Politics or Policy?

Written By: - Date published: 5:46 pm, October 9th, 2017 - 56 comments
Categories: Economy, election 2017, Financial markets, leadership, nz first, winston peters - Tags:

Policy is everything, Winston Peters said today. This should not come as a surprise. Before every election, he has refused to give any hint of Party support preference until after the vote. But it is highly likely that he has thought a lot about what he might want to do particularly as it has long been clear that his Party would likely decide the outcome. So what are his policies?

His priorities, his preferences and his principles have been clear since the formation of New Zealand First in 1993. He gave a good summary in this interview with Bernard Hickey before the 2014 election. Export-oriented economy, a reasonable exchange rate, a strong manufacturing sector, local processing for good jobs, and so on. They might be updated but they won’t have changed.

Unlike the self-centred image crafted for him by some of the bloviating egos in the media, Peters is a serious politician. New Zealand First is a principle, not just a name. In 1996, it was highly likely that he would go with National. Labour’s vote was only 28%, and earlier in the year NZ First had been ahead of Labour. And  behind Labour stood the Alliance, who were still opposed to Labour at the time. This time it may be different, as Labour and NZ First certainly have a better policy fit, and Labour and the Greens have reached significant accommodation.

The tight time-frame certainly indicates that Winston is setting the agenda for the talks. As said above he  has had plenty of time to think about what he wants and how to get it. We will know on Thursday.

 

 

56 comments on “Politics or Policy? ”

  1. tracey 1

    Do you have a view as to what the thinking is behind him not talking directly to the Greens?

    I am assuming it was indicated to Labour early on that NZF wouldnt so does that mean Labour and Greens were meeting last week so Labour knows what will or wont fly with Greens when speaking to NZF?

    • lprent 1.1

      It just makes it too complicated doing a direct 3-way. It is always like that

      If he talks to the primary contract with Labour and so do the Greens, then Labour has to balance any deal – which is what they’d probably wind up having to do anyway in government. Better to find out now if they are up for it.

      The inability of Labour to find common ground with the Alliance back in 1996 was what doomed the possible coalition then. Especially since the Alliance was also trying to balance their internal coalition.

      • WILD KATIPO 1.1.1

        So basically he negotiates with Labour then Labour and the Greens hold a pow wow between them and sort out some areas then go back to Peters ?

      • Pedant 1.1.2

        It is as simple as Ardern saying to Shaw, if you don’t back us on confidence and supply with NZF then the public will know you are the reason National is back in power. Shaw for these reasons has zero power, Ardern knows there is nowhere for him to go. He is irrelevant.

        • Macro 1.1.2.1

          If you were a true pedant then you would know that that decision is not for James Shaw to make.
          Further more you would understand that as far as Winston is concerned the only viable option is a full muster of seats on the governing benches. Talk of confidence and supply is simply hogwash. Why else would he wait for the specials to be counted, if it was not to confirm an increased majority on the left?
          Winston has been in Parliament long enough to understand what a working majority is.
          If the Greens are not part of the next Government, then it will be a National led government, and it will not be the fault of the Greens, and NZF will wear it.

    • It truly is a baffling time,… Peters seems to be wanting to strike now for a more pre 1984 way of running the country ,… which is the best news I’ve heard in 33 years if it means hes going to demand the neutering of neo liberalism.

      As for the Greens ,… its a worry there seems to be this peculiar ‘third party’ thing going on currently. Greens social policy has much to offer and is compatible -ish with Labour and NZ First. Also environmental issues. Just a few tweaks and compromises from all 3 party’s and we could have a true renaissance of NZ politics. It would truly be dynamic.

    • infused 1.3

      Because the greens are irrelevant. The Greens should have gone to National first. The Greens will be sidelined in any LAB+NZF+Green govt.

      The Greens will, of course, take this deal.

      • It is National that is becoming increasingly irrelevant as they try to prevent the evolution of society away from being a capitalist one.

        They, too, cannot stop the tide.

