There’s a big difference between investment properties and essential rural workers getting a house for there retirement, I no I need it to happen or it’s looking like a bus for me at 65,
Kiwisaver is designed to be a retirement 'nest egg' in itself, not to help property investment – other than homes to live in yourself (which already undermines the scheme's purpose). Our economy is already over-exposed to that one asset class. Plenty of us will never own our own home, no matter where we rent.
It's not properly investment if you intend it to be your home at retirement, farming is a live in job in many cases, due to lack of options to do otherwise, not to mention that it's an on call 24/7 job once your up at management level ,
I belive the guy in the article covers that, if the applicant has a tenancy agreement with his/her/whatever your calling yourselfs, employer then they are eligible, we pay rent for our houses, .
GST is regressive. Just like supermarkets and gas stations it is not the Kiwi saver managers who will pay this. It will come directly off contributions made just like current fees. The cost compounds as the lost investment can't earn and people will see real impacts on their Kiwi saver funds at retirement. Especially those on low incomes who this will be a larger portion of their contributions.
This is a truly terrible idea and it is crazy that so many people are willing to jump in and defend it simply because Labour are doing it.
$20,000 sounds like a lot – but that would mean that the management fees were $133,000 before that (no talk about that) and the biggie of course is how much would the expected payout be? Obviously it would be greater than a million but without the numbers it's just all hype and bullshit.
It's a free gift to Luxon and he's taking it, gleefully. Very poor political management by Labour. The change can be defended long-term but introducing it in this way … did anyone seriously think that wasn't going to be a headline?
Ardern and Robertson need to take charge here, not Parker.
For those not clued to talkback or other radio or TV please link.
It's a free gift to Luxon and he's taking it, gleefully. Very poor political management by Labour. The change can be defended long-term but introducing it in this way … did anyone seriously think that wasn't going to be a headline?
Every Wednesday the leader of the opposition does the media rounds (a long-standing convention, it predates Luxon). He must have been overjoyed to discover Parker had given him an early Christmas, so he could spend less time talking about National's problems.
I don't see much point defending this stuff-up, because it will be walked back soon.
Pretty much everyone is talking about it at work and out on the jobsite today, anger is palpable and driven by not quite understanding what the change is. But think there will be very little chance of shifting the govt is going to take some of my savings narrative at this point.
Is there any party coordination or consultation on policy releases?
Jacinda appears to have a lot of loose canons in her cabinet and it is not a good look. It is getting hard to defend failed on-the-hoof policies from her administration with this one being the latest, and the second failure of Parker's policy releases in a few weeks.
[David Parker] "There's a lot of misinformation in the media today suggesting that we're charging GST on KiwiSaver contributions. We're not.
"We are proposing to close the loophole whereby some KiwiSaver service providers claim back a lot of the GST they incur from subcontractors where others don't."
That's a bit different to a wealth tax, and all the screeching headlines. (From RNZ)
This implies that it's the providers who will be passing on costs of the tax they have to pay to the savers, not the Govt taking it. Switch to funds who don't do this. ¯_ _(ツ)_/¯
A dairying development planned for the edge of a national park could damage one of the last strongholds of "100% Pure New Zealand", neighbours who oppose the project say.
"It would be just the start of intensified, commercial non-sustainable farming in the Te Anau Basin.
"It’s just the wrong place. This is one of the last strongholds of a clean environment here in New Zealand."
Southland Forest & Bird branch member Jenny Campbell, writing on behalf of Coal Action Murihiku, said a heavy rainfall after an effluent discharge to land could be "an environmental disaster for the Waiau River", which was a huge recreational asset for the Te Anau and Manapouri community.
The project already received consent from Environment Southland, in May last year, to discharge agricultural effluent to land from 1600 cows; to use land to build and use an effluent storage pond; and to use land for the wintering barns.
However, Mr Sliva said he and other Te Anau residents only heard about it after it was approved.
The initial application went through the regional council process as a non-notified consent and he and others only heard of the project about six months ago.
The present application with the district council was the first opportunity they had to take part in the process and the first priority was to "stop the barns", he said.
Hi. Sadly, yea that seems to be the way of it. And a way to “hide” their dirty intentions. As in the opponents only heard 6 months prior…Similar to the situation when some creep….ah, "Developer", cuts down Native Trees..or roots up a NZ Biodiverse area of land…and applies for "Retrospective Consent"…and quite often gets it. Still is shit.
Yesterday I watched a clip of Pakistani folk stuck on a small island in the center of a raging torrent. They were wading into the torrent to collect firewood from the water.
Perched on that island a fire was burning and water being boiled. No food, no apparent way out, still they fight to survive.
Contrast their fragile grip on life with that feckless fatuous fuck Luxon trying to drum up fear of bank fees.
Bwaghorn thinks we should be afraid. Zero clues though of what we should actually be afraid of.
That is some damn fine alliteration ! And yep Luxon..blowing the special dog whistle for all he's worth. And of course Ex ceo Luxon be well Insulated from Lifes Problems anyway.
How in all that is sane can you use the tragedy in Pakistan to defend the government hitting peoples Kiwi savers.
That is some really despicable shit. Whats next? Nats shouldn't mention Sharma because there are child slaves in the Congo. How about the Greens not talk about affordable housing because Yemen is being bombed.
How about you actually defend the Tax policy that will see poor kiwis even more poor when they get to retirement. How about you address the regressive nature of GST and why a Labour governent rather than trying to find ways to not hit those at the bottom with it (GST free groceries) instead find a way to hit them harder.
No one claimed the sky is falling. They claimed that a new tax policy was bad, and within 24 hours the government agreed with them and withdrew it.
You have accused people using hyperbole without providing any evidence of that, and then went on to use an extreme example of it to try and discount their concerns. Again concerns that the government have now accepted.
DB's point was that National are wasting everyone's time with this petty shit instead of addressing climate change, which is currently killing people in poor countries and will eventually kill us too if we don't sort our priorities out.
Which he could have made without comparing it to the floods in Pakistan. A completely unrelated topic that he specifically used to minimise the impact of this.
It is a classic tactic to talk about the smallest number possible when arguing in favour of something like this. However the week to week cost is not the issue here. Someones Kiwi saver contributions don't go up. They won't even notice the change in their pay packet. Where it will hurt is that increase comes out of their contributions. That is money that doesn't get invested in their name and so doesn't earn and grow for their retirement. It is already being speculated that this could cost an average kiwi saver $20,000 in their retirement.
I don't know what DBs financial situation is like but when we have already recently had stories highlighting that people are looking at a $400 a week short fall in their retirement (numbers for people currently in their 40s), then I doubt their is much argument that they can afford to be $20,00 poorer. If there is an argument for that, then the Government needs to make it fast or they deserve every hit the opposition gives them until they do.
Sorry I didn't get issued with a crystal ball to provide you with "cold hard facts". I mean, I don't have any reason to not believe Tax specialist Allan Bullot's assessment, but I am sure you can provide some cold hard facts as to why he was wrong. Although I did read that the IRD's own assessment also came up with just over the $20,000 figure so if that is the case then it is the information the government would have been working off as well.
I suppose if the retirement commision's assessment of retirement savings short falls isn't cold and hard enough for you then I'm not sure what you are after here.
So far I see people providing numbers as to what this will cost as a reason why it is bad. I am sure you can do the same to tell us why it is good. I hope it is a bit better than "it will only cost $4.50 a week" as that has already been addressed.
You poor wee dear you sound like you need a bit of a lie down after all day's activities of (checks notes) getting angry at me for pointing out the fatuous and pointless nature of our opposition.
But you assure one and all it is indeed a wicked affair, borne of evil intent, and your retirement will be trashed, and people are angry, and at work they said angry stuff though they also didn't know what they were talking about and…
oh wait, it got rolled back.
And here's me thinking you were all being forced to the will of some communist doctrine by a corrupt unfeeling regime.
The current Government are in just the same situation as Rob Muldoon in 1984. They have absolutely no idea how to get out of the mess they have created in my opinion.
Some lousy small world ruler you’d be when you only command one time zone and only on the Southern hemisphere at that and possibly only in NZ because you’d peak too early by about 3 weeks.
