Port developments

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, March 17th, 2012 - 97 comments
Categories: capitalism, class war, jobs, Unions, workers' rights - Tags: ,

Ports of Auckland management may be starting to realise that they have bitten off more than they can chew. This is an encouraging development:

Port’s redundancy plans halted

LATEST: Ports of Auckland has halted plans to make nearly 300 striking workers redundant and to employ other workers to do their jobs.

In a minute issued by the Employment Court last night, the port agreed not to proceed with its plans until after a settlement conference takes place on Monday. The port will ”take no further steps” to make striking workers redundant, to dismiss staff or employ other workers to do their jobs.

The Maritime Union and the port will now file their evidence to the court and a hearing will take place on March 26.

Judge Barry Travis commended the ports for “agreeing to the voluntary process”.

An outbreak of sanity among the directors? Or maybe this had something to do with it:

International union organisation issues “red alert” about ports dispute

March 14, 2012
News release from International Trade Union Confederation

The powerful group of global unions – which between them represent tens of millions of unionised workers – today said they are now on ‘red alert’ over the treatment of workers in New Zealand that is being dramatically illustrated by disputes at the Ports of Auckland, Affco and the Oceania care company.

The warning was sounded today by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), International Union of Foodworkers (IUF), Public Services International (PSI), and the Council of Global Unions.

They demanded an end to the union-busting measures that New Zealand’s workers have endured over recent months, and highlighted the amended Employment Relations Act 2000, which has reduced workers’ rights and encouraged poor employers to attempt to crush worker and union resistance. (The statement appears in full below).

The ITF has mobilised its 690 member trade unions – which include 221 dockworker unions with 400,000 docker members worldwide – in support of the workers who the Port of Auckland is trying to throw out of their jobs. Paddy Crumlin, who chairs the ITF dockers’ section and is ITF president and MUA national secretary, explained:

“What’s happening in Auckland is a naked attack on the workers and their union, the MUNZ, and it’s creating worldwide repercussions. Messages of solidarity from ITF members have flooded in, and those same unions are contacting New Zealand embassies in their own countries. The ITF has today been told by the country’s High Commission in London that it ‘would not be appropriate’ to meet to discuss how a settlement in POAL can be reached – a sad abrogation of responsibility that shows how the government in Wellington is hoping that this attack on workers can be covered up and tidied away.”

ITF general secretary David Cockroft stated: “I am glad to report that the ITF’s worldwide force of ship inspectors are right now visiting vessels and explaining to their officers and crews what is being attempted by POAL’s management. We have also ensured that it is at the forefront of the minds of the shipping community, who value good and efficient port relations. …

Looks like the world is now watching the Auckland Port. Management have to start acting in “good faith” whether they like it or not. Let’s hope the cessation of the redundancy process is the start of a genuinely constructive solution. And let’s hear it for international solidarity!

97 comments on “Port developments ”

  1. Mark 1

    Meanwhile more of MUNZ “facts” about safety, productivity and earnings are thoroughly discredited by POT
     

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 1.1

      And if any of that were true you’d be providing references. Tool.

      • Mark 1.1.1

        “From POT, graph didn’t paste”
        We have been really disappointed with the factual inaccuracies and unprofessional misrepresentation of the safety record of our port by the CTU President, Helen Kelly.  Unfortunately, we have had to waste shareholders’ money (which ironically includes >90% of our staff who hold shares in the Company) to instruct our solicitors to warn Ms Kelly against recklessly continuing in this regard.  Her statements about the safety record of this port are factually incorrect and we believe deliberately misleading.
        We are aware that the CTU have made an Official Information Request to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), seeking our port’s claims history.  We are aware of this because ACC asked for our consent to release this information as they are bound to do under the Privacy Act.  We of course agreed to this information being released as we are proud of the improvement in safety performance at the port.
        The actual ACC claims history shows Port of Tauranga to have one of the best safety records of all New Zealand ports – less than half the NZ ports’ average.  Ms Kelly is in possession of this information, but chooses to ignore it, as it clearly does not fit her argument.
        This data from ACC is presented graphically for your information below.  Again, because of Privacy Act issues, ACC disguise the names of other NZ ports.  Perhaps you could ask Ports of Auckland to identify which port they are?