  2. This guy reckons he leads a strong party. And he doesn’t like Winston. Some people call him Seymour , – others are more honest and call him Rimmer. And there is a reason Rimmer doesn’t like Winston. Winston stands for everything Rimmer opposes…

    https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/l/n/y/w/0/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.1m5xxz.png/1507517642755.jpg

    But somehow?… I don’t think Winstons too worried about Rimmer,… and it looks like Winstons going to drive a nail into the coffin of neo liberalism this time round.

    Particularly after today’s talk of changing the way this country has been run economically and socially.

    We could just be starting to look at the healing of this country after 33 years of garbage. And that’s why Rimmer hates Winston.

  3. lprent 3

    Pretty much my view. Just wait and see what happens. Picking at the zit just adds bacteria and makes it worse. Besides, I think that Winston will just ignore it. Who else has as much experience at doing this these days 🙂

    I know that there is a lot of policy overlap with Labour, and despite rhetoric to the contrary there is probably even more overlap with the Greens.

    But there is a delicate balance within the factions in National about their current policies. I am sure that beneath the surface there is a civil war just waiting to break out between the conservatives/country party and the liberals. I think that dropping NZ First on to that is likely to set the same match to the explosion that caused such a fracture in National and between National and their voters in 1996-99.

    I rather suspect that the angst about NZ First inside the liberal wing of National is what has been driving some of the totally weird shit that they have been pushing about Winston and the Greens in the last couple of weeks

    • NewsFlash 3.1

      Wonderful analogy, “picking at the zit”.

      Patients is a Virtue, and National have never been particularly virtuous.

    • Skinny 3.2

      +1
      Your on to it sailor I give you 9 out of 10 for that astute call. It would have been a perfect 10 for your puff piece but for room for improvement and dare I say keeping your ego in check 🙂

  4. Robert Guyton 4

    On KB, this guy says:
    “Rightandleft

    First of all National is down 4 seats from the 2014 result, which is a sizeable drop. But it’s even bigger when the only way they have maintained 56 seats is to cannibalise the vote of their support partners. Maori lost two seats and United Future lost 1, so they’re really down 7 seats. ACT kept their seat only through their sweetheart deal while their party vote also dropped yet again.

    Comparing just the National and Labour vote is a ridiculous way to analyse things. That would always punish the left bloc for splitting their vote between 2 parties. Labour and the Greens have to be counted together. As Labour was only 5,000 special votes short of taking a third seat of National that would have tied the two blocs at 55-55 it is practically a tie between the two blocs.

    But that doesn’t take into account that a significant majority of NZ First voters lean left as well. Their campaign slogan was “Had Enough?” and a pre-election poll showed their voters favoured Labour over National by 60% to 25%. Their annual conference was dominated by attacks on “Neo-Liberalism” and National Party globalists driving open-door immigration. They are clearly more ideologically aligned with the Left bloc.

    It was a vote for change. A narrow one, with Labour-Greens combined 43.2%, Just over half of NZ First’s vote (say 3.8%) adding up to 48% with the Nats (44.5), ACT (0.5), Maori (1.1) and a quarter of NZ First’s vote (1.8) adding up to 47.9%. Now TOP got 2.2% and I suspect the majority of their voters (being mainly stolen from the Greens) also wanted to get rid of National, but they were at least open to Morgan working with the Nats so I won’t give them to either side. The same could be said of the Maori Party vote of course.

    What I am hearing from party insiders and what I gather from all the rubbish from Farrar and other Nats about a National-Green Government is that Winston is much more likely to go with Labour. Personally I’d put the chances at a 70-30 advantage to Labour right now.”

    https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2017/10/seats_lost_after_nine_years_of_government.html#comments

    • Rightandleft is always good value, especially on anything to do with charter schools.

    • NewsFlash 4.2

      Robert

      I’m an optimist too, but all the kafuffle over the special votes, wait and see, and then Peters arguing with the media about the outcome and stating that it is “significant”, puts me in the same boat as you, a likely L/G/NZF govt, but nothing is written in stone.