Anyone who voted Labour in 2020 has a modicum but not a lot of sympathy from me. Who gave Labour the majority government to do what they want? Labour voters did. This isn't a fault, it's the system as intended.
Labour losing thousands of votes to GP and TPM next year is a good thing, because then power will be shared more broadly, more democracy will ensue. Trick will be not losing so many that they can't form government at all.
The Greens done a deal with Schroder to reduce Nuclear baseline generation in exchange for intermittent renewables and Russian gas ,they spent half a trillion dollars on so called renewables (of which most are not co2 free such as wood),now with intergrated electricity system in Europe the price cascade extends.
With the German trade balance now gone,it becomes a debtor market as it borrows for imports,and subsidies for social housing etc.
The UK got themselves in trouble by contracting out energy supply to Europe,(little Russian Gas,but Norway is interconnected for gas and electricity,and France for electricity.They also removed storage for gas ,for a just in time model.
In Germany the Greens are part of the government. As is the German answer to Act the FDP, together with the SPD – Labour in NZ. They call it the Traffic light coalition, Red, Yellow, Green.
that's such an obviousness it's not worth saying. Instead of deflecting, maybe look at the choices here. Labour members can try and do something internally. Voters can be more strategic in who they vote for.
Or, the Greens could realise that they have supported labour without fault every single step at the time and got nowhere.
Btw, the Greens in Germany have been more then once in parliament, and have had considerable success in getting legislation enacted. One of them is hte shut down of the nuclear reactors in Germany.
''They give us the choice between plague or cholera — either global warming or nuclear waste,'' said Michaele Hustedt, a spokeswoman for the Green Party in Germany.
The Greens demanded and won a promise that nuclear plants would be phased out in Germany when they joined the Social Democrats to form a ruling majority in 1998.
and considering that they are still arguing for the phase out in the times of an energy crisis (lol) one could argue that maybe the Greens of Germany do actually have some responsablity considering that they are in government, and actually get stuff done.
Not in NZ. Again , it depends what you see as a success.
Currently you could say that James Shaw is a success for the Labour Party, however, he might not be for the Green Party. What he has achieved for people on the ground remains to be seen.
this is ridiculous. He's introduced a range of climate policies that we didn't have before and that are starting to address the biggest crisis of all time.
it depends what you see as a success.
Indeed, but some people aren't happy, or can't see the wood for the trees. They pull Labour left/green all the time.
I can't list a success as for me they did not have one, unless you consider the Self ID bill 🙂 a success then yes, they did have one, at the expense of non males.
Thanks Arkie for the correction. I guess watching he submissions just traumatised me to the point were i put KereKeres face to this implementation of the Self ID bill. I did not see Jan Tinetti in the submissions, but remember Deborah Russel (she with the back pain and the 'fuck off tweet').
As i said, this was a success for the Greens as this is one of the very few policies were they actually got what they wanted, as did Labour, hence why both parties will not get my vote. You see, i am an identity voter, always have been always will. And that for most part of my life was the reason of either voting L, G or another left leaning party depending the electorate.
Having never voted right in my life, so will not consider that an option. I am sure i will find a nice obscure little third party to cast a vote for.
Hate? Nah, i just can't be bothered with our current three large parties, whom personally i think are no longer fit for purpose considering the storm that is coming.
the Greens could realise that they have supported labour without fault every single step at the time and got nowhere.
The first statement is not true (2002 for example) and the second is obviously subjective, but "nowhere" doesn't stand up.
But more to the point, how can the Greens change National? Can they really say "yes, we're open to some kind of co-operation so we'll just leave climate change to one side and try and work together on plastic bags"? That's what it comes down to. The Greens can't make the Nats be not Nats.
The Greens, or any other third Party should insist on their policies to be enacted should they enter a coalition agreement with other parties. They would then have been elected in large enough numbers to do so, if it comes to that point. Keep in mind that the voters that elected these Green candidates have not elected them to 'change' Labour or National or anyone else for that matter, they have elected the Green Party candidates to word for the Green Party.
I think this 'must change National' 'change Labour' is a bit of a silly idea, one in general that can never be completed. Change must come from within, and currently neither National or Labour are willing to commit to the change needed.
As for the Greens in NZ or Germany for that matter, they are not at all my cup o'tea and i will not cast a vote for them.
yes, because literally the Greens are – in the eyes of L – a wholly owned subsidiary of Labour. 🙂 – this might be a bit extreme wording on my part, but any party that rules out working with other parties is binding themselves to a 'single' Partner, no matter if that has any benefits or not. And that is what the Green in NZ have done.
Hence why the Labour Party has actually no reason whatsoever to even pretend to want to work with the Greens on anything at all, or only on these little things that actually make labour look good.
I doubt that the Greens in NZ would ever get through an agreement to phase out nuclear (hypothetical of course ) energy in order to prop up a Labour government. The best the Greens can get is what they got currently with Shaw on the environmental side, and what they got via KereKere in the Genderwoowoo department.
I would also like to point out – again this is my own humble opinion – that the leader of the Labour Party kneecapped Chlow Swarbruck with the Cannabis referendum. I would like for you to give a thought just for a second to the leader of the country that could not see the political side of locking people up for growing and smoking a plant in 2022, for the huge costs of that law enforcement, the racist practices of locking non whites up at greater number then non whites – who use the good herb at the same if not larger numbers – the missing out on a new industry, GST revenue, and other business tax etc etc etc. You would think that the Leader of the Country who needs this little third Party every other three years to form a coalition would give a care and maybe support some of their better ideas, but then the leader of the country could not find a care nor a bother. And that is something the Green Party needs to reflect on. If the Green Party still has the capacity to actually critically reflect on anything , rather then just reflexively affirm everything cause 'green'.
The Green Party in Germany begs to differ, considering that Germany phased out nuclear power to the point where they now have an energy crisis as Russia is currently holding all the cards whilst the rest of Europe is in the process of folding theirs.
I try not too, but felt compelled in this instance. The Greens are again in coalition with the SPD who is the Social Party of Germany, and the FDP the Free German Party. Red, Green, Yellow.
The Green Party of Germany however is a different beast to the NZ Green Party. Both in age, and in history. In NZ the Green Party has yet to split on 'fundy' vs ' realo' lines. Fundamentalists/environmental Green vs Environmental/Economical/Identity Green. We might have seen a wee crack on that line with the Shaw brouhaha but so far they are still fairly cohesive.
"Who gave Labour the majority government to do what they want? Labour voters did."
If you are referring to people who normally vote Labour the answer is: they were not responsible for the excess vote. National lite voters rewarded the government for the handling of the pandemic and the ChCh massacre.
It was an unexpected result and the outcome included Gaurav Sharma who would never have succeeded in normal circumstances. Lesson… be careful who you choose even if you don't think they're going to win.
I clearly said people who voted Labour in 2020. But sure, regular Labour voters, or regular left wing voters, could easily have voted Green and didn't. Labour having a majority and being free to do what it wants despite MMP is on those voters as much as anyone else. Strategic voting is not rocket science.
It's the same with climate action. My conclusion now is that most liberal NZers don't want meaningful action on climate, because they mostly vote for a government that won't give them that. The upcoming local body elections will be a litmus test.
I was responding to your comment as linked to @8.,1.3, I wasn't sure what you meant which is why I queried it. And don't accuse me of dishonesty weka.
What I said was true. Many people who do not normally vote for Labour did so in 2020. The lesson to be learned by Labour is: be careful who you choose to be candidates even if you don't expect them to win.
Like me, Barfly – normally a Labour voter – was responding to weka's criticism. There were quite a lot of us and by doing so, we made sure the Greens stayed in parliament. So instead of knocking us, say thank-you otherwise we won't bother again.
If you voted Green in 2020 then weka's criticism isn't about you then is it? The hint is in the first line of 8.1.3.1.
You require some random commenter on the internet to thank you for voting sensibly? I haven't 'knocked' anyone here, I have merely pointed out that the Labour party has shown us what their priorities are, that you take that as an insult is on you.
All of us, including those who normally vote Labour, now have a clear demonstration of what the Labour party prioritises when they have no impediments to passing legislation. It’s not about ‘excess vote’ it’s about what the ‘rewarded’ Labour party thinks is worth using their political power to do. If voters want the priorities to be different then they have to vote for a different party, Labour has shown what’s most important to them.
