Public transport, to complement cycling?

Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, June 17th, 2021 - 51 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, cycleway, public transport, Social issues, transport, uncategorized - Tags:

By Jenny How to get there

The other week the NZ Herald ran a large full page opinion piece by Simon Wilson calling for, a lane of the Harbour be turned into a bike-way. Complete with an artist’s impression of what it would look like.

Simon Wilson: It’s time to bike the Auckland Harbour Bridge – NZ Herald

Simon Wilson’s opinion piece was followed by a protest on the Bridge the following Sunday.

Even on a Sunday this caused major traffic “Chaos”. If the protest had been done during the working week. The Bridge would have been thrown into gridlock.

Short of building another harbour crossing, there is another way to get cyclists across the Bridge. Buses.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand…..

….About 170,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day (as of 2019), including more than 1,000 buses, which carry 38% of all people crossing during the morning peak.

Auckland Harbour Bridge – Wikipedia

Dividing 170,000 vehicles by eight lanes gives you 21,250 vehicles per lane.

Ignoring for a moment the 1,000 buses. Let’s be generous and say there is only one person per vehicle, ie 21,250 people.

Take one lane off the Harbour Bridge for a bike lane, 21,250 people still need to get across the bridge every day.

Let’s be generous again, and assume that, 4,000 of these commuters will switch to bicycles to cross the bridge, every day. (even in bad weather). That still leaves 17,250 extra cars to crowd into the remaining lanes.

How can it be done?

  • For argument’s sake, let’s assume that the bridge is already at full capacity.
  • 17,250 extra vehicles added to the remaining 7 lanes – grid lock.
  • Let’s bring the buses back into the equation.
  • Doubling the 1,000 buses a day, to 2,000 buses a day, will get 17,250 people across the bridge, with seats to spare.
  • Again assuming the bridge is already at full capacity.
  • An extra 1,000 buses added to the remaining 7 lanes – grid lock.

But how about this?; double the number of buses, and Instead of taking one, (or two lanes) for a bikeway, take one, (or two lanes) to extend the Northern Busway across the Harbour Bridge, and right into the city centre.

Many buses are already fitted with a cargo bay. To accommodate cyclists wanting to cross the harbour, buses with cargo bays for bikes and dedicated bike loading bus stops either side of the bridge. (Cyclists will be able to cross the Bridge while viewing the beauty of the harbour from the comfort of the bus, in all weathers, and without risking getting blown over the railing).

For convenience of use, and to sweeten the deal, and to get even more people out of their cars, make the Northern Busway fare free for its entire length.

(People love free stuff) Single payer, means people still pay through their rates and/or taxes, but the trade off for commuters is in the savings made in fuel and running costs, not to mention parking costs. Other external costs, pollution, climate change, traffic congestion, will also be less. A net gain for all of us.

38% of commuters already cross the Harbour Bridge during peak hour on the bus. Increase that to 50% (or more), will free up capacity on the remaining 6 lanes – grid lock avoided.

Much less vehicle traffic and congestion and air pollution in the inner city, will benefit cyclists and pedestrians, and the remaining drivers.

One more thing. Make those buses zero emission buses. We only have 33 Zero emission buses in Auckland now, however the council say they intend to make the whole bus fleet zero-emission within ‘a few years’.

INNER CITY AUCKLAND CITYLINK BUSES GO ELECTRIC

…..The e-buses will help reduce carbon emissions and enable Auckland to meet its climate change goals and ditch diesel and petrol public transport, [Mayor] Goff says.

Not only are the e-buses quieter, but they will also improve Auckland’s inner city air quality – especially in the Queen Street valley area, he says….

……On Sunday April 25, Lower Albert Street will re-open for North Shore buses. Some Central and West Auckland bus routes will also now use it to begin their journeys out of the city

Auckland Transport will now have 33 zero-emission buses deployed.

Inner city Auckland CityLink buses go electric | EV Talk (evsandbeyond.co.nz)

To recap:

Each lane of the Harbour Bridge takes 21,250 vehicles a day. If we take one lane away for a bikeway most of those 21,250 drivers displaced by the bike-way are not going to become cyclists. Instead they are going to be crowded back onto the remaining 7 lanes. Since the Bridge is at capacity during rush hour now, this can only result in longer travel times and more ol’ pollution. 