        Port Safety Performance – Comparative

         
        Safety is our number 1 priority at the Port and in fact we have a goal of achieving a zero harm work environment and considerable management effort is focused on striving to achieve this goal.  Our Board set a target this financial year to try and achieve a 30% improvement in Total Injury Frequency Rate – we are proud to have just achieved this improvement last month.
        Ms Kelly also goes on to suggest there is a race to the bottom between the two ports with respect to pay and working conditions.  I would dispute this: many of our skilled workers actually earn more than the Ernst & Young figures for Ports of Auckland’s average stevedoring income.  I am very comfortable with this – our employees and contractors are highly skilled and work very hard to consistently deliver upper decile productivity. I guess the main difference though is that they expect to be working, when they are paid to be working!  Maybe this explains why our Port of Tauranga has net crane productivity rates 38% greater than Ports of Auckland’s (Ministry of Transport data) or on a gross measure (not allowing for netting out smoko breaks and any industrial action), the difference in gross crane rate between Ports of Auckland and Port of Tauranga is some 60% (shipping line data).

        • ianmac 1.1.1.1

          Can’t see anything there but bluster.

          • Kotahi Tane Huna 1.1.1.1.1

            It’s always interesting to see examples of what passes for evidence in feeble-minded land.

        • rosy 1.1.1.2

          Great that >90% of workers have shares in the company. Is that permanent workers and what is the ratio of permanent to casual workers? and manual/office worker shareholders?

          I’m also trying to figure out how the PoT piece fits with this news item in the BoP Times last month:

          Port of Tauranga’s Maritime Union organiser Selwyn Russell told the Bay of Plenty Times it was not uncommon to have accidents involving “digits, little bits of fingers, arms and sprained ankles”. “But I don’t think you will see them in the paperwork.”

          Mr Russell said casual workers often took whatever hours they could and did not want to lose their chance of getting work by speaking up.

          “It’s real concerning. Everyone’s really worried about what will happen if they report something. I know people who have hurt themselves but didn’t say anything because they might not get picked,” he said….

          … The worker said although there were health and safety procedures in place, short cuts were often taken because it was not possible to stick to safety rules and load ships in time.

          “You are continuously under pressure to get the ship loaded and out as soon as possible. Because the industry is so competitive, you have companies competing for contracts and that all comes down to time.

          “It makes it quite a dangerous place to work. I’m not saying the bosses are horrible but they are squeezing us. Because you are casual you are forced to take what shifts you can …”

          This was usually in the form of “rolling shifts”, resulting in tired staff with a dangerous environment, the worker said.

          Casual workers at the port make on average nearly $20 an hour before tax.

          Unreported safety incidents – interesting claims and counter-claims there.

          • Grumpy 1.1.1.3.1

            The two links referring to fatalities, seem to be the same accident, a Fulton Hogan worker, working on road works. The third link is just general unsubstantiated allegations made during the POAL dispute.

            Who’s the troll?

            • muzza 1.1.1.3.1.1

              “In June this year, two Bay companies were fined a total of $55,000 after a forklift ran over and killed stevedore Brian Kevin Shannon, 61, of Otumoetai at the port on June 2010.”

              “On December 17 last year, a 35-year-old Chinese seaman died after falling from the side of the logging ship Green Hope and into the water in Tauranga Harbour.”

              Dont read so good do you hillbilly…

              Talk of unsubstantiated claims….what a chip on shoulder little twerp you must be in real life!

              You have nothing to offer, and like Mark clearly have not involved yourself.

              Go away

              • Grumpy

                So, one was a Fulton Hogan road worker, one was a Chinese seaman who fell off the side of a ship and the other….??

                Please explain how the third relates to POT, they claim none of these accidents has anything to do with them and not in areas of the port under their control, your own links seem to support POT claim.

                Which of these fatalities were to POT workers and which we’re in areas under their control.?

                Please do better……

                • muzza

                  ACIL, PBE, SOI, ROE – Go read what they are they are and how they direct the PoAL management..

                  Nah too hard for you eh!

                  Anything else you sideshow bob types can come up with to try validate your pathetic attempts to demonise workers of this country, and frankly, my city….is a red herring!

                  But thats the point isn’t it!

                  • Grumpy

                    Near enough good enough, is it?

                    Pathetic……

                  • Grumpy

                    You are an idiot muzzy, show me where I have “demonized workers”.

                    You are making the old mistake of letting your class hatred get in the way of your judgement.

                    • muzza

                      “You are making the old mistake of letting your class hatred get in the way of your judgement.” – Oh dear, did my name fool you into thinking that I have class envy…you sorry little man!

                      Anyone who has class envy or even uses the word class, is below words…

                      I work for AKL Council and am rather close to the action…., and those documents ive tried to point you in the direction of = VERY RELEVANT!

                • The beauty about having most of the workforce as contractors is that all sorts of funny stuff can happen with the ACC figures.  I would like to also see what is actually being measured.  

              • Grumpy

                Oh, and the third was at a freight forwarders yard and was employed by NZ Logistics.

                So, we have;

                A Fulton Hogan road worker killed while doing road works, killed by a grader driven by another Fulton Hogan worker.