      Just saw English being interviewed by H Barry, and still didn’t see the level of optimism that you would expect if things looked like they’re going his way. btw, Barry and Hoskings need to go, I’m not sure which one is worse.

      • Robert Guyton 4.2.1

        Wanted to make a joke about Mrs Kerfuffle, Bart’s teacher, but luckily, checked the spelling only to be reminded that it was Edna Krabappel , so was saved the ignominity of revealing I’d misremembered her name. Then, much chastened by the near miss/old Mrs, thought to check ignominity and discovered that I’d struck it lucky, as my version is considered a kosher alternative to ignominy. Phew! Checking kosher now…

      • cleangreen 4.2.2

        100% NEWSFLASH.
        “H. Barry and Hoskings need to go, I’m not sure which one is worse.”

        I dont like RNZ’s Suzie Furguson either as she was today on RNZ + annoyed me big time when she kept asking Winston over and over the same bloody dumb questions abiout talking to the Greens!!!!! – GGGGRRRRRR!

        She was doing the classic thing fishing to trap Winston, but she failed and looked stupid instead.

        She is seeming to be trying to help Bill English by entrapping Winston with words she needs to go if she doesn’t clean-up her act.

        She should remeber she is a public servant and act with some integrity instead of having a secret agenda.

    • Ian 4.3

      Wishfull thinking Robert.Love it how you are now qualifying the vote for change as a narrow one. Order in bulk tissues mate , you are going to need them. Adding Winston to the NZ green party is like adding petrol to Harpic.If it happens dive for cover because the subsequent explosion will cover everyone in shit.

      • Robert Guyton 4.3.1

        Ian, science question: how does adding petrol to Harpic create shit?

        • Antoine 4.3.1.1

          I believe the concept is that you mix petrol into the Harpic, swill it vigorously around your long drop, then toss in a match, causing the entire shithouse to head skyward in a cloud of fragments. I have not verified this experimentally though.

          A.

          • WILD KATIPO 4.3.1.1.1

            Yeah – ammonia derivatives , that’s why. Makes a nice gas to mix with the benzene molecule etc etc… my science days were years ago so whatever.

      • WILD KATIPO 4.3.2

        Hehehee ,… except if Winston and the Greens kiss and make up ,…. you know what that means for National ,- not just next election , but election , after election , after election , after election ,… I’m sure you are starting to get the drift now ,… need I say more.

        So you can put away your petrol and your ‘Harpic’ ( ???) until after Thursday…

  5. Once was Tim 5

    In celebrity news today, MSM musings over policy took second place whilst the 1,000 word count loomed: Did anyone notice Paula getting into the lift today? Leopard skin prints – all gone. Paling Blue tending Teal – all gone. A Funeral Black tailored number – possibly in shiffon, or – perhaps rayon – complete with white Maggie Thatcher Gucci style handbag that’s now in vogue and all the rage in Monaco. Alongside her, Bill smirked and waddled in formal Blue, whilst the choice of his deputy’s unpressed shirt told its own story as they all shuffled into the Beehive lift.

    • Robert Guyton 5.1

      Bill was wearing his deputy’s unpressed shirt!
      A sure sign that Winston’s gone Left!

    • Quasimodo 5.2

      “Leopard skin prints – all gone. Paling Blue tending Teal – all gone. A Funeral Black tailored number – possibly in shiffon, or – perhaps rayon – complete with white Maggie Thatcher Gucci style handbag that’s now in vogue and all the rage in Monaco.”

      OMG where will Paula go now ? Teresa May might need a hand to sort out Brexit ..