I agree, a Health Minister repeatedly getting offside with the workforce while trying to reform (rebrand) the system.
An Energy Minister allowing Marsden Point to close and be decommissioned to appease a fossil fuel company,
Then there are the 'deserving unemployed' who are due twice the dole as the hoi polloi jobless. Presided over by a PM who freely and happily acknowledges there was a divide created by the reaction to The Virus, while allowing housing unaffordability to continue because ‘thats what homeowners expect’.
What's not to like?
Sounds like you have leapt on a band-wagon with a mish mash of words without identifying what they have done wot they sholdna done… and wot they ain't done what they shoulda done. 🙄
What do you even mean by that? Why do non-labour supporters constantly have to give them credit for some of their bare-minimum actions? I expect better of a supposed left-wing party and I'm happy to criticise any action i see as insufficient. It's not enough to keep voting for them in the hope that they'll behave differently, this is what they are.
This week they are taxing Kiwisaver. No one asked us.
Link please.
It is naive to think that any govt is limited only to the items in their manifesto. Governments have to govern according to the circumstances in the world & NZ, for the benefit of all their citizens ie not only those who voted for them, while pushing as much of the policies through that they had flagged in their manifesto and that provided the point of difference between them and other parties.
If they had this gift of farsightedness that you want them to have, wouldn't that mean they have to put everything they do in a manifesto? If having known about things enough to put them in a manifesto wouldn't they also have taken action to avoid them happening?
Enough with the hyperbole. Look at how this happened. Do you think Ardern sat down and chuckled "let's see what else we can pull"?
Cock-up beats conspiracy most of the time. This was a major cock-up, no doubt about that. But once you start muttering "Secret Agenda" then … plot, lost.
It's a cock up. Parker is a very smart guy who has very poor skills when releasing policies.
He should have been all over the media explaining that this simply adds GST to Kiwisaver fees which are charged as part of a service and where all other financial fees have GST on them because they are a service.
Now it has to be rolled back ASAP.
Luxon was all over it on Morning Report….another new tax …another new tax…we will reverse it and reduce other taxes blah blah blah….not likeable but effective.
Having said that Griffin’s RadioNZ did Labour no favours on Checkpoint last night yet again. The editor should look up the word balance.
You have very poor skills quoting and I doubt you’re very smart. I once knew a very smart guy, but his dancing skills were a health hazard to his dance partner (reminds me of David Seymour on DWTS).
Hosts of far-right conspiracy theory website Counterspin Media are appearing in court today accused of distributing an objectionable publication.
Kelvyn Alp and Hannah Spierer were arrested by police in Christchurch last week.
Alp, who managed to enter the court building without wearing a mask, was clapped and cheered as he entered court.
Dozens of supporters gathered outside the Christchurch Justice Precinct this morning, including white supremacist Philip Arps, former national director of the New Zealand National Front Kyle Chapman and city mayoral candidate Carl Bromley.
I knew of Alp, Arps and fellow white supremacist Kyle Chapman….. but this Carl Bromley nut was new ? And a Mayoral candidate to boot. Far Right scumbags all together. But revealed .
"Whichever way you look at it; either they're sneaky, either they're incompetent or they're shivering, looking for a spine to run up and don't have the courage to fight for something they believe in – none of it's good."
"Parker on Wednesday admitted the move was embarrassing but denied the Government tried to sneak the legislation through without the public knowing."
In that case, perhaps the National watchdog can redirect the laser pointer on the large KS cost: the management fees.
An assumption is that the dollar value of the manager’s basic fees will grow by 5% for 2022 and 10% per annum thereafter. This assumption is supported by the manager’s basic fees growing by an annualised average of 20% for the three years between 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2021. A more conservative 10% assumption is used as the last three years have had historically high investment returns and a lower 5% growth rate for 2022, to reflect that managed funds have generally experienced strongly negative investment returns for the first four months of 2022.
This would be very good. A number of default providers were stripped of their status recently due to excessive fees. One very good thing that has come out of this is that people might be more aware of how much Kiwisaver providers are charging them.
I would be keen to see some legislation around ethical investment for Kiwisaver schemes. At the moment people and providers have to choose to wear a financial cost to invest ethically. Whilst many do, I can't blame those who don't. If all Kiwisaver funds were forced to divest from fossil fuels or companies that have human rights concerns with some of their subsidiaries then it would be a level playing field and do some good.
The media,the opposition,the big banks,the large fund managers,the small fund managers,the IRD and FMA for saying that their models showed it would reduce investments (funds under management) the small people for having the temerity to say the additional costs would subtract their investments (correctly) which have already depreciated.
The depreciation is a polite way of saying the decrease in the asset value.Here with Kiwisaver as the froth came off so called investement stocks etc there was a loss in value of 7.5 billion in the 6 months ending June.
They are very related as the need for a substantive increase in Revenue is needed in 2025,2026, to pay for increased interest on debt that needs to be refinanced.
The printer ran out of paper this morning. This is the second time this week. I immediately called Parliamentary Services to demand an independent investigation, only to be told that I should just put some paper in the machine. The woman I spoke to (I will refer to her as “staffer GH”) got very aggressive with me, so I emailed a complaint to her superior. I outlined in my complaint seventy-three instances of incompetence and bullying in GH’s interaction with me. To date I have heard nothing, even though I sent my email over five minutes ago.”
Fantastic idea yesterday, defended hard this morning, gone this afternoon. Right up there on the u turn scale.
Can we expect the same when the government and the electorate have "conversations" about other proposed legislation later this year? The precedent is set now.
Who were the government spokespeople who said "fantastic idea yesterday, defended hard this morning"? Anybody? Not Ardern, Robertson, anyone else?
A few partisans on blogs did, sure. Nothing new there, a list of Luxon's belated "clarifications" would eat up the internet.
Lefties are far more willing to criticise the "team" than Nats, who effortlessly slide from telling us Simon's a winner to Todd's a winner to Judith's a winner to … Nicola next?
So your answer to my question is "nobody". Again, tell us who was in the media defending this (your claim).
Have you actually followed the detail of the story at all? No.
It wasn't some announcement at the podium, some new flagship policy from Ardern. It was a footnote in a document, which Parker failed to see the implications of. The opposition did, and so they scored a win.
Beg to differ…it was a poorly foreshadowed policy (typical, they seem to have a low opinion of their adversaries) but the actual policy should have been a non event, if they had done the required 'public consultation'…aka explanation.
For a cohort of 'professional politicians' they really are inept….unfortunately we will likely inherit a Nat led gov as a result.
Or perhaps its all of no consequence as the looming recession means they are history anyway.
TBH, I don't really think that he really understands public opinion – let along political framing (he admitted he got blindsided by the opposition to it). He mostly comes across like a policy wonk, who doesn't understand that most of the world doesn't think in numbers.
I agree that there was swift political action today by those in Labour who do pay attention to public opinion. Shutting down the issue (which was, after all a minor piece of technical legislation – of no great importance in the government's plans) – swiftly – was the best action in the circumstances. Letting it trickle on, would have been an even greater gift to the opposition.
However, a chunk of reputational damage has already been done.
It's one of those 'death by a thousand cuts' things – each individual issue isn't significant, but each eats away at the government's support. Labour really can't afford to continue to have political u-turns because their ministers aren't managing the message.
Being right is never cold comfort. The election is not lost: it has not been held yet – are you clairvoyant? More to the point, have any of your predictions proved accurate? (Link please 🙂
Just as clairvoyant as you are.
Given that we have national elections every 3 years, it requires little precognitive ability to predict that someone will lose.
'Crisis' gets used fairly frequently by opposition parties of whatever flavour.
'Shambles' was the go-to destructive NAct critique deployed during the on-going pandemic; I will be forever thankful they weren't in a position to deploy Plan B ASAP.
Makes you wonder how Ardern can dump on NZs biggest-ever MMP majority and flush it down the crapper in under 12 months, with NZ back where we were in Feb 2020.
Yes yes Ad, everyone knows you (and others) think Ardern is shit (and now "impressively shit"), and are happy to use Hooton’s shrewd political judgement in support of your cause, whereas I think this particular evaluation of yours is dim-witted and insulting.
If you want our 6th Labour Govt to go 3 terms, then imho your continuing anti-Ardern crusade is an exemplar of "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face."