                A Chinese seaman falling off a ship at Mt Maunganui, nothing tondo with POT

                An employee of a private freight forwarder killed in their yard, nothing to do with POT

                One thing in common, they all happened near the city of Tauranga and near water , so that’s good enough for you is it?

                [Deleted. All arguments around the use of pseudonyms will be moderated. ..RL]

              • prism

                @ muzza I think when rude remarks are being thrown at a commenter the way to target it would be to put their name at the top. This muzza rant doesn’t make clear its target.

        • Puddleglum 1.1.1.4

          Ms Kelly also goes on to suggest there is a race to the bottom between the two ports with respect to pay and working conditions.  I would dispute this: many of our skilled workers actually earn more than the Ernst & Young figures for Ports of Auckland’s average stevedoring income.

          Pardon?

          “Many” of their skilled workers “actually earn more” than the POAL average stevedoring income. 

          First, I suspect that ‘many’ of POAL stevedores also earn more than the average (wasn’t that the claim of the POAL?).

          Second, how come not “all” of their skilled workers earn more than the average income at POAL? If “all” don’t earn above that average then that seems like good evidence that POT are paying less.

          Why didn’t whoever released this simply say that the average income (calculated as Ernst and Young calculated their average) at POT was greater than that at POAL? 

    • Mark 1.2

      Edit didn’t work..  another strategic blunder by MUNZ, further discrediting the wharfies and hurting their cause.
      Parsloe and Kelly just don’t get it, and you can shoot the messenger as much as you like, but I’ll wager that MUNZ will get shot down in the Employment Court, and further lose any public support  they may have had.
      Tragic 

      • Te Reo Putake 1.2.1

        “… but I’ll wager that MUNZ will get shot down in the Employment Court,…”

        On what grounds, Mark?

        • Mark 1.2.1.1

          On the grounds that (whether morally or ideoligacly you find it palatable) it looks as though they have acted legally. Any acts of bad faith from either side have probably cancelled each other out.
          I don’t think there is much doubt that the battle of public opinion has been lost ,but this shouldn’t influence the Court proceedings.

          • Kotahi Tane Huna 1.2.1.1.1

            On the grounds that my sad prejudice won’t allow me to consider any other possibility. FIFY

          • Te Reo Putake 1.2.1.1.2

            Interesting to note that you accept this comes down to POAL having to defend the legality of their behaviour. Not a good look in itself, is it?
             
            While you are partially right about the faith arguments, in that there is concept of ‘clean hands’, which might limit outcomes, first you’d have to prove that both sides acted in bad faith. I can’t see that being true of MUNZ. Certainly not to the level that would see the court allowing POAL to carry on down this track.
             
            POAL risks being told to start the whole process again. Which would be an end to it, I imagine. They couldn’t afford another 6 months of pariah status.

          • mickysavage 1.2.1.1.3

            So you admit Mark that POAL has engaged in bad faith behavior.  

            • Grumpy 1.2.1.1.3.1

              I have worked in management for a company that triggered a dispute to intentionally restructure it’s workforce, so I don’t think it impossible. MUNZ and Kelly have played this badly as I think Brown is intimating. They have left him nothing to help them with.
              The Employment Court will decide one way or the other…..

              • Well if Mark and Grumpy are agreeing that POAL has acted in bad faith then there is something seriously wrong that a publicly owned entity can act in this way.

                • tsmithfield

                  Take a look at the second link provided by Muzza, Micky.

                  The following statement is made which seems to have come from the reporter, whom I assume has got the information from ACC:

                  “Port of Tauranga has one of the lowest claims history with ACC out of all New Zealand ports.”

                  This would seem to provide some clarity to the meaning of the statistical figures, do you think?

                  • muzza

                    Ok lets be very clear on this – The debate again spun off into an area of irrelevance which was port safety. While not an irrelevant issue per se, while trying to show that PoAL workforce should be contraced out, the argument is totally irrelevant..

                    I have given the names relevant articles and information, which along with the employments court will be where the decisions are made. Here they are again, ACIL, PBE, SOI, ROE

                    I do agree that it is likely that MUNZ have had poor strategy, however this is not the reason why Len Brown and the council have not stepped in – From correspondence it seems that the legalities around the CCO/ACIL is unclear to them, to the point where AKL Councilors are not even sure what they are able to say about the issue..how terrible is that. They are the voice of the owners of the Port of Auckland, and the advise they are getting is that they are unclear if or what they are able to comment on!

                    Try emailing the councilors, some of them are quite up front about where they stand!

                  • lprent

                    Depends if that referred to the workplace or the employer. Since it is usually the employer it becomes meaningless because PoT has few employees. Their contact labour suppliers have them..

