Partisan politics

Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, September 26th, 2011 - 45 comments
Categories: john key, leadership, national, political alternatives - Tags: , ,

John Key is a very partisan politician. He is ridiculously negative on seemingly any proposal raised by a perceived political opponent. Key infamously called Working For Families “communism by stealth” (his government now supports it). Key made a fool of himself ranting that Labour’s capital gains tax was “a dagger through the heart of the economy” (every credible economic commentator supported it). Just recently Key dismissed Labour’s policy for rebuilding Canterbury, “put the brakes on” Len Brown’s proposals for Auckland rail, while the Nats rubbished the (otherwise well received) Green jobs plan and rejected calls for a fairer pension system.

Why so relentlessly negative?  It’s not like National have many ideas of their own to offer (witness the Jobs Summit).  It’s not like the recycling old ideas from the 90’s (austerity and privatisation) is working out well.  So why not be open to ideas from elsewhere?  Ridiculous statements like “a dagger through the heart” just make it that much harder for Key and the Nats to back down and adopt policies that could be highly beneficial.

Time to lose the arrogance and the reflexive negativity.  The Nats need to take good ideas wherever they come from, and involve opposition parties in the process. Labour are showing how it’s done, as John Armstrong writes:

Consensus politics an intricate game to play

Contained within Labour’s thoughtful and thought-provoking recovery plan for earthquake-shattered Christchurch is what might appear to be a rather generous promise. .. Among the list of unashamedly interventionist measures flagged by Phil Goff last Monday to speed Christchurch’s revival is a commitment that a Labour government would take a bipartisan approach “by offering the Opposition a role in the rebuilding process”.

Labour’s point is well made. Once the scale and likely duration of the recovery effort became obvious, National should have found some official means of allowing the major Opposition party to play a constructive role, not least because Labour MPs represent most of the city.

National risked making a very big rod for its own back by not doing so. Christchurch’s four Labour MPs could have really gone to town and made life very difficult for Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.

They have not done so. Presumably that is in part because the city’s plight dictates that MPs mute the normal level of political noise and because those MPs see some real value in a bipartisan approach.

That suggests Labour’s offer is not a hollow gesture. …

Labour is offering to take Christchurch out of the political football game. Excellent. Planning for superannuation and foreign policy are two other obvious candidates for a bipartisan consensus, I’m sure you can think of more. But is Key capable of such politics? I don’t see anything in his record so far that suggests that he is, or that he is even interested in trying. And that is bad news for NZ.

45 comments on “Partisan politics ”

  1. Colonial Viper 1

    Nothing more than the appearance of bipartisan consensus will be possible. National will always force Labour too far right towards its own position in order to achieve a ‘consensus’ which National will abrogate anyway whenever it is convenient for them.

    The process will leave Labour looking weak, ineffectual and compromised.

    The Left always believes that bipartisan consensus can be honest and productive – after all that is how it prefers to do things internally – but when you look at the politics of the US it is clear that the Right will simply do what it wants to do anyway, leaving the grassroots Left stranded as its leadership lurches rightwards.

  2. The phantom 2

    whereas The Standard is consistently even handed in its assessment of John Key’s ideas? Come off it. I cannot recall a single positive comment on Key or his Government from any of you guys. This post smacks of the sort of hypocrisy which is a hallmark of this site. If you guys dropped the strident negativity and blanket dismissal of your dissenters as RWNJ’s you might find more people willing to engage in the sort of honest debate and discussion you purport to encourage.

    [Hey Phantom – want to donate $10 to The Standard for every time we’ve said something nice about the Nats? See comment 8 below… r0b]

    • Colonial Viper 2.1

      Not interested in debate with hapless RWNJs, only throwing them out of office.

      whereas The Standard is consistently even handed in its assessment of John Key’s ideas?

      ROFL…which of Key’s ‘ideas’ are you talking about here? Tourist cycleways for jobs? NZ as the next Irish ‘Financial Hub’? Putting Brownlee in charge as royal dictator of Christchurch?

