Protect Ihumātao hīkoi to Jacinda Ardern today

Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, August 22nd, 2019 - 55 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, Maori Issues - Tags: ,

Sign the petition here. Protect Ihumātao hope to get the number of signatures to 30,000 by the end of the hīkoi today.

FB Video of the start of the Ihumātao hīkoi this morning,

 



Other FB livestreams on the Protect Ihumātao FB page.

RadioNZ report,

Live: Ihumātao – Hīkoi to deliver petition to Jacinda Ardern’s office begins

Around 100 people have begun the hīkoi to the Prime Minister’s electorate office over Ihumātao, asking her to visit the site.

They’ll deliver a petition, signed by more than 22,000 people, urging Jacinda Ardern to travel to Ihumātao to experience the whenua – the land – herself.

The petition says without a personal visit they don’t think the prime minister has a true sense of why the land matters so much and what’s at stake if it’s lost.

RadioNZ have live updates here.

Newshub interview with Pania Newton,

Ihumātao protest leader Pania Newton says a “unique process” will be required to return the land to its rightful owners, as it “isn’t a Treaty issue”.

 

Photo RadioNZ

55 comments on “Protect Ihumātao hīkoi to Jacinda Ardern today ”

  • Comments are now closed

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    22 August 2019 at 11:31 am

    I've always thought the word was "hikoi", not "hīkoi".

    It's curious that "hike" is so similar.

  3. Sanctuary 3
    22 August 2019 at 11:39 am

    Getting a bit desperate for publicity I see.

    • Wensleydale 3.1
      22 August 2019 at 12:15 pm

      This is a rare instance when I agree with you. If Jacinda's not even going to be at her electorate office, all they're really doing is posing a traffic hazard and annoying Auckland commuters. They get to be on the telly this evening, which is useful in keeping their cause in the media spotlight, but other than that… seems a bit pointless.

      And the weather in Auckland is shit.

      • bwaghorn 3.1.1
        22 August 2019 at 3:21 pm

        Why do you think they planned for when Arden is away??

        Accident or not wanting to put her on the spot or trying to embarrass her into visiting?

  4. Dukeofurl 4
    22 August 2019 at 12:07 pm

    Ihumātao protest leader Pania Newton says a “unique process” will be required to return the land to its rightful owners, as it “isn’t a Treaty issue.

    Yes it is. Otherwise the rightful owners before Kawerau a maki 'took it', Waiohua ( Te Akitai Waiohua and Ti Ata Waiohua would want a say in that.)

    The Treaty claim process put a line in the sand at 1840 and would only consider

    • weka 4.1
      22 August 2019 at 12:28 pm

      I tidied up the quote there, but can't do anything about the nonsensical grammar.

    • mauī 4.2
      22 August 2019 at 12:43 pm

      This issue has been going on for many years, Waiohua has had plenty of time to voice an opinion on it, and for all we know they could have already worked alongside Kawerau a maki people on what should happen with the land anyway.

      • Dukeofurl 4.2.1
        22 August 2019 at 1:34 pm

        I wasnt aware of them at all until told about it by members of the iwi- you will see their name on sites all over the isthmus when you know what it means. In this area the sub iwi remaining at at Pukaki and Waiuku. Kawerau a Maki are predominately a Waitakere ranges iwi

        The Treaty claim process drew a line at 1840, so loss of land before that isnt under consideration. …unless Newton wants to move the boundaries…and not just to suit her purposes.
        The Waiohua claim to the area of the Isthmus and South is not disputed and mentioned in the Manukau treaty report and the later “arrival” of the Ngati Whatua.
        https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_68495207/The%20Manukau%20Report%201985.pdf

        Have you read any of it Maui?

  5. mauī 5
    22 August 2019 at 12:22 pm

    The neoliberal Labour have washed their hands of this issue. Their leadership is little better than Macron, who sent in the force of the state and continued to ignore national issues only for the problem to get much, much worse.

    • Formerly Ross 5.1
      22 August 2019 at 1:04 pm

      When Oranga Tamariki uplifted a child, Maori said that the Government should keep its hands off our tamariki. In other words, Maori could and should solve the issue. But here the Government is being asked to resolve the problem. That seems to be rather patronising. Surely Maori are capable of doing the resolving?