If NAct sweep to power in 2023, then their party-sponsored keptocracy will be back with a vengeance, and the hollow men and women will gut and gorge, leaving huge quantities of unmet need in their wake – it's in their DNA.
As an analogy, if you want to strengthen the immune system and evoke a strong response when needed, then you need to keep throwing shit at it all the time.
If I'm grokking your analogy, then are Ad's distasteful anti-Ardern jibes training Labour's immune system, or evidence of lupus? And can one more turd be a useful addition to the daily mountain of shit thrown Ardern's way?
Made a private commitment that I would Party vote National if one of their leaders publicly repudiated the political obscenity that was (and is) Dirty Politics – I doubt that the Green Party will be loosing my vote anytime soon.
Politics is cutthroat, not kind, but give a little logic and fairness its due too.
Yeah right. Sadly Labour has a history of infighting…and biting their own. And Ad has been criticising Jacinda here for quite a while. I, like many others, wonder at his motives? IMO throwing shit at her..is not productive..in any way.
Drowsy M. Kram. thanks for the reply and the PlanB reference. I note that PlanB has had no further input from its "expert and passionate (sigh)" people since December 2021.
Maybe they had a Damascus experience when some facts like yours gave them "a sign".
Bit like National. How many times did we hear "the government needs to…"? They had several plans, all in opposition to the government. "Too soon….too late….. never……"
Thanks Mac1. Yes, Plan B has gone off the boil now that the borders are open and 'freedum' has returned to our "mysterious socialist hermit kingdom."
Hope Kiwis don't forget the pandemic lessons learned (so far) too quickly.
Lots of (too many!) links:
8 Lessons We Can Learn From the COVID-19 Pandemic
[14 May 2021]
“Humanity's memory is short, and what is not ever-present fades quickly,” says Manisha Juthani, MD, a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist. The bubonic plague, for example, ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages—resurfacing again and again—but once it was under control, people started to forget about it, she says. “So, I would say one major lesson from a public health or infectious disease perspective is that it’s important to remember and recognize our history. This is a period we must remember.”
9 Things Everyone Should Know About the Coronavirus Outbreak
Experts are paying close attention to the latest Omicron strains.
[11 August 2022]
1. COVID-19: By the numbers
2. The virus can spread in multiple ways.
3. The virus continues to change.
4. Long COVID is still not well understood.
5. Vaccines are key to preventing severe illness and hospitalization.
6. There are steps you can take to prevent infection.
7. Experts continue to work on COVID-19 treatments.
8. If you feel ill, here's what you should do.
9. Be aware of the information and resources that are available to you.
Lessons learned
Epidemiologists share lessons they’ve learned from the coronavirus pandemic. [17 August 2022]
“Trust in science. Please, I beg you, trust in science, and do not under any circumstances discount what people who have spent their entire lives learning how to fight these diseases have to say. This is not political, diseases never will be, so please have a grain of common sense and decency; protect yourself, and by extension those around you.” — William Roberts, Powder Springs, Ga.
“People you love are going to suffer mental illness under these awful circumstances. They will let you down in spectacular ways, but you have to forgive them or you lose twice.” — Lenna Pierce, Brooklyn, N.Y.
“I wouldn’t have tried as hard to convince friends and family to comply with public health measures. They were never going to listen to anything I had to say; all I accomplished was losing relationships.” — Jess, Pittsburgh, Pa.
“Listen to public health officials. Elevate them and do not make a pandemic a political issue. A pandemic is an apolitical animal. Be humble and submit to public health measures. Do not be a vector. Isolate and enjoy your solitude.” — Usha Srinivasan, Bel Air, Md.
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
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 announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Orderimage, ...
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; ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
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https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/129698867/kiwisaver-rules-prevent-young-farmers-from-buying-their-own-home
Sooner rather than later would be good minister Clark
Kiwisaver rules stop people from using the funds as investment that fuels the housing crisis.
fify.
Yeah so fuck rural workers ,
There’s a big difference between investment properties and essential rural workers getting a house for there retirement, I no I need it to happen or it’s looking like a bus for me at 65,
Kiwisaver is designed to be a retirement 'nest egg' in itself, not to help property investment – other than homes to live in yourself (which already undermines the scheme's purpose). Our economy is already over-exposed to that one asset class. Plenty of us will never own our own home, no matter where we rent.
It's not properly investment if you intend it to be your home at retirement, farming is a live in job in many cases, due to lack of options to do otherwise, not to mention that it's an on call 24/7 job once your up at management level ,
How would you word an exemption?
I belive the guy in the article covers that, if the applicant has a tenancy agreement with his/her/whatever your calling yourselfs, employer then they are eligible, we pay rent for our houses, .
Luxons got a stop the retirement tax site up in running, labour is fucked, it's wall to wall wealth tax on the am show.
Say that in English, and then maybe we will know what you're talking about.
I second that. Retirement tax, wealth tax? What the …….?![sad sad](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/sad_smile.png?x42494)
"Fear of bank fees" is the sound bite to counter this horse shit.
GST is regressive. Just like supermarkets and gas stations it is not the Kiwi saver managers who will pay this. It will come directly off contributions made just like current fees. The cost compounds as the lost investment can't earn and people will see real impacts on their Kiwi saver funds at retirement. Especially those on low incomes who this will be a larger portion of their contributions.
This is a truly terrible idea and it is crazy that so many people are willing to jump in and defend it simply because Labour are doing it.
It's going to cost the average kiwisaver account $20 ,000 over its term apparently.
Evidence please. Facts and figures.
$20,000 sounds like a lot – but that would mean that the management fees were $133,000 before that (no talk about that) and the biggie of course is how much would the expected payout be? Obviously it would be greater than a million but without the numbers it's just all hype and bullshit.
It's a free gift to Luxon and he's taking it, gleefully. Very poor political management by Labour. The change can be defended long-term but introducing it in this way … did anyone seriously think that wasn't going to be a headline?
Ardern and Robertson need to take charge here, not Parker.
Being sneaky about it was never going to work. Bad advice/decisions.
For those not clued to talkback or other radio or TV please link.
Link: all media this morning.
Every Wednesday the leader of the opposition does the media rounds (a long-standing convention, it predates Luxon). He must have been overjoyed to discover Parker had given him an early Christmas, so he could spend less time talking about National's problems.
I don't see much point defending this stuff-up, because it will be walked back soon.
Pretty much everyone is talking about it at work and out on the jobsite today, anger is palpable and driven by not quite understanding what the change is. But think there will be very little chance of shifting the govt is going to take some of my savings narrative at this point.
I don't see much point defending this stuff-up, because it will be walked back soon.
And now this has already happened, Parker confirms.
It was very predictable.
National opposes a small tax on banks, should be the headline. It is not on your Kiwisaver. Luxon is financially illiterate. Or lying.
Labour giving in to the framing is an own goal.
Which happens way to often.
Because they didn't frame it. If a government makes an announcement, they have first mover advantage.
Parker didn't use it, so the opposition did it for him. Basic error.
Apparently Parker has now scrapped the Tax.
Is there any party coordination or consultation on policy releases?
Jacinda appears to have a lot of loose canons in her cabinet and it is not a good look. It is getting hard to defend failed on-the-hoof policies from her administration with this one being the latest, and the second failure of Parker's policy releases in a few weeks.
Getting a little depressed by this.
edit. (Loose cannons.)
There’s an awful lot proposed in the Tax Bill, way too much to cover in one or two announcements.
That's a bit different to a wealth tax, and all the screeching headlines. (From RNZ)
This implies that it's the providers who will be passing on costs of the tax they have to pay to the savers, not the Govt taking it. Switch to funds who don't do this. ¯_ _(ツ)_/¯
“a non-notified consent” ? WTF !? Seems like this should have been…at the very least ! Good that people are Activating about it. Fight back !
rural land has long had a lot of leeway in what can be done on it. That's why we're in the mess we are in.
When applications are heard as non-notified, consent being granted is usually a foregone conclusion from my experience.
Hi. Sadly, yea that seems to be the way of it. And a way to “hide” their dirty intentions. As in the opponents only heard 6 months prior…Similar to the situation when some creep….ah, "Developer", cuts down Native Trees..or roots up a NZ Biodiverse area of land…and applies for "Retrospective Consent"…and quite often gets it. Still is shit.
