Reid poll

Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, March 22nd, 2017 - 67 comments
Categories: polls - Tags: , ,

The latest Newshub / Reid poll shows nothing dramatic on the party preference. TOP is leading the minor parties, NZF still holds the balance (unfortunately).

The preferred PM question is a bit of a nonsense, and the transfer from Key to English shows the huge incumbency effect. None the less the “talking points” are that English is on 25%, down from Key’s 36.7 percent in August 2016 (which was his lowest in eight years), and Little is at 8.3% and Ardern 10.5%. Naturally the right-wingers, who unsuccessfully tried to tear Ardern down, are now arguing that Ardern is too popular, and it’s a problem for Labour! Must be a day ending in a “y”. I see a poll where Labour leadership is within striking distance of Nat leadership, for the first time in quite a while.

67 comments on “Reid poll ”

  1. james 1

    “I see a poll where Labour leadership is within striking distance of Nat leadership, for the first time in quite a while”

    What ? If you add Ardern and Little, you might get above bill.

    Its possible – but Im doubting that Little will be adding much to that %age.

    But the main point is 47 vs 30 – And we all know Winny will talk to the largest party first.

    Still not looking good for Labour.

    • r0b 1.1

      47 vs 42 (Labour Green coalition), and if you think you “know” anything about Peters you’re dreaming.

      • weka 1.1.1

        Well we do know that he’s an unknown, which IMO is the most important thing to understand about him when considering who to vote for 😉

      • FYI, Labour was actually slightly ahead in the recent RM, which was 43.5 vs 44, to use the same ordering you did in describing the Reid Research poll.

        Both polls have NZF controlling who forms the government if the election were to follow their results.

      • Phil 1.1.3

        if you think you “know” anything about Peters you’re dreaming.

        We know that Peters’ is not some mythical Magic Eight Ball of randomness or unpredictability.

        Regardless of the pop-culture meme that Winston is an electoral wild card, it’s far from the truth. He has, like any politician would, always chosen the option that gives himself and his party the greatest power or influence to wield. It’s not surprising, or unpredictable, in any way whatsoever.

        It also means that Labour has a lot of ground to make up, or they’re going to be shit out of luck.

        • weka 1.1.3.1

          “He has, like any politician would, always chosen the option that gives himself and his party the greatest power or influence to wield.”

          That’s not the problem. The problem is that too many left voters still seem to think he’s a safe bet. Which he patently isn’t, by his very own positioning.

    • weka 1.2

      Someone in the MSM needs to ask Peters if he will talk first with L/G if they have more votes than National.

      Voting NZF and changing the govt are not the same thing.

      • Antoine 1.2.1

        He so doesn’t answer questions like that

        • james 1.2.1.1

          yes he does – he said that their “polls were dribble”.

          So he answers the question – just not very helpfully 😉

        • weka 1.2.1.2

          “He so doesn’t answer questions like that”

          Good. Because then the message for left wing voters is that Peters refused to say whether he would consider the L/G bloc, and thus cannot be trusted.

          The question still needs to be asked.

        • MikeS 1.2.1.3

          Yes he does. He’s always stated that NZF will first talk to the party that gets the most votes on election night. He’s always said that and has always done that.

      • Hahaha Peters is much more likely to tell an average voter what he thinks than he is to tell the Media. He’s been playing the “lĂźgenpresse” game even longer than Trump has.

        That said, I sent him a very friendly tweet asking for clarification just in case he thinks it’s obvious what the answer is and got distracted by how much he hates Newshub when asked to comment.

      • red-blooded 1.2.3

        Peters has always said that he’d deal with the largest party first. This does suggest problems, as L/G are not one party (plus his antipathy towards the Greens is well-known and longstanding). I hope I’m wrong, but I do think we should be concerned about the idea of Winston choosing who forms the next government.

        • weka 1.2.3.1

          So either that means he would first deal with National. Or, he’s going with the intent of MMP and he would deal with L/G first if they had higher numbers. But given Peters has monkeywrenched MMP I also don’t have much hope. More likely is he will imply something and then just do whatever afterwards.

          This stuff really needs to be clarified by the MSM during the election campaign.

          • red-blooded 1.2.3.1.1

            Ought to be, yes, but will it be? I’m not holding my breath; Peters blusters and bamboozles and they see it as kinda cute and let him walk away smiling.