Far better taking one lane for a busway across the Harbour Bridge, and as an incentive to get people out of their cars, make it fare free, The Northern busway has been a runaway success. 38% of commuters already cross the bridge on the bus. The buses are a proven way of getting thousands of commuters to leave their car at home. However the Northern busway suffers a bottle neck at the Harbour Bridge and can never meet its full potential until it is brought right across the Bridge and into the City.

Ideally two lanes will be needed for a busway, but with the lane moving technology one lane would suffice. Southwards in the morning Northwards in the afternoon.

The return journey made on the uncrowded side of the motorway.

To incentivise the 21,000 motorists displaced by the missing lane, not to add to the remaining 7 lanes, the Northern Busway must be made fare free for its entire length.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight lane motorway, constructed solely for motor vehicle use only.

Like most motorways the Auckland Harbour Bridge doesn’t lend itself to being retrofitted for bikes and pedestrian traffic, The traditional answer has been to construct separate cycleways to the side. And this is being done on the Southern and Western motorways. But the Harbour Bridge presents a unique problem

There was a plan to build a sky-path for cyclists and pedestrians under or beside the main carriageway. But it proved to be a hugely complicated and expensive engineering project.

Taking a lane for a bikeway is not practical. The engineering nightmare that was the sky-path has been ditched. The new plan is for a new and separate bike and pedestrian harbour bridge to be built beside the existing harbour bridge. The price tag for this bridge is $785 million and the completion date is 5 years.

A fare free busway with an option for bicycle stowage is a far cheaper solution and can be implemented immediately. All of the infrastructure is already there.

On a personal note.
I recently took an intercity bus trip to the East Coast. At Gisbourne the bus was boarded by a number of cyclists who stowed their bikes in the copious luggage compartment for the journey to Taupo. At Taupo they got off the bus, took their bikes out, and continued their journey by bike..

It occurs to me that every bus should have these luggage compartments, for stowing bikes prams etc.

The government are considering giving one lane possibly even two lanes over to a bikeway as a temporary measure, until the new bike bridge is completed.

Instead of a three month trial of a bikeway. How about a Three Month Trial of a Fare Free Northern Busway all the way into the City. Who knows, we might find out, we won’t need any new bridge or tunnel harbour crossings with multi $billion dollar price tags.

Free public transport: Synchs in with environmentalism, reducing poverty & inequality. Demanding all cities have free public transport would help the poorest amongst us, demand more growth for public transport and take some of the stress out of our groaning roading system that can’t cope as it is. Major way to directly combat climate change.

Fare-Free New Zealand

51 comments on “Public transport, to complement cycling? ”

  1. lprent 1

    Many buses are already fitted with a cargo bay. To accommodate cyclists wanting to cross the harbour, buses with cargo bays for bikes and dedicated bike loading bus stops either side of the bridge.

    I suspect that there are some pretty basic issues with that. As someone who has loaded a bike on buses, trains and cars – it is never a simple task even for simple light bikes like racing bikes. Currently the intercity buses have a cargo bay that can get used by cycles. It is designed for luggage. Even a single bike chews up the space.

    This is the advice given by Intercity about taking a bike.

    Yes, bikes are allowed as checked luggage. Here's what you need to know:

    • Bicycles must be collapsed down (both wheels removed from the frame) with handlebars turned sideways and the chain covered. They should not exceed total dimensions (length + width + height) of 158cm (62inches). Bicycles presented in this fashion will be accepted for travel and counted as one of your two Checked Luggage entitlements.
    • Please contact us in advance of travel so we can inform the driver. This may make it easier for him/her to leave space for your bike, although we cannot guarantee carriage on any specific travel date or service.
    • There are some services that can't carry bikes for space reasons. Please check the Oversize Luggage page for a full list.
    • In the interest of other travellers’ luggage and driver safety, all bicycles must have the pedals removed and the chain covered.
    • The charge for bicycles that are not collapsed down is $10.00 per bike, per individual bus connection. This is payable to the driver.

    Needless to say this isn't going to suit commuter traffic. It'd be a operations nightmare to handle even a couple of bikes in storage compartments on any single bus.

    Bikes can be festooned on the bus. Or more realistically have parking spaces in a bus.

    Unlike this guy, I'm 62 and I have electric bike that weighs something like 50-60kgs. It is also awkward with the mirrors to keep track of the murderous car drivers and the saddlebags that I usually have on it with computer gear. Trying to lift my bike up on to rack is simply impossible. I’d break something – probably me.

    At least 2/3rds of the cyclist commuters that I see on my commutes have e-bikes. They simply aren't light. I'd imagine that anyone doing commutes will have e-bikes in the next few years. There are far more of them being sold than EVs.