                    Feels like the usual cherry picked statistic by a dumbarse reporter being scammed by a company PR

                  • Grumpy

                    The reason port safety is an issue is because Kelly and Parsloe made it one. Muzzy himself tried to give it legs by giving links that did not stack up.
                    The shifting of the goalposts to port safety by Kelly was probably the silliest mistake made by MUNZ so far.
                    If POAL has been acting in bad faith, then the courts will determine that.

                • grumpy

                  Possible but not likely. POAL seem to be on top of all this, that looks like an organisation who have acted on advice – good advice.

                  I am sure, as a lawyer, you recognise that………

      • Grumpy 1.2.2

        Dunno, the court may well look beyond MUNZ and into the situation of the workers. The court, while not wanting a bar of MUNZ may offer the workers a lifeline.

        • Mark 1.2.2.1

          I have no doubt that POAL will be happy to have most of the workers back.. by all accounts a good, honest, hardworking bunch who are happy with their conditions.. and I am all for them, and their families.
          I have stated all along, that they have been let down by MUNZ, and the MUNZ working elite, who look very much like the Brown Shirts of  Germany, WW2. 

          • Pascal's bookie 1.2.2.1.1

            Sounds like a fascinating and well thought out comparison Mark. I wish you’d expanded on it rather than just letting it sit there, looking all ugly.

            We’ll just leave aside the fact that the Brown Shirts were pretty much done and dusted well before WW2 kicked off, and explore the comparison.

            The Brown Shirts were a paramilitary group, primarily used for showing force, and ‘protecting’ Naz1 meetings, rallies and marches from their enemies; those enemies being, for the most part, social democrats and commun1sts.

            So how are MUNZ elites like that? Be as precise as you like, and if you have any actual info about beatings and the like, I suggest you do your civic duty and take said info to the police mate.

            Otherwise you just look like a bellend.

  2. aj 2

    Do POT dispute the body count?

    • Grumpy 2.1

      I think they dispute the body count being attributed as “their” body count.
      Seems they may be right as Kelly has been silent on the issue for some time. It was a silly thing for her to say and I think she regrets it.

  3. Mark 3

    This is as much as I could find about tragic deaths at POT, and I don’t know how factual it is.. someone else may have different information. If this is true it is another example of misinformation damaging to MUNZ position, and ultimately the Wharfies. No industrial accidents are acceptable, and they are all bloody tragic, and I’ve seen a couple.

    “About 10 years ago a man was killed on POT Sulphur Point Wharf when he was struck and crushed by a hoist with a container on. Both people involved were NZL staff and were not part of Port of Tauranga’s own container terminal operations.The second death which happened in the last couple of years was a very experienced stevedore who was struck by a hoist carrying breakbulk cargo on Mount Maunganui wharf – not at the Port’s container terminal at Sulphur Point. The investigation into this death concluded that all safety measures had been taken by all concerned. It was a terrible and tragic circumstance of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time.And the most recent death last year, was a Fulton Hogan worker who was struck and crushed by a Fulton Hogan machine whilst doing work at the port. This man was not a port employee doing stevedoring or straddle driving, and neither MUNZ nor Helen Kelly got involved in the incident”
     

    • muzza 3.1

      http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/one-dead-after-port-tauranga-accident/1068220/

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10787221

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10745333

      As per my links further up – You are simply too stupid for words, this was a 2 minute google search to find the POT deaths in the last few years…

      You have nothing to do with PoAL, you have not been involved, nor involved yourself. You do not understand employment law, nor the directives which govern the expectations of the PoAL, as instructed by the AKL Coucil via via official artifacts!

      I would advise nobody here waste their time further on you, because we all let ourselves down in doing so!

      • Mark 3.1.1

        Ok, I stand mainly corrected, which I was happy to be.
        Hardly surprising that you don’t wish to waste your time on differing opinions, or where information differs from your understanding or mind set.. I had thought The Standard was a place for debate and reason..   

        • Grumpy 3.1.1.1

          Don’t be so easily intimidated. He didn’t even read or understand his own links.

          If they had been what he claimed, then he had a good point but all he has done is blow his own credibility, like Kelly.

          • Puddleglum 3.1.1.1.1

            Hi Grumpy (I see you’re capitalised now :)),

            I read the links and I’d make two points.

            First, my understanding is that the owner of a workplace is liable for the health and safety of all people who enter it.

            If I’m correct, that means that the people working for contractors are the responsibility of POT.

            The fact that POT have contracted out a good deal of work on the Port site does not mean they’ve contracted out their responsibilities. I don’t know how ACC categorise claims (by employer?), but I think the Department of Labour would be interested in accidents at the Port in relation to the owner of the workplace.

