukrainian news agency The Kyiv Independent reported.

    According to the report, which the outlet said was confirmed by the Ukrainian President’s Office, the attack killed top Chechen general Magomed Tushayev, head of the 141 motorized regiment of the Chechnya National Guard."

    https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukrainian-forces-destroy-convoy-of-56-chechen-tanks-kill-general-near-kyiv-report/

    "This is the moment a Ukrainian driver mockingly asks invaders if they need a 'tow back to Russia' after spotting their tank had broken down on a road en route to Kyiv.

    The clip, shared widely across social media, appears to show an encounter between a group of Ukrainians and Russians who are said to be stranded at the side of a road outside of the Ukrainian capital.

    The footage begins with the driver slowing down to a stop as he approaches the Russian tank, which has 'broken down' on the side of the road and waiting for diesel."

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10554929/Video-claims-Ukrainians-mocking-Russian-tank-stuck-without-fuel-road-Kyiv.html

    A big problem for the Russian forces in Ukraine is that they have had to bypass key cities because of not being able to take them. This leaves their supply lines vulnerable to attack from the Ukraine forces still in those cities.

    Putin is certainly not going to get the quick victory he was expecting.

    • McFlock 2.1
      28 February 2022 at 11:40 am

      Fair call that the drive to Kyiv and the airport assault were essentially decapitation attempts, but they were nice-to-haves rather than the main assaults.

      The 2003 US/others invasion of Iraq took about a month for the most advanced military in the world to fully occupy a 25million person country of 440,000 km^2 with 300k troops, 2/3 US.

      The current invasion seems to be a bit over 200k soldiers invading a country with 40million people on 600,000km^2. And that country is defended by forces with near-peer technology.

      The Russians also seem to not be acting so Russian in their invasion doctrine, e.g. Grozny. Artillery seems, from what is online, to be more targeted than carpet barrages of TOS-1s and that sort of shit. We'll see if they keep that up if things continue to be so expensive for them. Specific claims can be taken with a grain of salt, but it sure ain't a walkover.

      • Sabine 2.1.1
        28 February 2022 at 2:58 pm

        The question that needs to be asked is: Do the Russians want to occupy, or are they only trying to do two small things. A. drive home the point that Nato is not sending troops, but rather just some small weaponry, old planes from the old eastern block states, and some sanctions and that after 8 years of stringing Ukraine along with its 'join' Nato bullshit, that after Zelensky stating that he would state Nuclear Warheads at his border with Russia – which imo was the final reason for Putin to wake up the dogs of war. B. Capture a little port not far from Crimea and thus have closed a wee inconvenient hole for the Russian and created a whole heep of issues for the Ukraine.. https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-27-22/h_32a28d1a9ec40e68486a3526f035dc6f

        Scroll down for a better pic, right below Donestk you find Mariupol – capture that area and link the red areas and pull back from any other 'front'. Declare Victory.

  3. Sanctuary 3
    28 February 2022 at 7:58 am

    I had the misfortune to stumble across a (verified, well as verified as it could be) twitter video last night of citizens in Kharkiv ambushing a Russian column with a hail of Molotov cocktails. It was horrific and I wish I had never seen it, the flaming vehicles, the gunfire, the screams. Those poor Russians, mostly just kids too poor to buy/bribe their way out of military service, being immolated by people that look like any group you'd round up on a chilly winters day at the local mall.

    If Ukraine wins this war they’ll have won their freedom with their blood – both their own and that of Russian conscripts.

    Putin should go on trial for this. He won't, more is the pity.

    • tsmithfield 3.1
      28 February 2022 at 8:36 am

      I agree.

      I don't think the average Russian soldier wants to be there. So, I feel sorry for them, and it must be terrifying coming up against a highly motivated populace.

      From what I have read, their moral is very low. Being stuck out there in the cold can't be a lot of fun either, especially when they probably planned to be in control of some of the major cities by now.

