Parsing John Key on TPPA

Written By: - Date published: 1:32 pm, August 17th, 2015 - 72 comments
Categories: john key, making shit up, Media, slippery, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, winston peters, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , ,

TPPA

John Key was interviewed this morning by Paul Henry on TV3.  The interview was cringeworthy.  The complete lack of independence shown by Henry and the obsequious nature of his treatment of Key were a joke.  Winston Peters has criticised Mike Hosking for being a National Party stooge and has said that the cost of his show should be counted against National’s electoral advertising.  The same comment applies to Paul Henry.  Our media is in a shocking state.

Key’s comments were reported in this article and shows Key at his disingenuous best.  And some parsing of his comments suggests that his comments are not, ahem, accurate.

Prime Minister John Key says protesters against a Pacific-wide free trade deal were misinformed.

Like when opponents said that Pharmac would be gutted and this was denied until recently?  And much of the heat has been generated because of the lack of information about the negotiations.

… Key said the protesters, only about one-third of which he said were “genuine”, were adamant they should know what the TPP involves before negotiations had been wrapped up.

“Name a single free trade agreement we’ve ever done in the public,” he asked on TVNZ’s Breakfast.

You mean that all sorts of WTO negotiations, or negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas or the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement were also conducted in complete secrecy?  And the European Union Ombudsman has recommended release of similar documents from the US-EU negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

And accusing two thirds of those who took part in the protest of not being genuine is insulting.

… Key said one-third of those were rent-a-crowd protesters who opposed any free trade deal and another third were Labour and Green supporters who opposed anything the Government did.

Funny I did not see people with clipboards at the Auckland protest determining who were “genuine”, who were “rent a mob” and who were Labour and Green supporters.  Perhaps since he knows so much John Key could advise where we can get our rent a crowd payments from?

Reports that Pharmac, the Government’s drug supplier, would be disestablished under the TPP were simply not true, he said.

“Pharmac will still be able to carry on with its own policies.”

Another false flag argument.  The concerns raised are that the Pharmac model, which has delivered significant savings in the cost of drugs, will be adversely affected.  This will either make the cost of buying pharmaceuticals more expensive for the country or the quality of what is available will drop or both will occur.  National’s position has changed.  Of course Pharmac will be affected.

The media is in a bad way with such openly partisan hacks as Henry and Hosking occupying such important positions.  Because it is the media’s most important job to hold John Key to account when he says stupid things.  Clearly as today’s example shows the media is not doing this at this stage.

To paraphrase Winston Peters both Hosking’s and Henry’s jowls are up the Prime Minister’s cheeks and the quality of public debate is clearly suffering.

72 comments on “Parsing John Key on TPPA ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Graeme 1
    17 August 2015 at 1:48 pm

    “… Key said one-third of those were rent-a-crowd protesters who opposed any free trade deal and another third were Labour and Green supporters who opposed anything the Government did.”

    So the other third were National supporters. Like they’re the genuine people….

    Oppppps

    • Charles 1.1
      17 August 2015 at 2:31 pm

      If 2/3 of the protestors were genuine Green/Labour supporters and/or by definition genuinely “opposed anything the government did”, and one third were “genuine” protestors, then 3/3 of the protestors were genuine. It’s possible a sixth of the non-partisan could have been misinformed, since the rest had no need to know either way and still be genuine. But that would allow up to a sixth of them to have been “informed” of secrets no one knows and yet they protested anyway.

      So given the rough numbers of protestors at the events, there could be a minimum 600 non-governmental people who know the contents of the TTPA negotiations. This government has a serious leak!

    • Chooky 1.2
      17 August 2015 at 4:04 pm

      I seem to recall anti- Springbok Tour protesters were put down and called “rent-a- crowd” and “communists”

      ….didn’t alter the facts one iota

      ….and John key went to Nelson Mandala’s funeral ( while at the same time throwing insults at Hone Harawira, who genuinely was a brave protester and anti – apartheid…John Key of course could not remember which side he was on or even the Springbok Tour apparently)

      these name callers are full of shi..te

  2. Lanthanide 2
    17 August 2015 at 1:49 pm

    “Pharmac would be gutted”

    I don’t think the changes we are aware of would rise to the level of ‘gutting’ Pharmac, which figuratively means being a shell of it’s former self.

    Pharmac will still exist; all the existing cheap medication will stay cheap. The amount of drugs it can buy based on its current funding model will decrease; one estimate I heard (from a group of medical professionals against the TPPA, on Morning Report on Tuesday or Wednesday of the week the Hawaii negotiations were going on) is that it would cost an extra $50M for each year of patent extension. Now, that’s not tiny pocket change, but nor is it going to destroy pharmac.

