web analytics

Poverty Watch 19

Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, February 16th, 2013 - 23 comments
Categories: national, poverty - Tags:

In recent posts in this series we’ve focused on the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report, see the the full report (pdf) here.  Today we’ll carry on with a look at the remaining Economic Indicators.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

No surprises here:

Firstly, research suggests that children in families where the parents are unemployed have higher rates of psychosomatic symptoms, chronic illnesses and low wellbeing and that, while the magnitude of these associations is reduced once other potentially mediating factors are taken into account (e.g. parents’ former occupation, sole parent status, and migrant status), the associations do not disappear completely [29]. Further, research suggests that these negative effects may be mediated via the impact unemployment has on parents’ mental health, with the mental distress associated with decreased social status, disruption of roles, loss of self-esteem and increased financial strain, all impacting negatively on parents’ emotional state [29]. This in turn may lead to non-supportive marital interactions, compromised parenting, and children’s internalising (e.g. withdrawal, anxiety, depression) and externalising (e.g. aggressive or delinquent behaviour, substance abuse) behaviour [7].

Secondly, for young people the research suggests that unemployment leads to a range of negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, which are in turn associated with adverse outcomes such as heavy tobacco, alcohol and drug use; and higher mortality from suicide and accidents [30]. …

Unemployment is a rot that eats away at our whole society. Most people want and need to work, but too often the work isn’t there.

CSHM2012-unemployment

Further analysis in the report goes on to break down unemployment by age (bad news for the young), gender, ethnicity (bad news for the non-pakeha), and qualification (bad news for the less qualified).

CHILDREN RELIANT ON BENEFIT RECIPIENTS

No surprises here either.

In New Zealand, children who are reliant on benefit recipients are a particularly vulnerable group, with the 2008 Living Standards [26] survey finding that 59% of children whose main source of family income was a benefit, scored four or more on a composite Deprivation Index. This Deprivation Index measured the extent to which families were economising on a range of items including being able to keep the main rooms of the house warm in winter, and having a meal with meat/chicken/fish at least every second day. Families scoring four or more on this Index were much more likely to report living in houses that were damp or mouldy, or in very poor physical condition; that their children were having to continue to wear worn out shoes or clothing; that they were cutting back on meat and fresh fruit and vegetables; and that they were postponing doctors visits because of cost, all factors which are likely to impact adversely on children’s health and wellbeing.

Using a different measure, in 2009 Perry noted that 75% of all households (including those with and without children) relying on income-tested benefits as their main source of income were living below the poverty line (housing adjusted equivalised disposable income <60% of 2007 median) [26].This proportion has increased over the past two decades, rising from 39% of benefit-dependent households in 1990, to a peak of 76% in 1994, and then remaining in the low–mid 70%s ever since [26], with these trends being attributed to three main factors: cuts in the level in income support during 1991, growth in unemployment (which peaked at 11% in 1991) and escalating housing costs, particularly for those in rental accommodation [14]. …

That picture (for households with and without children) is even worse for households with children – recall from last week that:

Perry notes that during the 1980s, children in workless households were around twice as likely to be in poor households; during 1992–2004 four times more likely; and during 2007– 2011 six to seven times more likely [22]

That’s a terrible, shaming trend.

Here’s the historical overview of benefit dependent children by benefit type:

CSHM2012-reliant-on-benefit

It is (long long past) time to raise the the DPB.

That’s it for the economic indicators, next week a look at Health and Wellbeing Indicators.


In current news, as already covered here by Karol, the Nat government got a “D” on Child Poverty from the latest Salvation Army report (full report here). I’m sure they’ll add it to the huge pile of similar reports that they are ignoring. As I/S and No Right Turn reminds us, far from acting on these reports, the Nats are keen on burying the evidence.


Here’s the standard footnote. Poverty (and inequality) were falling (albeit too slowly) under the last Labour government.   Now they are on the rise again, in fact a Waikato University professor says that poverty is our biggest growth industry.