    As you can see, having secure bike parking on a bus chews up space. Those displayed examples are piddly sporting bikes compared to a modern commuter e-bike.

    Most of those 1000 buses per day happen only at rush hours. Now imagine having 50 bikes waiting for the next bus at commuter time and more arriving. Unlike humans just carrying a briefcase or pack, it takes far more time to load (and unload) bikes. Rather than 5 minutes to swipe a 50 people on board a bus, it'd take more like 30 minutes to put 50 bikes on buses and secure then so they don't injure other bikes or other people. That just adds an hour to the commute for no practical usage.

    Basically if there were 4000 or even 1000 cyclists on a bus commuting daily on a bus shuttle, then you'd expect to see the Northern Busway (already heading close to capacity) grind to a halt. I'd expect to see massive disruptions to the orderly operation of the buses for walk-on passengers. The bus stations have limited space for buses to stop, limited room for expansion, and no real way to fill up with people loading and unloading bikes on to buses.

    Ideally two lanes will be needed for a busway, but with the lane moving technology one lane would suffice. Southwards in the morning Northwards in the afternoon.

    The return journey made on the uncrowded side of the motorway.

    A switch single lane doesn't really cut it either. It would have worked 20+ years ago.

    But the last time when I was last commuting from the CBD area to the North Shore in 2010 the buses were invariably full in the main commuter periods. That is because there is a lot of work from Birkenhead to Albany done by people who live on the other side of the bridge.

    These days there is no uncrowded side of the bridge in rush hours. Just one that is slight less congested than the other.

    There isn't enough parking around the North Shore business areas to park a car. The chances of getting 'parked' going over the bridge in the 'opposite' direction is nearly the same as it is going the other way. The buses in both directions are usually full, and the rush hours now last about 2.5-3 hours morning and evening. So the buses do multiple return trips.

    I used to commute counter to the traffic in the 90s. But that died as a technique somewhere towards the end of the 00s. The traffic flows directions have been evening out ever since. Now I only work where I can bike or bus to in a reasonable length of time. So my premium for working over the bridge now includes 2 hours of commute each day – ie more than the median income in NZ.

    • weka 1.1

      Roughly how many bikes per trip? Other sectors use bike trailers behind buses. The first bus in this link takes 54 riders and their bikes. Obviously there are logistical and engineering issues (redesign for ebikes) as well as expectation of behaviour change, but they don’t seem insurmountable.

      https://www.bike-express.co.uk/Corporate_Events

    • Jenny How to get there 1.2

      First off. Thanks for putting this post up.

      Since I first penned it. I have rethought several aspects.

      After agriculture, transport is New Zealand's greatest source of Greenhouse emissions.

      We need to restrict the use of the private (ICE) motor vehicle as much as possible.

      I am not in favour of congestion charges to restrict private car use, as this form of impost always falls hardest on those least able to afford it.

      I don't think another harbour crossing that leaves 8 lanes for ICE vehicles to pour across the harbour is the best use of our resources. And will do little to nothing for greenhouse emissions related to transport.

      Yes, I think taking one or two lanes away from cars on the Bridge is a good idea.

      I realise that this will create a lot of hardship for commuters in the short to medium term until things resettle into the new reality.

      But the climate crisis is so extreme that this short term pain may well be worth it.

      (Even if it only acts to stop us being held in total contempt by following generations).

      Global warming may have already passed irreversible tipping point | Climate News | Al Jazeera

      P.S. Thanks Lprent for your thoughtful contribution.

      • gsays 1.2.1

        No reckons from me, it all sounds great.

        One bit of advice I received was to not call anything free. Someone pays, instead: complimentary, gratis, no charge etc

        • Jenny How to get there 1.2.1.1

          Yes I have seen the word 'complimentary' used before in relation to fare free bus services. By past Manukau City Mayor Barry Curtis, who had voiced support for a fare free bus service trial in Manukau City.
          Curtis said he thought that complimentary buses could be used as feeders for the then proposed Manukau train station.

          Just as you say, gsays, nothing is free. Someone pays.

          It is my opinion that public services are run more efficiently and cheaply through single payer than user pays.

    • Jenny How to get there 1.3

      lprent

      17 June 2021 at 7:24 am

      …..As someone who has loaded a bike on buses, trains and cars – it is never a simple task even for simple light bikes like racing bikes….