      Gimme a break, loser. Commentators on The Standard have been extremely ‘consistent’ with the treatment of Key’s lameass, PR scripted ‘ideas’.

      • Joe Bloggs 2.1.1

        C’mon CV, time to lose the arrogance and the reflexive negativity.

        Ironically Labour had the opportunity to participate in some concensus politics at the time of the Christchurch earthquakes, and to stand alongside National in a show of unity and support for the plight of Cantabrians.

        Labour chose not to.

        • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1

          Fuck you using the PR ‘arrogant’ line last pulled out by NATs on the last Clark Government.

          Please note, Labour voted with the highly undemoractic CERA and put His Highness Brownlee in charge, tell me what more you wanted Labour to do to stand by Key and Brownlee’s shit handling of Christchurch reconstruction?

          • Joe Bloggs 2.1.1.1.1

            …using the PR ‘arrogant’ line last pulled out by NATs on the last Clark Government.

            Er no. That line was last pulled out by R0B at 7:12am this morning. Evidently the irony of using that line on this blog site escapes you, CV.

        • kriswgtn 2.1.1.2

          hha another cockmaster in action dumbass

          no the labour MP’s in CHCH have been workin non stop making sure their constituents actually are looked after considering the constituents in those suburbs have been left to fend for themselves

          stand together

          ahhahahahah there is only room for one person in the photo shoots and thats Key

    • Campbell Larsen 2.2

      Shonky doesnt have any ideas of his own, he is just a mouthpiece for the ideas of others.
      He is a rather effective show pony though.

      Even handed enough for you?

    • I cannot recall a single positive comment on Key or his Government
       
      There have been many positive comments about the John Key memorial cycleway.  The problem has been that this is the only think the nats have done which deserves praise.
       
      Strident negativity?  Maybe we should talk grandly about how the country will be catching up with Australia any time soon.  BTW how is that going?

      • aerobubble 2.3.1

        You cannot recall a single positive comment about Key. WTF are you deaf.
        Key has always structured his statements in singular positive light even when
        liaring his pretty face off. It would be hard not to have noticed that.
        So of course when all Key does basically is declare his policy ‘balanced
        and fair’ what else are people to criticize him on, he has nothing substantial
        about which to talk about.
        Geez, how can you not understand something so simple, if the emporer has
        no clothes, how else can you be… but negative, how naked he is.

    • kriswgtn 2.4

      “whereas The Standard is consistently even handed in its assessment of John Key’s ideas?”

      He dont ever have any of his own

      Own ideas hgahahahahhahahahahahahah wot a cock

      its got nothing to do with negativity
      its called having a do nothing clueless Trophy Prime mincer who basically apart from photo shoots does sfa

      job summit the cycleway were not his ideas

      next

      • mik e 2.4.1

        Don’t forget all the holidays in Hawaii that was his idea.
        Photo ops everywhere and any where has he been on shortland st yet
        Mumbling when he lies
        The cat walk

    • lprent 2.5

      Phantom: Perhaps you should point to these ideas by John Key? I can only really recall the rather silly cycleway that was no fit for purpose. I can recall ideas by other National and Act ministers, but John Key appears to not be a thinker.

      Perhaps the reason he is so eternally negative of other people’s ideas (including those of his caucus) is because of a simple jealousy?

      • Lanthanide 2.5.1

        What about NZ being the Celtic Tiger of the South Pacific? That financial hub mumbo-jumbo?

        • Joe Bloggs 2.5.1.1

          reminds one of a certain knowledge wave conference from 2001… if one recalls there was a certain co-chair of the conference, who started by calling for ideas and claiming the Government was listening.

          But by the finish of the conference was obstinately stating that the Government would not change its taxation policy.

          This despite being told that New Zealand had the highest corporate tax rate in the Pacific region and had effectively zero chance of keeping knowledge industies onshore.

          • Lanthanide 2.5.1.1.1

            So you couldn’t think of any ideas that John Key came up with either, then.