      • Sanctuary 3.1.1
        28 February 2022 at 8:44 am

        These "battalion groups" the Russians are using are turning out to be an unmitigated disaster. The troops lack the training to make the most of the swollen support weapons they have and Russian units have been advancing in dispersed company and even platoon sized units largely along roads (due to inexperience and the spring thaw making off road movement ruinously slow and heavy on fuel). Logistics are a really ropey, made much worse because the Ukrainians appears to be allowing the armour to pass by and then attacking the support units – as would be expected when you try and invade the largest country in Europe with with just 180,000 men. Footage showing hungry Russian soldiers robbing shops and abandoned vehicles that have gotten lost and run out of gas is everywhere.

        This war needs to end, it is turning into a bloody stalemate.

        • tsmithfield 3.1.1.1
          28 February 2022 at 9:18 am

          I agree, it is looking badly organised for Russia. I saw a US military authority commenting on the situation. He thought that the strategy of attacking at once from all sides was flawed, and based on a strategy of a quick win, which obviously isn't the case. But this has made co-ordination of the various elements of Russia's forces a lot more difficult.

          It looks like Ukraine and Russia are about to hold negotiations. I understand that no preconditions have been set by the Russians for these.

          https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-and-russia-set-to-hold-negotiations-at-belarusian-ukrainian-border-says-office-of-president-zelenskyy-12553294

          What I hope is that the Russians ask for some sort of token concession to save face so that Putin can have enough justification for the action he has initiated. And then withdraw his forces without having to admit defeat.

          The Ukranian resistance along with all the international sanctions is going to make this situation untenable for Russia. Plus, the west is continuing to supply arms to Ukraine, so I don't think it will get any easier for Russia.

          I also hope that the saner heads in Russia will move to remove Putin from power as he is clearly a loose cannon who is a clear menace to the world and Russia itself.

      • Anne 3.1.2
        28 February 2022 at 10:40 am

        "I don't think the average Russian soldier wants to be there. So, I feel sorry for them, and it must be terrifying coming up against a highly motivated populace."

        I recall reading somewhere that a group of Russian soldiers were led to believe they were going home and instead found themselves in Ukraine.

        I, too, feel sorry for the many intelligent, well informed Russians who must be distraught over what is happening in their name. Not to mention the anguish and despair of the Ukranians of course.

        If some sort of compromise is negotiated between Russia and Ukraine you can bet your bottom dollar Putin will say it was his intention all along. 🙄

        • Dennis Frank 3.1.2.1
          28 February 2022 at 8:31 pm

          Saw a fun report on Al Jazeera a couple of days back. A Ukrainian armoured personnel carrier had stopped on the road (vid showed it) & the Brit reporter said there was a Russian speaker in the vehicle talking to a group of Russian soldiers who appeared to be lost – told them the war was over and Ukraine had won, and asked if they wanted to be given a ride back into Russia. smiley

      • Craig H 3.1.3
        28 February 2022 at 10:51 am

        At least some of the Russian soldiers were told it was a training exercise until they got to the border where they were told that they were attacking.

        • Anne 3.1.3.1
          28 February 2022 at 12:02 pm

          That would be for sure. Most of them only young kids too.

          Many years ago during the Cold War years I met a small group of young Russian sailors. How it came about is another story. I found them friendly and very polite. Indeed if I didn't know they were Russian, I would have taken them for any 20 odd -year-old youths looking for a bit of fun and adventure.

          It brought it home to me, these young sailors were no different to their Western counterparts and should not be tainted because of their totalitarian governance of the day.

  4. Jimmy 4
    28 February 2022 at 9:17 am

    I have said on here before, this year there is likely to be very large rent increases due to the changes in the rental rules.

    Sorry tenants, but if you voted Labour or Greens this is what you get. Landlords have to pass on the additional costs.

    Residents in over-60s complex 'may have to leave' after landlord hikes rents and opens it to all ages | Stuff.co.nz

    • AB 4.1
      28 February 2022 at 9:33 am

      “Sorry tenants, but if you voted Labour or Greens this is what you get. Landlords have to pass on the additional costs.”