      I can fully believe your problems with getting bikes onto public transport, having witnessed it myself.
      Coincidently, yesterday I had to catch the train to Papakura from Pamure after driving my 86 year old father's car to his mechanic in Morrin Rd, to replace a faulty alternator. (Yes, he still drives).

      On the return journey, the train was pretty full, at Otahuhu a cyclist in full racing kit brought his racing bike onto our passenger carriage. His bike may have been litght weight but it still took up a lot of room. Without room to move past the seats, and seated passengers, he and his bike stood in the doorway partially obstructing both doors. The cyclist was approached by the guard. I was too far back to hear the full conversation between them, but it appeared affable. What I did hear was the cyclist agreeing to move his vehicle to another carriage.
      At the next stop he got off. I couldn't see where he went, but I presume that he reboarded the train at one of the low loading carriages that most of the commuter trains have for cyclists, where the floor level is set between the bogies level with with platforms and where the seats are set against the wall, and fold out of the way to make room for bikes, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams etc.

      (Cyclists on the trains in South Auckland are usually dressed in battered work clothes with a workaday bike, the bike and train are their way to commute to their factory job).

      Did I mention that yesterday it had been raining. (along with cars, a perennial enemy of cyclists).

      Let me say here, that I admire all the heroic cycle commuters and one day hope to join them.
      ,
      ,

  2. Noel 2

    Relative in Aussie got a job as a light rail guard. Cyclists bitching about insufficient racks was a daily occurance. Said to one cyclist moaner "you got on at X where do intend to get off" which by relatives calculation was 4kms. Made my day he said.

    • lprent 2.1

      by relatives calculation was 4kms

      Easier to ride – that is about 10 minutes max. Provided you can avoid hill, parked cars with their arbitrary door opening and cars driven so as to drive you into them.

      Getting a bike secured on a bus and then getting off is close to the same time.

  3. GreenBus 3

    What about some purpose built "bike buses"? Nothing but cyclists and there machines with easy loading access/ramps. Using existing lanes so no need to lose 1 or 2 and gridlock traffic. Like a ferry service. No passengers just riders and bikes.

  4. Stuart Munro 4

    At least until a bike crossing is available, buses are a logical option. A pair of purpose built shuttle buses giving pedestrians and cyclists a free trip across the bridge, one in each direction, might go a fair way to supporting cycling and pedestrian options until the TA's glacial bureaucracy provides something better. Purpose built, a bus could accommodate about a dozen bikes, with up to twenty passengers (some standing). Other vehicles would be needed for wheelchairs & baby strollers – but the engineering is pretty light – something NZ is good at.

      • Stuart Munro 4.1.1

        Looks great – though might be modified somewhat for speed and ease of loading/unloading.

        Ideally, it ought to handle recumbent bikes too – they have advantages over moderate to long distance, as well as Ebikes of one kind or another.

        • weka 4.1.1.1

          Yep. Definitely would need to be designed for the Auckland situation, and I’m assuming there wouldn’t be 50 bikes per trip in the immediate future so plenty of space to transport all the different things.

        • gsays 4.1.1.2

          While we are at it, space and design for mobility scooters/walkers.

          • Jenny How to get there 4.1.1.2.1

            gsays

            17 June 2021 at 10:35 am

            While we are at it, space and design for mobility scooters/walkers.

            I spoke to one of my friends who went on the bike protest with her bike and crossed the bridge. I asked her was there anyone on the protest on a mobility scooter. She said, "No. But good idea. Maybe next time"

  5. Ad 5

    “For convenience of use, and to sweeten the deal, and to get even more people out of their cars, make the Northern Busway fare free for its entire length.” Making public transport free just for North Shore citizens is the most inequitable proposal I have ever heard in transport.

    "At Gisbourne [sic] the bus was boarded by a number of cyclists who stowed their bikes in the copious luggage compartment for the journey to Taupo. At Taupo they got off the bus, took their bikes out, and continued their journey by bike." Two random holidaymakers blissing out near Taupo, versus a daily Auckland rush-hour, is as useful as comparing a 1 gallon butter churn with a laden Fonterra milk tanker.

    “38% of commuters already cross the Harbour Bridge during peak hour on the bus. Increase that to 50% (or more), will free up capacity on the remaining 6 lanes – grid lock avoided.” No; huge new subdivisions being built north of the harbour bridge are driving vehicle demand far into the future. Demand across the bridge grinds up slowly only because the dedicated busway has pulled greater percentages out of cars.

    There are already spaces on NEX buses for prams and bicycles. With that already-existing choice, people prefer to take their bikes on ferries from North Shore's multiple ferry sites.