          • Pete George 1.2.3.1.2

            But L/G ends on election day. It is a campaign arrangement with an end date before coalition wrangling begins.

            Labour obviously want to keep their coalition options open. Particularly if NZ First gets more votes than Greens (a distinct possibility, if voters dump National they are more likely to vote NZF than Greens).

            The MSM can’t clarify what Peters will do before the election. I doubt Labour will clarify what their strategy is either.

            Remember that Labour has shat all over the Maori and Mana Parties and has ruled out dealing with them. That leaves either NZF or Greens.

            Unless Labour+Greens can for a majority on their own the Greens are in a weak bargaining position.

            [BLiP: Provide evidence of Labour having “ruled out dealing with [maori and Mana parties]” in your very next comment or do not post here again for one week. Up to you.]

            • weka 1.2.3.1.2.1

              “The MSM can’t clarify what Peters will do before the election. I doubt Labour will clarify what their strategy is either.”

              I’m not suggesting the MSM to clarify, I’m suggesting that they ask the questions. It’s up to Peters to clarify or not.

              I already know that Labour and the Greens want to change the govt. Neither will support the formation of a 4th National govt. Same cannot be said for NZF (or TOP). I think both Labour and the Greens *are clear. Not sure what you are confused about.

            • james 1.2.3.1.2.2

              I know the moderation comment wasnt for me – but here would be an example:

              “Jackson coming on board is an “expression of the frustration and just abandoning the Maori Party because they’re so hopeless and have done nothing for Maori,” Little said.

              “Maori are looking elsewhere and so they should,” he told Radio NZ.

              Little has also ruled out working with the Maori Party after the election saying, “I’ll be looking to parties who have substance”.”

              http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/89623055/Political-attacks-are-in-full-swing-as-Labour-and-the-Maori-Party-go-head-to-head-for-the-Maori-seats

  2. Jordan 2

    How is 8% within striking distance of 25%? Classic left-wing delusion.

    • r0b 2.1

      18% want a PM from Labour, 25% want a Nat. Classic right-wing comprehension fail.

      • MikeS 2.1.1

        Does that mean that of the 30 odd percent who said they would vote Labour, 40 % don’t want a Labour PM?

        This preferred PM thing has always confused the fuck out of me. If Little and Adern make up 18% of voters PM preference then over 80% of voters (which would include a large number of Labour voters) don’t want a Labour PM? Well who do those Labour voters want as PM then??

        I guess it confuses me because for me if I say I’m going to vote Labour then my preferred PM is automatically the leader of the Labour party. Am I missing something here?

    • Try reading up on how MMP works. We don’t vote for Prime Minister in this country.

      • Oh I’m pretty sure a fair amount of Nat voters do vote based on the likely PM, it’s probably part of why their vote sucked when Bill English and Don Brash were leaders.

  3. Cynical jester 3

    Its not a bad result. Labour seems to be stripping support from nzf in this and and yesterdays Roy Morgan. We could potentially govern with labour/nf with greens and maori party on confidence and supply on both polls. I’d rather a full labour /greens govt but nz can’t go through a fourth term of this government, we need change.

    • Enough is Enough 3.1

      That is the best we can hope for on these numbers because I still cannot see Winston working with two parties when he has the ability to work with only one.

      The big question is would the Greens support being locked out again and give the confidence to that arrangement.

      Everyone needs to know that a vote for Winston will either return English to power, or lock the Greens out.

      DO NOT vote NZ First.

      • weka 3.1.1

        Pretty much, although I think it’s more likely that he would choose National anyway.

      • Do we actually know that?

        I still don’t pretend to understand exactly how Winston makes coalition decisions even to this day. Sure, he could potentially be top dog for three years going with the Nats, but last time he tried that it really hurt both him and his party politically, wheras he did very well working with Labour, delivered on a lot of his priorities and grew his party vote.

        Maybe he personally doesn’t like the Greens a ton, (I suspect that’s the real reason he locked them out of coalition when he and Dunne had the numbers) but everyone else in his party has been working together with them really well in opposition, and they’ve been aligning both on criticisms of the government and on some important policy issues. That seems like a lot of work to do for someone you totally intend to stab in the back and lock out of government at any chance you get.