    Of course since the whole thing is secret, there could be much worse provisions that we don’t know about.

    • Richard@Down South 2.1
      17 August 2015 at 2:43 pm

      How many years will they seek though? Currently its only 3 years from what I understand… what if they rounded it up to 10, or 20… or what about RIAA/MPAA Level copyright, 70 years

    • Sacha 2.2
      17 August 2015 at 2:50 pm

      The main damage to Pharmac is not patent extension but the crowbarring open of its prioritisation process and the power under ISDS for big pharma companies to use legal challenges against purchasing decisions they don’t like.

      They have wanted to undermine Pharmac for many years lest other nations copy the model. And guess who has been at the table helping write the TPP..

      • dukeofurl 2.2.1
        17 August 2015 at 3:21 pm

        I think you have hit the core issue there Sacha.

        We can see the advertising that Big Pharma do on TV ( as NZ is like US which allows advertising of pharmacy only medicines) where they run down the generics and tell people they can ‘insist’ of the drug thats ‘right for you’.
        So there is push back against Pharmac allowing competition to existing medicines , so Its certain they will push back in the courts to when existing medicines are dropped for cheaper versions

        • northshoredoc 2.2.1.1
          17 August 2015 at 4:22 pm

          NZ and the USA allow advertising of prescription medicines, most countries allow advertising of pharmacy medicines.

          I’m not sure about the USA but the only prescription medicines i’ve seen advertised in NZ recently are for asthma.

          • dukeofurl 2.2.1.1.1
            17 August 2015 at 8:11 pm

            Not long ago it was advertising for a anti depressant ‘branded’ against a generic.
            A bit longer back , when Viagra came out it was quite cleverly advertised- there were some bathroom sinks that ‘deflated’.
            But of course viagra has moved to pharmacy only not prescription only

          • tricledrown 2.2.1.1.2
            18 August 2015 at 12:53 am

            not many countries allow advertising by pharmacuetical companies.
            many perscription and non perscription medicines are advertised putting pressure on patients to ask their doctors!
            corruption govts should ask those companies to reduce the price of the medicines by not advertising putting that money they spend on advertising towards reducing percription costs.

      • Tracey 2.2.2
        17 August 2015 at 3:39 pm

        Pharmac’s business plans and methods of pricing have been passed over by our Government to our potential partners as part of the secret negotiating process. THAT kind of information is “die in the ditch” stuff in the commercial world. TPP or no TPP overseas pharmas have the info to begin to undermine Pharmac…

        • northshoredoc 2.2.2.1
          17 August 2015 at 4:23 pm

          PHARMAC’s plans and methods of pricing aren’t secret, they publish them on their website.

          • Tracey 2.2.2.1.1
            17 August 2015 at 5:27 pm

            hmmmmm…. am sure I read something about it in the last leaks and it didn’t relate to readily available information BUT it could have been misrepresented to beat up the story by those opposed to TPP, so thanks for the correction. Or I didn’t listen properly.

            http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11463317

            • Tautoko Mangō Mata 2.2.2.1.1.1
              18 August 2015 at 8:37 am

              Tracey, could this have been what you had read?

              “The Annex sets out a series of principles and procedures by which agencies like Pharmac must operate. They are designed to give the pharmaceutical industry more influence over its decisions and break down the procedures and budgetary cap that makes Pharmac so effective.

              According to Professor Kelsey, Pharmac is the most exposed of any programme in a TPPA country, especially since it assumed responsibility for medical devices as well as pharmaceuticals.

              While the ‘transparency’ Annex is not enforceable by other states, there are numerous ways the US and the pharmaceutical companies can force New Zealand to make changes that would seriously undermine Pharmac’s effectiveness and workability.

              The most immediate is the certification process, where the US can refuse to bring the TPPA into force in relation to New Zealand until Pharmac’s regulations and procedures are changed to meet what the US says the Annex requires.”

              http://itsourfuture.org.nz/wikileaks-reveals-attack-on-pharmac-in-transparency-annex/

    • Tracey 2.3
      17 August 2015 at 3:36 pm

      This is what Key and his advisors do. They lie about what people have claimed and then show the people were wrong to claim that, even though they didn’t.

      Interesting that he feels the need to address the issues raised (or imagined to be raised by him) by these disingenuous people…

      AND there goes a National person who knows better. It is NOT a FTA it is much more than that… and no one corrects him, not like we correct Wayne here!