            Second, the following creates a disturbing – but quite believable picture – of what the root cause of accidents may be:

            The worker said although there were health and safety procedures in place, short cuts were often taken because it was not possible to stick to safety rules and load ships in time.
            a”It makes it quite a dangerous place to work. I’m not saying the bosses are horrible but they are squeezing us. Because you are casual you are forced to take what shifts you can …


            “You are continuously under pressure to get the ship loaded and out as soon as possible. Because the industry is so competitive, you have companies competing for contracts and that all comes down to time.

            It seems that the nature of the operations at POT – high level of contracted work, high level of casualisation – makes for difficulties in coordinating the operations of such a disparately organised work site. On top of this unwieldy, fragmented management problem there appears to be a real focus on doing things fast – i.e., to produce the kinds of ‘productivity’ that the Port boasts about.

            This is a classic environment for breeding workplace accidents and it would be a miracle (i.e., no credit to management) if there were a low level of accidents.

            Frankly, it defies belief since there would remain absolutely no explanation (in terms of explicit procedures as opposed to noble rhetoric from management) for how such low rates of accident were possible under conditions so inhospitable to safety. 

            • RedLogix 3.1.1.1.1.1

              Or more plausibly… that the PoT workers are too scared to properly report the minor accidents and near-misses they are having.

              • Yes, that was also in one of the links muzza provided (and I think rosy provided details on that point above – 1.1.1.2).

                I tried to capture that point, indirectly, through reference to casualisation – I should have made it more explicit.

                Thanks. 

                • Grumpy

                  Which of the accidents happened on sites controlled by PoT?

                  I understand the answer is – none!

                  • I’m only going on what I read

                    From the first link:

                    “.The name of the 49-year-old father killed at the Port of Tauranga on Monday has been released by police.” 

                    From the second link”

                    The Department of Labour said there were five serious harm incidents at the port in 2011. This includes the death of Fulton Hogan worker Walter Crosa, who was hit by a grader while tarsealing in August.

                    From the third link:

                    Police were called to the Port of Tauranga about midday, and the 49-year-old man was pronounced dead,

                    I’m just someone who reads the news and the impression from these articles is that the accidents occured ‘at the Port’.

                    Is there other information? 
                     

            • Grumpy 3.1.1.1.1.2

              Bloody iPad, they always start off with a capital…….

              Nice dig though, but you know what they say about puns 🙂

              • To be honest, I only noticed the pun after I posted it – I guess the best kind …

                I just noticed the capital ‘G’ and got curious (BTW, I appreciate your comments here). 

        • locus 3.1.1.2

          That would explain the quality of debate, reason and mind-set in your comment 3.1.3

      • bbfloyd 3.1.2

        thank you muzza…. that last sentence was the only one really necessary to use when dealing with unwell people like mark, burt, etc…..but i commend the patience of those that did waste their time on this one…. i picked up a lot of useful info reading the rebuttals….

        • muzza 3.1.2.1

          The point is BB, that there has been many of these topics posted in the standard over the months, and Mrk etc have been party to many of them, so they know the debtates key points…feigning ignorance is just silly…

          Trolls like to take the PoAL/POT issue away from its core, with talks about safety etc, which are little if nothing to do with the real issues, which I will list again just in case they were missed

          ACIL,PBE, SOI, ROE, Legal Contracts, Employment Law, and possibly something I have missed!

          I think that is most of the key talking points. Others are simply red herrings and diversion!

          • tsmithfield 3.1.2.1.1

            The problem with that line of argument, muzza, is that I think you will find that the issues about relative safety were raised in the first instance by the union through the likes of Helen Kelly. So, why shouldn’t these points be up for discussion? Or would you be accusing Helen Kelly and the union of putting forward red hearings and diversion?

            Let me ask you and MS if you would agree with the following statement:

            The statistical evidence from ACC suggests that POT is a safe employer relative to many other ports.

            • mickysavage 3.1.2.1.1.1

              I don’t have the foggiest idea what the graph is measuring ts.  This should be clarified before any conclusions are drawn.

      • Mark 3.1.3

        Jesus Muzza, you are sounding like a bully.. take a chill pill and engage in what is a serious debate with serious consequences..
        But to respond to a few of your fantasies…
        I have worked in many Ports, including Auk, Tga, Freemantle, Melbourne – not as a Wharfie, but as a ‘working man” and I have seen what goes on, from all sorts of people (and the old twistlock throwing is pretty standard, unsafe Union bullytactics)
        I have also spent many years as an employer, and have  had to sack a few  lazy cunts (reluctantly because I had tried to give them a chance , happily because they were endangering the livelihoods of their co-workers, me, and a bunch of families)
        I have also as a Site Manager or Supervisor sacked a few lazy cunts, and never had any Employment Court isues with them or the above employees suggests to me that I know what I’m talking about.
        The directives of Council to POAL are very transparent, and I am  familiar with them.
        I have worked  blue collar, white collar,  interspersed.. Hourly rate, salary, contract..
        I have hired ex and current POAL Forklift drivers who were so sick of the MUNZ bullshit and bullies they happily took a pay cut to get out.. and I am sure these guys will be lining up for the new jobs down there, good on them.
        It is highly likely I will be entering the Port in the next couple of weeks to contract on Engineering & Project matters .. I am hoping the picket is still on so I can face up to the bully boys.. maybe we can meet?
        So that’s my story Muzza, what’s yours?
        Put up, or shut up and fuck off yourself. 
         