        Winston is staying mum because he knows he can court both sides if he does. He likely has a preferred option, (and I don’t pretend to know what it is, in fact I hope he clarifies how he intends to decide before we vote) but he almost always does well when it looks likely he could work with either Labour or National.

        It’s also worth noting that the Party is a bit less of a cult of personality than it’s been previously. Members and MPs are conscious that Winston won’t be around forever, even if he’s nigh impossible to lock out of Parliament for good, at some point he will want to retire, and it may be soon. Once that point comes, the Party will need to have a consistent ideology and direction so it doesn’t fall apart without its charismatic leader. Part of that involves thinking about its long-term direction and who else in Parliament aligns with that- and on all of the not-so-racist parts of their platform, that’s essentially the Greens and Labour, and there are at least a few prominent members and MPs of NZF who see things that way too.

        I agree with your conclusion not to trust NZ First (yet) if you’re committed to changing the government, but you’re being a bit hasty about determining that they’re actually on the other side.

        • Enough is Enough 3.1.2.1

          “wheras he did very well working with Labour, delivered on a lot of his priorities and grew his party vote”

          You might want to look back at your history.

          Winston was voted out of Parliament after working with Labour. It may not have been caused by Labour but he certainly did not grow his party vote while working with them.

    • james 3.2

      Why would the Maori Party go with Labour when Little has been acting the way he has?

      • weka 3.2.1

        Because they’re not petty and vindictive and this isn’t a children’s sandpit. Instead they will go with the party that has the best policy match and best offer of power and effect for Māori. In previous elections the Mp have gone back to their people to ask who they should support.

      • The MP know Little’s reaction is based on their determination not to lock themselves into a permanent relationship with either Labour or National, and feel like things will change if they’re needed to sidestep Winston in the future.

  4. Sanctuary 4

    A quarter of those questioned were from “an internet panel”, presumably to save $$$. I don’t think this poll is worth anything.

  5. MG 5

    There’s been very little coverage of the most recent Roy Morgan – is that because it bounces around more than a trampoline on a car roof?

    • All polls bounce.

      RM has been pretty stable throughout 2017, (I’ve been tracking poll data since 2016, where RM has a single rogue poll, which is where all these comments about it being unreliable have originated. One rogue poll in 20 is the expected rate for rogue polls, and RM actually has less rogues than Colmar Brunton does, and they’re both under 1 in 20 in terms of polls that, with hindsight, look like rogues) always bouncing by amounts that you would expect given the margin of error.

      It’s also the only regularly scheduled poll on New Zealand politics, so it’s inherently more reliable than all of the others because you can form a trend from it on its own, wheras the others essentially need the RM data to be able to form any kind of useful picture about political trends over time.

      • weka 5.1.1

        So you think the Green % is accurate this time?

        • I expect we’ll probably see at least an 11% result at the general election for the Greens, yes. It could be higher, but the Greens are a little hard to nail down because they overpoll so consistently, but by varying amounts. If the Greens get the 14.5% result than the RM gives them from time to time, they’ll probably be pretty happy with that, (especially the Greens placed around position #18 on the list…) but it’s also given them results around 11.5% too, so RM isn’t out of the norm.

          I expect this is just a natural bounciness you expect when a party’s result isn’t actually changing a ton and the movement is mostly down to oscillation within the margin of error- this is roughly the sort of range of results you’d expect if the Greens have a consistent level of support of about 12-13% of the country.

  6. adam 6

    I know some here have a real fetish for polls, but I think they are just another weapon to put off voters.

    I’d like to see them talked about less.

    • Polls are indicative. They should be talked about a little, but not used as a bludgeon too much.

      The important part of this one is that it confirms the RM’s results that National has lost ground after announcing its Super policy, confirming what we all thought: it was a dumb idea to make cutting entitlement to Super into an election issue.

      • adam 6.1.1

        And that is exactly the type fetish talk I’m talking about, thanks for the example Matthew Whitehead.

        But the reality is they are used to bludgeon poor people not to vote. So even a little talk at this point is bad.

        • Phil 6.1.1.1

          … the reality is they [polls] are used to bludgeon poor people not to vote.

          Citation needed.

          • adam 6.1.1.1.1

            How many people did not vote last election?