          • mik e 2.5.1.1.2

            JB what BS other countries businesses have huge land taxes cgts pay roll and other taxes we don’t have a myth spread by ACt .Cullen lowered them, savings was identified cullen set up the cullen fund [National would be stuffed without it]kiwsaver.R&D was another area identified cullen set aside several billion dollars for that only for National cut and cut.Fix infrastructure cullen set up an infrastructure planning committee.JB you Baffle us with BS every time you blog .Tell the truth not a small part of the truth.Another area identified by the 2001 conference was unnecessary competition between universities that was cut out by cullen now we have it back under petrol head Joyce where universities are Wasting time and money on competing again and a recent report shows our universities are rapidly declining in academic performance again.Get your head out of your gumboot bloggs you are a bad hang over from the past.

            • McFlock 2.5.1.1.2.1

              Maybe JB was pissed that we didn’t copy Ireland doing tax cuts for multinationals. He doesn’t realise that a knowledge economy needs an educated populace, otherwise it becomes the turd in a dutch sandwich and still goes kaput.

      • ianmac 2.5.2

        How about insisting on a “Party Central”? But it is very hard to know just what Mr Key believes in. He really does say what he thinks his audience wants to hear, but with enough ambiguity to satisfy a variety of positions. From one set of comments therefore, two extremes of belief can be satisfied by what they hear from his words. Now that takes talent. (A good second hand car salesman?)

  3. Scotty 3

    Phantom,
    Care to highlight any specific policy from National, that you think warrants bipartisan praise.?
    just wondering

  4. randal 4

    National got in because the print media and Radio Squawkback shreiked long and loud that it was Nationals “TURN”. Well they have had their turn and accomplished preciely nothing in three years. It is time they were shown the door and good riddance.

    • marsman 4.1

      @ randal. National have achieved a lot in three years BUT it’s all been negative for the majority of the population BUT very ‘rewarding’ for a few. And yes they need to be shown the door and BOOTED out.

  5. Afewknowthetruth 5

    Why would Key want to change tactics when the long term strategic goals -of increasing the gap between the rich and the poor, increasing the control global corporations have over NZ society, transferring NZ wealth overseas, increasing the level of debt slavery, and in the long term establishing of a neo-feudal society (whilst keeping the general populace oblivious, confused and distracted) -are being achieved so well?

    After all, the best kind of slave society is one in which the slaves votes for slavery. Key has achieved that. NZers continue to vote for their own destruction via the fabrications and delusions promoted by Key and his cronies.

    What is interesting overseas is that the British got thoroughly sick of Tony B Liar, the Clown and the other ‘Labour’ saboteurs, and voted for something worse. Americans got thoroughly sick of Bush and the Republican saboteurs and voted for something worse.

    The only people who seem to have made any notable progress in recent years are the Icelanders, who threw the international money-lenders out, and told them to ‘fuck off’ when they threatened to come back for their ‘pound of flesh’. And Turkey seems to be doing tolerably well in the short term, now that the Eurozone is in meltdown.

    The crux of the problem in NZ is that there has been no significant difference between National and Labour for decades, both have been pro-money-lender, pro-coprorate-control, pro-globalisation, pro-destroy-the-environment parties.

    So. Do we need a bipartisan approach on such policies? Are we not being screwed fast enough already?

    • coolas 5.1

      Spot on. ‘After all, the best kind of slave society is one in which the slaves votes for slavery,’ is exactly what Key is achieving for his Corporate masters by convincing middle enzed that his wealth and charm are the saviour in these tough economic times.

      I despair at how many freedom loving people support John Key. They seem enamoured by the story of poor boy made good, and they refuse to see how they’re giving away their freedoms, one by one, because that nice Mr Key says we should if, ‘we’re to build a brighter future.’

  6. tsmithfield 6

    “John Key is a very partisan politician. He is ridiculously negative on seemingly any proposal raised by a perceived political opponent.”

    Yeah, right. So what do you say about the fact that he adopted the Greens insulation proposal then?

    • ianmac 6.1

      Pragmatic and cynical?