    Your 'whattabout-ism' is so strong I wonder if you work for NZTA.

    • Alice Tectonite 5.1

      "There are already spaces on NEX buses for prams and bicycles."

      Taking your bike on the bus

      Bikes are not permitted on any of Auckland's bus services, unless it's a folding bike.

      Auckland Transport

      Might have something to do with the 'choice' to use ferries

      [changed user name to the approved version]

      • Ad 5.1.1

        Agree could well do.

        As LPrent mentions above, lifting a bike onto a bus – even a kneeling one – is a task for the fit alone.

    • JO 5.2

      . . .bikes on ferries from North Shore's multiple ferry sites.

      Yes, and if we can build roll-on, roll-off car and train ferries we can build wheel-on wheel-off bike barges (Take a WOWO to your WorkOut!), no need to take apart or lift the bike, multiple angle parks on board, every hour (the electric units from Upper Hutt to Wellington run about every half hour till after 12am, it can be done), minimum fares. Just imagine that flotilla lit up with pennants flying for a harbour festival. . .

      https://www.locaboat.com/en/barges-history-afloat/

      In an age when we are all thinking about ways to save our planet, barge transport offers one of the best ways of moving bulk quantities of merchandise from one place to another. Official estimates have shown that barges consume one and a half times less energy than trains and five times less than road transport. Not only that, but a single barge can transport the equivalent of fifty lorryloads and almost the same number of railway truckloads.

    • Jenny How to get there 5.3

      Hi Ad,

      lprent, has already pointed out the shortfalls and difficulties of loading bicycles onto public transport.

      I thought Weka's suggestion, with accompanying link, was exquisite. Who knew that such things existed? If implemented, Weka's suggestion would obviously be much cheaper than a dedicated stand alone bridge.

      But as you point out, there are already other options for cyclists to cross the Harbour.

      But that is not what this is about. Cyclists and pedestrians don't want to just get across the harbour, they want to get across the harbour, on the Harbour Bridge.

      I can sympathise with this desire., How many times have I crossed the Auckland Harbour bridge behind the wheel of a car wishing I could lift my eyes away to admire the glorious view, instead of having to fixate on the road ahead.

      How about this.

      To scratch that itch.

      One, (or two), lanes of the motorway on the Auckland Harbour Bridge be given over to a busway during the week and to bicycles and pedestrians on the weekend.

      What do you think?

      • Ad 5.3.1

        Since NZTA have already been directed by the Minister to consider a lane for cycling over the bridge, the obvious follow-on to this will be dedicated busway lanes over the bridge: pressure is building fast for this since bus volumes will increase with the extension of dedicated busway through Albany late this year I believe.

        It is now highly likely that NZTA will pull away one bridge lane at least for non-car traffic.

        • Jenny How to get there 5.3.1.1


          “It is now highly likely that NZTA will pull away one bridge lane at least for non-car traffic.
          Ad

          '
          This great news.laugh

          I just hope the Minister can stick to his guns.

          Knowing Michael Wood personally I know his heart is in the right place, but we are all only human. The political pressure on Michael and his ministry not to follow through on his direction to 'consider' taking one lane away from automobile traffic will be immense.

          The usual suspects, the oil companies, the automotive industry, the AA, the roading lobby, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and last but not least, the Nats, will do everything within their power to make sure this never happens.

          The first thing they will try to do is whip up public sentiment against it.

          (the Radio Talkback battle is already, all but lost).

          Against this propaganda onslaught a fare free public transport option across the bridge which puts money in people’s pockets to get them out of their cars, is an admittedly populist policy that would act keep the average commuter on side.

        • Jenny how to get there 5.3.1.2

          “It is now highly likely that NZTA will pull away one bridge lane at least for non-car traffic.
          Ad

          Yes, but only on Sundays.

          The government would continue to look at options for interim use of existing harbour bridge lanes for cycling and walking, such as cycling access on Sundays, Wood said.

          https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300323635/auckland-harbour-bridge-cycle-rally-arrested-cyclist-says-access-to-bridge-needed-to-modernise-city?rm=a

          A bit disapointing, as this will do nothing to reduce car use, or congestion or pollution or greenhouse emissions. This is far less than could be hoped for.

          Cyclists get their wish to cycle the bridge and enjoy the ambiance and the views. While BAU is not bothered one little bit.
          .
          The battle has been won, but the war has been lost.