Before the last election Labour called for a cross party working group on poverty. Key turned the offer down.  Report after report after report has condemned the rate of poverty in this country, and called on the government to act. Meanwhile 40,000 kids are fed by charities and up to 80,000 are going to school hungry. National has responded with complete denial of the issues, saying that the government is already doing enough to help families feed their kids. Organisations working with the poor say that Key is in poverty ‘la la land’.

The Nats refuse to even measure the problem (though they certainly believe in measurement and goals when it suits them to bash beneficiaries). In a 2012 summary of the government’s targets and goals John Armstrong wrote: “Glaringly absent is a target for reducing child poverty”…

The costs of child poverty are in the range of $6-8 Billion per year, but the Nats refuse to spend the $2 Billion that would be needed to really make a difference. Even in purely economic terms National’s attitude makes no sense.

23 comments on “Poverty Watch 19 ”

  1. Afewknowthetruth 1

    At least NZers are not invited to eat horsemeat labelled as beef…….yet.

    • QoT 1.1

      Nothing wrong with horsemeat, it’s the mis-labelling that people should be outraged by.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1

        Exactly.

      • rosy 1.1.2

        Not only mislabelling, but the lack of knowledge by the food producers about what is in the food they’re selling and the failure of food safety controls.

        • fatty 1.1.2.1

          Good point Rosy…a complex web of untraceable meat and a deskilled workforce who have no reason to care for their job.
          Neoliberalism creates a race to the bottom…if horse meat is cheaper that week, then you look the other way and throw a few mares in the mincer.

  2. karol 2

    As long as it isn’t (insert name of meat) labelled as vegetarian.

  3. I keep saying we are past the age of growth, at some stage we are going back to the cave, from here to there is going to be bloody horrible, ‘we’ are going to see a reverse of what has happened in the last 200 – 500? years or so, all the atrocities man has subjected man to are going to come back, as we transcend, this plunge off the energy/resources cliff . As food becomes less available, and humans become surplus to requirements, you/your children will see more and more poverty, to the point of tripping over dead and dying people in the streets, or being tripped over.
    And just to add another nail to the coffin of this failed experiment, climate change is as good as runway now, we are heading into unknown temperatures, the only ‘known’ is mammals do not exists above certain temps, which the environment is fast heading beyond.
    We are like a DU tipped missile, we’ve hit the wall and are powering our way through it.

    It wouldn’t matter if John Key woke up tomorrow morning as Jesus Christ, and Gerry as Mother Teresa, nothing can stop what is unfolding
    Unfortunately with Key able to technically print 300 million a week in bullshit ‘borrowing’ they can keep the game going just that little bit longer, for them who ends up with the most toys winds, but we all die. Just a lot sooner than most of you and they recon.

    • The Al1en 3.1

      Stephen Joyce has it all covered at the super ministry, just let him fix nova pay first before he gets on to the easy stuff.

    • Afewknowthetruth 3.2

      Well said Robert. You could have noted that Labour set the ball rolling down the slippery slope to catastrophe for NZ by refusing to do anything to prepare for Peak Oil when there was still time to do so. Indeed, Labour is still deeply into denial of reality and continues to pretend the present system has a future, even as it all turns to custard. As are the Greens, of course.

    • @ Robert Atack,

      ‘we’ are going to see a reverse of what has happened in the last 200 – 500? years or so, all the atrocities man has subjected man to are going to come back, as we transcend, this plunge off the energy/resources cliff .

      Unsure why you use future tense on some of your statements. We already are seeing a reversal and many atrocities.

      • Colonial Viper 3.3.1

        Exactly. I would say RA knows this – we are a civilisation far into overshoot and now suffering from energy depletion and climate change. By my estimates theere has been no real organic economic growth in the world for roughly the last 10 years, it’s been a bumpy plateau of an illusion held up by money printing and debt.

        And in the last 5-6 years, we have started hitting the downslope of the curve in earnest.

        And as the pie shrinks, the elites and the upper middle class are going to stop at nothing to prop up their lifestyle expectations and sense of entitlement.