      By this logic, tenants are therefore permanently stuck with two bad options – shitty, sub-standard accommodation, or no accommodation at all. Permanent misery and permanent enslavement of one portion of the population by another. And you probably think this is not a sign of total depravity.

    • Poission 4.2
      28 February 2022 at 9:33 am

      That was a council mistake for allowing the covenant removal of the over 60's designation.

    • Ad 4.3
      28 February 2022 at 9:34 am

      I think you'll find it's the mortgage increases and rates increases that are the big costs passed on. Neither of those are directed by government.

      If a landlord didn't have the money to make a warm, dry and hence approved rental home, they should have sold out by now.

      Good on the government for re-regulating the rental market.

      • weka 4.3.1
        28 February 2022 at 10:34 am

        would the mortgage and rates increases be $120/wk?

      • Jimmy 4.3.2
        28 February 2022 at 10:36 am

        The mortgage interest non deductibility is definitely directed by government. That was why I increased my rental.

        • Ad 4.3.2.1
          28 February 2022 at 11:14 am

          Agree with that.

        • Blazer 4.3.2.2
          28 February 2022 at 12:26 pm

          That is phased in over years is it…not?

          • Jimmy 4.3.2.2.1
            28 February 2022 at 1:16 pm

            Yes it is.

            or property acquired before 27 March 2021, these rules are phased in with:

            • 75% of the interest claimable from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2023
            • 50% claimable from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
            • 25% claimable from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025; and
            • no deduction at all for interest incurred in borrowing to acquire residential property from 1 April 2025 onwards.

            That's why I only increased the rent enough to cover the 25% non-deductible portion this year, but I will further increase from 1st of April 2023 to cover 50% non deductible. Long term tenant was very understanding.

    • Barfly 4.4
      28 February 2022 at 10:30 am

      I think most landlords charge the maximum that they can …irrespective of costs.

    • Treetop 4.5
      28 February 2022 at 11:21 am

      An increase in homelessness was my contribution for the New Year prediction. Not outlandish but a serious matter.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 4.6
      28 February 2022 at 12:20 pm

      Only if you voted Labour actually, have you gotten what you voted for.

      If enough people voted Green, the opposite would be true (their policies are for rent controls, CGT, increased state housing etc).

      National / ACT – their policies would also favour the landlord class (as exemplified by National's current leader).

  5. Ad 5
    28 February 2022 at 9:30 am

    While it's great the Minister of Energy has assured us all that we don't get oil from Russia, and have forward contracts to protect reserves,

    New Zealand Fuel Security Assured | Scoop News

    now would be a great time to remember that the Marsden Point refinery enabled us to make and store our own reserves of fuel here. Think Big was by no means all good, but it responded to a similar moment in oil prices.

    We're heading for a barrel of oil at $140 for the rest of the year:

    The Ukraine crisis is reshaping global energy markets and could send oil soaring to $140 per barrel, top energy expert predicts | Fortune

    That's 91 at between $3.20 – $3.50 a litre at the petrol station.

    New Zealand gasoline prices, 21-Feb-2022 | GlobalPetrolPrices.com

    We don't have the capacity to make our own fuel anymore, and Government decided that they would rather focus on an enormous battery dam in the Otago that will never happen than focus on the actual spike in oil supply which is right now.

    I had kinda hoped that New Zealand's demand for oil would have decreased more during COVID, but it amounts to a wee shave off the top.

    As a result we are not in a good position right now.

    Certainly makes the reception for James Shaw's Carbon Plan in May a fair bit harder.

    New Zealand Oil Consumption, 1965 – 2022 | CEIC Data

    area chart of New Zealand Oil Consumption from December 1965 to December 2020

    [lprent: Make sure the width of whatever you want to display is somewhere between 550 and 580px – fixed this at 580 ]

  6. tc 6
    28 February 2022 at 9:53 am

    Exploitation watch: Duplicity and Baz putting Iggy into play. Didn't take long.