          • Jenny how to get there 5.3.1.2.1

            This is why humanity will fall into the pit

            • Jenny how to get there 5.3.1.2.1.1

              I know what our political leaders will say.

              "The political pressure on us, was just too great. We couldn't justify taking one lane of the Harbour Bridge away from the car traffic."

              To the politicians, I would say: "You can justify it."

              "Just as you did for the covid crisis,. Make your case. Argue your corner. Take a stand. State, that the climate crisis demands it."
              "After all arguing your case is the bread and butter of polticians"
              "Screw up your courage"
              "On the debating floor, raise your voice, get passionate".
              "Just as you did for the covid crisis, point to overseas examples; The increasing and worsening weather disasters, the terrible floods and droughts, the increasing and more deadly wild fires.
              (mention the southland floods).
              "Something must be done. We are going to make a start, we can no longer afford or justify having eight lanes of motorway traffic in the heart of our biggest city. The climate crisis demands it.

              Challenge your opponents to defend their position. (They can't)

              Win over the public.

              No more motorways, It is imperative that we make room on our transport network for low emissions public transport, cycling and pathways.

              Finally; There is no such thing as half a revolution.

              The cycle/pedestrian bridge doesn’t address climate change, it is a poor compromise to keep the car lobby and the cycling community both happy.

              If the projected cost of the Northern Pathway cycle bridge blows past $1 billion, (which is quite possible), our opponents will use it to beat us around the head with it. And this administration will be finished.

        • Jenny how to get there 5.3.1.3

          "I’m on your side when times get rought and friends just can’t be found…"

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YysjzeaDB-A&t=1s

    • Stuart Munro 5.4

      Fact is, we have good reason to support a transition from cars to bikes. Part of the equation in making bikes desirable, which must outweigh the convenience of cars, is reduced waiting times, and not getting clipped every time you choose to cross the harbour. That cars are not, yet pedestrians and cyclists are, is an anomaly overdue for correction.

      • gsays 5.4.1

        Great observation, Stuart.

      • Stuart Munro

        17 June 2021 at 2:01 pm

        …..getting clipped every time you choose to cross the harbour. That cars are not [charged], yet pedestrians and cyclists are, is an anomaly overdue for correction.

        gsays

        17 June 2021 at 6:22 pm

        Great observation, Stuart.

        Cyclists and pedestrians and bus users have to pay a fare to get across the harbour, but people in cars don't.

        Yes, this is a ‘great observation’.

        In the age of climate change we need to be incentivising people to cycle and walk, and take public transport.

        Ferries, buses, trains, are providing a public service, they relieve congestion on our roads, they reduce pollution, and CO2 emissions, (especially if they are electrified. PT lends itself to electrification at a speed, and a cost, that the private car fleet could never match, or catch up with.)

        People on bikes who are also reducing pollution and congestion are also indirectly providing a public service.

        The very least we could do is to give free passage to anyone who brings a bike onto the ferry.

        [Deleted a spurious “1” from user name]

  6. Herodotus 6

    What your analysis IMO fails to take into account. Only 1 flow would be effected by a lane closure. In the afternoon the bridge is configured 3south-5 lanes north bound.so if you closed a south bound lane then the 2 lanes and approached would have to carry requirements would increase by 50%. The north bound traffic would be uneffected. Merging of traffic into 2 lanes south would increase the stacking of traffic and increase travel times.

    With the bridge requiring safety measures as lane protection for the cyclists/walkers and the bridge rails would need to improved to protect people from falling off the bridge, as it currently is about 1m in height and has a horizonital mid rail that is easily to climb(should this lane be also for walkers). From my observation the trial would have to be on the west side as that has the most immediate ramps either side of the bridge. But these Ramps are very narrow in width and I cannot see how they could me modified to accomodate walker/cyclists as well and still be safe.

    • Herodotus

      17 June 2021 at 3:12 p

      …..if you closed a south bound lane then the 2 lanes and approached would have to carry requirements would increase by 50%. The north bound traffic would be uneffected. Merging of traffic into 2 lanes south would increase the stacking of traffic and increase travel times.

      Hello H. How are you. Thanks for your contribution.
      To avoid south bound lane 50% increase in carry requirements, stacking of traffic and increased travel times, PT and bike use would have to compensate by more than 50%

      Bikes alone can't do it. Only free public transport has ever achieved this sort of dramatic uptake in use.

      "In Dunkirk, the percentage of people using the bus had fallen below 5%, one of the lowest rates in Europe. It was necessary to create a phychological shock at the height of the challenge to successfully change the uses."
      Patrice Vergriete, Mayor of Dunkirk

      At 7.8% Auckland PT use is not that much higher than Dunkirk, before the introduction of single-payer public transport.