Collaborating is bad for you.
https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1564261285243432960
https://twitter.com/yarotrof/status/1564534663430807553
Yesterday I watched a clip of Pakistani folk stuck on a small island in the center of a raging torrent. They were wading into the torrent to collect firewood from the water.
Perched on that island a fire was burning and water being boiled. No food, no apparent way out, still they fight to survive.
Contrast their fragile grip on life with that feckless fatuous fuck Luxon trying to drum up fear of bank fees.
Bwaghorn thinks we should be afraid. Zero clues though of what we should actually be afraid of.
These clowns will be the death of us.
That is some damn fine alliteration ! And yep Luxon..blowing the special dog whistle for all he's worth. And of course Ex ceo Luxon be well Insulated from Lifes Problems anyway.
Sadly the scumbag will get attention from this….
How in all that is sane can you use the tragedy in Pakistan to defend the government hitting peoples Kiwi savers.
That is some really despicable shit. Whats next? Nats shouldn't mention Sharma because there are child slaves in the Congo. How about the Greens not talk about affordable housing because Yemen is being bombed.
How about you actually defend the Tax policy that will see poor kiwis even more poor when they get to retirement. How about you address the regressive nature of GST and why a Labour governent rather than trying to find ways to not hit those at the bottom with it (GST free groceries) instead find a way to hit them harder.
How about you understand what you are talking about before you talk about it.
"Despicable shit"
No, the reality of the world vs your hyperbolic bullshit.
You're the one talking about the Floods and the struggle of the people in Pakistan yet call me hyperbolic. Perhaps a bit of self reflection mate.
One is an actual catastrophe, one is a blithering idiot trying to appear relevant.
But go ahead: other than torrential rains, tell me exactly how the sky is falling?
No one claimed the sky is falling. They claimed that a new tax policy was bad, and within 24 hours the government agreed with them and withdrew it.
You have accused people using hyperbole without providing any evidence of that, and then went on to use an extreme example of it to try and discount their concerns. Again concerns that the government have now accepted.
https://twitter.com/pilcher_pat/status/1564727538655830016
DB's point was that National are wasting everyone's time with this petty shit instead of addressing climate change, which is currently killing people in poor countries and will eventually kill us too if we don't sort our priorities out.
Which he could have made without comparing it to the floods in Pakistan. A completely unrelated topic that he specifically used to minimise the impact of this.
It is a classic tactic to talk about the smallest number possible when arguing in favour of something like this. However the week to week cost is not the issue here. Someones Kiwi saver contributions don't go up. They won't even notice the change in their pay packet. Where it will hurt is that increase comes out of their contributions. That is money that doesn't get invested in their name and so doesn't earn and grow for their retirement. It is already being speculated that this could cost an average kiwi saver $20,000 in their retirement.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/government-s-planned-gst-charge-on-kiwisaver-a-brand-new-tax-specialist-says.html
I don't know what DBs financial situation is like but when we have already recently had stories highlighting that people are looking at a $400 a week short fall in their retirement (numbers for people currently in their 40s), then I doubt their is much argument that they can afford to be $20,00 poorer. If there is an argument for that, then the Government needs to make it fast or they deserve every hit the opposition gives them until they do.
https://theconversation.com/a-400-a-week-shortfall-people-in-their-40s-face-a-bleak-retirement-on-kiwisavers-current-trajectory-185576#:~:text=The%20gap%20between%20retirement%20and,is%20relatively%20uninformative%20by%20itself.
"It is already being speculated that this could …"
" …we have already recently had stories …"
Good to read those cold, hard facts.
Succinct, and all that.
Sorry I didn't get issued with a crystal ball to provide you with "cold hard facts". I mean, I don't have any reason to not believe Tax specialist Allan Bullot's assessment, but I am sure you can provide some cold hard facts as to why he was wrong. Although I did read that the IRD's own assessment also came up with just over the $20,000 figure so if that is the case then it is the information the government would have been working off as well.
I suppose if the retirement commision's assessment of retirement savings short falls isn't cold and hard enough for you then I'm not sure what you are after here.
So far I see people providing numbers as to what this will cost as a reason why it is bad. I am sure you can do the same to tell us why it is good. I hope it is a bit better than "it will only cost $4.50 a week" as that has already been addressed.
You poor wee dear you sound like you need a bit of a lie down after all day's activities of (checks notes) getting angry at me for pointing out the fatuous and pointless nature of our opposition.
But you assure one and all it is indeed a wicked affair, borne of evil intent, and your retirement will be trashed, and people are angry, and at work they said angry stuff though they also didn't know what they were talking about and…
oh wait, it got rolled back.
And here's me thinking you were all being forced to the will of some communist doctrine by a corrupt unfeeling regime.
Crashcart will be in celebration-mode now, because… nothing happened – the dream of good conservatives everywhere!
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tax-bill-removes-fbt-public-transport
At last
https://twitter.com/StuartBDonovan/status/1564448657508040704
Yup, about time.
Luxon and his lamentable crew will play
Tax and spend,
Taking your money,
Law and order,
Wasteful benefit spending,
Lack of productivity,
Poor Auckland,
Have not done anything,
Keep water local.
As having Policy that can be pulled to bits is too hard. National is avoiding creating any accountable targets, it is all slogans.
Creating memes.
We need our list.
Stop greed
Clean water
Living wage
Fair safe work
As they are remembered and repeated.
Pretty hard to see Labour turning it around after this month.
Lost the crime narrative, despite ample facts.
Lost the tax narrative, by doing so little.
Lost welfare narrative with botched CPI rollout.
Lost the health narrative, amazingly, with crisis-filled health system.
The massive subsidies its providing have been a terrible substitute for economic reform.
Lost the 'be loyal' sentiment by screwing with Kiwibank and Kiwisaver.
Labour look Lost because they are.
Yes, it almost seems like Labour do not want a third term. Is the mess that big?
Unfortunately yes. The mess really is that bad.
The current Government are in just the same situation as Rob Muldoon in 1984. They have absolutely no idea how to get out of the mess they have created in my opinion.
With friends like you Ad……
If I ruled the world every day would be the first day of spring.
II therefore command spring to start in 14 hours.
Some lousy small world ruler you’d be when you only command one time zone and only on the Southern hemisphere at that and possibly only in NZ because you’d peak too early by about 3 weeks.
How many here are Kiwibank customers like me?
Three weeks ago they sold out our Kiwisaver to Fisher Funds for $310m. No one asked us.
Two weeks ago the government bought half it back for $2,1 billion. No one asked us.
This week they are taxing Kiwisaver. No one asked us.
None of these moves were on their manifesto.
None were in the budget.
Kiwibank has only 6% of the mortgage market but a long and loyal customer base.
Customers are voters.
Ardern may want to argue about chocolate wrappers but she is going to lose thousands of votes along with thousands of customers.
Labour looks like it could not run a bath.
Anyone who voted Labour in 2020 has a modicum but not a lot of sympathy from me. Who gave Labour the majority government to do what they want? Labour voters did. This isn't a fault, it's the system as intended.
Labour losing thousands of votes to GP and TPM next year is a good thing, because then power will be shared more broadly, more democracy will ensue. Trick will be not losing so many that they can't form government at all.
Greens are being matched with the significant damage they have done to the German economy,and Europe in General,
https://twitter.com/Schuldensuehner/status/1564642002008002560?cxt=HHwWgMC-pY3n3LYrAAAA
you're blaming the Greens in Germany for inflation in Germany and the rest of Europe?
The Greens done a deal with Schroder to reduce Nuclear baseline generation in exchange for intermittent renewables and Russian gas ,they spent half a trillion dollars on so called renewables (of which most are not co2 free such as wood),now with intergrated electricity system in Europe the price cascade extends.
With the German trade balance now gone,it becomes a debtor market as it borrows for imports,and subsidies for social housing etc.
The UK got themselves in trouble by contracting out energy supply to Europe,(little Russian Gas,but Norway is interconnected for gas and electricity,and France for electricity.They also removed storage for gas ,for a just in time model.
When you're out of government there's no power to redistribute.
Best of luck dividing zero.