            That said I really liked this piece I read, sorry not the full piece.

            https://www.stir.ac.uk/research/hub/publication/10094

            Trying to find another thing I read on why people don’t vote and the role polls play.

            • weka 6.1.1.1.1.1

              how many of those that didn’t vote were poor, and of those how many are apolitical by character?

              • adam

                A whole lot of reasons why people don’t vote. The biggest is they feel that they are not listened to, even when they vote. Good example was the recent vote in the USA, look how many democrat’s lost seats.

                As for polls, funnily enough it was Winston Peters, and a comment by him that made me look into how polls put people off voting. At the very least we should have no polls in the press three months out from an election.

                But then again, why would the corporations give up such a lever. They will not and many people will not vote, becasue they don’t see the point.

                • MikeS

                  Here’s an obvious example which shows why large numbers of people may choose to disengage from the political system and not bother voting…

                  I know heaps of people adore Helen Clarke and in their minds she was an awesome PM, etc…

                  But did she get rid of the employment contracts act? Did she roll back any of the disastrous economic reform policies (some were needed) adopted in the late 80’s? Did she restore benefit levels to what they were before the likes of Ruth Richardson (that nasty, miserable excuse for a human being) slashed them by 50% and more?

                  etc,etc,etc

                  Why vote if you can quite clearly see that regardless of which party or parties end up in office, for you, nothing ever changes?

                  Just a comment on those benefit levels. By not restoring them i believe Helen Clarke is actually the greater evil than Ruth Richardson. The reason being that Clarke and Labour if asked today would in my opinion always suggest that they were there for the poor and those at the bottom end of the ladder whom the National Party couldn’t care less about. You would be being perfectly reasonable to think that Clarke and Labour would do something about many of these policies enacted by an extremely right wing block of the National party, but she didn’t and Labour didn’t.

                  Our Two largest political parties with a combined 75 or so percent of the vote may as well be one party with a few minor policy differences on the left and right edges of the party.

                  I started off thinking hey this guy Little seems pretty good, but he has steadily declined for me personally in terms of what i think of him. Has he stood up and said he will restore benefits to acceptable levels? Has he stood up and said he is boycotting this years america’s cup regatta and any companies associated or involved with it? (In fairness to Little, have any of our big names and ‘role model’s in the media spotlight stood up and said that?? )

                  Any support for the regatta even just watching it on TV means essentially support for or legitimization of tax havens. For example Emirates, by being involved, is saying that they see nothing wrong with tax havens. I wish a couple of million hard working kiwi taxpayers would get off their arses and let companies like Emirates know that tax havens are not ok.

                  Has he announced pans to get rid of the employment contracts act?

                  etc etc etc

            • Phil 6.1.1.1.1.2

              From the link:

              The apparently conflicting findings of some major pressure groups’ polls plus confusion between straw polls and scientific polls seem likely to create antipathy amongst the general public, if not hostility to polls.

              The paper is saying that, unsurprisingly, the public doesn’t understand the difference between a methodologically ‘scientific’ poll and something that is more akin to clickbait.

              Their thesis statement doesn’t, in any way whatsoever (note: i also don’t have access to the full paper ) support your claim that the scientific methodology used by the likes of RM, CB, etc would be responsible for demotivating “poor people” from voting.

              • adam

                No missing what I said. It’s not the poll methodology that is the problem, but the how, the when, and why they publish them that is the problem. How they frame them as well. One good example, is the preferred PM – utterly pointless poll.

        • Polls are reasonably accurate indicators when you understand their limitations. They’re not fucking genies.

          We can draw some broad conclusions based on their trends, but shouldn’t assume we know too much off them.

          I agree somewhat with your sentiment that certain talk about polls can discourage people from voting, but you’re misattributing the blame: it belongs to horse-race coverage of polls, not polls themselves. If you tell people you know for sure what the election’s going to be like from a poll you’re a liar. If you over-focus on polls, you’ll discourage people from voting because they think it’s a done deal and it will discourage them. This is why I don’t actually blog about every single bloody poll, even if I pay attention to them and tweet when they show something interesting.

          I’d also note you’re playing the ball a lot there, adam. Literally anyone who’s giving a more nuanced position than you like is becoming a “poll fetishist,” even if they’re ostensibly on your side. We don’t put up with that sort of ad-hominem nonsense from right-wingers, it looks just as bad when people on our side do it.