  7. tc 7
    28 February 2022 at 9:58 am

    Those bastions of global unity, FIFA, decide Russia can continue in their world cup campaign.

    • Barfly 7.1
      28 February 2022 at 10:25 am

      Hmm at this rate they will "win" the competition without playing a single game…..

      • tc 7.1.1
        28 February 2022 at 3:48 pm

        Yes so the world cup hosting rats FIFA swallowed for 2018 was well spent as the teams scheduled to play Russia are boycotting.

        Played x, all won by default so shall we give them the world cup now ?

        Uefa moved the CL final from st Petersburg and then….
        Crickets

  8. Treetop 8
    28 February 2022 at 10:26 am

    Putin going into Ukrainia is personal for me. Up until 1945 my mother's place of birth near Husakow in the region of Lwow was on Polish soil and in 1945 her place of birth was 14 miles inside which is now known as Lviv region in Ukrainia. Every February 10, I think of her being deported to Ural in Russia age 11.

    • Barfly 8.1
      28 February 2022 at 10:41 am

      That "Polish" soil wasn't allocated by the Versailles Treaty as the inhabitants weren't majority ethnic Poles it was conquered by the Poles in the Polish – Soviet War of 1918-1921.

      Sorry to hear of your mother's experiences

      • Treetop 8.1.1
        28 February 2022 at 11:05 am

        Lviv has a long troubled past, especially on the border with Poland.

        Wars seem to start where there is a region with two ethnicities on the border of a country who wants to dominant the region. An example is the Russians in Donbas, which Putin claims he is protecting.

    • Ad 8.2
      28 February 2022 at 11:13 am

      What stories did your mother share with you?

      • Treetop 8.2.1
        28 February 2022 at 11:40 am

        Many. She was age 11 when deported in 1940 travelling 6 weeks in a railway wagon to Dubranski in Ural. Twice a day bread and water was all she had to eat. There was a hole in the centre of the wagon for human waste. Her only surviving family member was her brother 3 years younger than her, they both were emaciated and she was taken to a make shift morgue as she had a faint pulse and was thought to be dead. From December 1941 Easter 1942 her parents, 2 sisters (one age 3 died in her arms) and a brother died. She knew the truck came each day to take the bodies away. Mum said, "you had to try to survive." Her childhood was ended abruptly and she was aware of how the Jewish people were treated by the community, (even though she was a child) she felt shame and could do nothing to stop it.

  9. Jimmy 9
    28 February 2022 at 10:35 am

    RAT tests soon to be available (at cost) at Foodstuffs supermarkets. This is good news. Maybe a little late but good.

  10. Treetop 10
    28 February 2022 at 1:09 pm

    I know we are in phase 3. I think under the red traffic light. How many people actually know what the conditions of phase 3 are without looking them up?

    1 March tomorrow and it will be a big month for people dealing with and managing Covid.

  11. Molly 11
    28 February 2022 at 1:14 pm

    Long but worthwhile (IMO) read about the problems that occur when more than one of our systems have to work together, and the harm caused by their failure to do so.

    Herald: The New Zealand town that backed a child sex abuser

    The delays allowed a public smear campaign to be undertaken and maintained, causing further harm.

    • Puckish Rogue 11.1
      28 February 2022 at 1:34 pm

      Yeah thats a tough but worth it read.

      'The justice system needs to be more victim-centred'

      Yeah 100% agreed

      'The wait time for hearings should be reduced'

      Yes

      'The way child abuse victims are cross-examined needs to change'

      Yes but to what I'm not sure

      'Victims should be provided with a lawyer'

      Legal representation for all is a good idea

      'Guardianship rights should be paused when a parent is charged with abusing a child'

      Yeah see thats where it gets tricky, on the whole I agree but it needs to be done in some way that it isn't abused (no idea how)

      'Safeguards need to be put in place to stop abusers using legal action to punish victims.'