In Germany the Greens are part of the government. As is the German answer to Act the FDP, together with the SPD – Labour in NZ. They call it the Traffic light coalition, Red, Yellow, Green.
that's such an obviousness it's not worth saying. Instead of deflecting, maybe look at the choices here. Labour members can try and do something internally. Voters can be more strategic in who they vote for.
Or, the Greens could realise that they have supported labour without fault every single step at the time and got nowhere.
Btw, the Greens in Germany have been more then once in parliament, and have had considerable success in getting legislation enacted. One of them is hte shut down of the nuclear reactors in Germany.
From 2003
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/nov/15/germany.nuclearpower
from 2003
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/18/business/after-heat-wave-europe-gives-nuclear-power-a-second-look.html
and considering that they are still arguing for the phase out in the times of an energy crisis (lol) one could argue that maybe the Greens of Germany do actually have some responsablity considering that they are in government, and actually get stuff done.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germany-s-greens-oppose-nuclear-power-despite-looming-crisis/2650837
Maybe it would be best not to compare the German Green Party to the NZ Green Party.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_90/The_Greens
That's bizarrely ahistorical.
Not in NZ. Again , it depends what you see as a success.
Currently you could say that James Shaw is a success for the Labour Party, however, he might not be for the Green Party. What he has achieved for people on the ground remains to be seen.
this is ridiculous. He's introduced a range of climate policies that we didn't have before and that are starting to address the biggest crisis of all time.
Indeed, but some people aren't happy, or can't see the wood for the trees. They pull Labour left/green all the time.
can you really not see the Green Party policy being enacted over the years?
I see what has been enacted. I see to fail how it serves the public, and I say this as someone who until 2014 has given votes to the Green.
this is vague hand waving. Be specific or it's useless dialogue.
I can't list a success as for me they did not have one, unless you consider the Self ID bill 🙂 a success then yes, they did have one, at the expense of non males.
Put forward by Jan Tinetti who isn't from the Greens, passed in 2021 when Labour have an absolute majority…
Your hostility to the Greens is irrational.
Thanks Arkie for the correction. I guess watching he submissions just traumatised me to the point were i put KereKeres face to this implementation of the Self ID bill. I did not see Jan Tinetti in the submissions, but remember Deborah Russel (she with the back pain and the 'fuck off tweet').
As i said, this was a success for the Greens as this is one of the very few policies were they actually got what they wanted, as did Labour, hence why both parties will not get my vote. You see, i am an identity voter, always have been always will. And that for most part of my life was the reason of either voting L, G or another left leaning party depending the electorate.
Having never voted right in my life, so will not consider that an option. I am sure i will find a nice obscure little third party to cast a vote for.
Hate? Nah, i just can't be bothered with our current three large parties, whom personally i think are no longer fit for purpose considering the storm that is coming.
https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_celebrates_self_id_legislation
the Greens could realise that they have supported labour without fault every single step at the time and got nowhere.
The first statement is not true (2002 for example) and the second is obviously subjective, but "nowhere" doesn't stand up.
But more to the point, how can the Greens change National? Can they really say "yes, we're open to some kind of co-operation so we'll just leave climate change to one side and try and work together on plastic bags"? That's what it comes down to. The Greens can't make the Nats be not Nats.
The Greens, or any other third Party should insist on their policies to be enacted should they enter a coalition agreement with other parties. They would then have been elected in large enough numbers to do so, if it comes to that point. Keep in mind that the voters that elected these Green candidates have not elected them to 'change' Labour or National or anyone else for that matter, they have elected the Green Party candidates to word for the Green Party.
I think this 'must change National' 'change Labour' is a bit of a silly idea, one in general that can never be completed. Change must come from within, and currently neither National or Labour are willing to commit to the change needed.
As for the Greens in NZ or Germany for that matter, they are not at all my cup o'tea and i will not cast a vote for them.
What are you on about?
The Greens aren't in coalition with Labour. Labour have a majority.
In 2017, Labour had a coalition agreement with NZF, and a C/S agreement with the Greens.
yes, because literally the Greens are – in the eyes of L – a wholly owned subsidiary of Labour. 🙂 – this might be a bit extreme wording on my part, but any party that rules out working with other parties is binding themselves to a 'single' Partner, no matter if that has any benefits or not. And that is what the Green in NZ have done.
Hence why the Labour Party has actually no reason whatsoever to even pretend to want to work with the Greens on anything at all, or only on these little things that actually make labour look good.
I doubt that the Greens in NZ would ever get through an agreement to phase out nuclear (hypothetical of course ) energy in order to prop up a Labour government. The best the Greens can get is what they got currently with Shaw on the environmental side, and what they got via KereKere in the Genderwoowoo department.
I would also like to point out – again this is my own humble opinion – that the leader of the Labour Party kneecapped Chlow Swarbruck with the Cannabis referendum. I would like for you to give a thought just for a second to the leader of the country that could not see the political side of locking people up for growing and smoking a plant in 2022, for the huge costs of that law enforcement, the racist practices of locking non whites up at greater number then non whites – who use the good herb at the same if not larger numbers – the missing out on a new industry, GST revenue, and other business tax etc etc etc. You would think that the Leader of the Country who needs this little third Party every other three years to form a coalition would give a care and maybe support some of their better ideas, but then the leader of the country could not find a care nor a bother. And that is something the Green Party needs to reflect on. If the Green Party still has the capacity to actually critically reflect on anything , rather then just reflexively affirm everything cause 'green'.
Politics does not work the way you seem to believe it does.
The Green Party in Germany begs to differ, considering that Germany phased out nuclear power to the point where they now have an energy crisis as Russia is currently holding all the cards whilst the rest of Europe is in the process of folding theirs.
Leverage is the thing. Otherwise 'insisting' makes no difference.
Without comparing the other political parties around them.
I try not too, but felt compelled in this instance. The Greens are again in coalition with the SPD who is the Social Party of Germany, and the FDP the Free German Party. Red, Green, Yellow.
The Green Party of Germany however is a different beast to the NZ Green Party. Both in age, and in history. In NZ the Green Party has yet to split on 'fundy' vs ' realo' lines. Fundamentalists/environmental Green vs Environmental/Economical/Identity Green. We might have seen a wee crack on that line with the Shaw brouhaha but so far they are still fairly cohesive.
All comparisons are wrong, but some are useful 😉
"Who gave Labour the majority government to do what they want? Labour voters did."
If you are referring to people who normally vote Labour the answer is: they were not responsible for the excess vote. National lite voters rewarded the government for the handling of the pandemic and the ChCh massacre.
It was an unexpected result and the outcome included Gaurav Sharma who would never have succeeded in normal circumstances. Lesson… be careful who you choose even if you don't think they're going to win.
I clearly said people who voted Labour in 2020. But sure, regular Labour voters, or regular left wing voters, could easily have voted Green and didn't. Labour having a majority and being free to do what it wants despite MMP is on those voters as much as anyone else. Strategic voting is not rocket science.
It's the same with climate action. My conclusion now is that most liberal NZers don't want meaningful action on climate, because they mostly vote for a government that won't give them that. The upcoming local body elections will be a litmus test.
Just be honest about it.
I was responding to your comment as linked to @8.,1.3, I wasn't sure what you meant which is why I queried it. And don't accuse me of dishonesty weka.
What I said was true. Many people who do not normally vote for Labour did so in 2020. The lesson to be learned by Labour is: be careful who you choose to be candidates even if you don't expect them to win.
Btw, I voted for the Greens in 2020.
Oi!
regular Labour voters, or regular left wing voters, could easily have voted Green and didn't
I did
Then that comment isn't about you is it?
Like me, Barfly – normally a Labour voter – was responding to weka's criticism. There were quite a lot of us and by doing so, we made sure the Greens stayed in parliament. So instead of knocking us, say thank-you otherwise we won't bother again.
If you voted Green in 2020 then weka's criticism isn't about you then is it? The hint is in the first line of 8.1.3.1.
You require some random commenter on the internet to thank you for voting sensibly? I haven't 'knocked' anyone here, I have merely pointed out that the Labour party has shown us what their priorities are, that you take that as an insult is on you.
Well done, Barfly!
You done right!
🙂
Wot about me. 🙁
You're a champion, Anne! All credit to you. Thank you very much!
