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.
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
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A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
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Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
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While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
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In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
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Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
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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 …….?
"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.
glass half empty.
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.