          While I don’t doubt poor people are over-represented in non-voting statistics, I’m interested why you think polls in particular have something to do with that. I’d be much more likely to think it’s about a degree of neoliberal consensus between Labour and National making them think that There Is No Alternative.

      • james 6.1.2

        “The important part of this one is that it confirms the RM’s results that National has lost ground after announcing its Super policy, confirming what we all thought”

        I know its a bit of a pain for your argument but National GAINED ground – not lost it – confirming what we all thought apparently.

        • adam 6.1.2.1

          And like clock work, a fetishist comes into the debate.

          • james 6.1.2.1.1

            and like a petulant child, name calling comes into the debate, when the point cannot be argued.

            • adam 6.1.2.1.1.1

              You deliberately did not read my first point so we are not in a debate.

              Oh wait your the supporter of child beating. I forgot, now I remember, you get precious at the drop of a hat.

        • Nooo, National gained ground from the March RM poll, (I have it logged as being conducted on March 12th) which was conducted after the Super announcement on March 6th. Both the Reid Research and RM polls in March show a drop from the RM poll in February, (also Feb 12th, coincidentally) which was the most recent one before the Super announcement.

          It’s hard to come to conclusions as to what’s up to that movement as it’s actually not large enough to say for sure it’s not simply a matter of RM underestimating National’s support and Reid Research over-estimating it. We’ll want to see what direction the next poll goes in- if it doesn’t show National back up at 46-48%, then my theory is likely correct, if it does, then either that RM was slightly off-trend, or there was a temporary dip in response to the super announcement, but people have stopped panicking since.

          If you’re going to critique my timeline, at least provide dates.

  7. Brutus Iscariot 7

    Unusually poor results for NZF given their supposed “electoral sweetspot” right now.

    • GregJ 7.1

      I seem to recall there has been a historic tendency for most of the polls to underestimate NZF support. Perhaps it’s a bit like Trump’s election – people don’t want to say they support them but how they vote in the privacy of the polling booth is another matter.

      • You’re correct. NZF are almost consistently stronger on Election Night than they’ve looked in the polls. This could be because they underpoll, or it could be because they have a lot of draw for undecided voters, who aren’t normally accounted for very well in phone polling, because most polls use a “likely voter” screen.

        • Phil 7.1.1.1

          t could be because they have a lot of draw for undecided voters

          There’s also a possible third (or, more accurately, 2B) option that I have an affinity for: Winston Peters is the most successful, or lucky, late-campaign politician.

          For instance, the political fallout from the Tea Tapes occured in the last week or two of the 2011 campaign. Winston appeared to reap huge benefits from it, in terms of media attention and public favourability. But that was far too late in the campaign for polling firms to realistically ‘price-in’ the swing in support and show it in a poll.

          • Phil 7.1.1.1.1

            NZF are almost consistently stronger on Election Night than they’ve looked in the polls

            I did some digging on NZF…

            Year; election result; average NZF polling in the last month; difference.

            2005; 5.7%; 5.88%; -0.18%.
            2008; 4.07%; 3.45%; +0.62%
            2011; 6.59%; 3.53%; +3.06%
            2014; 8.66%; 6.27%; +2.39%

            In 2011, Winston took full advantage of Tea Tapes. In 2014, he was again at the forefront of the final part of the campaign with the Collins/Slater SFO fiasco.

            My gut feeling is that, unless Winston is on for a hattrick of late-breaking stories that change the campaign narrative, his polling for the 2017 election is probably going to be about right.

            • Matthew Whitehead 7.1.1.1.1.1

              That’s not actually a good thing for NZF, as that would suggest about a 0.5% drop in their party vote.

              I think you’re definitely onto a reasonably solid thing there, Peters is very good at getting late press near the election that might not be captured in time by pollsters.

  8. Antony Cotton 8

    Yes I want a Labour Government but I don’t like the Greens much do much in charge Winston is better Opinion than the Greens but Labour will need to work with both.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    17 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • 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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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 ...
    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
    16 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
    23 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 PokapĹŤ 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 ManawatĹŤ 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. â€œFor too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-26T23:38:28+00:00