        • Robert Atack 3.3.1.1

          Just skim watched the below documentary, the Warsaw ghetto is where most cities are going to end up …. before they hit – The Road.

          Warsaw Ghetto: The Unfinished Film
          http://onebigtorrent.org/torrents/12809/Warsaw-Ghetto-The-Unfinished-Film-Ch4
          The Warsaw Ghetto housed 440,000 Polish Jews and Roma during World War II. Typhus, starvation and random murders killed over 100,000 of the ghetto’s residents even before the Nazis began the massive deportations to the Treblinka extermination camp.

          Yet the Nazis created a mysterious propaganda film that juxtaposed meticulously staged scenes of Jews enjoying a life of luxury in the ghetto with other, chilling images that required no staging at all.

          After the war, filmmakers and museums – unaware of the deception – used images from the film as objective illustrations of life in the ghetto, which subsequently became engraved as historical truth.

          With contributions from ghetto survivors and one of the German cameramen, Warsaw Ghetto: The Unfinished Film reveals how the Nazis used the ghetto as a film set, the inhabitants as actors and the decaying bodies as exhibits, and examines how far we can trust historic images.

          http://www.channel4.com/programmes/warsaw-ghetto-the-unfinished-film

          The Road
          http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/

  4. xtasy 4

    Work or bloody benefits, it seems to be treated differently in Sweden, than it does here.

    NZ has joined the laissez faire, neo lib, neo capitalist, follow up Reagan, Thatcher and “Chicago Boys” social and economic systems, that also culminated in a socially minded, socialist president and government in Chile being overthrown and replaced by a bloody dictatorship under US favourite General Pinochet in 1973.

    The “Chicago Boys” and US capitalism reclaimed Chile, its mines and wealth, the regime killed or rather murdered about 3000 unwanted dissidents, and Pinochet got on with “the job”.

    In NZ it has not gone quite that far, but we have a dumbed down populace, the media is firmly in right wing, private control, “news” are just about crime, antisocial behaviour, the weather, accidents, celeb gossip, a few one-liners by increasingly irrelevant political actors, and deliver NO information, NO education and make the people feel like dumb, ignorant players in a game, where their role is nothing more of an irrelevant side spectator.

    So since Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson after that ruined this country, shifted a large section into generational hopelessness and poverty, we now have governments blame the victims for the deeds the perpetrators committed against them.

    How a disgustingly unjust, shameful society has NZ become?

    We now face welfare reforms punishing the poor even more, by forcing “social obligations”, drug testing, and many other sanctions on them, challenge the sick and disabled to look for jobs and compete with fit and healthy that cannot find work.

    For f*** sake, is this bloody real?

    Sack this damned government and send them into the mines on the West Coast (the PM and his ministers, and MPs) to earn a living through sweat and facing danger, so they learn what basic life down the bottom looks like.

    Shame on this government and NZ as a whole, that the public let all this happen and let John Key and his gang get away with division, hatred and marginalising so many.

  5. Binders full of viper- women 5

    Ahh Sweden, Finland…. dig a little deeper and you might find that in some ways they are quite conservative.. not in a tory kind of way… just in a way that they probably wouldn’t have a situation we have of a 19 year old ‘father’ of 13 babies and children to different women and girls. I can’t see anything other than grinding poverty for those 13 kids 🙁

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1

      That would be because you that the father should provide everything rather than society helping those that belong to it.

    • @ Binders full of viper-women
      Could you at least try and sound like you understand the subject?
      Please explain to me how a father fathering 13 babies is relevant to the problems that this post is describing? Are you suggesting that these 15-26 people are the source of all NZ’s poverty woes? I would be very interested to know how these 15-26 people have such an impact on the other 4 million plus?
      Thanks

      p.s. I suggest that you refer to “girls” as “young women” in future. Unless there was some divine intervention involved, it is humanly impossible for a “girl” to bear a child. Were you also not aware of that?