    • Pat 2.4
      17 August 2015 at 6:52 pm

      It would appear a little more “gutting” than the Government of the day (read tax payers) having to reallocate increased resources to Pharmac, and remove that funding from somewhere else…the other consequences i.e. legal challenges could potentially have a far greater impact. The purpose and effectiveness of the Pharmac model could well be termed to be gutted.

      http://www.asms.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/TPPA-document-release-shows-Pharmac-will-be-undermined-_163769.1.pdf

      http://itsourfuture.org.nz/access-to-medicines/

  3. Detrie 3
    17 August 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Both the TVNZ and TV3 interviews were hopeless, although TVNZ version started by stating that the thousands over the weekend were obviously not the ‘rent a mob’ but genuinely concerned individuals. However no awkward questions followed, ending with a discussion of the PMs view of the weekend rugby game. Good grief….

    I guess we get the politicians and PMs we deserve, this one sadly being little better than a used car salesman. At least car salespeople are selling real items, not money itself.

    • Stephen Dickson 3.1
      17 August 2015 at 2:11 pm

      Who actually owns our media? Because quite frankly our media are an embarrassment and indeed need to be held accountable themselves.

      • maui 3.1.1
        17 August 2015 at 6:09 pm

        Not sure but whoever they are, they’re fucking assholes. Democracy and balance in what they do are long gone and it’s increasingly rubbed in our faces.

        • In Vino 3.1.1.1
          17 August 2015 at 6:26 pm

          Our media have been handed over to the marketing industry because that is how we are stupid enough to fund the media. In how many other countries would the CEO of supposedly State-Owned (‘Enterprise’) TVNZ be a man from the bloody marketing industry?

  4. rhinocrates 4
    17 August 2015 at 2:06 pm

    Question for Hosking and Henry: does it taste salty or sweet – or does it taste like nothing at all?

    • dukeofurl 4.1
      17 August 2015 at 3:22 pm

      cheek by jowl used to have a different meaning!

    • Anno1701 4.2
      17 August 2015 at 3:50 pm

      ouch !

    • NZJester 4.3
      17 August 2015 at 5:24 pm

      It would taste of nothing at all as he is so hollow and disingenuous on the inside. But they are most likely getting a placebo effect that makes them think that it tastes sweet, because he told them it would!

  5. Redbaiter 5
    17 August 2015 at 2:06 pm

    Its really not much good depending upon the media.

    It is the Labour Party’s job to confront John Key.

    Let’s face it, they’re hopeless at that job.

    Even I can see so much that Key could be pulled up on but the Labour Party just can’t seem to engage on the issues that matter.

    Who ever is in charge of strategy needs a good arse kicking.

    • rhinocrates 5.1
      17 August 2015 at 2:32 pm

      The truth is, in their tiny little hearts and in their tiny little minds, the front benches don’t oppose the government. I’d say that they’re simply going through the motions of being an opposition, but they’re pretty immobile.

    • Tiger Mountain 5.2
      17 August 2015 at 2:38 pm

      ah the smell of fake concern in the afternoon, thanks for that Rodbeater, it is actually wider participation and activism like the weekend marches that will make a difference

    • Tracey 5.3
      17 August 2015 at 3:40 pm

      if Hosking and Henry won’t report or challenge, how will the public KNOW if Labour is challenging the assertions. For example, the false assertion by Key that TPP is like other FTA’s. It’s not, that is part of the point.

      • Redbaiter 5.3.1
        17 August 2015 at 3:49 pm

        OK let’s assume that is true.

        That the two little MSM gnomes Hosking and Henry are a big part of confronting Key with an alternative and informed viewpoint.

        If so, then where do they get the information they need to construct this alternative viewpoint?

        Are you depending upon them to seek it out? If so then you’re doomed because they’re both lazy uniformed political noobs and they’re never going to do it.

        They know about ratings and that is all.

        There’s only one way Hosking and Henry are going to become informed about alternative views (to those of John Key) and that is if the Labour party makes those views well known. In parliament and other places.

        They’re not doing it.

        • Tracey 5.3.1.1
          17 August 2015 at 5:22 pm

          yeah they are. In question time every session. It is a fallacy that they are NOT challenging this government. They are sometimes reported and sometimes not. BUT Labour talking in parliament will NOT make Henry or Hosking say to Key “but this is different to all those other FTA’s PM.”

          “There’s only one way Hosking and Henry are going to become informed about alternative views (to those of John Key) and that is if the Labour party makes those views well known. In parliament and other places.”