      Free public transport in Dunkirk, one year later

      By Michiel Modijefsky / Updated: 10 Oct 2019

      Following the introduction of free public transport and improved services in September 2018, passenger numbers have increased dramatically in the French Urban Community of Dunkirk. Moreover, it has made a significant contribution to reducing private car use, a recent study concludes.

      In September 2018, the Urban Community of Dunkirk launched a new transport network which had been completely redesigned and improved with the added benefit of being free for both residents and visitors. A new study(link is external) on the experience finds that bus use has increased by 65% during the week and by 125% during the weekend eight months after introduction.

      https://www.eltis.org/in-brief/news/free-public-transport-dunkirk-one-year-later

      I mean, Wow!

      At this rate of uptake of PT use, we probably wouldn't need a second harbour road crossing. The estimated costs, depending on options, $1-2 billion, $10 billion, possibly 'ballooning' to $18 billion

      [Deleted a spurious “1” from user name]

    • I haven't seen anyone write, 'But what about the cost?'

      A fare-free public transport system across the whole region would be cheaper than what is being proposed just for North Shore crossing infrastructure.

      According to Mayor Phil Goff, the huge sums being talked about are "eye watering".

      The cost of a single-payer fare-free service on the Northern Busway and across the Harbour Bridge would be minisucle by comparison. Who knows, if it takes off, it might free up space for a dedicated bikeway.

      The huge sums and first details of the new business case have emerged in an agenda for an upcoming meeting of Auckland Council’s planning committee…..

      ….Linking Takapuna and the central city with a tunnel, at least 6km long, will cost $5 billion.

      An additional $3 billion would be required to extend it further north to Albany, according to the business case.

      It estimates the cost of an in-line road bridge expanding the capacity of the existing bridge at $1-$2 billion.

      That figure balloons to $10 billion if a road tunnel is built instead, linking the city centre and Esmonde Rd with additional motorway lanes to Constellation Dr.

      …..Operating and maintaining the new connections would cost $100-$130 million each year, mostly spent on managing the tunnels.

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300148597/auckland-harbour-crossing-planners-want-5b-rail-tunnel-a-decade-before-any-new-road-link

      P.S. And before anyone accuses me of cheery picking, the Northern Busway upgrade will cost between $500m and $600m. But this public investment in the expansion of the Northern Busway, which has already started, will be never be able to achieve its full capacity or meet its full potential if it still meets a bottleneck at the Harbour Bridge. The Northern Busway needs to be brought across the bridge.

      And it needs to be fare free to compensate all the commuters forced out of their cars by the removal of one, or two lanes.

      [Deleted a spurious “1” from user name]

  7. DukeEll 7

    Make Jenny a regular author.

    Makes complete sense to have an integrated system for all road users

    This race to the top of whose transport is better makes any sensible conversation impossible.

    Public transport / cycling / personal vehicles should not have the ability to believe their need is greater and more virtuous, better for the economy, health, climate, grand kids, lycra tailors or mag wheel makers.

    If i cycle down lake road to devonport from takapuna and take the ferry to town, my trip is going to be economically more viable, healthier and more direct, using less carbon as everything is existing. If it's free it's a heavy incentive to get to the densest employment region in Auckland from one of the least dense residential areas.

    It might even encourage more car users to get jealous while sitting on the one lane POS that is lake road to investigate why so many more cyclists each day head the other way.

    Same for drury and pukekohe and swanson.

    • Jenny How to get there 7.1

      yes

    • DukeEll

      17 June 2021 at 3:17 pm

      Make Jenny a regular author….

      Thanks Duke for the lovely compliment.

      But I don't think that is ever going to happen.

      In an amusing aside, and at the risk of being banned totally for mentioning it. I must be the only Guest Author in the history of The Standard whose comments on their own post are moderated.

      Jenny how to get there

      Your comment is awaiting moderation.

      18 June 2021 at 12:39 pm

      I haven't seen anyone write, 'But what about the cost?'

      A fare-free public transport system across the whole region would be cheaper than what is being proposed just for North Shore crossing infrastructure.

      According to Mayor Phil Goff, the huge sums being talked about are "eye watering"…..

      Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

      [Deleted a spurious “1” from user name]

      • Incognito 7.2.1

        Not all moderation is equal. There’s automated and there’s manual moderation. Ten comments of yours over the last 2 days triggered Auto-Moderation because of a typo. Often, this is nothing to worry about and certainly not the stuff of ban nightmares.