  4. muzza 4

    Any particular reason my comments are in modertion today chaps?

    Edit – I see they have just ben released, thanks

    [Sorry, I realise it’s frustrating when a conversation is humming along not to be able to get a timely responses in, but the mods have lives as well. I always check them ASAP …RL]

    [lprent: the most common reason these days for a batch to stop is because akismet’s server is having issues. It throws comments into moderation and keeps trying for a while. But the hassle of auto moderation is a lot less than the hassle of being drowned out by spam. ]

  5. ianmac 5

    If POA gets punished at the Employment Court, what’s the bet that the Government cancels the Employment Court?

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 5.1

      “We may need to look at changing the law…”

      • Mark 5.1.1

        Oh, you mean like the Electoral Finance Act in 2005(?)

        • Kotahi Tane Huna 5.1.1.1

          Oh you mean that since Labour did it too it’s ok by you?

          • Mark 5.1.1.1.1

            No, but it’s obviously ok by you

            • Kotahi Tane Huna 5.1.1.1.1.1

              I supported the part of the EFA that made it more difficult for the National Party to sell government policy to the highest bidder, but I would have gone further to make donations to political parties illegal, and replace them with a central funding body to which democratically minded citizens could donate.

  6. John72 6

    Muzza, your comments are very interesting. They reflect the thoughts of someone who is very unhappy. Why?
    Can you express yourself clearly and precisley without indulging in a tirade of personal abuse. (name calling ?). You do not seem to be able to support any of your accusations with FACTS. A few facts or references would enhance your comments tremendously and put you head and shoulders above your peers.

    • muzza 6.1

      J72 – The articles on The Standard, about the PoAL , which have been many, seem to attract the same commentators looking spread nonsense around, and to be honest I should really not bother responding, because I have posted the relevant links to the documents which the council create, and which govern the expected performance of the PoAL many times, just trawl back through the archives and you will find the facts you feel I am missing. Your use of the word tirade is also out of context, along with your query for more facts from me!

      When it comes to people jobs, and their livlihoods, I think that it would be a prudent option for people, especially those who have not bothered to try find out what is actually going on, to sit on the fence and not pass an uninformed opinion. The incomces, and working conditions of workers who have legal contracts is a very private matter, which the PoAL management, have made sure became a very public one, obviously to sway public opinion of the ignorant, against the workers/munz. This sort of tactic I find is distasteful, but has been effective, just see the continuing remarks in various online forums about the overpaid underworked warfies….What business is it of anyones to take a position against the income/conditions or another person!
      Why I take a position is becuse there needs to be some counter flow of information by people who have been involved, and have taken the time to understand and be informed of the core issues. reading the governing documents, talking to warfies, the union, the councilors etc, all help to better understand where the core issues lie, and at which time relevant responses can be made to those who, are too lazy to think critically for themselves!
      Commenting on such serious matters from ignorance, is really not the way to go.

      • John72 6.1.1

        Thank you. Once again you have shown that you can not address the subject. You are still stooping to person critisim. Do you understand? It involves a thing called respect for people. There is a bit of good in every one even thee and I.

        • muzza 6.1.1.1

          Thank you for not bothering to search the archives to examine the links to facts, references and direct communications which myself and many others have posted, and have addressed multiple times on this very same topic.
          Thank you for your lack of comprehension skills, and subtle abuse, both in the post above, and one further down. Regardless of who they are aimed at, they contradict entirely your rhetoric about respect, which can easily be viewed as hypocritical, but thats for a higher power to decide isn’t it John72!

          Most of all thank you for the giggle, which is well received on this day of rest!

          Shalom

          • John72 6.1.1.1.1

            muzza, once again you stoop to personal abuse. This raises the question, do you understand what I am talking about when I refer to “respect for other people”?
            Would you like me to describe the concept in more detail. I do not want to waste your time and mine
            Mathew 7:6

            [lprent: Read the policy and especially about “robust debate” and “pointless abuse”. You are wrong and don’t try to try tell others how they should act on our site. We set the behavioural limits. You don’t. ]

  7. Tiger Mountain 7

    International solidarity is not requested lightly by workers organisations, and takes some time to implement but the overinflated hubris of several chief POAL blowhards is likely to more resemble a flat tyre quite soon.