    • The Voice of Reason 6.2

      He didn’t perceive the Green’s policy as coming from a political opponent, TS, but as an opportunity to shore up his new Government by co-opting them with a memorandum of understanding. Same with the MP’s Whanau Ora; just a sop to engender goodwill.
       
      It’s a different story 3 years on, however and the post is right, he is increasingly partisan in his approach.

    • mik e 6.3

      No he cut the labour greens proposal and only wealthier New Zealanders can afford the new program.

  7. randal 7

    well he will need an asbestos suit to deflect the blowtorch of this general election.

    • Afewknowthetruth 7.1

      randal.

      That would only be the case if Labour were prepared to expose the fraud that is inherent in the money system …. indeed the fraud that the entire economic system is founded on.

      There is no indication anyone in Labour is prepared to risk the assassin’s bullet that inevitably comes with speaking the truth (Lincoln, Garfield, Kennedy, Lennon etc.).

      I therefore expect that Labour will continue to campagn on being ‘lite National’, offering slight tweaking of a system that is bringing about destruction of everything of value, a system which is falling apart as I write this.

  8. r0b 8

    Phantom asks if The Standard ever has anything nice to say about Key and the Nats.

    Well the need doesn’t arise very often, but yeah, we do.  We even have a tag for it, so some examples are here

    • McFlock 8.1

      Contributors to The Standard found half a dozen good things about the nactoids?
        
      They collectively deserve an award for investigative journalism. Maybe now the local nactoids will have something other than “Labour did [an extremely pale comparison of] it, too!”

  9. JS 9

    He’s the ‘product-placement’ prime minister. Anyone who has seen Morgan Spurlock’s movie ‘POM wonderful: the greatest movie ever sold’ will be able to see just how cynically he is being used to lure and trap consumers (ie the public).

  10. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10

    You are right, of course. Especially when no two parties in Parliament are more alike than Labour and National.

    • Lanthanide 10.1

      Um, I’d say National and Act share more alike than Labour and National. Similarly Progressives and Labour are closer than Labour and National.

      Act is now led by the former National leader!

      • McFlock 10.1.1

        Yep – ACT and nat have similar policies, similar demographic appeal, and their membership lists share the same names (just in different timeframes).

  11. aerobubble 11

    Another day in TV land, and yet more discourse about
    how welfare is failing to sustain the wealthy in the
    life they have come accustomed too.

    Its official, on the smarmy Holmes program
    a ex-ACT MP admits openly that they are
    authoritarian when it comes to anyone they
    don’t like, and libertarian toward anyone
    they do. Which turns out in the world of
    extreme rightwing negative politics means
    their whole policy regime is authoritarian.
    When did you last hear ACT quote a
    libertarian principle, for it would apply
    equally to those they like and those they don’t,
    leaving them to explain the contradiction
    or leave them looking they they were protecting
    criminals.

    Didn’t Hitler do that, he was defending liberties of
    Germans except from threats he personally felt needed
    a good kicking.

    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 11.1

      “Didn’t Hitler do that…”

      Could you be more boring?

      • aerobubble 11.1.1

        The rule of law requires that all are equal before the law, so having a
        minority party in the governing coalition which openly states that
        those who they dislike will be treated in an authoritarian way, is
        anything but boring, its damn disturbing. Especially in the week
        when the National party tried to push in legislation that would
        have undermined basic rights won in the Magna Carta. That
        laws thrownout by courts is a reality in a democracy
        whereas retrospectively refitting them typical practice of
        authoritarian states. National should just suck it up, that’s
        what we have high court judges for, too throw their slimy
        laws out and get them to make better ones.

  12. Muzza 12

    Havin to listen to people including friends glow about Key , how he has done so much for the country , how a successful businessman is ideal to be in charge blah blah. People just get their views from reading the herald etc, no reading details or policy & when asked about pre election renegeging , the all answer , it’s down to the mess Labour left behind. Why do people so badly want to feel like their vote matters, Nz has not improved under any govt for the past 40 years or more, do people not get it yet , it is not our country anymore , the govt is not working for the country & it matters not who is in charge. So far as JK goes , simple body language analysis give all you need to know about the liar he is. The guy is a walking load of BS, as are most the polys which cost taxpayers over 1bn every year, who get richer while most of Nz get poorer , kids are murdered and go hungry. Wake up Nz your inaction is a disgrace. A vote does not relieve you of responsibility !