All of us, including those who normally vote Labour, now have a clear demonstration of what the Labour party prioritises when they have no impediments to passing legislation. It’s not about ‘excess vote’ it’s about what the ‘rewarded’ Labour party thinks is worth using their political power to do. If voters want the priorities to be different then they have to vote for a different party, Labour has shown what’s most important to them.
I agree, a Health Minister repeatedly getting offside with the workforce while trying to reform (rebrand) the system.
An Energy Minister allowing Marsden Point to close and be decommissioned to appease a fossil fuel company,
Then there are the 'deserving unemployed' who are due twice the dole as the hoi polloi jobless. Presided over by a PM who freely and happily acknowledges there was a divide created by the reaction to The Virus, while allowing housing unaffordability to continue because ‘thats what homeowners expect’.
What's not to like?
Uggh? The other way round imo.
"
Uggh? The other way round imo."
Do you mind expanding a little on that Anne?
My reckons have it health staff have gone above and beyond the last 8 or so years and in particular the last 33 months, especially front line staff.
Sounds like you have leapt on a band-wagon with a mish mash of words without identifying what they have done wot they sholdna done… and wot they ain't done what they shoulda done. 🙄
What do you even mean by that? Why do non-labour supporters constantly have to give them credit for some of their bare-minimum actions? I expect better of a supposed left-wing party and I'm happy to criticise any action i see as insufficient. It's not enough to keep voting for them in the hope that they'll behave differently, this is what they are.
Ad @ 8 correction "they are taxing Kiwisaver" Should be
"They are taxing Kiwisaver fees."
Yeah nah.
This government does policy like Wellington weather.
I know that Wellington has been having a pretty bad run of weather lately but it hasn't been that bad.
If the weather had been as bad as the Governments actions the whole city would have been flattened and then washed out to sea.
We bank with Kiwibank and we both have Kiwisaver accounts with them.
I have just checked and we are already charged GST on part of our Kiwisaver fees. A piddly amount really.
This whole 'taxing my investment!!!!' is just fixing loopholes where some financial institutions charge GST and some don't.
Are youse allergic to paragraphs?
Link please.
It is naive to think that any govt is limited only to the items in their manifesto. Governments have to govern according to the circumstances in the world & NZ, for the benefit of all their citizens ie not only those who voted for them, while pushing as much of the policies through that they had flagged in their manifesto and that provided the point of difference between them and other parties.
If they had this gift of farsightedness that you want them to have, wouldn't that mean they have to put everything they do in a manifesto? If having known about things enough to put them in a manifesto wouldn't they also have taken action to avoid them happening?
Unmandated tax causes war and causes governments to fall.
This is from the same government leader that said she would never, ever tax wealth.
You were warned.
Enough with the hyperbole. Look at how this happened. Do you think Ardern sat down and chuckled "let's see what else we can pull"?
Cock-up beats conspiracy most of the time. This was a major cock-up, no doubt about that. But once you start muttering "Secret Agenda" then … plot, lost.
Both kill governments.
There has been an apology for nothing.
Ardern needs a re-set.
It's a cock up. Parker is a very smart guy who has very poor skills when releasing policies.
He should have been all over the media explaining that this simply adds GST to Kiwisaver fees which are charged as part of a service and where all other financial fees have GST on them because they are a service.
Now it has to be rolled back ASAP.
Luxon was all over it on Morning Report….another new tax …another new tax…we will reverse it and reduce other taxes blah blah blah….not likeable but effective.
Having said that Griffin’s RadioNZ did Labour no favours on Checkpoint last night yet again. The editor should look up the word balance.
That's a bit of a contradiction….."Parker is a very smart guy who has very poor skills"
He's one or the other and IMO he has very poor skills and this is a good example of that.
No, there are many people who fit that description. Plenty of academics, for example!
Don Brash is a very smart guy with a PhD, and was a hopeless politician.
You have very poor skills quoting and I doubt you’re very smart. I once knew a very smart guy, but his dancing skills were a health hazard to his dance partner (reminds me of David Seymour on DWTS).
Ministers have comms advisors. What on earth were they thinking?
it's all over the news.
I knew of Alp, Arps and fellow white supremacist Kyle Chapman….. but this Carl Bromley nut was new ? And a Mayoral candidate to boot. Far Right scumbags all together. But revealed .
Did not survive long https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/473822/government-drops-plans-to-charge-gst-on-kiwisaver-fees
A Government that listens 🙂
A government that listens………so is 3 Waters next?
A Government that listens … and uses its commonsense.
As opposed to . . . I seem to remember a referendum on asset sales!!
"Whichever way you look at it; either they're sneaky, either they're incompetent or they're shivering, looking for a spine to run up and don't have the courage to fight for something they believe in – none of it's good."
"Parker on Wednesday admitted the move was embarrassing but denied the Government tried to sneak the legislation through without the public knowing."
'Sneaky', 'incompetent': Political commentators hit out at Govt over KiwiSaver U-turn (msn.com)
Ad will be happy.
Ad is never happy.
In that case, perhaps the National watchdog can redirect the laser pointer on the large KS cost: the management fees.
https://taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/-/media/project/ir/tp/publications/2022/2022-ria-perm-bill/2022-ria-3-gst-managed-funds.pdf?modified=20220828034214
This would be very good. A number of default providers were stripped of their status recently due to excessive fees. One very good thing that has come out of this is that people might be more aware of how much Kiwisaver providers are charging them.
I would be keen to see some legislation around ethical investment for Kiwisaver schemes. At the moment people and providers have to choose to wear a financial cost to invest ethically. Whilst many do, I can't blame those who don't. If all Kiwisaver funds were forced to divest from fossil fuels or companies that have human rights concerns with some of their subsidiaries then it would be a level playing field and do some good.
Ask why Robertson moved the default KS from conservative to balanced funds in time for a meme clearout,
Everyone now knows Parker!! He has walked the tax on Kiwisaver fees back!! @#*&#
Half baked Idjut!!!!!
Good call though.
Now we can all go back to talking about how Luxon proposes to reduce taxes for rich people, especially landlords.
I wonder who gets the blame for this fuck up?
Ardern being questioned on it in Parliament now and not doing too well! Getting very screechy.
Considering he was dealt four aces this morning, Luxon is hardly playing a strong hand.
And "screechy"? You must have loved John Key's rants then. "You support rapists", "Get some guts" – now that's screechy.
Update: and Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop can’t even sort out their questions. Incompetent. Can’t blame Mallard any more!
"I wonder who gets the blame for this fuck up?"
Luxon and his corrosive crew, that's who 🙂
Nothing to do with Luxon. He just exploited the "F…up".
Parker blames everyone except Parker.
The media,the opposition,the big banks,the large fund managers,the small fund managers,the IRD and FMA for saying that their models showed it would reduce investments (funds under management) the small people for having the temerity to say the additional costs would subtract their investments (correctly) which have already depreciated.
https://www.interest.co.nz/personal-finance/117429/revenue-minister-says-hes-embarrassed-furore-over-kiwisaver-tax-grab-forced
Any depreciation would be negligible…and that assumes that there is a 'growth' future…which is by no means guaranteed.
They didnt do the work…GST on fees is a) consistent and b) marginal at worst.
Hopeless.
The depreciation brings the asset growth back and some depreciation not fully priced in due to NZ$ decrease against US$ by 15%.
Correct a persistent price increase is persistent.
Any depreciation depends upon 'competition'….should that occur.
The depreciation is a polite way of saying the decrease in the asset value.Here with Kiwisaver as the froth came off so called investement stocks etc there was a loss in value of 7.5 billion in the 6 months ending June.
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/statistics/series/non-banks-and-other-financial-institutions/kiwisaver-assets-by-sector
Which is totally unrelated to fees or tax
Of course not,but it makes people very sensitive to a Minister who wants to increase your loss,with a tax decreasing more value if any that may arise.
Or when Robertson try’s to sell the narrative that the new income protection insurance is not a tax,when it is.
The two are completely unrelated …other than the word 'tax'.
As said they didnt do the work,and left themselves open to the misrepresentation that it was a hit on peoples savings….they were negligent.
However, in the great scheme of things it likely matters not…hence their haste in back peddling.
They are very related as the need for a substantive increase in Revenue is needed in 2025,2026, to pay for increased interest on debt that needs to be refinanced.