          On what basis do you consider Hosking and Henry want to become informed about a viewpoint that challenges their own view of the world? My evidence that they don’t, is that, well, they don’t.

          • NZJester 5.3.1.1.1
            17 August 2015 at 5:49 pm

            Hosking and Henry could have easily got informed by looking at the facts that are easily available. But unless it is something coming to them filtered through the National part first they are closing their eyes and plugging their ears and going “nah nah nah nah nah”.

            John key quotes facts that sounds to good to be true and they will not ask him for his source of information to back up the claim. A member from another party not aligned with National quotes facts and they demand to know where they got the source of their information from so that they can be checked out.

            The MSM are demanding the highest of standards from or opposition parties but not demanding the highest of standards from the Government. A fair and balanced media should be demanding the highest of standards from everyone including themselves!

  6. Karen 6
    17 August 2015 at 2:16 pm

    Muldoon always used to claim the majority of those taking part in protest marches were “paid political protestors.” Never worked out who was supposed to be paying.
    He also would do his best to personally demean anybody spoke out against his policies, particularly if they were an academic.

    Key is just singing from the old National Party songbook, and on this issue Matthew Hooton is doing all he can to help by trying (unsuccessfully) to damage Jane Kelsey’s credibility.

    • rhinocrates 6.1
      17 August 2015 at 3:00 pm

      Does he have her address?

    • rhinocrates 6.2
      17 August 2015 at 3:01 pm

      Does Hoots have her address?

    • rhinocrates 6.3
      17 August 2015 at 3:01 pm

      Does Hoots have her address?

      • rhinocrates 6.3.1
        17 August 2015 at 4:12 pm

        Ach, buts in uploading, sorry for the repeat. Can someone remove the redundant ones?

    • Tracey 6.4
      17 August 2015 at 3:42 pm

      It amsues me that Kelsey, they say, is to be dismissed cos she has never supported a single FTA YET they are all full of credibility despite none of them EVER opposing a single FTA…

      Deep down I suspect a few (Mapp, Key, etc) are intimidated cos Kelsey probably is WAY more informed on what the TPP implications are than they are.

  7. Blue Horsehoe 7
    17 August 2015 at 2:31 pm

    NZ has been stitched up in what could only be described, as a deliberate operation

    Heartbreaking stuff

  8. georgy 8
    17 August 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Classic Crosby-Textor speak by Key on TV1 and 3.

    • NZJester 8.1
      17 August 2015 at 5:54 pm

      Classic Crosby-Textor speak just by Key? You do have to wonder if they also wrote some of the interviewers questions for him as well!

  9. Tracey 9
    17 August 2015 at 3:45 pm

    I AM NOT a rent-a-crowd. I don’t hate everything this government does, but I do strongly object to them signing us up to the TPP. I guess simple concepts are tough for Shohn Key?

    • Tautoko Mangō Mata 9.1
      17 August 2015 at 4:33 pm

      What about rent-an-MP? There’s a whole party of them and these are the ones who are going to ratify this “agreement” .

    • Keith 9.2
      17 August 2015 at 7:31 pm

      @Tracey; “I don’t hate everything this government does”

      But I surely hate everything about this governments constant dishonesty!

    • Rodel 9.3
      17 August 2015 at 10:22 pm

      Rent a crowd? No..it’s ‘rent a sycophant’ Hoskings, Henry and a few others make it the real’ rent a crowd’.

  10. Chooky 10
    17 August 2015 at 4:00 pm

    re “To paraphrase Winston Peters both Hosking’s and Henry’s jowls are up the Prime Minister’s cheeks and the quality of public debate is clearly suffering.”

    ….disgusting really

    GO Winnie!

    • rhinocrates 10.1
      17 August 2015 at 4:19 pm

      To quote Lenny Henry, “If you can say ‘fuck’, then you can’t say ‘fuck the government'”.

      Deliberately vulgar language undermines the ‘dignity’ of politicians. An interesting historical fact is that of course after printing was invented in Europe, it was used to spread porn… which was really often political satire depicting nobles and clerics in compromising activities – which was why it was banned of course.

      Stanley Kubrick did the same in Dr Strangelove depicting politicians and military officers as having weird sexual obsessions.

      The enforcement of ‘good taste’ is the refuge of the corrupt and insecure.