      • Dukeofurl 5.1.1
        22 August 2019 at 1:21 pm

        Tania Newton lives and speaks in an alternate reality world.

        • JohnP 5.1.1.1
          22 August 2019 at 1:42 pm

          Probably because she's called Pania.

        • marty mars 5.1.1.2
          22 August 2019 at 1:49 pm

          I doubt your puny mana could stand up to hers – you would have said that about Eva Rickard and Dame Whina Cooper too wouldn't you?

          • Dukeofurl 5.1.1.2.1
            22 August 2019 at 2:12 pm

            Im only reflecting what iwi leaders with considerable mana have been saying about her -in print and on Marae TV show.

            They question her whakapapa, and her truthfulness – 'bed of lies' was the term used. Why would they say this. Shes clearly no Whina Cooper or Eva Rickard.

            Otherwise its not my place to have a view on that at all as a pakeha.

            How about giving your whakapapa marty so can can see whether its your place to make comment ?

            • michelle 5.1.1.2.1.1
              22 August 2019 at 2:44 pm

              what Maori leaders with considerable mana name them and we can decide who has mana who are they to question her whakapapa

            • marty mars 5.1.1.2.1.2
              22 August 2019 at 3:02 pm

              lol – you wouldn’t understand it buddy – as usual you can’t argue you just try to diminish the person – Pania is an example – you are ridiculed because of YOUR ARGUMENT not your ethnicity.

              • Dukeofurl …
                22 August 2019 at 5:35 pm

                So after you raised it -" doubt your puny mana could stand up to hers"- its no longer about that.

                Going off script already. You would be popular at Ihumatao…. you you been yet?
                Not read the Tribunal Manukau report either….

                • marty mars …
                  22 August 2019 at 5:43 pm

                  yeah it's not about my mana. You are the one dissing her – vested interests? – she standing in the way of you making some money? – I don't care why you do it – I'll just call it when I see it. Argue against her points not against her as a person please.

                  No I haven't been out there in person – different island and when I lived up there I was in Milford, Muriwai and Waimauku so not out that way. Sounds nice by the descriptions of the land protectors – I will visit when next up there – may be a long time because I refuse to fly.

      • weka 5.1.2
        22 August 2019 at 1:53 pm

        "When Oranga Tamariki uplifted a child, Maori said that the Government should keep its hands off our tamariki. In other words, Maori could and should solve the issue. But here the Government is being asked to resolve the problem. That seems to be rather patronising. Surely Maori are capable of doing the resolving?"

        Are you suggesting that Iwi be allowed to set up their own states within NZ? At the moment Māori are constrained by law imposed by the Crown. Can't see how they can do much about that, hence needing the Crown's involvement.

        • Formerly Ross 5.1.2.1
          22 August 2019 at 5:46 pm

          Weka

          I’m not sure of the relevance of your question but you seem to be saying that Maori are incapable of resolving the issue without Government intervention. Why not simply say that at the outset? Personally I’m not sure that the Government unilaterally deciding the issue would go down well with Maori.

          • weka 5.1.2.1.1
            22 August 2019 at 7:04 pm

            It's not that Māori are incapable, it's that it's not possible for anyone to resolve this without the Crown being involved. There are laws that have blocked Iwi from resolving the issue, that's on the Crown and local authorities.

            That doesn't mean the Crown should unilaterally decide what should happen, and I'm not sure they have the power to do that easily anyway.

            • Formerly Ross 5.1.2.1.1.1
              22 August 2019 at 10:41 pm

              What laws are you talking about?

              • weka …
                22 August 2019 at 10:54 pm

                off the top of my head, the laws that prohibited the land from being included in Treaty settlements, that allowed the land to be rezoned so it could be sold, and that allowed the SHA to be created. There are some other ones around the environment court and how heritage sites are managed, as well as the original legislation in the 1800s that enabled the land to be taken and gifted to the Wallaces (I assume there were laws that enabled that). I don't have the details on all that, but it's not hard to find if you look. There have been a number of timelines published, as well as more indepth articles talking about these issues.

                • Formerly Ross …
                  23 August 2019 at 4:37 pm

                  I have seen timelines but they are not at all helpful. For example there is no mention of whether a claim was made by the local iwi to the Waitangi Tribunal. Was a claim made prior to September 2008? If a claim wasn’t made, those wanting Government intervention need to explain why that should happen and why a claim was not made to the Waitangi Tribunal.