  6. “Forget the politicians. The politicians are put there to give you the idea you have freedom of choice. You don’t. You have no choice. You have owners. They own you. They own everything. They own all the important land, they own and control the corporations that’ve long since bought and paid for, the senate, the congress, the state houses, the city halls, they got the judges in their back pocket, and they own all the big media companies so they control just about all of the news and the information you get to hear. They got you by the balls. They spend billions of dollars every year lobbying to get what they want. Well, we know what they want. They want more for themselves and less for everybody else. But I’ll tell you what they don’t want. They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them.” – George Carlin

  7. Great post Anthony, Sad yet very comprehensive.
    It appears that Nact are not very bright, and perhaps they can only grasp the concept of “making the graphs go up” and haven’t cottoned onto the fact that its good when some graphs charting statistics “go down”.

    😕 Nacts are graph zombies.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta to attend NATO meeting
    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nanaia Mahuta, departs for Europe today, where she will attend a session of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels and make a short bilateral visit to Sweden.  “NATO is a long-standing and likeminded partner for Aotearoa New Zealand. It is valuable to join a session of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Secure all-of-government facility to be built at Whenuapai
    A secure facility that will house protected information for a broad range of government agencies is being constructed at RNZAF Base Auckland (Whenuapai), Public Service, Defence and GCSB Minister Andrew Little says. The facility will consolidate and expand the government’s current secure storage capacity and capability for at least another ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Flu vaccine to protect Kiwis this winter
    From today, 1.8 million flu vaccines are available to help protect New Zealanders from winter illness, Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall has announced. “Vaccination against flu is safe and will be a first line of defence against severe illness this winter,” Dr Verrall said. “We can all play a part ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Congratulations to Professor Rangi Mātāmua – New Zealander of the Year
    Associate Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Willow-Jean Prime has congratulated Professor Rangi Mātāmua (Ngāi Tūhoe) who was last night named the prestigious Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa New Zealander of the Year. Professor Mātāmua, who is the government's Chief Adviser Mātauranga Matariki, was the winner of the New Zealander ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Further sanctions on Russian and Belarusian political and military figures
    The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has announced further sanctions on political and military figures from Russia and Belarus as part of the ongoing response to the war in Ukraine. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Alekseevna Lvova-Belova ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ambitious new housing development for Whangārei
    A new public housing development planned for Whangārei will provide 95 warm and dry, modern homes for people in need, Housing Minister Megan Woods says. The Kauika Road development will replace a motel complex in the Avenues with 89 three-level walk up apartments, alongside six homes. “Whangārei has a rapidly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • CPTPP bolstered by decision on UK accession
    New Zealand welcomes the substantial conclusion of negotiations on the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “Continuing to grow our export returns is a priority for the Government and part of our plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown initial Taranaki Maunga collective redress deed (rua reo)
    Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown initial Taranaki Maunga collective redress deed Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown have today initialled the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Deed, named Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little says. “I am pleased to be here for this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Dates announced for 2023 Pacific language weeks
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds has announced the 2023 Pacific Language week series, highlighting the need to revitalise and sustain languages for future generations. “Pacific languages are a cornerstone of our health, wellbeing and identity as Pacific peoples. When our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated, our communities thrive,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Over a quarter of New Zealanders to get cost of living relief from tomorrow
    880,000 pensioners to get a boost to Super, including 5000 veterans 52,000 students to see a bump in allowance or loan living costs Approximately 223,000 workers to receive a wage rise as a result of the minimum wage increasing to $22.70 8,000 community nurses to receive pay increase of up ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Thousands of community nurses getting April pay boost
    Over 8000 community nurses will start receiving well-deserved pay rises of up to 15 percent over the next month as a Government initiative worth $200 million a year kicks in, says Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall. “The Government is committed to ensuring nurses are paid fairly and will receive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Speech to Taranaki Chamber of Commerce and TOI Foundation breakfast
    Tākiri mai ana te ata Ki runga o ngākau mārohirohi Kōrihi ana te manu kaupapa Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea Tihei mauri ora Let the dawn break On the hearts and minds of those who stand resolute As the bird of action sings, it welcomes the dawn of a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government takes next step to lift artists’ incomes