  11. Gosman 11
    17 August 2015 at 4:09 pm

    Even the recent changes on the drugs issue that have been discussed doesn’t suggest Pharmac will be ‘gutted’ (whatever that value laden term actually means in this context). The most that was mentioned is that new tpyes of drups would have longer patent protection. What this means is that it would take longer before Pharmac could source the generic alternative. In essence this is likely to increase the cost for Pharmac in the long term. If this is accompanied by increased funding then what is the problem?

  12. peterh 12
    17 August 2015 at 5:15 pm

    Why do you think Sky City. give Henry & Hoskings $50.000 a year

  13. Stuart Munro 13
    17 August 2015 at 5:30 pm

    Key’s latest “people want me to build a fence”

    No you STUPID ARROGANT GIT – you are temporarily manning our border control and when you’re gone (which can’t come soon enough) we want to have some of New Zealand left.

    The TPPA is criminally, disastrously, seize-traitor-MPs-and-burn-them-alive stupid. Do your homework, find out why, and don’t bloody sign it. Nothing was always what you did best.

  14. Paul 14
    17 August 2015 at 5:34 pm

    Hosking is symptomatic of everything that has gone wrong with NZ.
    A self-centred popinjay.

    • maui 14.1
      17 August 2015 at 6:20 pm

      I heard some Martians were looking at launching an attack on earth and starting with NZ. Then they picked up our digital signals with Hosking all over it and realised that we’re already being fucked over by someone else, so why bother.

    • keyman 14.2
      17 August 2015 at 6:32 pm

      hoskins is smug selfish stunted git

  15. dv 15
    17 August 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Isn’t the irony that even if/when the deal is signed the text is secret for 5 years??

  16. Kriss X 16
    17 August 2015 at 5:48 pm

    I voted for Key (probably not again) and were out protesting against the TPPA this weekend.

    It is worth remembering that this process began under a different government. It sucks, no matter who is in power.

    It is an issue that has united left/right/libertarians in all countries that may be signed into this agreement.

    Now is a time to all put our other differences aside and pull together for the greater good.

    • Anne 16.1
      17 August 2015 at 6:42 pm

      It is worth remembering that this process began under a different government.

      I think you will find that the original anticipated terms and conditions of the trade agreement were quite different to what appears to have eventuated under this government. Whatever John Key is claiming you can be sure it is a lie because the man is a pathological liar. He did it over the Saudi sheep deal where he has made demonstrably and easily proven false claims about Labour’s initial involvement. The MSM continue to keep their powder dry and are letting Key get away with all the lies. But sooner or later something is going to give…

      • Kriss X 16.1.1
        17 August 2015 at 9:14 pm

        Probably true. But that does not make the opposition right. Or forgive past wrongs.

  17. Keith 17
    17 August 2015 at 7:17 pm

    Was Paul Henry humping Keys leg during this pointless “interview”?

    • Paul 17.1
      17 August 2015 at 7:44 pm

      Henry and Hosking have given up even pretending they are journalists.

      • AmaKiwi 17.1.1
        17 August 2015 at 8:35 pm

        They are entertainers. They never were journalists. Their bosses gave them that title.

        It’s like addressing a crooked MP as “the Honorable.” It’s a title that goes with the time slot but has nothing to do with reality.

      • Puddleglum 17.1.2
        17 August 2015 at 9:29 pm

        Hi Paul,

        Mike Hoskings has already confirmed that he is not a journalist.

        To quote him:

        “Finally to all those who get exercised about this stuff, much of it seems based on the fact that “journalists” are supposed to be neutral.

        Well, top tip for you, I am not a journalist, and any claimed neutrality from others is most often a myth.“

  18. venezia 18
    17 August 2015 at 8:51 pm

    All the more reason to support the legal challenge to disclose the secret TPPA documents. You can donate on the givealittle page:

    https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/tppnosecrecy

  19. millsy 19
    18 August 2015 at 5:10 am

    We are too worried about Pharmac to focus on other implications, such as the ability of future governments to ensure utilities are kept in public hands, or even to regulate them.

  20. Smilin 20
    18 August 2015 at 9:35 am

    And you never know what youve got till youve lost it
    This TPPA is the country we know gone forever bit like OPEC the UN and all the rest of them
    When are we going to get a CLEAN UP THE PACIFIC agreement and hold France Britain Japan Aust and the USA to account for the nuclear and garbage mess theyve left us .
    The new plastic continent to go with plastic politics so we all have a plastic spoon while Key gets away with the family silver
    Thats the real TPPA

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • PM announces changes to portfolios
    Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago

  • New catch limits for unique fishery areas
    Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    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 - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    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, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-24T13:02:10+00:00