      • Molly 11.1.1
        28 February 2022 at 2:08 pm

        'Guardianship rights should be paused when a parent is charged with abusing a child'

        Yeah see thats where it gets tricky, on the whole I agree but it needs to be done in some way that it isn't abused (no idea how)

        Yes. I took that list to be from the perspective of someone who dealt with numerous system failures, and thought of a number of pressure points when stress may have been relieved.

        Due diligence and process has to be undertaken, but may be it can be prioritised. The initial investigating officer appears to have been deliberately reluctant to investigate, which drew out the timeline.

        • Puckish Rogue 11.1.1.1
          28 February 2022 at 3:08 pm

          Yeah it'd be interesting to know what the officer was thinking. Police Officers have a tough job at the best of times but this seems like a clear cut case of a please explain being warranted

          • Belladonna 11.1.1.1.1
            28 February 2022 at 8:12 pm

            Sadly, the police culture is to circle the wagons. Even if there is internal censure (which is unlikely) there is almost never a public apology.
            Even in the worst cases, the officer has been quietly allowed to 'retire' (with full benefits), by the time the case is heard – so the police just say, that there is no further action they can take.

        • Belladonna 11.1.1.2
          28 February 2022 at 8:10 pm

          Agree that it's challenging when someone is accused, but not yet convicted. And, that's a big part of the problem. Delays in the judicial system, mean that cases can literally go for years before they are heard in court. And then, there are, as in this case, appeals – which can extend the torture further.

          Certainly think that the police should automatically draft an investigating officer from outside the district when a high-profile member of the community is accused. Even if there is no actual bias, there's likely to be perceived bias.

          One change I'd like to see, is that the 'other' parent (i.e. the one not accused of abuse) has the right to move town to be closer to family and other support.
          This would have made a big difference in this case (and, I think in others).

          Generally the courts require the custodial parent to remain local (unless, of course both parties agree otherwise) to maintain the relationship of the child with both parents. In this situation, the father will have no contact with the child until the case is resolved, so there is little harm caused by allowing the mother to relocate (within NZ) until the case has been heard.

          Campaigns of 'whispers' are almost impossible to deal with – and walking away to a less toxic environment is often the best solution.

          I also think this woman would have benefited from much better legal advice – from somewhere like Women's Refuge – rather than a local solicitor. Perhaps the police should automatically refer cases of abuse to WR (or another agency, if more appropriate) for support.

          Finally, I think a sentence of home detention is not at all adequate for child abuse. [I could write pages about the way our legal system is biased towards the rights of the defendents, not the victims…. ]

      • Molly 11.1.2
        28 February 2022 at 2:14 pm

        PS., PR.

        Tried a Rogan podcast on the weekend, (previously avoided because of the 3 hr duration). Lasted about an hour, it was good, he let the guest talk without pointless interruptions, will finish it in stages.

        https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ugbn7cuab3mNgKbo81ajM

        • Puckish Rogue 11.1.2.1
          28 February 2022 at 3:23 pm

          Yeah its interesting listening to people talk about Joe Rogan when you know (no matter what they say) they haven't

          Thats Joes whole thing really, just talking to people with no ad breaks so no need to rush or anything

          This one was interesting because you can say Joe getting really frustrated with his guest over trans athletes and Joe getting frustrated like that is quite rare:

          https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dWMMbh3qjJXz7ijwtn2Tc

          Also Joe Rogan with Jordan Peterson and Jocko Willink are interesting for the how similar but also how different they are

  13. Stephen D 13
    28 February 2022 at 5:40 pm

    Efeso Collins endorsed by Labour for the Auckland Mayoralty.
    It’ll now be a fascinating contest. Will the endorsement help or hinder?

    • Belladonna 13.1
      28 February 2022 at 8:32 pm

      Well it will certainly help with the party machine (the door-knocking, leaflet distributing brigade). May or may not help with fund-raising.

      Efeso needs left-wing support in the leafy suburbs and northern nappy valley districts – which is where the Labour machine can help. He's almost certainly got the inside edge already in the Southern area – he's a local hard-working counsellor, who's stood up against Goff on multiple occasions.

      But, most importantly, it means that there is no other left candidate to split the vote.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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