    The Government is introducing a scheme which will lift incomes for artists, support them beyond the current spike in cost of living and ensure they are properly recognised for their contribution to New Zealand’s economy and culture.    “In line with New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreement with the UK, last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ stands with Vanuatu on climate at UN
    New Zealand is welcoming a decision by the United Nations General Assembly to ask the International Court of Justice to consider countries’ international legal obligations on climate change. The United Nations has voted unanimously to adopt a resolution led by Vanuatu to ask the ICJ for an advisory opinion on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • More Police deployed to the frontline
    More Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 59 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. “The graduation for recruit wing 364 was my first since becoming Police Minister last week,” Ginny Andersen said. “It was a real honour. I want to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Aotearoa New Zealand committed to an enduring partnership with Vanuatu
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta met with Vanuatu Foreign Minister Jotham Napat in Port Vila, today, signing a new Statement of Partnership — Aotearoa New Zealand’s first with Vanuatu. “The Mauri Statement of Partnership is a joint expression of the values, priorities and principles that will guide the Aotearoa New Zealand–Vanuatu relationship into ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government delivers levy change to support Fire and Emergency
    The Government has passed new legislation amending the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) levy regime, ensuring the best balance between a fair and cost effective funding model. The Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill makes changes to the existing law to: charge the levy on contracts of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Next steps for New Zealand’s organic regulations
    The Government has passed the Organic Products and Production Bill through its third reading today in Parliament helping New Zealand’s organic sector to grow and lift export revenue. “The Organic Products and Production Bill will introduce robust and practical regulation to give businesses the certainty they need to continue to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Govt helps to protect New Zealanders digital identities
    The Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill, which will make it easier for New Zealanders to safely prove who they are digitally has passed its third and final reading today. “We know New Zealanders want control over their identity information and how it’s used by the companies and services they ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Cyclone Taskforce focused on locally-led recovery
    The full Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Taskforce has met formally for the first time as work continues to help the regions recover and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle. The Taskforce, which includes representatives from business, local government, iwi and unions, covers all regions affected by the January and February floods and cyclone. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Law changed to protect subcontractors
    Changes have been made to legislation to give subcontractors the confidence they will be paid the retention money they are owed should the head contractor’s business fail, Minister for Building and Construction Megan Woods announced today. “These changes passed in the Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Act safeguard subcontractors who ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New congestion busting harbour crossing options unveiled
    Transport Minister Michael Wood has unveiled five scenarios for one of the most significant city-shaping projects for Tāmaki Makaurau in coming decades, the additional Waitematā Harbour crossing. “Aucklanders and businesses have made it clear that the biggest barriers to the success of Auckland is persistent congestion and after years of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New law enhances safety and security in the aviation sector
    The Government has passed new legislation that ensures New Zealand’s civil aviation rules are fit for purpose in the 21st century, Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan says. The Civil Aviation Bill repeals and replaces the Civil Aviation Act 1990 and the Airport Authorities Act 1966 with a single modern law ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Coroners Amendment Bill passes third reading
    A Bill aimed at helping to reduce delays in the coronial jurisdiction passed its third reading today. The Coroners Amendment Bill, amongst other things, will establish new coronial positions, known as Associate Coroners, who will be able to perform most of the functions, powers, and duties of Coroners. The new ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Review into Stuart Nash’s communications with donors
    The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to conduct a review into communications between Stuart Nash and his donors. The review will take place over the next two months.  The review will look at whether there have been any other breaches of cabinet collective responsibility or confidentiality, or whether ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • 600 more workers to support recovery
    The new Recovery Visa to help bring in additional migrant workers to support cyclone and flooding recovery has attracted over 600 successful applicants within its first month. “The Government is moving quickly to support businesses bring in the workers needed to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods,” Michael ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Bills to vet school boards, contractors pass first reading