    • Lanthanide 12.1

      If anyone gushes about Key being a businessman, just tell them he isn’t. He’s a banker, a money trader. He’s never actually run a business.

      • Jenny 12.1.1

        If anyone gushes about Key being a businessman, just tell them he isn’t. He’s a banker, a money trader…….

        Lanthanide

        Absolutely Lanth, read what the normally conservative Scientific American thinks of such people:

        Scientific American exposes the sort of ‘work’ that John Key used to do in his day job as a money trader and speculator when he worked in New York.

        A study reviewed in the highly respected science journal, Scientific American, accuses financiers the likes of John Key of “silent mass murder”

        The study was released by Marco Lagi, Yavni Bar-Yam, Karla Bertrand, and Yaneer Bar-Yam of the New England Complex Systems Institute in Cambridge, Mass. Financial speculation made possible thanks to market deregulation ultimately caused the collapse of mortgage and stock markets in 2007 and 2008.

        “Commodity Traitors: Financial Speculation on Commodities increases Global insecurity”

        http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/primate-diaries/2011/09/22/commodity-traitors/

        “This analysis,” conclude the study’s authors, “connects the bursting of the US real estate market bubble and the financial crisis of 2007-2008 to the global food price increases.”

        Following this collapse many investors shifted their assets into “index funds” that allowed them to bet on the likelihood that commodity futures would increase. These index funds would be purchased by commodity traders and then repackaged as derivatives to be resold for twice or three times the initial purchase price. According to data from the United Nations, this investment rose from $13 billion in 2003 to $317 billion in 2008 (pdf here). This flood of cash caused intermittent bubbles as prices increased under artificial demand only to crash because there was no consistency in actual supply and demand (see Figure 1 below). In other words, as the price of food shot upwards many people were unable to buy the food that was actually grown.

        According to Bar-Yam and colleagues, by September 2010 there was 140 million metric tons of grain sitting unsold in storage facilities around the world, an amount that would normally feed 440 million people in a single year. In the face of widespread global hunger, playing with food prices as if it were a casino pushed them beyond the ability of people to pay in regions of the direst need.

        Jean Ziegler, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, has called this “a silent mass murder,” entirely due to “man-made actions.”

        “We have a herd of market traders, speculators and financial bandits who have turned wild and constructed a world of inequality and horror. We have to put a stop to this,” he said.

  13. Muzza 13

    Havin to listen to people including friends glow about Key , how he has done so much for the country , how a successful businessman is ideal to be in charge blah blah. People just get their views from reading the herald etc, no reading details or policy & when asked about pre election renegeging , the all answer , it’s down to the mess Labour left behind. Why do people so badly want to feel like their vote matters, Nz has not improved under any govt for the past 40 years or more, do people not get it yet , it is not our country anymore , the govt is not working for the country & it matters not who is in charge. So far as JK goes , simple body language analysis give all you need to know about the liar he is. The guy is a walking load of BS, as are most the polys which cost taxpayers over 1bn every year, who get richer while most of Nz get poorer , kids are murdered and go hungry.

  14. Jenny 14

    Key and the Nats are the political representatives of the rentiers, those who gain their living by the exploitation of other people, (and the environment), of course they won’t work with anyone who advocates for fairer more saner less exploitative policies. For the Nats to do so would be to commit political suicide, all their corporate buddies would abandon them for some other party that more represented their interests.

    Maybe Labour should give up trying to seek bi-partisan arrangements with the Nats and instead of trying to destroy them, try and work with other parties in the political spectrum who may more share Labour’s social and philosophical outlook at least on some issues.

  15. Jenny 15

    Forget trying to work with National. When it comes to the right Labour needs to be more partizan.

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/08/1003532/-Debtpocalypse-deferred!

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-29T13:28:44+00:00