                  • weka …
                    23 August 2019 at 4:45 pm

                    as far as I know private land is excluded from Treaty claims, and the land in question has been in private ownership since the 1800s.

                    • Formerly Ross …
                      23 August 2019 at 7:32 pm

                      That begs the question of why Maori should be gifted private land if the Waitangi Tribunal wouldn't have a bar of it. More importantly, how many other bits of private land could be the subject of a claim?

                      “Land that is privately owned is generally not available for use in Treaty settlements, but claimants can make their own arrangements with the owners if both parties agree. The Crown does not get involved in matters related to private land.”

                      https://www.linz.govt.nz/crown-property/types-crown-property/treaty-settlements-landbank-and-protection-mechanism

                    • weka …
                      23 August 2019 at 8:35 pm

                      I don't think anyone is suggesting that Fletchers gift the land to Iwi or SOUL (although I have thought this myself). The idea is that the Crown buys the land, which means it's no longer private. What would happen then would depend on what was negotiated, but creating protected reserve that is managed by local Iwi seems like one of the options.

                      Given the whole site that includes the SHA is of national significance in multiple ways, it seems like a reasonable outcome. The twenty odd million is something the government can afford when we compare it to something like the $ put into the Americas Cup.

                      The Ihumātao landscape (of which the land in question, Special Housing Area 62, is a part) is recorded on the United Nations International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) at risk register. This rare cultural heritage landscape (including SHA 62) matters because its stories, relationships, built heritage, ecological values and archaeological sites are critical to our understanding of the histories and futures of our city and country.

                      For mana whenua (local Māori), this place embodies sources of identity and wellbeing as well as family, community and tribal relationships.

                      https://www.protectihumatao.com/

                      "More importantly, how many other bits of private land could be the subject of a claim?"

                      I'm fairly sure this is one reason the govt is holding back. But not all private land was subject to confiscation. There are justice issues here that have never been resolved, despite Treaty processes. They're not going to go away, and yes there will be other cases.

                      I hope this makes local authorities and developers think twice about what they are doing. Auckland Council should never had changed the zoning on that land allowing this kind of sale, and the SHA should never have been established there. Fletchers should never have bought it knowing there were issues.

                      Beyond that, the sooner NZ gets to grips with Māori as in partnership with the Crown, the better it will be for all of us. The Treaty process itself was imposed on Māori, and then later the full and final settlement part of it. At that time, there was discussion about how that wouldn't work. This is what we are seeing at play now.

                    • Formerly Ross …
                      24 August 2019 at 8:59 am

                      The idea is that the Crown buys the land, which means it's no longer private.

                      Or Maori could buy the land if it is of such significance. If they have no desire to buy the land, perhaps its significance has been overstated.

                      the sooner NZ gets to grips with Māori as in partnership with the Crown, the better it will be for all of us.

                      Of course that works both ways. A partnershis isn't really a partnership if one party, and one party only, tries to publicly undermine the other party and has expectations which aren't realistic. A partnership works best when both parties act like grown ups and act in good faith. From all accounts Fletchers have acted in good faith.

                    • Sacha …
                      24 August 2019 at 9:33 am

                      Or Maori could buy the land if it is of such significance. If they have no desire to buy the land, perhaps its significance has been overstated.

                      Oh Ross. Not buying something does not mean you do not want it – usually, it means you do not have enough money.

                      A partnership works best when both parties act like grown ups and act in good faith. From all accounts Fletchers have acted in good faith.

                      I agree Fletchers has behaved appropriately as a business under the regulations in place at the time. The treaty partnership is between Māori and the Crown (representing all New Zealanders including Māori). Businesses do not come into it. Red herring.

                    • Formerly Ross …
                      24 August 2019 at 10:14 am

                      Not buying something does not mean you do not want it – usually, it means you do not have enough money.

                      Banks can often help if you don't have enough money. But in this case, the land possibly isn't worth much – maybe $50 million. Treaty settlements currently exceed $2 billion. Assets owned by Maori are valued at in excess of $40 billion. Going to the bank possibly isn't needed here.

                      I agree Fletchers has behaved appropriately as a business under the regulations in place at the time.

                      Awesome, so Fletchers shouldn't be penalised. If they wish to build, which presumably they have a legal right to, they should be able to do so.