        This is how it works. Any approved commenter (AKA “user”) can make a typo in their username and/or e-mail address. To the systems this shows up as a new user. To approve/release this comment requires manual intervention by a Moderator. It is not the stuff of ban nightmares either unless the culprit fails to correct it and it becomes a pain. One mistyped username is the Blacklist because Moderators had enough of that particular commenter not paying attention to the automated messages generated by system to warn them and not paying attention to the many messages from Moderators to get their attention. FYI, this commenter is free to comment here under their approved username and continues to do so.

        HTH

        • Thank you again, for taking the time to help me get a proper handle on this.

          Hopefully, I won't be making the same mistake too much in future.

          I have no idea, how that spurious 1 got there.

          And hadn’t even noticed it.

          • Incognito 7.2.1.1.1

            The spurious “1” is still there, even in this comment, but I deleted it, again, and released your comment. 12 times now; I didn’t want this to become embarrassing.

            Each time it happens, you’ll get this message:

            Your comment is awaiting moderation.

            It means something went wrong and triggered Auto-Moderation.

            • weka 7.2.1.1.1.1

              how long as that message been appearing? I've never seen it before. Just tested it, and see it stays only as long as the page isn't refreshed.

  8. RedBaronCV 8

    Lovely ideas Jenny and the bike trailer Weka. Now if you two were in a meeting any minute now some bloke would repeat all this at which point it would be seen as a great idea lets do it and give him a raise. Apparently this is a well known phenomena.

    And the best thing about this is that you can trial it in stages meaning that you may never have to go the full free fare road.

    Like put in a rush hour only bus lane in the peak hours and see how much this upped bus travellers as they get there a little quicker and bus density on the bridge increases. If you don't get a big enough increase then maybe make the fares cheaper with the bridge section free, still not enough use some other financial measures. And best of all apart from a few pots of paint and maybe some different coloured signal lights it's could be pretty much cost freeeeee!!!!

    Given the Minister of Transport is probably coping a fair bit of flack I can see changes coming. Or he has done one of the better "bait and switch" policies for quite some time – getting everyone to support public mass transport. Hat tip.

    Lets face it aggressive middle aged males in those areas that are going to bike regardless of any greater common good probably don't vote labour. Sorry Lprent.

  9. RedBaronCV 9

    And isn't interesting how a spirited discussion aka as crowd sourcing has highlighted issues and interest groups that current decisions have failed to take into account at any level and thanks to Jenny who has made a great synthesis producing a pretty viable and definitely much more cost efficient solution.

  10. Foreign Waka 10

    It is somewhat astounding that one can see in this forum more ideas to the how and ideas that could make up a blue print then comes from the office of the ministers, their advisors and hanger-on's, city council. This illustrious group should give up a large portion of income to contribute to any project that is a sensible solution because their constituency have taken the job into their own hands.

  11. '

    Don't throw those old buses away.

    “The ultimate recycling”,
    Jay Leno

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVXWGBgYj3M

  12. '

    OK, so this is the final list.

    Free passage on the ferries for cyclists,
    Busway buses converted to electric drive chain.
    Two lanes on the Eastern side of the Habour Bridge to bring the busway into the city.
    Fare-Free to compensate drivers forced out of their cars by the busway.
    Buses return to the main carriageway during low peak times, holidays, week ends.
    For those who want the experience of crossing the bridge on foot or bike and to admire the magnificent views of the harbour and city, busway converts to a bike and pedestrian crossing on the weekend.
    No concrete poured, Hundreds of tons of emissions and $billions of dollars saved

    Have I got everything?

    Is there anything else?

  13. KJT 13

    I find the alternatives proposed here as "cheaper" than a cycle pedestrian bridge rather comic.

    Ferries, buses, floating bike propelled barges are all many times more expensive than a cycle pedestrian bridge over the total usage and time in the life of a bridge.

    When you consider the bridge will be usable for up to a century, and the number of bus, car and ferry trips, all of which are more expensive long term and more energy intensive than a bridge. The bridge is cheap

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 ...
    3 hours 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
    5 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
    6 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
    6 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 ...
    7 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
    7 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 ...
    7 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
    8 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
    9 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
    12 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
    12 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
    12 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
    13 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
    14 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
    15 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
    17 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 ...
    2 days 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
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    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
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    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 2024-03-19T09:49:45+00:00