    Bills to ensure non-teaching employees and contractors at schools, and unlicensed childcare services like mall crèches are vetted by police, and provide safeguards for school board appointments have passed their first reading today. The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No. 3) and the Regulatory Systems (Education) Amendment Bill have now ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Bill recognises unique role and contribution of Wānanga and Kura Kaupapa Māori
    Wānanga will gain increased flexibility and autonomy that recognises the unique role they fill in the tertiary education sector, Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis has announced. The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No.3), that had its first reading today, proposes a new Wānanga enabling framework for the three current ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Foreign Affairs Minister talks to the Vanuatu Government on Pacific issues
    Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will travel to Vanuatu today, announcing that Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further relief and recovery assistance there, following the recent destruction caused by Cyclones Judy and Kevin. While in Vanuatu, Minister Mahuta will meet with Vanuatu Acting Prime Minister Sato Kilman, Foreign Minister Jotham ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Major investment to support the safety of frontline Police and communities
    The Government is backing Police and making communities safer with the roll-out of state-of-the-art tools and training to frontline staff, Police Minister Ginny Andersen said today. “Frontline staff face high-risk situations daily as they increasingly respond to sophisticated organised crime, gang-violence and the availability of illegal firearms,” Ginny Andersen said.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Further laws passed to keep communities safe from gang offending
    The Government has provided Police with more tools to crack down on gang offending with the passing of new legislation today which will further improve public safety, Justice Minister Kiri Allan says. The Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Bill amends existing law to: create new targeted warrant and additional search powers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Standard kerbside recycling part of new era for waste system
    The Government today announced far-reaching changes to the way we make, use, recycle and dispose of waste, ushering in a new era for New Zealand’s waste system. The changes will ensure that where waste is recycled, for instance by households at the kerbside, it is less likely to be contaminated ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • New laws will crack down on gang profits and criminal assets
    New legislation passed by the Government today will make it harder for gangs and their leaders to benefit financially from crime that causes considerable harm in our communities, Minister of Justice Kiri Allan says. Since the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 came into effect police have been highly successful in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Stuart Nash dismissed from Cabinet
    This evening I have advised the Governor-General to dismiss Stuart Nash from all his ministerial portfolios. Late this afternoon I was made aware by a news outlet of an email Stuart Nash sent in March 2020 to two contacts regarding a commercial rent relief package that Cabinet had considered. In ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Tax incentive to boost housing passes third reading
    Legislation to enable more build-to-rent developments has passed its third reading in Parliament, so this type of rental will be able to claim interest deductibility in perpetuity where it meets the requirements. Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods, says the changes will help unlock the potential of the build-to-rent sector and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Law levels playing field for low-emissions commuting
    A law passed by Parliament today exempts employers from paying fringe benefit tax on certain low emission commuting options they provide or subsidise for their staff.  “Many employers already subsidise the commuting costs of their staff, for instance by providing car parks,” Environment Minister David Parker said.  “This move supports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • 40 years of Closer Economic Relations with Australia
    Today marks the 40th anniversary of Closer Economic Relations (CER), our gold standard free trade agreement between New Zealand and Australia. “CER was a world-leading agreement in 1983, is still world-renowned today and is emblematic of both our countries’ commitment to free trade. The WTO has called it the world’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Amendments to mass arrivals legislation
    The Government is making procedural changes to the Immigration Act to ensure that 2013 amendments operate as Parliament intended.   The Government is also introducing a new community management approach for asylum seekers. “While it’s unlikely we’ll experience a mass arrival due to our remote positioning, there is no doubt New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Progress on public service pay adjustment
    The Government welcomes progress on public sector pay adjustment (PSPA) agreements, and the release of the updated public service pay guidance by the Public Service Commission today, Minister for the Public Service Andrew Little says. “More than a dozen collective agreements are now settled in the public service, Crown Agents, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Further legislation introduced to support cyclone recovery
    The Government has introduced the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill to further support the recovery and rebuild from the recent severe weather events in the North Island. “We know from our experiences following the Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes that it will take some time before we completely understand the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-04-02T08:34:25+00:00