                      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12224193

  6. marty mars 6
    22 August 2019 at 1:40 pm

    Thanks for the post.

    Good stuff – showing how change occurs – the mana is obvious and the challenge is going to be hard to ignore. Lots of aroha – this is big and not going away no matter what some wish for.

  7. michelle 7
    22 August 2019 at 2:46 pm

    Yes marty mars i have been sending emails to Labour Ministers telling them they better fix OT & Ihumatao or else they will lose all the Maori seats and the next election

  8. Anaru 8
    22 August 2019 at 3:15 pm

    We hear some Māori voices amplified and other also Māori voices are drowned .. Why did they not buy the land when it was for sale?

    • Ad 8.1
      22 August 2019 at 5:49 pm

      Tainui buying the land direct from Fletchers is the cleanest option out there.

      • Barfly 8.1.1
        22 August 2019 at 6:34 pm

        Snowballs chance in hell there Ad IMO

        I believe Iwi are waiting and hoping for a government action that will allow Iwi collectively to make additional claims re "parity" on Waitangi treaty settlements so they can collect a few hundred million dollars extra. So no I don't believe there will be an Iwi "white knight" racing to resolve this.

        I don't think that the government will be moving this way. If they did…well…. it's an enormous pile of "juicy raw meat" for the National Party to help them win in 2020.

        I think so much of this whole situation is misguided bullshit.

        I have seen pictures of protestors signs with (paraphrasing) "burial grounds cemetery sacred land etc" but the a spokesman for the maori who negotiated the deal with Fletcher's stated "the land was declared "wahi tapu" because it was confiscated not because it was a frickin cemetery.

        Pania Newton appears happy for local maori who would have benefitted by 40 houses for their families to miss out.

        So I ask what is her goal? I don't know. The land in question has been farmed for the last 150 odd years. I suspect, but do not know, that the goal is for the land to sit there unused in any way.

        /SIGH

        • weka 8.1.1.1
          22 August 2019 at 7:02 pm

          Even by Pākehā standards, it's an incredibly important piece of land archaeologically. Yes, there are burial caves in the area, and I understood there to be graves in the ground across the general site to.

          Have a read of Protect Ihumātao's website to see what SOUL want to have happen.

          • Barfly 8.1.1.1.1
            22 August 2019 at 7:54 pm

            "Even by Pākehā standards"…..really? Your happy to say that?

            " Yes, there are burial caves in the area, and I understood there to be graves in the ground across the general site to."

            Wasn't this area farmed by maori prior to confiscation(yes I agree the confiscation was shitty and wrong)

            "The volcanic cone of Ōtuataua is sited within the Ōtuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve and as the dominant landscape feature, lends the 100 hectare"

            100hectares is not enough? It's really necessary to ensure local maori miss out on housing for 40 families? And Auckland is denied 440 additional houses for families?

            "These aspirations range from a mana whenua-led research, visitor and education centre, a food forest, a working farm, guided walkways, cultural experiences, and, open green space. "

            Marvelous aspirations(I note no mention of burial sites in these desires)…so who is paying? Tainui with their $1.22 billion dollars of assets? You said (maybe) "Iwi couldn't afford it at the time" with $1.22 billion in assets really? do you want to stand by that comment?

            "the Wallaces chose who they wanted to sell too" FFS are you suggesting the sellers were racists?

            Meh…I'm really unhappy about this 9 years of National stuffing over the poor and disadvantaged in New Zealand (yeah mainly brown ..but also white – of which I am one)…we finally have a government slowly dragging the "Overton window" to the left , but we have a "cause du jour" to assist National to try to resume their born to rule torture.

            Bah…I m going to have many beers right now hopefully after enough of them I will stop fukking caring

            • weka 8.1.1.1.1.1
              22 August 2019 at 8:04 pm

              "FFS are you suggesting the sellers were racists?"

              No, I'm suggesting that like some others they may have wanted certain things for the land they'd lived on for so long eg to see it developed. Not even suggesting really, just using my imagination to understand why it might not have been possible for Iwi to buy the land.

              I wasn't thinking of Tainui, I was thinking of Te Kawarau a Maki. I don't know what assets local Iwi had at that time. Again, I was saying it's not hard to imagine reasons why a purchase wasn't possible.