Ultimately ….but the options are far greater than those two (unrelated) fields.
As said they appear to not understand tax…somewhat surprising given they are politicians…or perhaps not.
The desirability of the NZD is more related to what we have that the world wants/needs ….that is a very limited (and uncertain) list.
https://imperatorfish.com/2022/08/31/a-day-in-the-life-of-dr-gaurav-sharma/
The printer ran out of paper this morning. This is the second time this week. I immediately called Parliamentary Services to demand an independent investigation, only to be told that I should just put some paper in the machine. The woman I spoke to (I will refer to her as “staffer GH”) got very aggressive with me, so I emailed a complaint to her superior. I outlined in my complaint seventy-three instances of incompetence and bullying in GH’s interaction with me. To date I have heard nothing, even though I sent my email over five minutes ago.”
Brilliant!
Fantastic idea yesterday, defended hard this morning, gone this afternoon. Right up there on the u turn scale.
Can we expect the same when the government and the electorate have "conversations" about other proposed legislation later this year? The precedent is set now.
Who were the government spokespeople who said "fantastic idea yesterday, defended hard this morning"? Anybody? Not Ardern, Robertson, anyone else?
A few partisans on blogs did, sure. Nothing new there, a list of Luxon's belated "clarifications" would eat up the internet.
Lefties are far more willing to criticise the "team" than Nats, who effortlessly slide from telling us Simon's a winner to Todd's a winner to Judith's a winner to … Nicola next?
Labour introduced it, Labour defended, Labour washed it down the drain.
Actions speak louder than words
So your answer to my question is "nobody". Again, tell us who was in the media defending this (your claim).
Have you actually followed the detail of the story at all? No.
It wasn't some announcement at the podium, some new flagship policy from Ardern. It was a footnote in a document, which Parker failed to see the implications of. The opposition did, and so they scored a win.
They were found out,
and got what they deserved for it.
Beg to differ…it was a poorly foreshadowed policy (typical, they seem to have a low opinion of their adversaries) but the actual policy should have been a non event, if they had done the required 'public consultation'…aka explanation.
For a cohort of 'professional politicians' they really are inept….unfortunately we will likely inherit a Nat led gov as a result.
Or perhaps its all of no consequence as the looming recession means they are history anyway.
They weren't "found out" – they were straight-forward – the opposition sensed a twist and applied it.
No honour on them – Parker is straight – the eroders are not.
They wernt 'straight forward'…they didnt do the ground work.
They are confused about tax…not surprising given they are neo-liberals.
Parker was defending it right up 'til it was reversed.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/473822/government-drops-plans-to-charge-gst-on-kiwisaver-fees
TBH, I don't really think that he really understands public opinion – let along political framing (he admitted he got blindsided by the opposition to it). He mostly comes across like a policy wonk, who doesn't understand that most of the world doesn't think in numbers.
I agree that there was swift political action today by those in Labour who do pay attention to public opinion. Shutting down the issue (which was, after all a minor piece of technical legislation – of no great importance in the government's plans) – swiftly – was the best action in the circumstances. Letting it trickle on, would have been an even greater gift to the opposition.
However, a chunk of reputational damage has already been done.
It's one of those 'death by a thousand cuts' things – each individual issue isn't significant, but each eats away at the government's support. Labour really can't afford to continue to have political u-turns because their ministers aren't managing the message.
Because Parker is correct.
Being 'right' is cold comfort when you lose an election.
Being right is never cold comfort. The election is not lost: it has not been held yet – are you clairvoyant? More to the point, have any of your predictions proved accurate? (Link please 🙂
Just as clairvoyant as you are.
Given that we have national elections every 3 years, it requires little precognitive ability to predict that someone will lose.
I haven't made a prediction. I'm keeping to the known facts (as I see them).
Your claim that "someone will lose" is an earth-shattering observation; have you considered political commentary as a profession?
Do keep up, Robert.
I haven't made a prediction. That would require me stating which party would lose.
You seem to be assuming that it will be Labour.
You seem to be implying that it will be Labour 🙂
Not one of Parkers better interviews.
Government abandons controversial KiwiSaver service fees GST 'tax grab' | Stuff.co.nz
Brilliant play – voters being fed: "Labour doesn't listen!!!!"
Labour – let’s float this – voters/Opposition flares up!!
Labour – we listened, we responded in the way you demanded.
Labour up – Opposition, down.
🙂
Spin as you may, you really cannot portray a piece of legislation being introduced into the house as a concept being 'floated'.
Parker told the truth. I know it's difficult for you to accept … 🙂
The corollary is that Ardern and Robertson were therefore wrong to reverse his policy.
No, it is not. Parker told the truth then conceded that the truth wasn't palatable and had to be set aside.
The most useless parliament in many decades, nothing more concerning for NZ than a rubbish government and opposition at the same time.
Aye
Ad, just wait till you get Luxon, then you will happily moan about that!!
Fire Ardern and hire Roberston.
And fire Parker FFS.
Broken record…
More a pyretic reaction …
higherstandard Keep telling yourself you are right. You might be right twice a day!!
You omitted 'crisis', 'tsunami' and 'shambles' in your reckon.
Also a fact or two. 😉
'Crisis' gets used fairly frequently by opposition parties of whatever flavour.
'Shambles' was the go-to destructive NAct critique deployed during the on-going pandemic; I will be forever thankful they weren't in a position to deploy Plan B ASAP.
COVID deaths per million popn
USA…..3217
Brazil…3169
UK……..2735
NZ……….548
Makes you wonder how Ardern can dump on NZs biggest-ever MMP majority and flush it down the crapper in under 12 months, with NZ back where we were in Feb 2020.
Ardern is impressively shit.
Does she call all the shots, Ad?
Surely your Golden Boy, Robertson, has some influence??
After all, he's no.2
🙂
Yes yes Ad, everyone knows you (and others) think Ardern is shit (and now "impressively shit"), and are happy to use Hooton’s shrewd political judgement in support of your cause, whereas I think this particular evaluation of yours is dim-witted and insulting.
If you want our 6th Labour Govt to go 3 terms, then imho your continuing anti-Ardern crusade is an exemplar of "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face."
If NAct sweep to power in 2023, then their party-sponsored keptocracy will be back with a vengeance, and the hollow men and women will gut and gorge, leaving huge quantities of unmet need in their wake – it's in their DNA.
As an analogy, if you want to strengthen the immune system and evoke a strong response when needed, then you need to keep throwing shit at it all the time.
If I'm grokking your analogy, then are Ad's distasteful anti-Ardern jibes training Labour's immune system, or evidence of lupus? And can one more turd be a useful addition to the daily mountain of shit thrown Ardern's way?
Made a private commitment that I would Party vote National if one of their leaders publicly repudiated the political obscenity that was (and is) Dirty Politics – I doubt that the Green Party will be loosing my vote anytime soon.
Politics is cutthroat, not kind, but give a little logic and fairness its due too.
Yeah right. Sadly Labour has a history of infighting…and biting their own. And Ad has been criticising Jacinda here for quite a while. I, like many others, wonder at his motives? IMO throwing shit at her..is not productive..in any way.
Drowsy M. Kram. thanks for the reply and the PlanB reference. I note that PlanB has had no further input from its "expert and passionate (sigh)" people since December 2021.
Maybe they had a Damascus experience when some facts like yours gave them "a sign".
Bit like National. How many times did we hear "the government needs to…"? They had several plans, all in opposition to the government. "Too soon….too late….. never……"
Thanks Mac1. Yes, Plan B has gone off the boil now that the borders are open and 'freedum' has returned to our "mysterious socialist hermit kingdom."
Hope Kiwis don't forget the pandemic lessons learned (so far) too quickly.
Lots of (too many!) links:
Your standards are way too high.
Maybe, but I'd take any of the previous governments of the last 20 years over the current lot in a heartbeat.
It might of course be something to do with my age, one's tolerance for idiot politicians declines the older you get I suspect.
Just heard Heather Depressing' Allen rant about the Govt….they do not even bother to even try and appear impartial on ZB these days.
Why were you listening… ?
Just caught her briefly in the car.Not a fan…believe me.
Consign her to the "don't listen" bin.
She's the perfect aural bin-liner.