  6. Jilly Bee 6

    I can’t but help think that we may be in line for the perfect political shit storm/melt down with all the N Z First so-called bottom lines coming into play – foreign ownership, construction industry, migrant cut, investment bans to name a few if Winston Peters does decide to go with National. The Nats will surely be choking on those big rats they will have to swallow and their membership plus their big backers and (overseas?) donors, as well as the much vaunted Blue Dragon brigade, will be wondering what the hell has gone to curdled custard. Interesting times ahead, indeed. Will it be a poisoned chalice for Labour and the Greens as well? I know I’m hedging my bets – just hope for a Labour/Green alliance with N Z First as they have so much more in common than the Nats, I’ll be mad as hell if they go with them, but the perfect storm may be worth witnessing. Sorry to be so indecisive, but these are interesting times – again!
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/341131/shuddering-halt-would-follow-drastic-migrant-cut-ema
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11931216
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11931184

  7. … ” I can’t but help think that we may be in line for the perfect political shit storm/melt down with all the N Z First so-called bottom lines coming into play – foreign ownership, construction industry, migrant cut, investment bans to name a few if Winston Peters does decide to go with National ” …

    L00L ! , – it would be a right corker to watch !

    Watching Peters dismantle neo liberalism piece by piece , vetoing Bill after Bill , tearing down the sacred cows of free trade deals , TTPA , – kicking in all the vested interests and making all the little New Zealand Initiative people sad… 33 years of careful planning and political manipulating all down the DRAIN !!!

    Maybe THIS will be the legacy Peters has been after all these years !!!

    I reckon this songs kinda says it all , – just replace ‘Jim’ and ‘Slim ‘ with ‘ Win ‘ ….

    And you’ll get the drift.

    Jim Croce – Greatest Hits – You Don’t Mess Around With Jim – YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4qUXcXuMSE

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.1

      One way or another, TPPA, or at least the worst aspects (e.g. ISDS) are dead in a Winston deal – a good outcome.

      https://www.parliament.nz/en/document/50HansQ_20130821_00000009

      • red-blooded 7.1.1

        Surely that depends on who he goes with. National are very committed to reviving what they can of TPPA. Winston won’t get all of his bottom lines.

        • WILD KATIPO 7.1.1.1

          He will if he threatens to walk on the TTPA issue….

          • red-blooded 7.1.1.1.1

            How does that get him ALL of his bottom lines? (There’re heaps of them.)

            Besides, I wonder if the Nats would let him walk. Some dead rats are too big to swallow. They’re absolutely committed to TPPA and might well calculate that having a term out of government would be better than putting themselves in a position from which they’d find it hard to sidle up to their TPP buddies and try to get in on whatever’s left of the deal, later on.

            We’ll soon see, of course.

            • WILD KATIPO 7.1.1.1.1.1

              Reality is Peters wont get all his bottom lines,… and even he realizes that. ( And even more so if he goes with National . And that’s a real clue ) . Just look at the Maori seats thing. Just bargaining chips some of them,… but others , .. like the TTPA ,… goes right against everything Peters ever stood for both economically and socially.

              Those words ‘ economically and socially ‘ ,… interesting , as thats what Peters outlined yesterday … that there is going to be a change in the way this country has been run for the last 30 years , both ‘economically and socially’…

              That should tell us what is closest to Peters heart.

              He don’t like neo liberalism and never has. And that’s also why he battled with Ruth Richardson , Jenny Shipley , – and – ACT.

              And he knows the TTPA is something National wants. Peters will definitely use this as an unchanging bottom line . This one is no fantasy.

              Here’s another very telling paragraph from Peters election night speech which seems quite pointed in its effect :

              … ” We don’t like extremists, – we believe in laws and policy’s that support the mass majority of New Zealanders , and not just a small elite ,… who may have gotten control of the political system and the financial funding of political party’s , … shows that in this campaign ” …

              – Winston Peters.

              23/9/2017.

      • CHCOff 7.1.2

        TPPA is ‘soviet union/communism’ supply side monopoly type central planning economics, without any sense of nationhood or sovereignty to reign in the crime syndicates that would flourish over the old social structures.

        If other countries go down that path and NZ is free of it, then NZ Goods & Services will have a significant ‘relative’ advantage and reputation in the medium to long term.