              Re the site, as an archaeologist has commented, we wouldn't put a housing development next to Stonehenge.

              It's an area of land with a long and complex history including how Māori have lived on it. I don't see how this invalidates SOUL's position.

              • Barfly …
                22 August 2019 at 8:26 pm

                "we wouldn't put a housing development next to Stonehenge."

                There's a 100 hectare protected site adjacent…but the 32 hectares for housing is "wrong"? but

                "These aspirations range from a mana whenua-led research, visitor and education centre, a food forest, a working farm, guided walkways, cultural experiences, and, open green space. " is right?

                That's it from me I know you will comment again…you always ensure you have the "last word " good night.

                • weka …
                  22 August 2019 at 10:31 pm

                  If you can't see the difference between a commercial housing development created by big business for shareholder profit, and community based, Iwi/Hapū-led management of their own land, I can't help you.

      • Muttonbird 8.1.2
        22 August 2019 at 6:58 pm

        It is absurd that Maori should have to buy back land which was stolen from them. I'd like to see you go down the pub and happily shell out for your stolen skill-saw.

      • michelle 8.1.3
        23 August 2019 at 9:55 am

        Why should Tainui have to buy their own land back people seem to be forgetting the part the crown played in this and how the crown has benefited from our confiscated land and racist policies like the rebellious act, the settlements act, the discharged soldiers settlement act all benefited pakeha families. And we received pepper corn payments, and we are stuck with those nasty perpetual leases. The other issue relates to cultural heritage and who values what and what has more value and why. In my view this shows a breach of the treaty on protecting our land and taonga etc it is in article two of the treaty taking the English version it confirms and guaranteed to the chiefs 'exclusive and undisturbed possession of their lands, estates, forest, fisheries and other properties … basically none of this has been adhered to. So for people to say it has nothing to do with the crown when it does they have an obligation to protect our culture and our heritage but they haven't yet they can cough up 12.5 million to protect privately owned heritage buildings using our taxes now something is wrong here and we need to have a good fight for this other wise we might as well rollover and drop dead.

        • weka 8.1.3.1
          23 August 2019 at 10:14 am

          This.

          The government is afraid of racist voters, but I’m sure some MPs also think they know what’s fair. The sooner lefties get on board with what justice means for the people directly affected, the easier it will get for everyone.

    • weka 8.2
      22 August 2019 at 6:50 pm

      "Why did they not buy the land when it was for sale?"

      I don't know, but it's not hard to think of possible reasons. Iwi couldn't afford it at the time, Fletchers out bid them, the Wallaces chose who they wanted to sell too.

  9. Ad 9
    22 August 2019 at 5:58 pm

    Making your electoral staff take in a 26,000 signature petition in front of the TV1 news cameras is a pretty shitty thing to make your lowly-paid electoral staff do.

    At some point Ardern needs to make a useful move over Ihumatao or she is just going to diminish her effectiveness by the day.

    • Muttonbird 9.1
      22 August 2019 at 6:45 pm

      I thought this Ihumatao thing was just an irrelevancy to you. You should be happy that the PM is not engaging.

    • weka 9.2
      22 August 2019 at 6:49 pm

      I thought that was odd. They looked a bit intimidated with the haka too. Having an MP there, one who has been to Ihumātao, would have made more sense.

  10. Ankerrawshark) 10
    22 August 2019 at 10:00 pm

    It seems like the protesters are trying to pressure the PM into the outcome they want. It isn’t what all Maori want. Some local Maori were happy to enter in to the deal with fletchers. Isn’t their view equally valid? I know if I was local and I thought their was an opportunity to get into a home on this land I would be gutted with the hold up. The solution was a pragmatic way forward for local Maori that involved the handing back of some small amount of land.

    This issue could lose the govt the next election. Enjoy having Simons approach to the issue.

    • weka 10.1
      22 August 2019 at 10:29 pm

      what's the nature of the housing deal?

    • marty mars 10.2
      22 August 2019 at 10:47 pm

      It can also be okay to allow the process to continue so that an even better solution can be found. This seems to be the approach the Kīngitanga have facilitated and that the parties are working under.

  11. Ankerrawshark) 11
    22 August 2019 at 10:42 pm

    My understanding is that fletchers will build 40 houses for local Maori on a rent to buy scheme. But correct me if I am wrong about this.

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  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
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