    Whatever the outcome of this little debacle the undemocratic reality of the corporatist model for running citizens and city affairs has been well exposed.

    • Kotahi Tane Huna 7.1

      Yes, Rodney Hide’s long, long list of failures just got a little bit longer.

  8. The Stepper 8

    I think people are jumping to conclusions here. The Port has agreed to postpone, not cancel, their plans until a settlement conference has been held on Monday.

    Forgive me if I’m wrong, but my reading says the Court hasn’t stopped anything, nor has the Port agreed to can the redundancies (haven’t had the benefit of reading the actual judgement as yet). The case might be potentially resolved, but is far from over, and there is nothing to indicate that it has been resolved in MUNZ’s favour (though likely, granted).

    Highly unlikely in either case that the Court would order a retraction of the redundancy. A deficiency in the process does not mean that the reason for the process is invalid, and often the Employment Court will allow a course of action to proceed with a corrected process.

    On another note, Denise Roche’s comments are irritating in the extreme and inappropriate to boot. She states (as quoted on Stuff) “The legal action shows the workers clearly have a case”. Since when does suing someone prove you have a case? I think everyone hopes for a rational solution to the issue, and the rest of her statement makes sense, but that comment is unhelpful, and borders on ignorant.

    • McFlock 8.1

      PoAL blinked.
        
      It’s a start.

      • The Stepper 8.1.1

        I don’t accept that. Standing down, for two working days, until a settlement conference – the origin and outcome of which is completely unknown – is hardly “blinking”. Your statement is a wonderful example of precisely the sort of adversarial, antagonistic dick-swinging that led to this situation in the first place.

        If a solution is to be found, both sides will need to give ground, while saving face. Room needs to be given to each to do so. There is 0 chance that MUNZ will exit this situation with their ideal result (the actual ideal result being already compromised – now reduced to making the best of a bad situation). Equally, there is 0 chance that POAL will get their ideal outcome.

        End result: MUNZ will accept a reduction in conditions (naturally packaged in a way that can be sold to members), while POAL gives more than they (have stated they) intended to. That scenario supposes that MUNZ or POAL don’t try to stare down the entire thing. That way MUNZ will lose all 292 jobs, and POAL will eventually close.

        • fender 8.1.1.1

          The “antagonistic dick-swinging that led to this situation in the first place” was actually a report on ports throughout the country done by Steven fucking Joyce last year. That is where POAL got their inspiration from. His report suggested ports impliment the things POAL are trying.

          • The Stepper 8.1.1.1.1

            fender – I’m interested in this report. It’s the first I’ve heard of it (though admittedly I’m not hugely widely read on this). You have a link? MED or NZTA?

            P.S. *implement 😉

            • fender 8.1.1.1.1.1

              It was mentioned on Media7 on channel 7 the other night. They replay the show I’m sure it can be caught again.

            • Tiger Mountain 8.1.1.1.1.2

              It’s one step up and two steps back for you pal. (Stepper)

              The legal document aka “minute” is easily accessible on line. If you don’t support the wharfies give the keyboard a rest, there is work to be done here not pontificating.

              • The Stepper

                Unless I’ve failed to find the appropriate document (entirely possible), the Court has ruled that an application by POAL for an injunction against the strike has been declined. A hearing is set for the 26th. A settlement conference is scheduled for Monday. I haven’t seen the report that Joyce produced so am in no position to comment on that.

                Where do I say that I’m not for the wharfies? You’re close to “if you’re not for us you’re against us”. What’s wrong with to (gulp) paraphrase Denise Roche and call for cooler heads to prevail? All I’m trying to say is that an incredibly hard line approach, as demonstrated thus far by both parties, is going to end up with everyone losing.

                As for my prediction, naturally only time will tell but I strongly suspect that it will prove to be accurate.

                • Hi The Stepper,

                  My concern about the idea that each side need to give way (in any political or industrial dispute) is that, if accepted, it actually becomes an incentive to those with power to provoke disputes – since they will always ‘win’ a little bit more of what they want each time.

                  There surely is a point at which ‘appeasement’ is not the best response to such provocative ‘aggression’?

                  I’m speaking generally here, but that’s because I can see that there has been a trend over the past thirty years, in New Zealand and elsewhere, of undermining work conditions, and the control that workers have over those conditions, through just such incrementalist (sometimes quite big increments) provocation.

                  When does the cumulative effect of this process get to the point that the next provocation needs to be resisted in its entirety? Or is there never such a point?

                  • Grumpy

                    The standard of debate certainly picks up when you take an interest puddles……….

            • fender 8.1.1.1.1.3

              Media7 did an excellent piece on the dispute, and it replays tomorrow night (sunday) at 10:05

        • McFlock 8.1.1.2

          Everything PoAL have done to date has conformed to an approach of arrogant invulnerability.
             