  8. Strategos 8

    Winston needs a full facial moko to complement facial lines / skin creases around his eyes.
    It would be a well-honed test of character in preparation for a starring role on the world stage.

    An appropriate headline would be
    “NZ1st’ Deflates Pseudo Patriotic Pretensions of ‘National’ ”
    .. but I won’t be holding my breath.

    • … ” Winston needs a full facial moko to complement facial lines / skin creases around his eyes ”…

      I’ve thought that from time to time as he has aged a bit , – you can see flashes of it in his face . Peters wouldn’t , … but it would befit the man for sure. Something Chiefly about the man , … elder statesman sort of thing . Doesn’t take crap from anyone.

    • Robert Guyton 8.2

      He raperape would be more suitable and great fun for Winston at parties.

  9. Antoine 9

    > Policy is everything, Winston Peters said today.

    Although, he may just be saying that.

    A.

  10. Great article by Chris Trotter today in Stuff , observing the very legacy of Peters…

    Chris Trotter: ‘Dear Winston’ – an open letter to the leader of NZ First …
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/…/chris-trotter-dear-winston–an-open-letter-to-the-leader-of-nz-…

  11. cleangreen 11

    Winston is turning out to be our saviour we were all searching for after reading all these excellent blogs.

    So to ‘all my fine friends here’ I am joining the chorus on this post also, asking Winston to go ‘left’ through his 33 ys of “policys” as he begins to chip away at the rotting Neo-liberal greedy carcass of the once “grand old national party” and returns New Zealand to a “brighter fiuture as we had pre- 1984.” as his ‘Legacy’ gift back to us all.

    “Take back our country” time is upon us shortly.

    • TBH ,… I’ve got a feeling it wont matter if he goes Labour or National in some respects this time round ,… there’s something afoot and Peters is talking ‘change’ – social and economic change in the ‘ way this country is being run’ .

      Those are fighting words.

      Because the only way this country has been run in Peters words ‘since 1984 ‘ has been a neo liberal one. He is obviously working on overturning that .

      And hes got them all by the short and curly’s and they know it.

      And they are all going to have to buck up their ideas.

  12. Orthodoxia 12

    Whoever Winston does go with, I do hope that between them they properly deal with the housing issue. We need to get foreign speculators out, stop property investment being so attractive tax wise and encourage the younger generation into housing (perhaps by reinjecting Kiwisaver with some fresh energy). Also need to seriously look at social housing stock. Without stable accommodation, education, health etc are not much use.

  13. JanM 13

    I really hope the cancellation of National Standards is a ‘bottom line’. So tired of watching my grandchildren burdened with this nonsense. Go Tracey!

  14. Hehehe… interesting article on Stuff ,…

    … ” This shouldn’t be overstated. If weaker business sentiment contributed to a weaker kiwi dollar, export returns would improve and the country would become even more attractive for international tourists ” …

    Interesting Peters is taking a swipe at ‘ foreign investment ‘ and intent on lowering the dollar all in one breath and that it will favour exporters ( the rural provincials etc … ) – and revitalizing the manufacturing base …

    Pattrick Smellie: On whose watch does the rock star economy give up …
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/…/Pattrick-Smellie-On-whose-watch-does-the-rock-star-econom…

  15. Delia 15

    I don’t vote Peters because we always wind up with him glorying in this b/s, when a first priority should be the people of the country. We should know before the election who his party is the most compatible with…well here is his swan song at our expense.

  16. marious 16

    The voting public should vote on a current governments record to decide clearly who they wont to govern.
    Not Winston Peters or any other politician.
    All parties should clearly state their support preferences and policies before the election allowing the public to make a clear choice.
    If the voting public are re-leaved of the choice and politicians make the decision, as NZ first is doing, whats the point of having people vote in an election?
    System needs adjustment.

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    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
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  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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    6 days ago
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    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
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  • Trustee tax change welcomed
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  • Minister’s Ramadan message
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  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
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