          Holdng off on redundancies might be a tease when they believe they’re certain they’ll win the case, but even then it’s a recognition that appearances affect their chances of achieving their objectives, rather than dissembling, dodgy math and tablet-sized adverts from the mount being used as chicken feed for the supplicant masses.

          • The Stepper 8.1.1.2.1

            I don’t disagree with you McFlock, but as per above comments to Tiger Mountain the attitudes displayed by both sides have been fundamentally counter-productive. They seem to have both lost sight of the value of being seen in the eyes of the public to be the reasonable party. Hard lines will do well in reinforcing the views of your own supporters, but will do little to persuade anyone else.

            They’re holding off on redundancies (until Monday) to try and show the Court that they’re acting in good faith (and, as you say, to recognise that appearances affect their chances). Judge Travis is unlikely to be swayed by that – he’s pretty canny – but he has to give the parties an opportunity to resolve their differences. What I find interesting is the mention of a “settlement conference”. That implies that a settlement will (or has) been reached. Not sure on which issue a settlement has been reached however.

  9. Jenny 9

    Hi Anthony, the international support is a factor, but it is not the only factor.

    The Massive solidarity march last Saturday and the open support of the leaders of New Zealand’s biggest political party and probable next government, are two factors that will also have rocked the employers and shaken their resolve.

    The concerted right wing (and centre left) campaign to isolate the wharfies seems to have failed miserably.

    That the employers have taken fright at this show of mass public and institutional support can be seen by the following press release.

    The Employers and Manufacturers Association say business is “becoming increasingly alarmed at the political intervention in the Ports of Auckland dispute”

  10. John72 10

    The Stepper, thankyou. It is pleasant to read someone corteous and logical. There would not have been a dispute if more people like you had spoken up at the begining. So few comentators are prepared to say “I am open to correction”. So few have facts and references.
    Best Wishes.

  11. Tiger Mountain 11

    …and so few have their Aunties appear to say nice things about them–“It is pleasant to read someone corteous and logical.”-after the nasty regulars had their way with Stepper.

  12. John72 12

    Tiger Mountain. I do not understand what you are trying to say. Would you like to be more explicit.
    This week’s reading is Mathew 7:1-3

  13. John72 13

    Gentlemen, please accept my apologies. I have just found some older comments you have made and was surprised at the knowledge and information in some of them. Some people have done their homework.
    Does Auckland exist because the port is there , or does the port exist because Auckland is there?
    It seems that some people have lost sight of what this is all about.
    The port is providing a service to the people of Auckland (and NZ). Does it have to make a profit?
    So many of you realise that the port was never intended to be a private enterprise. Why now? Is the accountant having too much say in what the public needs or gets?
    The Council is just a servant to the community. Many members have become self-important.
    I apologise.

  14. Jenny 14

    Anthony I would go even further, to say, that international support was not even the main factor:

    From stuff.co.nz

    Thousands of people marched from Auckland’s waterfront in support of port workers on March 10. Prime Minister John Key waded into the dispute that day, saying he expected most of the port workers would be re-employed by the port as part of a casualised workforce.

    While the overseas support is important, it can only always be a an auxiliary, to the main struggle going on here.

    In 1951 the wharfies had massive international support, support that dwarfs anything seen today, yet still lost.

  15. Jester 15

    Perhaps people need to find out what a “Judicial settlement conference” is before they claim a victory.

  16. John72 16

    Yesterday, lprent advised me that one or more of my comments were offensive and offered me a “warning”. He implied that he was acting with the authority of a Moderator or Sysop, as refered to in the Rules, paragraph 2 and 3.
    I asked which remark was offensive and why? The entire subject, comments and all, appears to have been removed from this website, or am I looking in the wrong place?
    Actions speak louder than words.

  17. fender 17

    Great to hear POAL have backed down on their bullshit tactics, apparently the boys are going back to work and negotiations will start again. Great news!!!

    • fender 17.1

      oh hang on, POAL have not backed down on their contracting out plans. Seems they just want to use the boys for a month to fix what is no doubt a shambles at the port at present.

  18. John72 18

    “Life’s but a walking shadow – a poor player., that struts his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by idiot, full of sound and fury, saying nothing. ” (Shakespeare)

    My memory seems to be failing. 5 months ago, what was this dispute about?

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    47 mins ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    4 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    5 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    9 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    10 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    10 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    11 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    12 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – 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. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    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
    2 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
    3 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
    4 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
    4 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 ...
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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 ...
    5 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
    3 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
    8 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
    10 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
    10 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
    24 hours 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
    5 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
    5 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
    5 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
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 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. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T07:09:31+00:00